Kenilworth

by Walter Scott, J.H. Alexander (Introduction)

In the court of Elizabeth I, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, is favoured above all the noblemen of England. It is rumoured that the Queen may chose him for her husband, but Leicester has secretly married the beautiful Amy Robsart. Fearing ruin if this were known, he keeps his lovely young wife a virtual prisoner in an old country house. Meanwhile Leicester's manservant Varney has sinister designs on Amy, and enlists an alchemist to help him further his evil ambitions. Brilliantly recreating the splendour and pageantry of Elizabethan England, with Shakespeare, Walter Ralegh and Elizabeth herself among its characters, Kenilworth (1821) is a compelling depiction of intrigue, power struggles and superstition in a bygone age.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

Genres: Classics, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Romance, British Literature, Adventure

528 pages, Paperback

First published January 13, 1821

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.

Sir Walter Scott was a Scottish novelist, poet, historian, and biographer, widely recognized as the founder and master of the historical novel. His most celebrated works, including Waverley, Rob Roy, and Ivanhoe, helped shape not only the genre of historical fiction but also modern perceptions of Scottish culture and identity.

Born in Edinburgh in 1771, Scott was the son of a solicitor and a mother with a strong interest in literature and history. At the age of two, he contracted polio, which left him with a permanent limp. He spent much of his childhood in the Scottish Borders, where he developed a deep fascination with the region's folklore, ballads, and history. He studied at Edinburgh High School and later at the University of Edinburgh, qualifying as a lawyer in 1792. Though he worked in law for some time, his literary ambitions soon took precedence.

Scott began his literary career with translations and collections of traditional ballads, notably in his Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border. He gained early fame with narrative poems such as The Lay of the Last Minstrel and The Lady of the Lake. As the popularity of poetic storytelling declined, especially with the rise of Lord Byron, Scott turned to prose. His first novel, Waverley, published anonymously in 1814, was set during the Jacobite rising of 1745 and is considered the first true historical novel. The success of Waverley led to a long series of novels, known collectively as the Waverley Novels, which blended historical events with compelling fictional narratives.

Over the following years, Scott produced a remarkable number of novels, including Old Mortality, The Heart of Midlothian, and The Bride of Lammermoor, each contributing to the romantic image of Scotland that became popular throughout Europe. With Ivanhoe, published in 1819, he turned his attention to medieval England, broadening his appeal and confirming his status as a major literary figure. His works were not only popular in his own time but also laid the groundwork for historical fiction as a respected literary form.

Scott married Charlotte Genevieve Charpentier in 1797, and they had five children. In 1820, he was granted a baronetcy and became Sir Walter Scott. He built a grand home, Abbotsford House, near Melrose, which reflected his passion for history and the Scottish past. However, in 1825, financial disaster struck when his publishers went bankrupt. Rather than declare bankruptcy himself, Scott chose to work tirelessly to pay off the debts through his writing. He continued to produce novels and non-fiction works at a staggering pace despite declining health.

Walter Scott died in 1832, leaving behind a literary legacy that influenced generations of writers and readers. His works remain widely read and studied, and he is credited with helping to revive interest in Scottish history and culture. Abbotsford House, now a museum, stands as a monument to his life and achievements.

Reviews

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

SPOILERS AHEAD

I am starting to reread and read my Sir Walter Scott collection. I enjoyed this story of royal court intrigue with the Earl Of Leicester and Elizabeth 1. The Queen views the Earl as a favorite with rumors of marriage between them. However, the Earl has secretly married Amy Rosbart and keeps her hidden in a remote manor called Cumnor Hall.

The story starts with Michael Lambourne returning to a village near the Hall. He is a rogue and while drinking at his Uncles tavern bets he can get admittance to Cumnor Hall where his old friend Tony Foster is Steward. So begins an adventure of treachery, love, pageantry and intrigue.

A past lover, Tressilian discovers her at the Hall and believes her the mistress of Varney the Earls right hand man and a villain of the highest class. He tries to convince her to escape but she refuses and cannot tell anyone she is married to the Earl.

