Guy Mannering

by Walter Scott, Jane Millgate (Introduction), P.D. Garside (Editor)

Guy Mannering is an astrologer who only half-believes in his art. Instead he places his faith in patriarchal power, wealth and social position.

But the Scotland of this novel is a nation in which the old hierarchies are breaking down and Guy must learn the limits of the nabob's authority in a society in which each social group - from gypsies and smugglers, to Edinburgh lawyers, landowners and Border store farmers - lives by its own laws.

Genres: Classics, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Scotland, 19th Century, British Literature, Historical

552 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1815

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

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a huge list of books to read in January but put them all to one side whilst I finished this book. I wanted to read it before the end of 2019 but didn’t manage to pick it up until just around Christmas. I fell in love with the story and so put everything else away. I have a lot more to write but for now I will say this is my favourite so far of Scott’s works. My first 5 star read of 2020.

There was much about this novel to love; the story, the characters, the setting. Our of all the Scott novels I have thus far read, this is my favourite or joint-favourite with The Heart of Midlothian.
A definite 5 stars.

Reading the introduction to the novel I came across many interesting facts but one which stood out for me the most was this one. Sir Walter Scott wrote the entire novel over the Christmas period 1814-1815. We have just had the Christmas period and I ask you, do you think you could write a 350-page novel in that time? And not just any novel, this is turning out to be one of the best I have read by him so far.

[Sotiris Karaiskos · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the success of his first book, Walter Scott proceeded directly to writing the next one. Its reception was positive again, but at no point approached the enthusiasm with which the readers received the first. Of course no one questioned the talent of the author and his virtues were recognized in this second attempt, but there were several objections to some things they considered made the book less good. About this I can tell myself by reading this book, there are many of the elements that made me like Waverley, the descriptions are very good and put us in the climate of the time, many of the characters that he introduced us are very interesting and more generally reader comes in contact with a story that has an intense end. My objections are that this story is not so interesting and leaves a lot of gaps, with the writer not working enough with his heroes to be more sympathetic and more general with the characters so we can understand their personality and their motivation. The plot follows the structure of Gothic novels in general, the strange games of fate, the metaphysical hints and the mysteries that break through a series of coincidences but from then on there is no such intensity except for some key moments that the author gives us in an exciting way. There is also the romantic element but this is quite limited. Beyond that, however, I like his choice to deal with the more marginal elements of British society like the gypsies, which gives us the opportunity to understand the perceptions that prevailed for them, but also with criminals and their relationship with the social rise of some unscrupulous people. With a subversive perspective, with humour that leaves no one quiet, he puts us in this strange world that fallen aristocrats, peasants, gypsies, criminals and various ambitious people engage in a story that reveals the tangles of the time, in a book that beyond my objections is certainly very good and makes me unwilling to differentiate my reading plan to continue with this series of books.

Μετά από την επιτυχία του πρώτου βιβλίου του ο Walter Scott προχώρησε άμεσα στη συγγραφή του επόμενου. Η υποδοχή του ήταν ξανά θετική αλλά σε κανένα σημείο δεν προσέγγιζε τον ενθουσιασμό με τον οποίο υποδέχτηκε το αναγνωστικό κοινό το πρώτο. Φυσικά κανένας δεν αμφισβητούσε το ταλέντο του συγγραφέα και οι αρετές του αναγνωρίζονταν και σε αυτήν την 2η του απόπειρα, υπήρχαν όμως αρκετές ενστάσεις για κάποια πράγματα θεωρούσαν από την κάνουν το βιβλίο λιγότερο καλό. Περίπου αυτά μπορώ να πω και εγώ διαβάζοντας αυτό το βιβλίο, υπάρχουν πολλά από τα στοιχεία που με έκαναν να ξεχωρίσω το Waverley, οι περιγραφές είναι πολύ καλές και μας βάζουν στο κλίμα της εποχής, αρκετοί από τους χαρακτήρες που μας συστήνει ιδιαίτερα ενδιαφέροντες και γενικότερα ο αναγνώστης έρχεται σε επαφή με μία ιστορία που έχει ένα έντονο τέλος. Οι ενστάσεις μου είναι ότι αυτή η ιστορία δεν έχει τόσο μεγάλο ενδιαφέρον και αφήνει πολλά κενά, με τον συγγραφέα να μην ασχολείται όσο πρέπει με τους ήρωες του για να μας είναι περισσότερο συμπαθείς και γενικότερα με τους χαρακτήρες για να μπορούμε να καταλάβουμε την προσωπικότητα και τα κίνητρά τους. Η πλοκή ακολουθεί γενικότερα τη δομή των γοτθικών μυθιστορημάτων, με τα περίεργα παιχνίδια της μοίρας, τους μεταφυσικούς υπαινιγμούς και τα μυστήρια που ξεδιαλύνονται μέσα από μία σειρά συμπτώσεων αλλά από εκεί και πέρα δεν υπάρχει η ανάλογη ένταση, με εξαίρεση κάποιες καίριες στιγμές που ο συγγραφέας μας τις δίνει με έναν συναρπαστικό τρόπο. Υπάρχει και το ρομαντικό στοιχείο αλλά και αυτό είναι αρκετά περιορισμένο. Από εκεί και πέρα, όμως, μου αρέσει αυτή η επιλογή του να ασχοληθεί με τα περισσότερο περιθωριακά στοιχεία της βρετανικής κοινωνίας όπως τους τσιγγάνους, που μας δίνει την ευκαιρία να καταλάβουμε τις αντιλήψεις που επικρατούσαν για αυτούς, αλλά και με την εγκληματικότητα και τη σχέση της με την κοινωνική άνοδο ορισμένων αδίστακτων ανθρώπων. Με μία ανατρεπτική ματιά γεμάτη χιούμορ που δεν αφήνει κανέναν στην ησυχία του, μας βάζει σε αυτόν τον περίεργο κόσμο που ξεπεσμένοι αριστοκράτες, φτωχοί αγρότες, τσιγγάνοι, εγκληματίες και διάφοροι φιλόδοξοι άνθρωποι εμπλέκονται σε μία ιστορία που φανερώνει τα μπερδέματα της εποχής, σε ένα βιβλίο που σίγουρα παρά τις οποιεσδήποτε ενστάσεις είναι σίγουρα πολύ καλό και με κάνει να μη θέλω να διαφοροποιήσω το αναγνωστικό μου σχέδιο να συνεχίσω με αυτή τη σειρά βιβλίων.

