Kenilworth

by Walter . Scott., Andrew Lang

"Kenilworth" is a historical novel by Sir Walter Scott, published in 1821, set against the backdrop of the Elizabethan era in England. The narrative follows Michael Lambourne, a character who returns home with a questionable reputation and gets embroiled in a wager that leads him to Cumnor Place. Here, he discovers the beautiful Amy Robsart, who is believed to be a prisoner, though her situation is more complex than it seems. The story unfolds as tensions rise between various characters, including the Earl of Leicester, who conceals his secret marriage to Amy due to fears of Queen Elizabeth's disapproval.

Themes of love, loyalty, and deception are central to the plot, highlighted by Duke Leicester's struggles between personal desires and political ambitions. The novel weaves together romantic intrigue with elements of adventure and tragedy, ultimately culminating in a dramatic conclusion that underscores the consequences of Varney's malicious schemes against Amy and Leicester. "Kenilworth" is noted for its portrayal of the interplay between nobility and the court, as well as the moral dilemmas faced by the characters, making it a significant work in Scott's literary oeuvre and a reflection of societal norms of the time.

Genres: Classics, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Romance, Classic Literature, Scotland

541 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1821

Reviews

[Kailey (Luminous Libro) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robert Dudley, the Earl of Lancashire, has a secret marriage with Amy Robsart. He is keeping it hidden from Queen Elizabeth I, hoping to win favor at court and perhaps a crown of his own. His lies are supported by his evil servant, Varney, who schemes on his behalf. Together they keep Amy locked up at Cumnor Place, hiding her from the world. The noble Tressilian discovers their plots and tries to assist Amy, but she loves her husband and won't move against him. At court, Walter Raleigh gains the favor of the Queen, and famously lays down his cloak over the mud for her. Tressilian tries to present a case against the Earl of Lancashire at court, but his plans are foiled by the scheming Varney.

This was such an interesting window into history. I loved all the little side characters to this great drama. We get to see people in all different walks of life, from the great Queen all the way down to a lowly servant. There is a mysterious alchemist, an astrologer, lords and ladies, loyal servants, and servants who will betray their employers for the right price. There are various swordsman and soldiers ready for a duel at any moment. Shakespeare even makes a brief appearance!

I love the rich language of Scott's writing! There is something so weighty and yet light-hearted in his prose. The dialogue is sparkling, but the themes are deep and heavy.

Dudley has to gather certain servants and soldiers around him who are willing to go along with his evil plans. We spend a lot of time with the villains of the story. I found it interesting that some of the bad guys feel remorse for what they have done, and some of them don't. Some dip their toe into the waters of evil, and immediately draw back, repenting and changing their ways. Some dip their toe in, and find that they are stuck and must plunge deeper to cover up their lies, leading them into greater atrocities and murders. They all find ways to justify what they do, rationalizing their crimes, even hiding behind Holy Scripture to pretend that what they are doing is good.

And the good guys are just as complex. Tressilian wants to charge in and save the lady in distress, but she won't let him. So he has to devise roundabout circumspect ways to save her. He places his trust in people that society has cast out, finding valuable allies in strange places. He has to play the political games of the court, and make sure to choose the right time to reveal the truth. Fighting against evil becomes like a puzzle or a game of chess, where the right strategy could save the damsel's life. Nothing is straightforward in this story where all the little moving pieces are shifting in the shadows.

[Kuszma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ha valaki kíváncsi rá, milyen az a „lassú idő”, olvasson Walter Scottot. A közhiedelemmel ellentétben amúgy a mester nem azért írja meg hatszáz oldalban azt, amit egy dán kortárs száz oldalban lerendezne, mert sok leírással operál – nem. Hanem mert szereplői nagyon ráérnek egymással foglalkozni. Nem úgy beszélnek, mint ahogy azt a „gyors idő” megkívánná, hanem telehímzik szóvirággal a szöveg szőttesét, kis túlzással náluk még az is, hogy „Gyorsan, gyorsan! Nincs vesztegetni való időnk!” alsó hangon egy fél oldalas bekezdés. Számomra mégsem unalmas, egyszerűen azért, mert Scottnál a lényeg valóban a szereplők interakciója, ebből rajzolódik ki nemcsak a cselekmény, de maguk a szereplők sajátos gondolkodásmódja is, és hát valljuk meg, Scott szereplői nagyon üdítő jelenségek. Gonoszságuk például nem egyszerű gonoszság, hanem helyenként meglepően komplex motivációs hálózat következménye, aminek köszönhetően képesek folyamatosan foglalkoztatni az olvasót. És ez jó.