The description of Elizabeth 1 is excellent although Amy the Countess is quite weak willed and out of her depth. Varney is a marvelous villain and the story is based on true events.

[Metodi Markov · Rating 4 out of 5]

Приятна, макар и малко наивна история. Подходяща е за по-млади читатели.

Не знаех почти нищо за управлението и живота на "кралицата-девственица" - Елизабет I, така че определено обогатих познанията си за този период от английската история.

Уолтър Скот е майстор на историческия роман, следва да прочета и "Роб Рой".

Цитат:

"Не се пули като заклана свиня. Не можеш да подскачаш в серкмето, без никой да те види." 😆🐷

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

So you think that James Joyce, Marcel Proust, and Georges Perec are difficult reads? They are, but you have to add Sir Walter Scott to that list. I have just finished reading Kenilworth and enjoyed every minute of it, though it took me a whole week to read, what with all the detailed end notes and extensive glossary.

If you encounter such words as abye, culiss, cymar, diablotin, or littocks in the course of reading a book, you will either stop dead in your tracks and consult the notes and glossary; or you will charge forward feeling that you are missing something. If this latter option is repeated often enough, you will feel that you have missed out on half the novel.

What makes Scott worth reading is threefold:

1 - He is telling a great story.
2 - He has his history down pat -- and most of his novels are historical novels.
3 - He has some great characters, such as the heartless villain Richard Varney.

As difficult as it is to read Scott with anything approaching comprehension, I love his work, his erudition, and his feeling for language.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Free download available at eBooks@Adelaide.

Due to the Scottish Independence Referendum, which occurred in Sept. 18, I decided to read a couple of books written by two great Scottish writers: The Master of Ballantrae (see my review here) by Robert L. Stevenson and the present book.

The love affair between Queen Elizabeth I and Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, is very well-known and has been described in several books.

However the role played by Amy Robsart, Dudley's wife, into this plot was never put in a first plan, on the contrary.

The Kenilworth Castle - Dudley's castle to which the tittle refers played an important historical role, from the Siege of Kenilworth in 1266 to the scene of the removal of Edward II from the English throne.



Even if this book has some historical inaccuracies, such as the circumstances of Amy Robsart's death as well as the real date of her death (Sept. 8, 1560), Scott manages quite well to write a masterpiece on this historical period.

Two TV series were made based on this book: Kenilworth (1957– ) and Kenilworth (1967– ) with Jeremy Brett, John Bryans, John Fraser.

4* Rob Roy
3* The Heart of Mid-Lothian
4* Ivanhoe
3* Waverley
4* The Fair Maid of Perth
4* The Bride of Lammermoor
$* Kenilworth
TR The Monastery
TR The Pirate
TR The Waverly Novels: Anne of Geierstein
TR The Two Drovers
TR The Antiquary
TR The Lady of the Lake
TR The Talisman

[Елвира · Rating 4 out of 5]

Слагам 4,5 звезди, просто защото ми се струва, че никой исторически средновековен роман, пък бил той и на самия сър Уолтър Скот, не може да надмине „Айвънхоу“ по великолепие!

[Misfit · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the book opens, Amy Robsart has left her family home and has secretly married Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester. Amy's father, Sir Hugh and the man her father intended her to marry, Edmund Tressilian, have no knowledge of Amy's whereabouts and suspect foul play at the hands of Dudley's sneaky master of the horse, Richard Varney, and Tressilian goes in search of Amy at an old manor house, Cumnor Place. As Elizabeth I's attraction to Dudley grows, so does Dudley's ambitions to reach for the stars and a greater place at court than he ever dared for, and Amy becomes a bit of a liability -- especially to Varney who hopes to rise in power alongside his master--and thus the game is on.

This is the first Walter Scott that I have read, with the exception of Ivanhoe and that was many years ago when I was a young child. I admit to almost giving up a couple of times, as the vernacular used by the characters was hard to follow at times, but it's worth slugging through the first 50 or so pages until the story starts cooking along as Scott takes the reader on a grand ride through the court of Elizabeth Tudor. Even Walter Raleigh makes a wonderful secondary character, his characterization of Elizabeth I was spot on, and I loved the way Scott worked Dudley's famous fete of Elizabeth at his castle at Kenilworth into Amy's story.

