One winter's day in 1673 young John Ridd is riding home from school, across the wild lonely hills of Exmoor. He has to pass Doone valley - a dangerous place, as the Doones are famous robbers and murderers. All Exmoor lives in fear of the Doones. At home there is sad news waiting for young John, and he learns that he has good reason to hate the Doones. But in the years to come he meets Lorna Doone, with her lovely smile and big dark eyes. And soon he is deeply, hopelessly, in love ...
Read More
One winter's day in 1673 young John Ridd is riding home from school, across the wild lonely hills of Exmoor. He has to pass Doone valley - a dangerous place, as the Doones are famous robbers and murderers. All Exmoor lives in fear of the Doones. At home there is sad news waiting for young John, and he learns that he has good reason to hate the Doones. But in the years to come he meets Lorna Doone, with her lovely smile and big dark eyes. And soon he is deeply, hopelessly, in love ...
Read Less
I had borrowed this book from the local library, and it became my most favorate upon the first reading. I knew it would be a must to have forever, and I was fortunate enough to find the same edition at Alibris that I had read initially, an illustrated classic. The authors renditioning of the colloquial expressions was challenging, but added to the overall enjoyment. I have additionally rented, then bought the DVD of the same title, through Alibris.
Francesca
Sep 23, 2007
That which endures
Put yourself into a few dark winter nights of Victorian England. No domestic entertainment center, no films or TV or radio. You could go to the music hall or the concert hall or a play. But how often? Besides, it might be snowing. So you read books--to yourself or out loud to the family. And the longer and more discursive the book, the longer it would last and the more you liked it. If it went from one pitch of adventure to another, so much the better. And if you fell in love with the characters, who wanted to leave the fireside? Lorna Doone is that kind of book--a classic which has probably never been out of print. The yeoman hero, John Ridd, falls in love early on with a noblewoman captured by brigands. At their first encounter, she is an enchanting child, but eventually he is embroiled in an attempted rescue of this--of course--exqusitely beautiful young woman. Stay with it, and you will love the good and hiss the bad. A supporting cast of reformed highwayman, mining entrepreneur, Welsh servingmaid, and various other persons of interest will fill a lovely, leisurely few weeks of time that could hardly be better spent.
