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Book Review
Mar. 9th, 2024 03:42 pmThe Eustace Diamonds
by Anthony Trollope
This the third of the Palliser novels, but the Pallisers and their circle are rather tangential to the story. The main focus is the trials and tribulations of Lizzie Eustace, a pretty, wealthy young widow who is also vain, selfish, and foolish. She is in possession of an extremely valuable diamond necklace which she claims her late husband gifted to her and is thus her personal property, but her in-laws insist belongs to the estate and is thus not hers to do with as she wishes. As a pretty, rich widow, Lizzie is also very desirable as a prospective wife and while engaged in wrangling the issue of the diamonds, she is also managing the attentions of a handful of suitors. These two aspects of her life often intersect and have significant effects on each other.
The Eustace Diamonds is a very solid Victorian novel, if a bit overlong. Trollope does take a surprisingly gossipy tone at times that is both amusing and entirely appropriate to the narratvie. The characters are all very interesting, even if not particularly likeable. Lizzie is not boring, even when she makes terrible decisions and acts in very self-serving ways. Her cousin Frank is one of the most likeable characters, but he is often frustrating. Lucy, Lizzie's foil and Frank's fiancee is admirable, but far too much of a doormat in the face of Frank's neglect. The group of slightly sketchy but still respectable people Lizzie falls in with in Scotland are very entertaining.
by Anthony Trollope
This the third of the Palliser novels, but the Pallisers and their circle are rather tangential to the story. The main focus is the trials and tribulations of Lizzie Eustace, a pretty, wealthy young widow who is also vain, selfish, and foolish. She is in possession of an extremely valuable diamond necklace which she claims her late husband gifted to her and is thus her personal property, but her in-laws insist belongs to the estate and is thus not hers to do with as she wishes. As a pretty, rich widow, Lizzie is also very desirable as a prospective wife and while engaged in wrangling the issue of the diamonds, she is also managing the attentions of a handful of suitors. These two aspects of her life often intersect and have significant effects on each other.
The Eustace Diamonds is a very solid Victorian novel, if a bit overlong. Trollope does take a surprisingly gossipy tone at times that is both amusing and entirely appropriate to the narratvie. The characters are all very interesting, even if not particularly likeable. Lizzie is not boring, even when she makes terrible decisions and acts in very self-serving ways. Her cousin Frank is one of the most likeable characters, but he is often frustrating. Lucy, Lizzie's foil and Frank's fiancee is admirable, but far too much of a doormat in the face of Frank's neglect. The group of slightly sketchy but still respectable people Lizzie falls in with in Scotland are very entertaining.