Although Scott based this tale on an old English Ballad (which is printed in the back of the book) and not known history, it's still a jolly good yarn peopled with interesting characters, poison, astrology, treachery and all the well known intrigues of the Court of Elizabeth I. Those of you who are well versed in Tudor history already know the fate of Amy Robsart and I will have to warn those potential readers who are picky about historical accuracy that Scott definitely diddles with history in this tale. But for those readers who are willing to forget what's in the history books and ready to enjoy a jolly good yarn by a master storyteller about Elizabethan England, this is one book worth checking out, and I intend to read other books by this author. Five stars.

[Reading Trolls · Rating 4 out of 5]

Сюжетът ни разказва за съдбата на съпругата на граф Лестър. Като любимец на кралицата той запазва любимата си в тайна, понеже се страхува, че ще загуби нейното благоразположение. Лестър се впуска в рискована игра, а залогът е тронът или главата му. Графът е много противоречив характер. Любовта му към Ейми изглежда искрена и пламенна, но амбицията му е достатъчно силна да погуби и двамата. Имаше моменти, когато изпитвах съжаление към него, когато си давах сметка колко му е трудно да признае подобна тайна. Предполагам, че Елизабет наистина би го наказала жестоко за игричките му и страхът от гневът ѝ е основателен. Обаче после адски му се ядосвах, защото винаги амбицията му надделяваше над съвестта му и осъзнах, че той никога не би поставил любовта на първо място. За него Ейми Робстар се оказва пречка. Това, че не му достигна воля да се изправи срещу страховете си, и реши да пожертва щастието на съпругата си го причислиха към “лошите” герои в книгата.

https://readingtrolls.com/keniluart-u...

https://reviews.readingtrolls.com/ken...

[Hannah Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This could have had an even higher rating prob if it weren’t for the ending. I won’t spoil it but I was disappointed.

[Steve R]

As stated in its introduction, an attempt to follow The Abbot's presentation of Mary Queen of Scots with a novel about Elizabeth. More specifically, it deals with one of her courtiers, the Earl of Leicester, who has rather illadvisedly married Amy Robsart, the daughter of a minor Duke. But since he is a favorite at court, and holds the desire to wed Elizabeth and thus become King, he keeps his wife secluded at Cumnor Hall and only visits surreptiously and rarely. His henchman Varney is a truly despicable character, one of Scott's best villians who, after taking his own life on the last pages of the novel, still held his sarcastic sneer. Tresselian, an early admirer of Amy's, tries to get her out of the clutches of Varney and Leicester, and briefly allies himself with the Earl of Sussex, the main rival to Leicester in the struggle for the Queen's affecions.

The climax of the novel at Kenilworth, the castle of Leicester, when Amy makes herself known to Elizabeth but refuses to divulge her marital status, is really high drama. The bit parts of Wayland Smith, an 'artist' but more of a blacksmith and a doctor and his sometimes side-kick Donnie, are very well drawn, as is the poisoner Alasco who succumbs to his own potions. Walter Raleigh is cast as an up-and-coming courtier, complete with his cloak over the puddle scene to win Elizabeth's favour. The drunkard Michael Lambourne meets a violent end, but not one any discerning reader would care much about given the buffoon he is drawn to be. The eventual murder of a major character by another one - albeit against the reformed wishes of a third, is not quite as tragic as it could have been since Scott really makes it seem like she's a relatively empty-headed beauty who was only desirous of social rank.

Well crafted characters, an expansive but tightly controlled plot, and some real scenes of colour - for instance, that of performers mimicking the five invaders of the British Isles - Britons, Romans, Saxons, Danes, Normans - make it one of the best in the Waverley series.

