THE MASTER OF BALLENTRAE. by Robert Louis StevensonMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
This was a very unusual book – both to read as well as to understand!
I cannot say that I enjoyed reading The Master of Ballantrae as much, say, as either Kidnapped or Treasure Island, because most of the time I felt as if I was waiting for something to happen. And when it did the narrative used was so archaic that it was difficult to understand the whys and wherefores of the situation. The plot is melodramatic and there is some romance, but you have to work hard to get to the point of it. The setting of the novel switches from Scotland to America as well as to piratical seas of Europe, but at times you feel that this happened and you failed to notice. The prose is narrated by the Laird’s steward, Mackellar, who manages to keep the reader informed about the brotherly rivalry, that is, Henry and James. But I had to reread much of his prose to gain some perspective of events.
And what a strange ending! The Master, James, has suddenly found himself a loyal Indian servant who teaches him to… I think you should read that bit to avoid a spoiler… and feign? Death! Hard to recommend this classic novel by one of my favourite authors.
