Review: Ivanhoe (novel)

As a historical novel this is one of the least accurate around. If nothing else it's proof that occasionally -- very, very occasionally -- a historically inaccurate novel can still be good. Very good.

Ivanhoe is an 1819 novel by Sir Walter Scott. It's one of the Waverley novels, which aren't a series in the modern sense but have similar themes and (sometimes) settings. It's one of his most popular novels, and has been adapted into multiple films, operas, and miniseries.

Despite what you'd think, the main character is not Wilfred of Ivanhoe. In fact he's injured for almost the entire novel, and only becomes important in the beginning and at the end. There are two "main" plots, which overlap to a degree but have separate main characters. One is loosely based on history and is about Richard the Lionheart returning to reclaim his throne from his vile brother John. The other is entirely fictional and is about Bois-Guilbert's obsession with Rebecca, and how he almost gets poor Rebecca killed.

It's amazing how much of the modern-day Robin Hood stories come from this novel. Sir Walter was the first author to place Robin Hood in the same time period as King Richard and Prince John, and the first person to associate him with Locksley. So in a way all the modern Robin Hood adaptations are indirect Ivanhoe adaptations. Of course, none of it's historically accurate. Neither is the feud between Saxons and Normans. Or Rebecca almost being burned as a witch. Or anything else, really.

This book is set in a completely fictional version of the Middle Ages. Yet it's such a great story that I can't bring myself to care. Would a historically accurate novel have such dramatic moments as the tournament, the attack on Front-de-Boeuf's castle, or Rebecca's "trial"? No, and it's hard to imagine any historically accurate events that would make a story half as compelling.

Honestly, the only thing I'd change if I could is Bois-Guilbert's death. That's one of the most disappointing anti-climaxes I've ever read.

Ivanhoe has a well-deserved spot on my list of favourite books. I've read it so many times that I know everything that's going to happen. But not even knowing can make it any less exciting.

Is it available online?: Yes, on Gutenberg.

Rating: 10/10.

Review: Rob Roy (novel)

Believe it or not, it's possible (but very rare) for a book's plot to be implausible, contrived and poorly-thought-out... and for the book to still be interesting and enjoyable. This is one of those books.

Rob Roy is an 1817 novel by Sir Walter Scott. It's part of his Waverley series (which isn't a series in the modern sense; the books have similar settings and themes, not the same characters or stories). Several films with the book's title have been made, but none of them are actual adaptations of it.

Despite being the title character, Rob Roy isn't the narrator or the main character. He doesn't even appear until a quarter of the way through. Instead the main character is Frank Osbaldistone. A disagreement with his father leads to Frank being sent to stay with his uncle, while his sinister cousin Rashleigh takes his place in his father's business. Unsurprisingly Rashleigh turns out to be a crook, and Frank ends up fleeing to Scotland in search of some way to undo the damage Rashleigh's done. Along the way he meets and is helped by Rob Roy, and falls in love with the mysterious Diana Vernon.

The plot, as already mentioned, is by far the weakest part of the story. The characters aren't much better. Rob Roy is the only one who truly leaves an impression. Frank was so dull that I couldn't even remember his name after I finished the book. Diana is an interesting character but an unconvincing love interest. And Rashleigh, the main villain, is offstage (off-page?) for most of the story.

Most irritating of all are the frequent -- and lengthy -- paragraphs written entirely in a nigh-incomprehensible Scottish accent. You'd need a translator to understand half of what Andrew Fairservice says.

Yet in spite of all these drawbacks, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. The story is so exciting that you hardly notice how contrived the events are. I knew at the start that it was going to end with Frank marrying Diana and Rashleigh getting his just desserts, but it was still entertaining to see how that happened.

If you don't mind wading through the elaborate prose (to say nothing of the Scottish accents) and just want to read a fun historical novel without too much plot, this is the book for you!

Is it available online?: Yes, on Gutenberg.

Rating: 7/10.

Review: Ivanhoe (1982)

After a brief foray into other genres, I'm back to period drama! Ivanhoe is one of my favourite books, and one of my favourite versions of Robin Hood (even though it's not technically a Robin Hood story). So this series had a lot to live up to. Did it manage it?

First things first. This is an adaptation of Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott, published in 1819 and set in a fictionalised version of 12th century England. Part of the plot revolves around Wilfred of Ivanhoe, a knight whose father has disinherited him because he followed King Richard the Lionheart on a crusade. The other part is about Rebecca, a Jewish girl who is lusted after and kidnapped by Brian de Bois-Guilbert, a Knight Templar.

This version is sometimes called a film and sometimes called a miniseries. On the DVD I have, it's one really long film instead of separate episodes, so I'm going to review the whole thing as if it's a film.

There's a long list of recognisable actors.
Anthony Andrews (Sir Percy in The Scarlet Pimpernel 1982, and Murdstone in David Copperfield 2000) as Ivanhoe
Michael Horden (voice of Mr. Badger in The Wind in the Willows 1983, and Scathelock in The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men) as Cedric
James Mason (Captain Nemo in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea) as Isaac
Sam Neill (Alan Grant in Jurassic Park) as Bois-Guilbert
Lysette Anthony (Florence in Dombey and Son 1983) as Rowena
Julian Glover (Mr. Dombey in Dombey and Son 1983, and Donovan in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade) as King Richard
John Rhys-Davies (Sallah in Indiana Jones, and Gimli in The Lord of the Rings) as Reginald Front-de-Bœuf
Olivia Hussey (Juliet in Romeo and Juliet 1968) as Rebecca

The story begins with Isaac on his way to a tournament. A group of men are waiting to rob him, but he's saved by a mysterious man. Isaac thanks him by offering him a suit of armour and a horse, so he can compete in the tournament.

Isaac

The mysterious man

Watching the tournament is Prince John. Yes, that Prince John. And at least three of the competitors at the tournament are his supporters, though only because they don't want King Richard to return. One of them, Bois-Guilbert, sees Isaac's daughter Rebecca. This is the start of a lot of misery for poor Rebecca.

The terrible trio. From left to right: Front-de-Bœuf, Maurice de Bracy, and Bois-Guilbert.

Rebecca

The mysterious man arrives and challenges all three of Prince John's lackeys to single combat. He defeats them all easily.

Cedric, Ivanhoe's father, and Rowena, Cedric's ward, are watching the tournament, along with Athelstane, the man Cedric wants Rowena to marry, and Wamba, a jester. Cedric is delighted to see someone beating the Normans. Rowena, who loves Ivanhoe, wishes he was there. And Athelstane doesn't care about the tournament as long as he gets enough to eat.

Rowena

Cedric and Wamba

The mysterious man wins the tournament. Unsurprisingly, he turns out to be Ivanhoe. He's injured, but Cedric is too angry with him to help. So instead Isaac and Rebecca take him away to be treated.

Meanwhile, the terrible trio (as I've nicknamed the main villains) are plotting. Front-de-Bœuf is angry they lost the tournament, De Bracy is in "love" with Rowena, and Bois-Guilbert is lusting after Rebecca. They set out to kidnap Cedric and Rowena.

Cedric and Rowena meet Isaac and Rebecca on the road. They have Ivanhoe with them, in a sort of carriage, but Cedric doesn't know this. The terrible trio capture all of them and take them to Front-de-Bœuf''s castle. Wamba is the only one who escapes.

De Bracy tries to blackmail Rowena into marrying him. At the same time, Bois-Guilbert tries to convince Rebecca to sleep with him. She threatens to kill herself rather than let him touch her.

Rowena and De Bracy

Rebecca and Bois-Guilbert

Meanwhile, Wamba has found a mysterious black knight and a group of outlaws led by a man calling himself Locksley. (Who could this be, I wonder? 😏) They storm Front-de-Bœuf's castle and rescue the prisoners... except Athelstane, who's apparently killed, and Rebecca, who's been kidnapped by Bois-Guilbert. Front-de-Bœuf is killed and De Bracy surrenders, so Bois-Guilbert goes to the lair of the Knights Templar.

The Knights Templar decide that Rebecca is a witch who's put a spell on Bois-Guilbert, so they'll burn her at the stake unless a champion arrives to fight Bois-Guilbert for her life. Isaac goes to ask Ivanhoe to be the champion. Ivanhoe and the black knight go to Templestone, and are just in time to save Rebecca from being burned. Ivanhoe kills Bois-Guilbert. Yay! And the black knight reveals that he's really King Richard, and outlaws the Knights Templar. Yay again!

King Richard

Athelstane wasn't killed after all, and he apparently comes back to life in the middle of his own funeral. This scene isn't as hilarious as it is in the book, but it's still funny. He tells Cedric he won't marry Rowena, so she's free to marry Ivanhoe.

This bit always disappoints me. Rebecca and Ivanhoe have much more interaction than Rowena and Ivanhoe, and Rebecca honestly seems like the better -- or at least more likeable -- character. Why didn't she marry him instead? I know, I know, because she's a Jew and he's a Catholic, and such a marriage would have been scandalous at the time. But it's still disappointing.

Anyway, Ivanhoe and Rowena are married.

And Isaac and Rebecca leave England forever.

This is a bit too bittersweet to be a proper happy ending, but I suppose it's the happiest ending possible. The villains are dead (or, in the case of Prince John, have had their plots foiled), the heroes are alive and well, and there are no loose ends left.

So, my overall opinion?

It's not as good as the book. (But what adaptation ever is? Except for Cranford, of course.) But it's probably the best adaptation Ivanhoe has had to date. It keeps all the major plot points. I'm disappointed they didn't include Ulrica burning down Front-de-Bœuf's castle, but I suppose that's not really an essential part of the story. All in all it's both a faithful adaptation, and a good film in its own right.

Is it available online?: I don't think so, but I could be wrong.

Rating: 7/10.