[Briynne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m sorry to say that I hated this a little bit. I had such hopes for Walter Scott, and I find myself in a pickle because I’m determined to finish my three-novel omnibus regardless of my impression of this first attempt. With any luck Ivanhoe and Quentin Durward will be better, but I just don’t know how hopeful I am. What really gets me is that I thought the plot had such promise; it’s the story of Amy Robsart, the secret wife of Queen Elizabeth’s famous favorite, the Earl of Leicester. I like court intrigue and Golden Age England. I was looking forward to mentally tsk-tsking Leicester for being such a duplicitous and falsely charming little weasel. Furthermore, I thought that the hidden countess had all the makings of a proper tragic heroine. Basically, I had already written a nice and cozy Gothic melodrama in my head only to be confronted with what Scott actually wrote.

Saving the bits with Elizabeth herself, who is beautifully written in her vanity, mistaken affection, and intelligence, this was trekking through mud to read. Amy is a simpering fool who threw away a good man for the absent and feckless Leicester; my resounding lack of pity for her surprised even me. Her maid was tolerable, but Amy herself was painful to read. Leicester wasn’t even fun to hate, as he might have been if he had seemed like the master of any of his decisions. As it was, he seemed more an Othello to Varney’s Iago, and I just thought him useless. Varney, granted, was vile and cunning enough to be interesting, but was so tamely written that it again just sort of all canceled out into dullness.

The real problem with this book, unfortunately, seemed to be Scott. There is a prissiness and gentrified smugness to every line in this book that is practically insufferable. You can hear the delicate 19th century sensibilities much louder than the 16th century plot, and it’s as distracting as it is annoying. I felt like there wasn’t any depth to the story or characters – they just seemed to float airily along with very nice manners and improbably formal speeches at every turn. Scott was such a popular favorite that I expected something better, but hopefully things will improve with my next try. Wish me luck, as I might need it :)

[RWBresearch · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this for two reasons: one, because my friend Tara is writing about it, and two, because as large part of it centers on a entertainment that the Earl of Leicester presented for Elizabeth 1 at his estate at Kenilworth in 1575, and I am writing about that entertainment (and his elaborate garden) for a project of my own. There is a a lot of Elizabethan pastiche here, imitating the language and interplay of Elizabethan drama, which bogs it all down in my opinion. The text combines some elements of historical accuracy with wild fantasy. But it is a ripping yarn, if you can skim through the heavy-handed "olde Englishe" carrying on.

[Sotiris Karaiskos · Rating 4 out of 5]

In his third book referring to sixteenth-century events, the author deals with the very strange case of the death of Amy Robsart, wife of the Earl of Leicester, one of the most powerful men of the Kingdom at that time, considered by many to be a murder. The writer takes this case, changes a lot of facts and uses his writing talent to turn it into a very interesting Gothic adventure. Amy Robsart takes on the role of the classical protagonist of these stories as a woman innocent and sensitive who falls victim to ambitious and ruthless men. From the end, of course, we understand that the noble saviour is absent or at least not doing his job well. Whatever the case, however, through this story, the author shows in a very vivid way the intense competition of the powerful men of the time in the court of Queen Elizabeth, which he shows her to be flattered by this behaviour, even encouraging it but at critical points to have the power and wisdom to control it in a way. These are the ingredients of a book that may start slowly and subtly, but then the intensity gradually increases at the right rate until the extremely interesting ending. A book in which his writer still holds his high standards of quality.

