Waverley (Volumes I and II)

Very much worth reading, but not in the very top tier of historical novels. Read it anyway for the history and culture.

Read this as a local book club choice. Not an easy read but well-written.

Must read for anyone intersted in Scottish culture!

I liked the story and the cover is classy.

Aimless, pointless, long-winded blathering. I had read about Scott and what I had read had claimed that he was someone of great insight into Scottish society, particularly as he looked back into the time of the Jacobite rebellions. Who could tell? Reading his writing is wading through the work of the anti-Hemingway. Where one word would do, he never fails to use thirty-seven...pages.

Young Edward Waverley has been brought up mainly by his uncle, Sir Everard Waverley, an English Tory and supporter of the Jacobite cause in the failed 1715 rebellion. When Edward reaches manhood, his absent father, a Whig and supporter of the Hanoverian government, arranges a commission for him in the Army. While Sir Everard is not keen on Edward having to swear allegiance to King George II (since in Sir Everard's eyes the true King is James III, in exile in France), he reluctantly agrees. Edward joins his regiment and is promptly posted to Dundee. After serving in a half-hearted way for a few months, Edward takes some leave and goes off to visit an old friend of his uncle, Baron Bradwardine, a staunch Jacobite. Through him, Edward becomes friends with Fergus Mac-Ivor, chieftain of the Highland Clan Mac-Ivor, and falls in love with his beautiful sister Flora. So when the 1745 rebellion begins, Edward finds himself caught between two loyalties – to the Hanoverians through his officership in the Army, and to the Jacobites through his friendships and the influence of his upbringing. The story tells the tale of the '45 Jacobite Rebellion and Edward's part in it.The subtitle 'Tis Sixty Years Since refers to the ostensible time of writing, 1805, sixty years after the 1745 rebellion, although the book was not published until 1814. This book is often hailed as the first historical novel in the English language. It's also often claimed as one of the most important books in English literature, which doesn't half annoy us Scots, since it's written by a Scot about Scotland. I'm willing to compromise and say it's an important book in English-language literature. This isn't as insignificant a point as it may seem – Scott was one of the earliest Scots to write fiction in English, accepting that the Scottish language and culture was being subsumed into the dominant English culture of the time. However, in this, as in many of his books, his purpose was partly to explain Scottish culture and traditions to his English readership and do away with some of their misconceptions of the Scots, especially Highlanders, as a half-savage society. Along the way, he created some romanticised misconceptions of his own that gradually became part of the prevailing view of Scotland that lasted well into the 20th century. The cultural importance of Scott in his native country is memorialised not just by the massive monument to him in Princes Street in Edinburgh, the capital city, but also in the name of that city's main railway station – Waverley Station.How I wish, therefore, that I could unreservedly wax lyrical about the wonders of the book! Sadly, taken purely in terms of reading pleasure, it's not the greatest piece of literature in the world, for all its cultural significance. A major reason for this is simply that tastes change over time, as does language. Although Scotland was one of the most literate societies in the world at the time Scott was writing, nevertheless authors tended to be addressing their work to others like themselves who had had a classical education (pretty much the only kind available), so this is liberally sprinkled with Latin and French and allusions to classical mythology which many modern readers (including this one) will find problematic at best and incomprehensible at worst. Even the English language is in a style that reads as pretty out-dated now and of course, there is some Scottish dialect too, not to mention the odd little bit of Gaelic. I read it in a version without footnotes, but would suggest it's one that probably needs them more than most. Not that any of this makes the plot hard to follow, but it does very much break the reading flow.But these things probably wouldn't have bothered me had the book gripped me more. Overall, it's reasonably interesting, but very over-padded, especially the early part. For a long period there is no discernible plot, just lengthy character studies of the various people who will play a part when the story finally gets under way. Scott himself said that this was his way of allowing the characters to reveal themselves rather than simply being described, but to suit modern tastes most readers would probably want to get into the story a good deal sooner. And personally I could have happily lived without the lengthy and mediocre poetry that Scott stuffs in every so often – again a technique that would have been much more usual in his time than in ours, I think - which he uses as a way to illustrate Scottish culture and the oral storytelling tradition.Then there are his assumptions about the pre-knowledge of his readers, probably correct at the time but not necessarily so now. He assumes that everyone knows the background to the Jacobite rebellion, the politics, the main players and the progress of the campaign. Well, yes, as it happens, I do, but I would think this could cause some problems for people who don't. What bothered me about it was that this assumption meant he left out all the bits that are exciting! We're not there when Bonnie Prince Charlie raises his standard at Glenfinnan, we don't get to fight at Culloden and we don't follow Charlie on his last romantic retreat over the sea to Skye! That anyone can make the '45 dull amazes me – it's one of the great romantic tragedies of all time!Instead, Scott concentrates on showing the lifestyle and manners of both Highland and Lowland Scots of the period, and this he does very successfully, though with what I suspect is a decreasing degree of realism the further north he heads. There's some humour in it, and a lot – a lot! - of romance, as Edward swithers over the beautiful and fanatical Highland Flora and the sensible and adoring Lowland Rose. And his swithering between the Hanoverians and the Jacobites allows Scott to show both sides of the conflict, which he does without demonising either, in fact painting a surprisingly sympathetic portrait of the Young Pretender, Charles Edward Stuart. But all this swithering makes Edward a hero who inspired me with a desire to bash him over the head with a metaphorical brick while screaming “Make up your mind, for goodness sake, man!” Honestly, he makes Hamlet seem decisive!So overall I'm afraid I was a little disappointed. I've read other Scott books in the past which I've enjoyed much more than this one, and am rather sorry it's the one that people are always recommended to read, purely because of its significance rather than its intrinsic enjoyability. I can't give more than three stars for the story and writing, with an extra one for its position of importance in both English-language and Scottish literature. I shall go into hiding now in case the last of the Jacobites come after me...