[Kailey (Luminous Libro) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet another fantastic tale from one of my favorite classic authors! Scott really knows how to spin a good story.
Everything that makes a story good is included in this one: mystery, romance, adventure, danger, conspiracy, pirates, mad old gypsy women, dashing heroes, misunderstandings, murders, kidnapping, mistaken identity, good-hearted country folk, heroines both persecuted and steadfast, and crowning it all that inimitable humor that colors all of Scott's writing.

I laughed and laughed at old Dominie Sampson, and I cried when he cried. My blood froze in horror when our heroes were in danger, and my heart warmed at the fireside of each simple tea service shared by friends.
Excellent and engaging writing, as always, and not nearly as long-winded as Waverley. Love this book so much! It is going on the top of my list of favorite Scott novels.

I read so many of his Scottish novels now that I am learning the lingo, and I don't have to refer to the Scottish glossary as often. Beautiful language with so many historic meanings and words! It really sets the tone of the Scottish books. Wild and unruly and beautiful.

Characters:
Julia is certainly a silly character, but even though Scott is making fun of her, we still feel her charm and wish her "weel" despite her flaws.
Lucy is very admirable, generous and steadfast under hardship, but that makes her almost a boring character in my opinion. Her situation is interesting; she herself is not.

Harry Bertram is a marvelous hero. He makes the most idiotic mistakes from his sense of adventure, honor, or just from not thinking things through or looking ahead to the consequences of his actions. Then we get to see him struggling to get out of his mess, and we end up cheering as he wins his way through.... only to make more idiotic mistakes! haha! Get a clue, Bertram! I just adored his character! He tries so hard to do what is right. A complex fellow.

Guy Mannering himself is definitely the glue that holds the story together, although he is not in that many chapters comparatively. I loved seeing his concern for his daughter, and his desire to be a good father to her. A very complex and deep man with a lot of mental power and charisma.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot help but think that that the literary reputation of Sir Walter Scott will continue to fade. After all, he can be diabolically difficult to read. His Guy Mannering: or The Astrologer (1815) is written in English, a broad Lowland Scots dialect, thieves cant, with numerous quotes in Latin, French, German, and Dutch.

Just the Scots itself can be challenging to most readers. The following terms were excerpted from the 20+ page glossary: aiblins, awmous, bestad, braw, camsteary, clanjamfray, eilding, fow, fremit, gumphion, niffer, sapperment, unco, and waf. In addition, my edition (Penguin) has some sixty pages of detailed end notes.

And yet I think that Scott is one of the finest novelists of the 19th century. The plot line of the book is a bit ridiculous. And there really isn’t a central character (not even Guy Mannering himself). At different times, the reader is confused whether to follow Mannering, Godfrey Bertram, Meg Merrilies, Vanbeest Brown, Dandy Dinmont (not a dog), or the eccentric lawyer Paulus Pleydell.

But if you are willing to take the trouble of trying to understand Scott, the rewards are great. He wrote so energetically, and his knowledge of Scots law is so impressive, and his language so vivid that the two weeks I spent reading the novel were an unalloyed pleasure from beginning to end. Even his descriptions of the wild landscape around Solway Firth are worthy of note:

Do you see that blackit and broken end of a shealing?—there my kettle boiled for forty years—there I bore twelve buirdly sons and daughters—where are they now?—where are the leaves that were on that auld ash-tree at Martinmas!—the west wind has made it bare—and I’m stripped too.—Do you see that saugh-tree?—it’s but a blackened rotten stump now—I’ve sat under it mony a bonnie summer afternoon, when it hung its gay garlands ower the poppling water.—I’ve sat there, and I’ve held you on my knee, Henry Bertram, and sung ye sangs of the auld barons and their bloody wars—it will ne’er be green again, and Meg Merrilies will never sing sangs mair, be they blithe or sad. But ye’ll no forget her, and ye’ll gar big up the auld wa’s for her sake?—and let somebody live there that’s, ower gude to fear them of another warld—For if ever the dead came back amang the living. I’ll be seen in this glen mony a night after these crazed banes are in the mould.