Στο τρίτο βιβλίο του που αναφέρεται σε γεγονότα του δέκατου έκτου αιώνα ο συγγραφέας ασχολείται με την πολύ περίεργη υπόθεση του θανάτου της Amy Robsart, συζύγου του κόμη του Λέστερ, ενός από τους ισχυρότερους άνθρωπος του Βασιλείου εκείνη την εποχή, που θεωρήθηκε από πολλούς ότι ήταν δολοφονία. Ο συγγραφέας παίρνει αυτήν την υπόθεση, αλλάζει αρκετά στοιχεία και χρησιμοποιώντας το συγγραφικό του ταλέντο τη μετατρέπει σε μία πολύ ενδιαφέρουσα γοτθική περιπέτεια. Η Amy Robsart παίρνει το ρόλο της κλασικής πρωταγωνίστριας αυτών των ιστοριών, ως μία γυναίκα αθώα και ευαίσθητη που πέφτει θύμα φιλόδοξων και αδίστακτων ανδρών. Από το τέλος βέβαια καταλαβαίνουμε ότι απουσιάζει ολοκληρωτικά ο ευγενής σωτήρας ή τουλάχιστον δεν κάνει καλά τη δουλειά του. Ότι και να ισχύει, όμως, μέσα από αυτή την ιστορία ο συγγραφέας μας δείχνει με έναν πολύ γλαφυρό τρόπο τον έντονο ανταγωνισμό των ισχυρών ανδρών της εποχής στην αυλή της βασίλισσας Ελισάβετ, την οποία παρουσιάζει να κολακεύεται από αυτή τη συμπεριφορά, ακόμα και να την ενθαρρύνει αλλά στα κρίσιμα σημεία να έχει τη δύναμη και τη σοφία να την ελέγξει με ένα τρόπο. Αυτά είναι τα συστατικά από ένα βιβλίο που ίσως ξεκινάει αργά και υποτονικά αλλά στη συνέχεια η ένταση αυξάνεται σταδιακά με το σωστό ρυθμό, μέχρι το εξαιρετικά ενδιαφέρον τέλος. Ένα βιβλίο στο οποίο ο συγγραφέας του εξακολουθεί να κρατάει ψηλά τον πήχη της ποιότητας.

[Malvina · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Slight spoilers below*

I was told to read this because I hope to visit Kenilworth Castle. Part 1 sets the scene for this tale of mystery, deception, court politics and murder, set in 1575 when Elizabeth 1 did indeed visit one of her favourites - Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester - at Kenilworth. There is a large smattering of historic licence from Walter Scott, but it all makes for a terrific tale.

It's rather a hard slog to read at first, but it picks up in Part 2 with the entrance of Elizabeth 1 (and even Walter Raleigh, in splendid form). From then to the end of part 3 the story races along, with wonderfully poetic prose from the master. As the introduction in this volume proclaims, the novel contrasts: '...a brilliant but deeply flawed society and its destined victim whose integrity, strength and essential innocence expose its moral bankruptcy...' What causes all this deception and deceit? The suspicion that Elizabeth 1 will not approve of the (secret) marriage of the Earl of Leicester to lovely Amy Robsart, sadly languishing most of the time like a luxuriously caged bird at Cumnor-Hall.

The story is fabulously entertaining. I particularly enjoyed the references to Elizabeth 1 when she suddenly transforms from 'woman' to the unmistakable 'daughter of a line of kings', or shows her queenly blood as 'that of Henry VIII'. Watch out!

*Ending spoilers*

I love the last two verses included in the book from the beautiful elegy translated by William Julius Mickle, titled 'Cumnor-Hall'. They say it all:

The village maids, with fearful glance,
Avoid the ancient moss-grown wall,
Nor ever lead the merry dance
Among the groves of Cumnor-Hall.

And many a traveller has sigh'd,
And pensive mourn'd that lady's fall,
As wandering onward he has spied
The haunted towers of Cumnor-Hall.

[Jo · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this up on a recent visit to Kenilworth Castle and I had high hopes for it as it features one of my favourite historical figures in Robert Dudley. I can't say exactly why but it just didn't do it for me. The plot revolves around Elizabeth I's progress in 1575 where she was entertained at Kenilworth Castle by Robert Dudley in what was considered a last ditch attempt at romantic courtship. In Scott's novel the subplot is the concealment of Dudley's marriage to Amy Robsart, the eventual unveiling of this union and the murder of Amy by a servant of Dudley's. And this is where the truth is waylaid for poetic licence. By the time of the revelries at Kenilworth, Amy had been dead for 15 years and Dudley was married to Lady Douglas Sheffield. There are various other 'untruths' in the novel and it just didn't really hold my interest. As a whole, I thought the book was okay but the historical inaccuracies prevented me from liking it.

[Sherry Sharpnack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read for my independent-study English Romanticism class. I read a bunch of Sir Walter that summer.

[Mike · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 stars. When I was 16 I visited Scotland, where our tour bus stopped at Loch Ness (naturally). Inside a tourist-trap souvenir shop I spotted on the bookrack two novels by Walter Scott: Ivanhoe and Rob Roy. I decided to pick them up, only knowing Rob Roy from a recently released cheesy Liam Neeson movie. After I got back to the States, I devoured these two hefty books in about two weeks, fascinated by the archaic language and feeling transported to these almost-fantasy worlds of the past. Since then, I had always wanted to explore more of Scott's Waverley novels, but I just hadn't gotten around to it. I decided this summer--17 years after my high school trip to Scotland--was the time to revisit Scott. Kenilworth seemed like a fun place to start, since it involved Queen Elizabeth, Walter Raleigh, and an alchemist. Pretty cool, right?

Well....what a let-down!

Could this novel possibly be from the same writer who penned Ivanhoe? Was my memory of reading Scott as a teenager overly-nostalgic? Did I have shitty taste back then, or was Kenilworth just a crummy novel from an otherwise good writer? Unfortunately, I lost my copies of Ivanhoe and Rob Roy in a hurricane, so I couldn't go back to compare. I can only try to figure out why I disliked this novel.

Where do I even begin? The Elizabethan language was embarrassing and distracting. Characters were quoting Shakespearean works that they couldn't possibly have known. The plot (which, according to the introduction, was lauded at the time as being Scott's best) was a mish-mash of painfully protracted scenes followed by brief spurts of interesting material followed by pages of purple prose and cringe-inducing dialogue. There were slight moments of interest (the court scene, the final few chapters) but these were spaced between long-winded and dull passages that were tough to get through. Even so, it wasn't bad enough for me to give up. It felt like driving a car on the interstate that sputtered and coughed for miles, but eventually was able to lurch into the closest service station before dying completely.

Unfortunately, I bought three more Scott novels along with this one (Waverley, Guy Mannering, and The Bride of Lammermoor). I'm not sure I want to read them after this experience! At least they're all shorter than Kenilworth. Maybe I'll read the shortest next (Lammermoor) and hope that it's better, even if it doesn't approach my memory of reading Scott in my teens.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This very enjoyable book follows the familiar formula, but adds to it interesting historical events in the reign of Elizabeth I. The ostensible main character of the book seems to be more observer than effectual, and even disappears for long periods in the narrative. Many well-drawn secondary characters suddenly are thrust forward as the main characters for a time, and then recede again into the background. And of course, the Other appears occasionally to either interfere or intercede in the workings of the plot, like a trickster. Maybe the best parts of the book are those when Elizabeth speaks, as the author does a masterful job giving voice to both the strength of character of Henry's daughter and the insecurities she must have felt as one who had been imprisoned as a child, whose mother had been executed by her father, and who was viewed as illegitimate as an heir and a queen by many. What a great mini-series this would make! Much better than the CW series Reign, which tries to "Game of Thrones" the same historical events.

[Emily D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me almost a year to read this classic tale! Granted, it was on my phone’s kindle app. Also, it’s set in the 1500’s and very long and so not the easiest to fly through. I also couldn’t read it for hours at a time.
The beginning is especially difficult to follow, learning names, personalities, roles, locations, and dynamics. I was probably halfway through before I settled into a groove and easily understood what was happening.
After investing so much time and energy in this saga, I will admit I felt I was owed a bit more at the end. I would have been ok with 20 more pages. The ending was abrupt.

p.139 “”It may be so,” said Tressilian; “those who find themselves severed from society by peculiarities of form, if they do not hate the common bulk of mankind, are at least not altogether indisposed to enjoy their mishaps and calamities.””

p.350 “”Nay, if we must be fools, ever let us be fools of the first head, say I.””

p.351 “”for when one does a foolish thing, it is right to do it handsomely.””