Interesting historical period and some vivid and unusual characters. There were a lot of coincidences, and gaps in the plot were filled in by having a minor character telling the hero the major things that happened while he was out of action through illness or injury.Much Gaelic dialect and many snippets of French and Latin phrases slowed down the narrative, but the great period detail and local customs and character interactions made it fascinating to read.While it is well-known that the historical rebellion did not succeed, Scott kindly allows many of the characters to have surprisingly happy endings to their individual .stories

This is a recorded book I believe and I would rather read a book than listen to it. Thanks but no thanks.

Premier roman de Walter Scott et un des premiers romans historiques dans la littérature anglo-saxonne, Waverley est beaucoup plus confidentiel que Ivanhoé et Rob Roy qui sont passés à la postérité. Sans doute la faute à un rythme un peu lent au début et à une langue parfois difficile puisque la prose admirable de W Scott est entrecoupée de dialogues en écossais et de citations latines d’un des personnages un peu pédant.Le récit se place au XVIIIème siècle, alors que l’Ecosse jouit encore de fait d’une relative indépendance au sein du Royaume Uni et qu’elle se souvient avec nostalgie de la dynastie des Stuart (descendante des rois d’Ecosse et remplacée fin XVIIème par la dynastie de Hanovre). Waverley, jeune noble anglais plutôt léger et insouciant est envoyé par sa famille s’aguerrir un peu dans un régiment de cavalerie basé en Ecosse. Sa curiosité et son caractère facile l’incitent à découvrir les Highlands et se lier aux nobles locaux au moment où Charles Stuart débarque secrètement et déclenche l’épisode connu sous le nom de Deuxième rébellion jacobite.Formidable introduction à l’Ecosse, aux Highlands et Lowlands, récit vivant de la tumultueuse histoire écossaise mêlant héros de fictions avec des personnages historiques dans une trame d’événements bien réels, Waverley est une histoire de loyauté, de courage, d’amour, d’amitié soutenue par des descriptions superbes.A découvrir, en évitant absolument d’acheter l’édition Amazon (celle avec une image aux teintes rouges représentant un jonque… sans rapport avec le sujet !). Impression minuscule (sans doute pour économiser le papier), table des matières sans numéro de page, aucun changement de page pour matérialiser les chapitres, ou même le passage de l’introduction à la préface, de la préface au roman ; images non imprimées (page 23 il y aurait dû avoir Abbotsford.jpg ; page 103 p208.jp...) !

Mal impreso, es un timo, salen el nombre del archivo en vez de la foto...muy mala calidad. No lo revisé pensando que seria calidad AMAZON y hice un regalo y me hizo quedar fatal.muy disgustada

Letto per un corso di letteratura, pur conoscendone già la trama mi sono trovata a piangere e commuovermi per scene che durante la lezione mi erano parse quasi dei cliché. Consiglio a chiunque di leggerlo, dopo i primi sei capitoli (piuttosto pesanti ma utili a comprendere il protagonista) la trama ingrana e si fa leggere con passione.

I am a lover of Scott's novels. While ordering for oxford version of Waverley novel I was owning Penguin version of Waverley and had read it. The Oxford version had some additional features viz., Scott's background notes which were not available in Penguin version which prompted me to buy it. I enjoyed reading the book with the support of Scott's historic notes. I treasure and cherish both the volumes. My comments may appear to be biased since I had already declared that I am a great fan of Walter scott and his novels. Despite my bias the novel is a good read even in present times.with regardsmuralidharan madras

You can see where Ian Fleming or John Buchan got their ideas for a hero on the march, then on the run, with numerous scrapes and narrow escapes in exotic circumstances. What a charmed life Edward Waverley lived! At the end Scott wryly admits to stretching credibility on the escapes and deliverances of Waverley, but he does this with his usual leg-pulling attitude. This is his earliest novel here, and he does not hide its rough edges. No, surprisingly he ushers you past them saying, I know I should tell you about this but I haven't really got the time, because I want to push the story on. And that is Scott's great gift, he pushes the story along, giving wry commentary and comic asides when necessary. I think it tries to explain how Scotland was absorbed into the Hanovarian monarchy, but this does not really work. He is in love with the Highlands and with the traditional clan system, which he sees as based on feudal loyalties. I don't think he can hide his regret at its loss. His usual feisty women are also on show (compare Dickens!) but he does not really resolve their fates too well. So to be honest, it does not work as some sort of coherent arguement or seamless work of art. But it is a cracking good yarn, beautifully told.