Again, Scott is a difficult author, but I think demonstrably a great one.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The missing heir…

One dark night a traveller in the south-west of Scotland loses his way, and begs a night’s lodging at Ellangowan, the house of Mr Godfrey Bertram. Mrs Bertram is in labour and soon gives birth to a son, their first child. The traveller, Guy Mannering, has revealed he has studied astrology and agrees to cast the child’s fortune. But when he discovers that the stars foretell three distinct periods of danger, each potentially fatal to the child, he insists that the fortune should be read only when the child is five years old. But young Harry Bertram will meet the first period of danger before his fifth birthday is over, when a conflict takes place between smugglers and the local excise-men, during which Harry disappears. The shock sends Mrs Bertram, again pregnant, into labour, and she gives birth to a daughter, Lucy, but dies in childbirth.

Fast forward 17 years, to probably the mid-1780s. All has gone wrong at Ellangowan, and Mr Bertram is being forced to sell up. Guy Mannering, now a middle-aged widower with a daughter of his own, Julia, has returned from India where he has spent his career as an army officer. Harry is still missing. And then Mr Bertram dies, leaving Lucy almost destitute. Mannering decides to ask her to make her home in his house, to be a companion to Julia. Ellangowan is sold, but with the proviso that if the heir returns, the property shall revert to him…

This was Scott’s second book, and I must say I found it considerably better than its more famous and more lauded predecessor, Waverley. Partly this is a matter of taste – I’m rather tired of the Scottish obsession with the Jacobite era, when Waverley is set. But I also thought the characterisation in Guy Mannering is much truer and more realistic, and, perhaps because it’s not set around such a pivotal event, I felt Scott explained the background more clearly, rather than assuming the reader would be aware of it. Both gypsies and smugglers play important roles in the story, and Scott incorporates a lot of information about both groups and how they were perceived in Scotland at this time, all of which is interesting from both a historical and a literary viewpoint.

I was less keen on the structure. The gap of seventeen years after the first section of the book is somewhat dislocating. Suddenly half the characters whom we have become invested in are dead, while the other half are much older, having lived a full life in the interim. Personalities have changed, sometimes with reason, due to events that have happened in the interim, and sometimes simply due to age. My other issue might arise from my pedantic nature, but when a book is called Guy Mannering I expect Guy Mannering to be the central character. But after casting the child’s fortune, he disappears for the entire first section of the book, and when he reappears after the gap, so does a young man we are introduced to as Vanbeest Brown, who is the hero for the rest of the book. Mannering’s role is secondary at best, and arguably not even that.

However, there are some great characters in the book, some of whom were household names in Scotland in my youth, though I’m not sure they still are. Vanbeest Brown (have you guessed who he is yet?) is an enjoyable young hero who is constantly falling into scrapes, but is also always helping his friends out of them. There’s Meg Merrilies, the gypsy woman, who also appeared at Harry’s birth and plays a vital role throughout the story. Dirk Hattaraick is the boo-hiss baddie (or at least one of them!), a Dutch smuggler plying his trade around the shores of Britain and Northern Europe. Dominie Sampson is Lucy’s childhood tutor and is a sort of tragicomic figure, although personally I found him too caricatured. Farmer and dog-breeder Dandie Dinmont is the major rural character, loyal and true, and so popular was he that there’s a real breed of dog called Dandie Dinmont terriors in his honour. In Edinburgh, we are amidst the lawyers, and here advocate Paulus Pleydell is central, as the man who will sort out the legal entanglements the various characters fall into, including the inheritance issues, and take on a kind of avuncular role towards the young people. And the two girls, Julia and Lucy, are so much better drawn than the female characters in Waverley. Lucy might be a little too much like the future self-sacrificing heroines beloved by the Victorians, but Julia is mischievous and gay, her romantic excesses tempered by her sense of humour.

After a good start, I found the book got very slow for a while as Scott set up all the characters and their various settings and situations. But the second half speeds up considerably and is full of intrigue and action with lots of danger, spiced with just the right amount of romance. There’s some Scots dialect, but not enough to be problematic, and in general the writing is excellent. The two main settings, the rural south-west and the city of Edinburgh, are very well depicted and provide an interesting contrast. Scott weaves his large cast of characters in and out of his dance with great skill, and ensures we like all the good ones and hate all the bad ones, which is just as it should be! He should have called it Harry Bertram though…

4½ stars for me, so rounded up.

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[Suzannah Rowntree · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has to be one of Scott's best - a wonderful fusion of comedy of manners with high romance which never loses its grip on either. Review coming shortly to Vintage Novels!

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the words of Dominie Sampson “Prodigious, Prodigious,Prodigious”. I am impressed that Scott his second novel in six weeks with not a typewriter or word processor in sight.

