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Graustark #4
The Prince of Graustark
George Barr McCutcheon (1866-1928) was an American novelist and playwright. McCutcheon became famous for his Graustark series set in Eastern Europe. He disliked being categorized as a romantic and preferred being known for his plays. The Graustark novels are stories of court intrigue, royal disguise, and romance. Novels in the series include Graustark: The Story of a Love Behind a Throne (1901), Beverly of Graustark (1904), Truxton King: A Story of Graustark (1909), The Prince of Graustark (1914), East of the Setting Sun (1924), and The Inn of the Hawk and Raven (1927). When Prince Robin reached adulthood his country was in financial crisis. William W. Blithers, a very rich and very vulgar American, offered to finance the country. He also hoped this would mean a match for his daughter. The two young people had very different ideas of their own about marriage. Robin eventually married Bevra, the Crown Princess of Dawsbergen, daughter of Dantan and Beverly.
394 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1914
3 people are currently reading
53 people want to read
About the author
George Barr McCutcheon
290 books19 followersGeorge Barr McCutcheon was an American popular novelist and playwright. His best known works include the series of novels set in Graustark, a fictional East European country, and the novel Brewster's Millions, which was adapted into a play and several films.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 17, 2021
I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first three Graustark novels, largely due to the action aspect that was so prominent in the previous installments has been totally excised from this one.
This book is a straight-up romantic comedy with no drama at all. I'm not averse to the romcom genre; I actually enjoy it when done well; but this wasn't done especially well. The characters just move from one location to another with hardly any plot development.
You can practically feel the author giggling behind his hands as he deliberately (and quite cleverly, granted) conceals any element that might give away the final twist. That final twist is what it's all about and it's quite a good one, too, but I did see part of it coming, if not every aspect of it.
GBM seems to lose interest in the book once the final twist is dropped. It's a total 'BOOM! - mic drop' ending. I'd have rather seen some of the reactions of the cast to the twist to be honest.
I'm parting company with this series here as the final two books in the series aren't available in formats I can read. If this book is an indication of how the rest of the series goes, this may be no great loss.
My next book: Marvel Masterworks: The Invincible Iron Man vol. 11
This book is a straight-up romantic comedy with no drama at all. I'm not averse to the romcom genre; I actually enjoy it when done well; but this wasn't done especially well. The characters just move from one location to another with hardly any plot development.
You can practically feel the author giggling behind his hands as he deliberately (and quite cleverly, granted) conceals any element that might give away the final twist. That final twist is what it's all about and it's quite a good one, too, but I did see part of it coming, if not every aspect of it.
GBM seems to lose interest in the book once the final twist is dropped. It's a total 'BOOM! - mic drop' ending. I'd have rather seen some of the reactions of the cast to the twist to be honest.
I'm parting company with this series here as the final two books in the series aren't available in formats I can read. If this book is an indication of how the rest of the series goes, this may be no great loss.
My next book: Marvel Masterworks: The Invincible Iron Man vol. 11
Want to read
January 6, 2011Travel reading.
"Beverly of Graustark" was a childhood favorite. It's a little harder dragging my way through this follow up, written long ago in a very, very different era. I have a different perspective than I did as a 13 year old, and there have been a number of wince-worthy moments. (And grimacing at the airport is becoming a sensitive and scary thing these days. Anything that makes them look twice at you is a bad thing...)
I might finish this one someday... if I run out of better books. ^_^
"Beverly of Graustark" was a childhood favorite. It's a little harder dragging my way through this follow up, written long ago in a very, very different era. I have a different perspective than I did as a 13 year old, and there have been a number of wince-worthy moments. (And grimacing at the airport is becoming a sensitive and scary thing these days. Anything that makes them look twice at you is a bad thing...)
I might finish this one someday... if I run out of better books. ^_^
September 23, 2017
I really enjoyed this old book that I found in a dumpster! It should definitely not have been tossed (but whoever was tossing even threw out an 1888 edition of Huckleberry Finn!!!) So I read The Prince of Graustark, picturing what a great movie it would make. It was great, and not as predictable as I thought.
April 17, 2025
The conversations were rather lengthy, although quite entertaining. I certainly was unprepared for the end of the book. Prince Robin is certainly a character to be enjoyed. I recommend this book as the 3rd best in the series of Graustark.
May 15, 2016
“The Prince of Graustark” proved to be a mixture of rambling third-person narrative that could in the most part be skimmed, coupled with some entertaining scenes and dialogue exchanges between the two main characters.
One big difference between this and the three previous novels in the series is that no events take place in Graustark until we reach the end of the book.
Speaking of the end – and I won’t reveal any spoilers here – the author hits the reader with a brilliant twist in the tale. The closing chapter or two were plodding along in such a boring manner when suddenly the predictable ending is turned on its head.
Pity more brilliance like this didn’t occur throughout what I can only describe as an above-average book.
One big difference between this and the three previous novels in the series is that no events take place in Graustark until we reach the end of the book.
Speaking of the end – and I won’t reveal any spoilers here – the author hits the reader with a brilliant twist in the tale. The closing chapter or two were plodding along in such a boring manner when suddenly the predictable ending is turned on its head.
Pity more brilliance like this didn’t occur throughout what I can only describe as an above-average book.
November 23, 2008
Why you ask - why do I hate this book when I loved the two books that preceded it?
The author employs a tactic that makes me see read and seeth - in the first few pages he kills off the two characters that I've spent two books loving! Then he thinks he can waltz on with the story of their son without me blinking.
Fa on him.
Skip this one and stay with "Graustark" and "Beverly of Graustark".
The author employs a tactic that makes me see read and seeth - in the first few pages he kills off the two characters that I've spent two books loving! Then he thinks he can waltz on with the story of their son without me blinking.
Fa on him.
Skip this one and stay with "Graustark" and "Beverly of Graustark".
February 11, 2012
A fun read. I chose to read this because my grandmother was reading it back in 1917 or 1918. It is about a young woman whose billionaire father wants her to marry a prince and she is determined to marry for love. The book is pretty predictable until the last page.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews