Some background to 17th century history would have helped me immensely in reading this. As usual with Sir Walter's novels, you feel drawn in to a epic world of multiple characters and improbable scenarios that excite and entertain but (for me) overwhelm one with vocabulary that occasionally is hard

This was a favorite of Queen Victoria's husband but I chose to read it at this time because of my current focus on 17th century Scotland. Definitely one of Scott's more readable novels. Just one more of the works that demonstrates the results of a lack of religious tolerance. Is all this what Christ

Closer to 3.5 stars. I enjoyed parts of it due to my affinity for the Isle of Man, but all the Popish Plot intrigue and machinations got a little tiresome by the end of the book. Loved the character, Fenella, and the “romance” of the young Peveril and Alice Bridgenorth too. What SWS Scott novel shou

I am full of admiration for Walter Scott's energy and enthusiasm. This story is set in the period of the Restauration. The writer portrays the intrigue, conflict and resentment in the aftermath of a religious civil war. It reads easily and well although the language is extremely rich and I suspect a

When I started Peveril of the Peak I had no idea what it was about, which turned out to be fine because the first chapter or so pretty much lays it all out. There are, in fact, two Peverils of the Peak, a father and a son, and the story gives some attention to both of them, though it ends up being m

This is Walter Scott's longest novel. It is set during the English Civil War as the Roundheads (who became the USA's Pilgrims) fought the flamboyant royalty. Somewhat like the current near civil war in America, you can tell the sides by how they dress - Roundheads somber and staunch (you know the Pi

There are enough characters and plot twists in this book to have made two books at least. It's mind boggling to think of Sir Walter writing all of this out by hand, and using a quill pen!

However, if you enjoy this worthy gentleman's work you won't be sorry to trudge on until the end. Not his greates

Peveril of the Peak is a historical adventures novel first published in 1822. It is set in the years following the English Civil War, and deals with the clash of ideologies that was common for many years in its aftermath, and culminates in the events surrounding the Popish Plot of 1678. This makes f

Oh, Walter, Walter, why didn't you slow down a bit? There is such a good story in here if one can penetrate the verbal diarrhoea which afflicted him in all his novels, this one more than most - but at least it's not in dialect.
As with 'The Fortunes of Nigel', this novel comes to life once the Monarc