The Interloper: Forbidden love and societal struggles in the Scottish Highlands

by Violet Jacob

In Violet Jacob's novel, 'The Interloper,' readers are transported to the rugged beauty of the Scottish Highlands, where societal expectations clash with personal desires. Through vivid descriptions and nuanced character development, Jacob masterfully weaves a tale of forbidden love and social class struggles. Written in a lyrical and emotive style, this work of fiction captures the essence of the early 20th century literary tradition, drawing parallels to works by Thomas Hardy and Virginia Woolf. Jacob's exploration of themes such as loyalty, duty, and the complexities of human relationships adds depth to the story, making it a timeless classic worth revisiting.Violet Jacob, a Scottish author and poet, drew inspiration from her own experiences and upbringing to craft 'The Interloper.' Known for her keen observations of rural life and her ability to capture the nuances of human emotions, Jacob's work reflects a deep understanding of the human psyche. Her unique perspective as a woman writing during a time of societal change adds an intriguing layer of complexity to her storytelling.For readers interested in immersive historical fiction with a touch of romance and social commentary, 'The Interloper' by Violet Jacob is a must-read. Jacob's poetic prose and insightful portrayal of human nature make this novel a captivating journey through the complexities of love, duty, and tradition.

332 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1904

About the author

Violet Jacob was a Scottish writer, now known especially for her historical novel Flemington (1911) and her poetry, mainly in Scots.

She was born Violet Augusta Mary Frederica Kennedy-Erskine, the daughter of William Henry Kennedy-Erskine and Catherine Jones. The area of Montrose where her family seat of Dun was situated was the setting for much of her fiction. In 1894 she married Arthur Otway Jacob, an Irish Major in the British Army, and accompanied him to India where he was serving. Her book Diaries and Letters from India 1895-1900 is about their stay in the Central Indian town of Mhow. The couple had one son, Harry, born in 1895, who died as a soldier at the battle of the Somme in 1916. Arthur died in 1936, and Violet returned to live at Kirriemuir, in Angus.

In her poetry Violet Jacob was associated with Scots revivalists like Marion Angus, Alexander Gray and Lewis Spence in the Scottish Renaissance, which drew its inspiration from early Scots poets such as Robert Henryson and William Dunbar. The Wild Geese, a poem of longing for home, was set to music as Norlan' Wind and popularised by Angus singer and songmaker, Jim Reid.

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

In The Interloper, the cosmopolitan Gilbert Speid comes to the Scottish countryside to settle after his father dies and he inherits his land. But a secret regarding Gilbert's parentage threatens to lower his position in the community and to part him forever from the woman he loves.

I'm in the habit now of checking Project Gutenberg for new additions of interest, which is how I found The Interloper. It's an entertaining enough read, but it seems that Violet Jacob had a grand vision of a dramatic climax and couldn't quite satisfactorily formulate the preceding plot elements in a way that would build up to it plausibly. Her characters make arbitrary decisions in order to further along the melodrama when the conflict would have realistically been resolved much sooner and without reaching such a height of intensity.

But boy, was it a height of intensity! I won't give away any specifics here, but I'll hide this part for those who want to go into the book with no prior notions about the general nature of the ending: when I got about halfway through the book and saw where the story was going, I looked ahead to spoil it for myself, because I'd be darned if I was going to waste any more time on another book that would make me feel like Jude the Obscure did. I deemed it safe to proceed and, despite knowing how it ended, my heart was racing with apprehension as the resolution approached. I have to hand it to Jacob for keeping me on my toes even when I knew what was coming. Now, if only the buildup hadn't been quite so needlessly and tiresomely prolonged!

Yet, in spite of this book's flaws, I continue to think about it after finishing it and to appreciate the landscapes that the author painted in my mind's eye and the characters I got to know.

[Rick W · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set on the east coast of Scotland at the turn of the 19th century, Violet Jacob's early work tells of the return of Gilbert Speid (the Interloper of the title) to the estate of Whanland which he has inherited from the man he thought of as his father. What follows is a complex tale of dark secrets from the past, a romantic encounter with a beautiful orphaned neighbour and jealous rivals. Of far more interest then the predictable love story is the colourful array of minor characters who affect the outcome of the tale and and the engaging and, at times, highly comic style of writing. Though not a classic, this novel deserves to be better known.