The story also called The Astrologer has action, humor and what stands out for me were the minor characters. Dominie Sampson the eccentric absent minded teacher, Dirk Hatteraick the Dutch smuggler, Mr Pleydell the Edinburgh lawyer, Meg Merrilies the gypsy matriarch and of course the honest sturdy farmer Dandie Dinmont.

The story is over Harry Bertram aka Captain Brown who disappears at the age of five after a murder if a revenue officer. Colonel Mannering is a military man who goes to India and comes back a Nabob with his daughter Julia. He is linked to the story as the astrologer who tells of Harry’s future to his father on the baby’s birth. He later is linked with the fall of the Ellangowan house. He provides a home for Lucy Betram and last of the Ellangowan line or is she?

The story has a villain in Glossin a lawyer who takes Ellangowan estates through deception. In the end we have smugglers, fights, murder and a resolution.

[John Sutherland · Rating 4 out of 5]

The subtitle for this tale is 'The Astrologer' which Guy Mannering is capable of doing, and does on the birth of a son (Harry) to the Bertram Family, though the lad's future is predicted to be punctuated by several dark moments, or so Mannering predicts. Indeed, the child is kidnapped and disappears from the story for many years. The characters that Scott brings to life: the Dominie Sampson--the stumbling once-only preacher; Bertram, Meg Merrilies; Mannering himself, of course, parade through his pages and leave their indelible mark on the reader. Mr. Brown, the indigent lover of Mannering's Daughter, Julia, proves to be the son--Harry Bertram, kidnapped as a child.
One needs a good deal of fortitude to pick up and finish a book by Scott (or even Dickens), but the effort is well worth it. This book, and his 'Ivanhoe', repay the effort many times over. Even after fifty years since reading this book, and writing a few of my own, I remain impressed by Sir Walter Scott's ability to weave a tale. No wonder that Washington Irving once hiked up to Abbottsford to meet the great man.

[Roman Kurys · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guy Mannering is without a doubt an acquired taste of a read. I think all of Sir Scott is really an squired taste of a read, really. Unless, maybe you already understand Scottish dialect then all good there. :)

Other then a very slow pace of read, trying to decipher 1800's English mixed with heavy Scottish this book has no drawbacks.

Scott tells a good story, complex enough where it's fun to read but not to the point of overbearing so in it by itself it was a good read. Top it off with a historical value, as I usually learn more from classics about way of life during their times in the country then I do from any history class and you got yourself a double positive right there.

Smugglers, gypsies, Royal dragoons, a few love stories mixed in, plus fortune telling...I mean what else would you want from a good story, right?

If you don't mind the slow pace or generally a fan of European Classics, this one is definitely worth a read!


Roman

[Sarah Elizabeth Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Typical Scott novel: slow to start, thorough of background, abundant observations. I enjoy his writing so! This contained all of the delightful side characters and clever digressions that endear Scott to me.

[Ovidiu · Rating 4 out of 5]

1815

[Gem K · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5✨

I hate to say it but Walter really popped off with this one

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. Can't beat these old 19th century novels. The writing is so clever and I love reading the dialogue - 19th century speech was so much more colorful and erudite than what we hear today. It's also a very satisfying story of good and evil, the hero getting his reward, the villian properly punished and the lovers finding happiness together. All with lots of good plot twists to keep it from being too predictable.

[Djordje · Rating 4 out of 5]

UKUPNA OCENA ★★★★ 4
- Radnja ★★★★
- Okruženje ★★★★
- Pripovedanje ★★★★✫
- Likovi ★★★★

UTISAK - predivna istorijska avantura smeštena u Škotsku, sa prelepim opisima i simpatičnim likovima čiji su dijalozi prožeti dozom humora.

[Anne Langston · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first read Guy Mannering about 20 odd years ago, and remember enjoying it a great deal. My reread has just confirmed that memory. This book has one of the strongest and best female characters in English literature--Meg Merrilies, the gypsy queen and seer, who moves most of the action in the second part of the book along. In fact, she manages to eclipse both the title character and Harry Bertram, the purported hero of the book, pretty thoroughly.

The book is set mostly in Scotland, and covers three periods of time--the first short interlude introduces Guy Mannering, a young man newly graduated and taking a tour of the southern highlands of Scotland. He loses his way and is sheltered for the night by the Bertrams of Ellangowan on the night that Henry Bertram is born. Mannering, a student of astrology, produces a horoscope for the child, which predicts three times of danger for the child. Later, he observes the wise woman Meg Merrilies crafting her own prediction, which confirms his own. Troubled by his prediction, Mannering gives the horoscope to the child's parents, with the stipulation that it not be read until his fifth year. The second period describes the explulsion of the gypsies from Ellangowan, increased vigilance by the elder Bertram (through his overseer, Kennedy) of smugglers, leading to the murder of Kennedy and the kidnapping of Henry Bertram. The third and main part of the book takes a 17 year leap, and I will not spoil the book by saying what happens in that third part.

The main draw in Guy Mannering are the strong characters introduced. Besides the incomparable Meg, we meet the eccentric Domonie Sampson, Dandie Dinmont, a farmer who raises a line of terriers, the villainous Glossin, and many more. We also get a glimpse of Scotland at the end of the 18th century--a very fascinating glimpse indeed.