A cselekmény amúgy önmagában kifejezetten lendületes. Erzsébet királynő udvarában járunk, aki méhkirálynőként terpeszt Anglia trónján – és igényli, hogy mint minden jó méhkirálynőt, őt is daliás és sima nyelvű hímivarú méhpéldányok döngjék körül. E példányok között a legszemrevalóbb Leicester grófja, akiről rebesgetik, hogy akár király is lehet belőle, mert Erzsébet nem ódzkodna attól, hogy megossza vele nyoszolyáját, következésképpen koronáját is. Csakhogy Leicesternek van egy kis szépséghibája: már nős. Elvette ugyanis – szerelemből! – egy másodvonalbeli nemes gyönyörű és karakteres lányát, Amyt, ráadásul titokban, egy frappáns lányszöktetés után. És most ugye ott áll szögény Leicester, őrlődik egyfelől Amy iránt érzett érzései és kötelezettségei, illetve a korona reménye között. Ráadásul körülveszik egynémely rossz szellemek, csatlósok képében, akik maguk jóval gátlástalanabb eszközöket is megengedhetőnek tartanak a cél elérésében, mint a jó gróf. És máris a kellős közepében vagyunk a cselszövevénynek, amiben részt vesznek a jók, akik Amy megmentéséért ügyködnek, és a rosszak, közöttük is elsősorban a főcselszövő Varney, akik meg valahogy – akárhogy! – eltakarítanák a bal kézről való feleséget az útból.

Én meg azon gondolkodtam, hogy ennek a könyvnek akár az is lehetne az alcíme, hogy „A büszkeség ártalmasságáról”. Mert ha van valami, amiért ezt a konfliktust nem sikerül a szereplőknek megnyugtatóan lezárni*, az a becsületük. Leicester nemcsak rangkórsága miatt lesz bűnrészes, hanem büszkeségből is: Varney ugyanis úgy játszik ezen a büszkeségen, mint a zongorán, és ezzel hajszolja bele egyre mélyebben a gonoszságba. Másfelől Amyt nem csak a Leicester iránt érzett szerelem teszi áldozattá, hanem büszkesége is, hisz ez a rongy büszkeség akadályozza meg, hogy segítséget kérjen, és ezzel megmentse magát. Meg úgy egyáltalán: a regény egyik arisztokrata szereplője sem mentes ettől a bűntől – ha belegondolunk, minden általuk elkövetett hiba erre vezethető vissza. Bezzeg a pórnéphez tartozó szereplők! Ők aztán tudnak racionális döntést hozni! Újabb érv a marxistáknak a feudalizmussal folytatott vitában. Már ha van még feudalista egyáltalán.

Szerettem. Rákényszerített arra, hogy ne a saját időfelfogásomban olvassam, hanem abban, amit Scott üdvösnek tart, és ez bevallom, pajzán élvezetet okozott.

* Ez nem spoiler, hisz a végkifejlet (Amy rút meggyilkolása) már a szerző előszavából kiviláglik.

[George · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. An interesting, overly long historical fiction novel set in England in 1575. Dudley, the Earl of Leicester, is a favourite of Queen Elizabeth. Unknown to the Queen, Dudley is secretly married to Amy Robrant and keeping her at his home in Cumnor. Dudley is a weak man, torn between his love and ambition.

Readers who have enjoyed the author’s other historical novels should find this book a worthwhile reading experience. ‘Rob Roy’, ‘Ivanhoe’ and ‘Old Mortality’ are my favourite Scott novels.

This book was first published in 1821.

[Jules · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very slow book to get in to, but I'm tolerant and once all of the background information was behind me I really enjoyed the story. The copy I read had notations of what was historical fact and fiction. I found it so interesting. I usually need happy endings, so I was surprised how much I liked this book.

[Ruthie Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come later.

Here are some of my favorite quotes:

"...when stakes are made, the game must be played; that is gamester's law, all over the world." ~ chapter III

"Well--it is wise to practice beforehand the part which fortune prepares us to play--the young eagle must gaze at the sun, ere he soars on strong wing to meet it." ~ chapter V

"I had never more need that the heavenly bodies should befriend me, for my earthly path is darkened and confused." ~ chapter XVIII

"...but the truth is, that a regard for personal appearance is a species of self-love, from which the wisest are not exempt, and to which the mind clings so instinctively, that not only the soldier advancing to almost inevitable death, but even the doomed criminal who goes to certain execution, shows an anxiety to array his person to the best advantage. But this is a digression." ~ chapter XXX

"An eagle am I, that never will think of dull earth while there is a heaven to soar in, and a sun to gaze upon." ~ chapter XXX

[Lucy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a truly terrible piece of work on many grounds. Historically, it's a complete shambles - Scott has plain made up a great deal of the back story, and not very well at that. Dialogue is hopelessly stilted, the long descriptions of the revels at Kenilworth seem to be written by a completely different author, and the last couple of chapters read as if the author has suddenly realised he had a deadline to meet. Scott's earlier works are muddled and hard to understand with their Scottish dialect (I'm thinking of The Antiquary, or Old Mortality), but they did feel to be written in the author's genuine voice. This tripe is like bad Hollywood 100 years before its time.