[La La]

I'm reading this for my A Year of Brontë because Charlotte buddy read this with an old school friend, via postal letters, at the age of seventeen. It's interesting to see she doesn't consider Romance a novel (Literary Fiction?). I love knowing people buddy read with each other in 1833.

Excerpt from a letter to her friend, known in Gaskell's biography only as the initial E: "I am glad you like 'Kenilworth;' it is certainly more resembling a romance than a novel: in my opinion, one of the most interesting works that ever emanated from the great Sir Walter's pen. Varney is certainly the personification of consummate villainy; and in the delineation of his dark and profoundly artful mind, Scott exhibits a wonderful knowledge of human nature, as well as a surprising skill in embodying his perceptions, so as to enable others to become participators in that knowledge."

[Kari · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is almost entirely inaccurate in details beyond Elizabeth, Robin and Amy. That said, it’s a well written, amusing tale about a love triangle that did exist and a death that is still unsolved today. I liked the lens through which it was written, even if it is inaccurate in the extreme.

[The Librarian's Granddaughter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although it's not a typical read for me, I'm glad I gave it a try. The story takes us back to the time when Queen Elizabeth was on the throne. The Earl of Leicester and the Earl of Sussex are fighting for her attention. The former enjoys more favor than the queen. However, he has a secret named Amy, who is his wife. Following the advice of his insidious assistant Varney, he sends her to his farthest mansion at a distance from prying eyes. Tresillian is Amy's ex-fiancé, who believes she was abducted and wants to save her. And, somewhere among all the stories in the book, a blacksmith with the skills of a healer sneaks in. Although it was clear in the preface how it would all end, it was interesting for me to read what was written.

The book has a very beautiful book body and layout. Its volume is quite large, and I rarely reach for such. Although, the descriptions were quite long and detailed, they did not bother me. On the contrary, it was interesting for me to read how people were dressed at that time, where they lived, how they made a living. I managed to immerse myself completely in the story. I really liked the dialogues. They were quite fresh and with the familiar British sense of humor that I can't even believe the book wasn't written today. Of the characters, I liked Tresillian and the blacksmith the most. It was obvious that they were good people with high moral values. Tresillian's only weakness was Amy. She, in turn, was a very annoying character to me. I missed the strengths of her character. Her absolute opposite was the queen. It was a little funny to me how everyone was flattering her, but considering whose daughter she was and how dangerous it would be to oppose her, maybe I would behave like that. There were definitely no characters to resemble each other. Everyone had something that made the story even more interesting.

I also liked Rally as a character. I had a lot of fun with the cloak. Varney was one of my most disgusting characters and I couldn't stand the scenes with him. The Earl of Leicester is also one of the characters I didn't like. A count with his position was expected to be more perceptive, and he blindly allowed Varney to manipulate him. I found it funny how much Amy wanted to get to Kenilworth, and when she had a chance to claim her rights, she was more equal than the grass. The book is definitely worth reading and I am happy that I was able to touch it!

[Ivar Volmar · Rating 2 out of 5]