This is a book written in the early 19th century, so it may be slow going for those more used to modern books. But if you like authors such as Dickens, you will probably enjoy this.

[Jeremy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm in need of a rebuke. All this time in my life, and I have never read a book by Sir Walter Scott. Well, recently I changed that, and read Guy Mannering. Clearly, I have been neglecting my studies, my heritage, and my opportunity to be edified by the prose of one of Scotland's greatest writers.

The story was pretty clear in and of itself, and the principles were quickly identified. Guy Mannering, while traveling in Scotland, chances to arrive at a Laird's house, one of the last of the great and ancient names in Scotland. The Laird just had a son, and Guy Mannering, being then schooled in the "science" of astrology, promptly worked out the son's fate. He wasn't happy about it, and as he left, he vowed to give it up. The son was then lost 5 years later, and taken away by smugglers from Holland. The story is about his return, connections to the family, and more importantly to now Colonel Guy Mannering, late of His Majesty's Royal Army in India.

The story was compelling, and only seemed slow because I wanted to see if my conjectures as to the relationships between characters were correct. It was written much like the old serial method, each chapter being a story in and of itself, though building upon each other.

Sir Walter Scott was instrumental in restoring the Tartan to the Highland clans, their rights and their culture. It was he, though his writing, that restored the valor, pride, and spirit of Scotland to her natives, and such stories as Guy Mannering are a testament to his work.

And as a side note, this book was the cause of a special breed of terrier being called Dainty Dinmonts, after one of the principle characters in the book. It also mentions one Duncan Robb in passing, of which I am very proud.

[Monty Milne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A re-reading after many years confirms me in my opinion that this is a rollicking good read, with Scott showcasing some of his most appealing characteristics – a vivid array of characters, and a novel crammed with incident and page turning excitement. Who could not love a narrative stuffed with duels, gypsies, smugglers, lost inheritances, kidnap, murder, romance, and such like enjoyable Gothicisms?

It is extraordinary how so many of the characters speak in completely different and idiosyncratic registers. This in itself gives the novel a wonderfully rich texture, although one can understand the complaint of some critics that “it ought to be translated into English” or “it’s a wonder that some of the characters can communicate with each other at all.” Yes, Scott does sometimes – often - go over the top. But who would be without such brilliantly drawn minor characters as Dandie Dinmont or Meg Merrilies? It’s no wonder that these names live on in the popular imagination – there are no end of pubs, cafés and tea rooms called after these characters in every small town in the Scottish Lowlands (or so it seemed when I made a pilgrimage to Abbotsford in 2004).

Some of the melodrama is laid on a bit thick, of course. Astrology is, in my opinion, all stuff and nonsense and Colonel Mannering is a particularly unlikely astrologer. His disappearance from the narrative for the space of twenty years is a risky plot device which, as another has said, is “extraordinarily disconcerting for the reader.” But, re-reading this at a gap much greater than twenty years, I was very glad to be reacquainted with him and the rest of the cast and the reading gave me just as much pleasure, second time around.

[Randy Jasmine · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was okay. The historical context was actually interesting, but this was hardly the tale of adventure that Scott was known for in his heyday. After a tortuous plot setup of the long-lost heir returning home under a different identity to face those who are trying to deprive him of his rightful place, almost all of the important action takes place "off stage." Before the hero can face his primary adversary, who is attempting to either kidnap or murder him, he is secretly rescued by some sub-contracted assistants of his friends, who calmly take him by coach to safety. The friendly rescuers, including the titular character, simply wait for the hero's arrival while going through their normal, banal after-dinner activities.

The novel does have some humorous contemporary observations, but on the whole, I would not recommend investing the time necessary to read this mundane story.

[Janelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I almost never think about classics after I read them. Generally I finish one and go searching through my Nook for another (or search Goodreads for one without reviews that say 'I wanted to stab my eyes out around the middle'), but I finished Guy Mannering two days ago and I am still mourning the loss of it. I may go on a Sir Walter Scott reading binge now.

[Jack Laschenski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sir Walter Scott

A great adventure!

Scotland in the 18th century.

A terrific potboiler. Filled with adventure and hair raising events, pirates, witches, gypsies and goode Scottish lairds and lawyers.

Scottish lowlands life in 1780 faithfully recorded.

Sir Walter Scott

[Rose A · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my absolute favourite Scott novels. Romance, intrigue, gothic adventure, ridiculous plot twists and a suitably happy ending. Pure historical romance, not particularly deep but brilliant fun. Highly recommended!

[Trisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a good read. Just a sweeping mystery/lost heir returns to reclaim self and family. Atmospheric. Scott at or near his best.

