Clara Vaughan, Volume 3 (of 3): Volume 3

Clara Vaughan #3

by R.D. Blackmore

Clara Vaughan is a sensation novel by R. D. Blackmore, who was later to achieve lasting fame for another Romantic novel, Lorna Doone. It was written in 1853 and published anonymously in 1864. It was Blackmore's first novel.The novel was generally well received by the public, though some reviewers at the time believed it to have been written by Mary Elizabeth Braddon and criticised its author for not knowing about the law.Clara Vaughan, which takes place in the mid-19th century, is the story of the eponymous heroine, an only child whose father is mysteriously murdered when she is a young girl. As a young woman, she sets out to uncover the identity of her father's killer, and for this reason the novel is often classed among the first detective novels in English. In addition to this overarching theme, there are several subplots involving family secrets, romances, and questions of familial inheritance...Richard Doddridge Blackmore (7 June 1825 – 20 January 1900), known as R. D. Blackmore, was one of the most famous English novelists of the second half of the nineteenth century. He won acclaim for vivid descriptions and personification of the countryside, sharing with Thomas Hardy a Western England background and a strong sense of regional setting in his works.Blackmore, often referred to as the "Last Victorian", was a pioneer of the movement in fiction that continued with Robert Louis Stevenson and others. He has been described as "proud, shy, reticent, strong-willed, sweet-tempered, and self-centred." Apart from his novel Lorna Doone, which has enjoyed continuing popularity, his work has gone out of print.BiographyRichard Doddridge Blackmore was born on 7 June 1825 at Longworth in Berkshire (now Oxfordshire), one year after his elder brother Henry (1824–1875), where his father, John Blackmore, was Curate-in-charge of the parish. His mother died a few months after his birth – the victim of an outbreak of typhus which had occurred in the village. After this loss John Blackmore moved to Bushey, Herts, then to his native Devon, first to Kings Nympton, then Culmstock, Tor Mohun and later to Ashford, in the same county.[2] Richard, however, was taken by his aunt, Mary Frances Knight, and after her marriage to the Rev. Richard Gordon, moved with her to Elsfield rectory, near Oxford. His father married again in 1831, whereupon Richard returned to live with him. Having spent much of his childhood in the lush and pastoral "Doone Country" of Exmoor, and along the Badgworthy Water (where there is now a memorial stone in Blackmore's honour), Blackmore came to love the very countryside he immortalised in Lorna Doone.

99 pages, Paperback

First published December 18, 2012

About the author

Richard Doddridge Blackmore, referred to most commonly as R.D. Blackmore, was one of the most famous English novelists of his generation. Over the course of his career, Blackmore achieved a close following around the world. He won literary merit and acclaim for his vivid descriptions and personification of the countryside, sharing with Thomas Hardy a Western England background and a strong sense of regional setting in his works.[1] Noted for his eye for and sympathy with nature, critics of the time described this as one of the most striking features of his writings.

Blackmore, a popular novelist of the second half of the nineteenth century, often referred to as the "Last Victorian", acted as pioneer of the new romantic movement in fiction that continued with Robert Louis Stevenson and others. He may be said to have done for Devon what Sir Walter Scott did for the Highlands and Hardy for Wessex. Blackmore has been described as "proud, shy, reticent, strong-willed, sweet-tempered, and self-centred."

Though very popular in his time, Blackmore's work has since been altogether ignored, and his entire body of work, save for his magnum opus Lorna Doone, which has enjoyed considerable popularity since its being published, has gone out of publication. Thus his reputation rests chiefly upon this romantic work, in spite of the fact that it was not his favourite.

Reviews

[Tweety · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Was Splendiferous!

This volume begins in Italy and explains the history of Clara's half Uncle Edgar. I can't say much at all about this particular volume since it would give away nearly everything but, Clara sets out to bring justice to the wronged with some new clues she has, and in doing so is overly confident, nearly wrecking all.

However, we find who murdered Clara's father, the secret in the name Della Croce, an end to the 'Vendetta' and a happy ending to make up for anything disturbing throughout the book. The villain is extremely villainous, and that perhaps makes the forgiveness or at least the leaving off of vengeance all the more surprising. I wasn't quite happy with that at first, but things take a turn.

Don't let the far-fetched scenario, the amazing sequence or the surprising (or maybe not) conclusion to deter you from enjoying this. In some ways it is more bizarre than Lorna Doone, but I think it is still a good story and like and swashbuckler, exciting and memorable.

One day I hope to stick it on my shelf next to Lorna Doone, the two belong together. I really wish I could do this book justice with a review, but I can't and can only say, Read It!

One last thing, in volume one the dialects became a bit much and I wasn't sure what everyone was say. If you read it aloud you should be able to get it. This one also had that problem, but I was more used to it and could read it faster.

PG a few swears, some murders, mention of superstitions, talk of Vivisection, but we do not see it or have it described, though we see the room it is preformed in and some tools as well as some of the victims.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful epic story by R.D. Blackmore! So much happens, in many different locations. We first meet Clara as a young, beloved child, grieve with her through a number of tragedies, and cheer her grit, determination, and (sometimes flagging) optimism, to discover who was responsible for the over-arching tragedy of her life (and others). The villain is truly evil in many ways, bent on avenging a supposed evil, and masking it under a generations-long family vendetta. Clara makes a number of very unusual and delightful friends who are followed up on through the years. Lots of love and loyalty, a large devoted dog, an old haunted house with forgotten passageways, mysteries, heartache, and joy. Well worth the long read.