Topic: The Lymond Chronicles

Has anyone read The Lymond Chronicles by Dorothy Dunnett? I have started this series twice and find it very difficult. I should love this story. It's historical fiction, it starts off in 16th century Scotland, it's adventure and romance, etc. But I find it hard to latch on to any of the characters. I've been told to read the first 100 pages and it will get easier. Some have even suggested reading all of book one before you can understand it.

The reviews for this book are wonderful and everyone I know who has gotten into it, loves it.

Sherry

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2 Reply by Dill Carver (edited by Dill Carver 2017-10-08 02:58:08)

Re: The Lymond Chronicles

Novels are like sleeveless striped pullovers knitted by a distant, affected aunt. Some will fit and other are nowhere near. One person's gauche is another's Gucci.

At some point, everyone will encounter a bestseller that everyone else raves about and yet you can't get past two chapters. Sometimes it is the 'emperor's new clothes,' otherwise a case of one person's poison is another person's medicine.

I found similar symptoms to those you describe when I started to read the historical novel, Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel.

Opinion is split upon that book too...

... as soon as I opened the book I was gripped. I read it almost non-stop. When I did have to put it down, I was full of regret the story was over, a regret I still feel. —Vanora Bennett, The Times

...dreadfully badly written... Mantel just wrote and wrote and wrote. I have yet to meet anyone outside the Booker panel who managed to get to the end of this tedious tome. —Susan Bassnett, Times Higher Education

Although, I persevered with Wolf Hall and am glad that I did because I ended up loving it and now buy everything Hilary Mantel produces.

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Re: The Lymond Chronicles

I am going to have a look at The Lymond Chronicles BTW.

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