[Jack Deighton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading Scott these days is an exercise in completion or in acknowledging roots. The roots of long-form fiction, of Scottish story-telling, of the historical novel as a genre.
For time has not been good to novels like this. First there is the author’s prolixity, words thrown about with abandon, then there is the long outmoded practice of addresses to the reader, not to mention direct statements of what will come next, all of which are now passé. More problematically, from very early on the reader has no doubt in which direction this is going, since the plot here is that of the long-lost heir (with a touch of Romeo and Juliet thrown in.) When Scott wrote it, most likely such a story was fresh and new, but in the intervening 210 years it has become all too familiar. And story-telling itself has changed.
The Guy Mannering of the title comes to the estate and house of Ellangowan in Galloway on the night the lady of the house is to give birth to her first child. Mannering casts a horoscope for the boy which predicts misfortunes when he will be aged five and ten plus a further significant event at twenty-two. As well as the laird, Godfrey Bertram, Mannering meets the taciturn dominie Abel Sampson (who however is prone to uttering the word pro-dig-i-ous, in that elongated fashion, when over-excited) and the - kenspeckle, since she is very tall for a woman - gipsy Meg Merrilies. At this point Scott digresses into a discourse on the history in Scotland of what some at the time termed Egyptians, who had been rendered by law to be common and habitual thieves. His sympathies are with Meg however as she is to some extent the heroine (if one there be) of his tale. Five years later, as Mrs Bertram is in labour with a daughter, a murder occurs on the estate, blamed on smugglers, and the son of the house is kidnapped. Bertram, meanwhile, is not a good guardian of the estate’s fortunes and by seventeen further years’ time the estate, in the absence of a male heir, is to be sold by roup.
Mannering, who has been soldiering in India, where his own daughter Julia formed an attachment to one of his subordinates whom Mannering thought unsuitable and whose death he thinks he caused, has now returned and attempts to buy Ellangowan but is too late due to dealing with a concern of the friend with whom Julia is staying, and so takes another house nearby. That subordinate, of the name Vanbeest Brown from a sojourn in Holland, is still alive and in communication with Mannering’s daughter Julia.
On his way to Galloway, Brown saves a local farmer, Andrew (known as Dandie) Dinmont, who breeds terriers, from robbery by two ruffians. Dinmont becomes a fast friend and is instrumental in aiding Brown when he meets difficulties later on.
Even from this short summary it is perhaps obvious who is the lost heir and what part of the resolution will be.
The novel is not without its moments, though, and there are incidents aplenty, as how could there not be in a tale involving smugglers, gipsies, a murder, abduction and thwarted inheritances? Gilbert Glossin, who actually bought Ellangowan, is as slippery a character as you might wish, and the lawyer Pleydell - along with Dinmont - larger than life, but the women, Meg Merrilies apart, tend to be ciphers. In the end the tale is more Brown’s than Guy Mannering’s though and the astrology aspect falls by the wayside. Perhaps as his plot developed Scott lost (fore?)sight of it.

[Richard Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this a great pleasure to read. Beginning to end.

I also see that he had thought to make this a fantasy novel (perhaps in slightly a different sense than we would mean it 200 years later) and I can totally see that. It could be a fantasy.

Guy Mannering, on the road after Oxford, is offered shelter in a fine old home and is present when the heir of Ellangowan is born. Using his arcane knowledge, he produces a horoscope for the child and gives some warnings to the family before leaving. That one night connects him to the family in a deep way.

The connections and twists of fate are part of the fun of this novel and are familiar tropes in gothic novels. I thought they worked well.

Scott creates wonderfully round characters. The MC is a flawed but principled and good gentleman, as is his daughter's love interest. The lawyer from Edinburgh is cool--brilliant and well educated, but playful and eccentric, the source of some actual laughs. And there are several more characters who are well drawn and inventive, but these three are true favorites:
•Dandy Dinmont, a country farmer who is just on the edge of gentleman. He is plainspoken and honest, though a bit rough, and somehow both proud and humble. He is utterly reliable, the guy you would want watching your house and pets if you were away.
•Dominie, the learned Ellangowan retainer. He studied to be a clergyman but when it came to it couldn't preach and in fact barely talks in front of others. The way he is portrayed makes him almost certainly a high-functioning Aspie, and I love how those closest to him have learned to accommodate him and watch out for him but also find ways for him to apply his gifts. With an orderly mind and love of learning, he makes an excellent tutor and librarian. Though his manner is sometimes a source of fun in the novel, it's loving, even affectionate. His exclamation of "Prodigous!" is kinda charming, and reminds me of the movie October Sky.
•Meg Merrilies, the frightening Roma (they still use the word Gypsy, of course) woman. She is in so many scenes and fills so many roles she might have been several different women. She is something of a witch, but also a plain woman, a robber queen, a loyal retainer, a wise woman, a hag, and a crackpot. In the end, we see that she is ultimately faithful and honorable, willing to risk her life to do the right thing. She's tall and strong and terrifying, quick with a suitable lie, and ready to do a good turn for anyone who showed her decent kindness or respect. Every page she's on is great. She's easily the most intriguing character in the book.

Here is another novel I'd love to see as a movie or miniseries. Maybe someday.

The bits in dialect can be hard to parse, and the style is somewhat stiff in places, but it's very readable and surprisingly modern in many ways. For those who read 19th Century British literature, and especially those who like adventure and intrigue in it, this is recommended.