„Kenilworth“ on kõigist seni loetud Scotti teostest üks nõrgemaid. Scotti puhul ma ilmselt ootan just neid tema tüüpkaraktereid ning ka kerget gooti atmosfääri. Need romaanid, kus tal on mõni hull prohvet või midagi üleloomulikku (mis võib küll pärast ratsionaalse seletuse saada) on kuidagi palju elavamad. Samuti sobib Scottile rohkem au, vapruse ja vabadusiha kirjeldamine kui selline puhtalt armuloo ja selle kurbade tagajärgede kirjeldamine. „Kenilworthis“ tundsin kogu aeg, et Scott pole päris oma mängumaal. Lugu keerleb Elisabeth I favoriidi Leicesteri krahvi Robert Dudley salaja sõlmitud abielu ümber, mida too pidi kuninganna eest varjama ja mis lõpuks leiab oma traagilise lõpu. Kuna erinevalt suurest osas Scotti romaanidest ei ole siin teoses ei sõda, ülestõusu ega ka mingeid saladuslikke pärimisasju, mida Scott suutis palju elavamalt kirjeldada, jääb kogu tegevustik pigem kahvatuks. Üldse pean ütlema, et päris paljude XIX sajandi meeskirjanike suur häda on naissoost tegelaskujude kahvatus ning see on ka Scotti teoste üks suurimaid nõrkusi. Scotti naised on kas oma mässajast mehe innukad toetajad või siis sellised süütud puhtad kannatajad, nagu „Kenilworthi“ naispeategelane Amy Robsart. Ma ei tea, ehk XIX sajandi lugejates tekitas seda tüüpi usaldav, puhas ja kaitsetu naine tõesti kaastunnet, aga mina XXI sajani lugejana tundsin teost lugedes pigem ärritust, et kuidas saab inimene olla nii naiivne ja kuidas ta ometi enda eest välja ei astu. Aeg on vahepeal muutunud ja me ei tunne enam ise vabatahtlikult abituse valinud inimesele selliselt kaasa nagu toonased lugejad.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would give the book another half of a star if I could. I loved the history and interesting facts Sir Walter Scott included, and in fairness he tells the reader that he made Dudley possibly kinder than he was in real life. Many of the evils he assigns to Dudley's man Varney may more accurately belong to Dudley. Sometimes not knowing is fun, and sometimes it is frustrating because Robert Dudley has been romanticized as a man who one can feel at least a little sorry for. Perhaps I have been mislead by literature and movies?? (she says in irony) I found myself becoming frustrated with the main female character Amy Robsart, but perhaps it didn't occur to her to be more assertive with her feelings? She didn't have a mom to teach her never to become involved with a guy who wants to keep your relationship a secret.
I wanted to read another Walter Scott novel, and my parents gave me a beautiful and very old edition of this one. Scotland is perhaps my favorite place on this earth and I enjoy reading one their beloved authors.

[Doodles McC · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this historical novel as a teen. This romance novel by Sir Walter Scott, one of the Waverley novels, first published on 13 January 1821. Set in 1575, it leads up to the elaborate reception of Queen Elizabeth at Kenilworth Castle by the Earl of Leicester, who is complicit in the murder of his wife Amy Robsart at Cumnor. Kenilworth is set in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, and centres on the secret marriage of Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, and Amy Robsart, daughter of Sir Hugh Robsart. Amy passionately loves her husband, and the Earl loves her in return, but he is driven by ambition. He is courting the Queen's favour, and only by keeping his marriage to Amy secret can he hope to rise to the height of power that he desires. At the end of the book, the Queen discovers the truth, to the shame of the Earl. The disclosure has come too late, for Amy has been murdered by the Earl's even more ambitious steward, Varney.

[Amarilli · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kenilworth ha tutto ciò che mi piace di Scott: bella prosa, ricostruzione storica, personaggi ben delineati, dramma, intrigo, etc. Mancano però quei momenti più spiccatamente umoristici che in altre sue opere spezzano il dramma alleggerendo la narrazione (es. The Bride of Lammermoor è un altra "cronaca di una morte annunciata", ma scivola via molto molto meglio).

[Luci · Rating 3 out of 5]

An entertaining yet long novel by Scott regarding the death of Robert Dudley's wife, Amy Robsart. The plot is tightly woven but the author weighs the novel down by long prose scenes. This is a great novel though and an interesting perspective on another unsolved historical mystery.

[Jackson Cyril · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though this isn't one of Scott's best, it does have its moments: the surprising, Poe-esque ending, with its triumph of evil over good, a very human picture of Queen Elizabeth, the proto stream-of-consciousness prose and (of course) Shakespeare's cameo appearance, all make this a terrific novel.

[Adeptus Fringilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, although it was a bit difficult to read because of the old language. It was interesting to read a historic novel that is (partly) based on true events and I found myself reading up about those characters and events from time to time.

[Katie Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A novel by Sir Walter Scott about my town - and Queen Elizabeth too? Awesome!

[Jessica]

Preparation for my trip to Scotland...