[Nathan Wittmann]

How do I feel about Walter Scott? He doesn't have the greatest reputation these days, his books consigned to that special section of the bookstore labeled "Classics" and more discussed for their influence on future authors than read for any sense of elation or pondering of unanswered questions, his plots sometimes too simplistic or not sufficiently realistic enough for the Balzac/Flaubert camp.

In comparison to Waverley (which I enjoyed), Scott's previous novel, Guy Mannering elevates in some spots, but on the whole it falls short in both the breadth of the historical period (1745 Scotland-in-rebellion is altogether more interesting than 1780s staid, banditti-ridden Scotland) and depth of feeling, especially as relates to the female characters (absent Meg Merrilies, and for a time Julia until Scott decides to shove her entire plot to the side in the third act) but there is no one in Guy Mannering that can compare with the fiery Mac-Ivors or the distributed cast of highland characters that make up the bulk of that former work. If Guy Mannering presents a more humanistic picture of the Scotland of yore (specifically Galloway), some general excitement is sacrificed, and when you're reading any historical fiction, isn't the absence of an excitement factor a death-knell? At least the Scottish dialect and vernacular is done well, and the character of Hatteraick's influence can be seen throughout the next two centuries (Drax from McGuire's The North Water springs to mind most readily).

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. Another fair-to-middling Scott novel that I found just good enough to keep reading. I'm still searching for a Scott novel that recaptures the pleasure I had as a teenager reading Rob Roy and Ivanhoe.

At best, Guy Mannering is mildly entertaining at parts. The opening volume has a wonderfully dark and gothic atmosphere. Unfortunately, in the second volume Scott shifts to “seventeen years later” and leaves behind both the gothic themes and the astrologer trope, which makes the subtitle quite a bit misleading. Since we know where the plot is headed, the final volume feels overly long as Scott drags us toward the inevitable conclusion.

For a novel about gypsies, kidnapping, murder, astrology (kinda), and pirates, Guy Mannering turns out to be rather ho-hum in the end. But at least it's not as bad as Kenilworth or The Black Dwarf.

[Marcy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This second of the Waverley novels was such an enjoyable read. I knew nothing of the story before reading the introduction, had never heard anything about this one, so I was more than a little surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Sir Walter Scott is one of my favorite writers, and at a couple points in the story I was on the edge of my seat to see what was going to happen in the story. I love the vocabulary, the learned references, the omniscient narrator, the notes. Sir Walter Scott was so knowledgable and I love how he shares that knowledge with his readers.

The story itself was typical Scott; I do wish that Guy Mannering had a second chance at love and had remained at the center of the story along with Bertram, but I can't fault how Scott tells his story. I read from another source that he was a first to use common people as main characters, and his Meg Merrilies was fascinating and so well written she will stay with me. I wish he was still as popular in the States as he once was and I could discuss his genius with my neighbor.

[Lia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit difficult to read, like most of Walter Scott's novels, but an interesting story nonetheless, filled with memorable characters and the unique mood and flavor of old Scotland. The storyline of the long-lost heir was perhaps a bit too melodramatic (but that's half the fun of Walter Scott's novels).

It was also fascinating to read about what daily life was like before the legal and technical innovations of the 19th century, and how many groups with contrasting lifestyles and beliefs - gypsies, farmers, tinkers, smugglers, soldiers, thieves, and gentry landowners - managed to live side by side in the same countryside. Most of these characters are also surprisingly likable, apart from the few major villains.

[Michael Goldsmith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Guy Mannering is deliberately titled a 'novel of private life' which sets it out as a different proposition from Waverly, Scott's famous debut - and for the most part this is a negative for me. I like historical details and Jacobite rebellions, so a narrative which avoids those things in favour of a lost-heir story is unfortunately less compelling. Having said that there a several set pieces I really enjoyed, and the actual process of reading was fun and easy. It's not a novel I would recommend, even if the editor makes a good case for why it's perceived narrative flaws are actual experimental strengths.

[sabisteb aka callisto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Schottland 1760: Nachdem Guy Mannering seine Ausbildung in Oxford beendet hat, macht er eine Rundreise durch Schottland und verreitet sich prompt. Übermüdet, erschöpf und am Ende seiner Kräfte kommt er bei Mr Godfrey Bertram auf dessen Gut Ellangowan unter, auch wenn der Zeitpunkt denkbar ungünstig ist, denn Mrs. Mertram ist gerade dabei ein Kind zu gebären. Zum Dank für die freundliche Aufnahme trotz Geburtsstress stellt Guy Mannering dem Knaben ein Horoskop aus, eine Kunst, die er auf der Uni interessehalber erlernte. Leider fällt der Blick in die Zukunft des kleinen Henry eher unschön aus, daher nimmt er den Eltern das Versprechen ab, das Horoskop erst nach dem fünften Geburtstag des kleinen Henry anzusehen, in der Hoffnung, dass es sich als falsch erweisen wird. Dazu soll es aber nicht mehr kommen, denn an seinem fünften Geburtstag verschwindet Henry Bertram unter mysteriösen Umständen und seine Mutter stirbt im Kindbett als sie seine kleine Schwester zu Welt bringt.
16 Jahre später erst werden sich die Wege der Familie Bertram und Mannering wieder auf unerwartete Weise kreuzen und das Horoskop geöffnet werden.

Guy Mannering spielt zwischen 1760 und 1780 im Südwesten Schottlands mit einigen Episoden in Holland und Indien. Walter Scott erzählt die Geschichte des Henry Bertram, des Sohnes des Laird von Ellangowan, der im Alter von fünf Jahren verschwindet und ohne Wissen um seine Herkunft in seine alte Heimat zurückfindet. Dieser Haupterzählstrang macht aber nur einen ganz kleinen Teil der Geschichte aus, denn es werden auch die Erlebnisse von Guy Mannering und seiner Familie erzählt. Gewürzt wird das Ganze mit einer Prise Wirtschaftskriminalität der damaligen Zeit (Schmuggel, Piraterie und Diebstahl), einer Familientragödie, verworrenen Liebesgeschichten inklusive nächtlicher Serenade vor dem Balkon, Hinterlist und Betrug. Der Roman wird teilweise in Briefform erzählt, teilweise wendet sich der Autor direkt an den Leser, meist jedoch als klassischer Roman. Walter Scott veröffentlichte diesen Roman anonym und ihn in nur 6 Wochen! Umso erstaunlicher, wenn man diese vielen verwickelten Erzählstränge betrachtet, die sich kreuzen, verbinden, wieder trennen und doch irgendwie wieder zusammenfinden. Diese Erzählweise ist die größte Stärke aber auch das größte Problem des Romans. Einerseits ist die Handlung vorhersehbar, man weiß recht bald wie es enden wird, aber hier ist eindeutig der Weg das Ziel. Wie der Autor es schafft, die Handlungsstränge zu verbinden und ein logisches Ende herbeizuführen, das ist das, was einen bei der Stange hält und vor allem auch die grandios gezeichneten Charaktere mit ihren Ecken und Kanten. Der verschrobene, autistisch wirkende Domine, die unheimliche Zigeunerin, die hinterhältige Pirat, der gewitzte Edinburgher Jurist, ... jeder Einzelne ein lebendiges Unikat.
Die Geschichte nimmt nur sehr langsam Fahrt auf und packt einen erst gegen Ende des ersten Teiles, denn während des ersten Teils werden einfach zu viele Personen, zu viele Handlungsstränge nacheinander eingeführt. Dazu noch gleich zwei Zeitsprünge (5 Jahre und 11 Jahre). Kaum ist man drinnen, hat sich mit den Personen bekannt gemacht, wird man wieder aus der Handlung gerissen, das ist das erste Drittel des Buches demotivierend und ein echter Spannungskiller, danach jedoch erweist sich diese Erzählweise als wunderbar spannend, denn die handelnden Personen kreuzen immer wieder in unterschiedlichen Kontexten ihre Wege und beeinflussen sie Handlung unabhängig voneinander.
Walter Scott hat sich diese Geschichte jedoch nicht selber ausgedacht. Seine Grundinspiration für Kapitel i-V erhielt Scott von einem alten Diener seines Vaters, der ihm die Geschichte eines Astrologen und dessen Geburtshoroskop für den Erben eines Gutes lieferte. Die Geschichte des ahnungslos in seine Heimat zurückkehrenden Erben hat sich so ähnlich auch tatsächlich zu Scotts Zeiten zugetragen und aus diesen Zutaten wurde ein gut recherchierter Roman, der die Bewohner Schottlands treffend charakterisiert, denn Scott schrieb über das, was er kannte und täglich um sich herum fand, Personen, Orte und Handlung wirken somit authentisch und überzeugen auch heute noch durch ihre dichte Atmosphäre, besonders die Schilderung der Fuchsjagd ist sehr gelungen.

Zur deutschen Kindle Ausgabe:
Es fehlen sowohl das Vorwort des Herausgebers als auch die einleitenden Gedichte über jedem der Kapitel der englischen Ausgabe. Der Schottische Dialekt ist in der Übersetzung komplett verloren gegangen, teilweise fehlen sogar Sätze, an denen der Übersetzer möglicherweise einfach gescheitert ist. Es fehlen des weiteren die Illustrationen (Stahlstiche), der alten deutschen Ausgaben.
Vorsicht, die Teilung in zwei Bände entspricht der englischen Ausgabe, aber nicht den alten deutschen Ausgaben die heutzutage noch viel kursieren, die sich in drei Bände teilen und auch die Kapitel anders nummerieren.

Zur englischen Kindle Ausgabe:
Ein zeitgenossischer Kritiker meinte zu diesem Buch „The work would be, on the whole, improved by being translated into English.”
Das sollte dem deutschen Leser jedoch keine Angst machen. Der Grund für diese Aussage dürften Sätze wie „What bin I? donner and blitzen! I bin Jans Jansen, from Cuxhaven; what sall Ich bin?“ sein, die für deutsche Leser problemlos zu entziffern sind. Auch in den schottischen Dialekt liest man sich recht schnell ein und ich habe das Englisch Scotts deutlich besser verstanden, als die deutsche Übersetzung von 1841, die mir deutlich größere Probleme bereitete.