[Miriam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was... interesting. I don't think I've ever read something besides a Shakespeare play that ended so horribly. Only four characters actually were alive when the book finished. In the last chapter Scott just took his threshing fork and killed everyone off in one mighty sweep. It was totally unexpected and yet expected. Unexpected since I just assumed that it would, like nearly all books I read, end happily. Expected since the situation was so dire that I couldn't see a way out besides someone dying.

It was fun to do this with a book discussion group though! And the story got very gripping near the end.

[Williamacrane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this after visiting Kenilworth Castle. If your unaccustomed to reading eighteenth century English prose, you may struggle a bit with the language, but the reward does more than outweigh the effort. If you like castles, mysteries and history this book is for you.

[Joe Kraus · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s been decades since I read Waverly and almost as long since I re-read Ivanhoe, but I have always had a sense of Scott as a great adventure writer. He’s more or less lost his audience now, though. His language and references are too obscure for most people looking for escapism, and his ideas and literary ambition fall short of, say, Austen or the Brontes. He has a crucial role in literary history, and he’s still a lot of fun to read, but the urgency isn’t there. Why read Scott when there’s so much else to get to?

For me, here, I guess it’s the old hope for literary escape. I went through eight Trollope novels for most of the same reason. He’s good but short of great. He invites me into a rich imagined world, one where he’s testing prejudices and philosophies, yet he’s doing it in what seems today a minor key. And he gives a glimpse of literary history, a chance for me to fill in some of the gaps that become clearer the more I read.

I confess as well that I grew up playing Authors Cards. If you’ve forgotten or never known, it was a Go-Fish game that used cards of famous authors instead of conventional numbers or children’s images. I can still see the serious Dickens and Tennyson. And I can still see Sir Walter Scott with his four great works, Kenilworth among them.

So, for reasons silly and completist, I decided I wanted to read this one, knowing almost nothing about it when I opened it.

That, I admit, was a bit of a mistake. In retrospect, it’s exciting to see Scott as he goes about the business of inventing the middle-brow thriller. Yes, we can see the roots of Hilary Mantel here – this is where historical fiction was born – but I think we can see the roots of LeCarre and Ludlum too. He sets characters in motion and asks us to worry about the repercussions.

So, this one opens with the villainous Varney recruiting newly returned soldier Michael Lambourne to his cause of looking after Amy, nee Robsart and the secret wife of the Earl of Leicester. Lambourne turns out to be a minor character, so it seems a strange place for Scott to start, but the explanation eventually seems clear: he wants to make this as much fun as possible. Lambourne is a good man with a sword but a better man with a bottle. He’s often drunk and loud. He’s inclined toward being a bad guy, but he’s also fun in his appetites.

It takes a while to move from that initial detour, but the thrust of the book deals with Leicester’s dilemma. He’s married the most beautiful woman in England, but he discovers there’s a real chance that Queen Elizabeth will decide to marry him. He has to think about choosing between love and the chance to rule – or at least-co-rule – the kingdom.

Amy is a classic damsel in distress, but Scott has to deal with the challenge of depicting her as something less than an opportunist. She has, after all, married one of the queen’s favorites, and that looks to make her wealthy and powerful. She’s aware enough of it that she refused to be held captive with Varney as her jailer, but Scott also has to play up her virtues. He gives us an Amy who’s deeply in love with Leicester, one who wants his company more than his riches.

The same is true of Leicester. Scott gives us a guy who’s cold-hearted enough to contemplate having Amy murdered but who finds his better angel before he can undertake it. (SPOILER: In that light, Varney is a convenient tool for pulling off the necessary-for-the-sake-of-reflecting-history murder of Amy.)

In some of those scenes, we see Scott with an impressive light hand. It’s not just that he invented this form but that he brought real skill to it. He held his place as one of the most popular writers in the English language for close to two centuries – long enough to be immortalized in Authors Cards, no less – and that didn’t happen by accident.

There are some thrilling moments here, and you can see how someone like Alexander Dumas would have read this work and determined to write The Three Musketeers. Still, there are also some slower ones. It becomes clear toward the end that we’re working toward a climax of will-they-or-won’t-they kill Amy. And then we get a series of chapters celebrating some of the masques that Leicester threw at his Kenilworth castle. Interesting as history? Maybe. But it kills the momentum of the story.

Add that to the care that Scott takes in refusing to blame either Leicester or Amy for their troubled marriage, and the niceties get in the way.

So, I did enjoy this one, but I remember Waverley and Ivanhoe as decided cuts above. I have a solid, portable collected Scott on my phone now, so I think I’ll keep going. As it is, it takes four of a kind to win at Authors Cards, so I have a couple more to go.

[Davis Saunders · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kenilworth is a historical fiction novel which tells the tale of the Earl of Leicester, a favorite of Queen Elizabeth I. The Earl is married, but in the name of ambition, he hides this from the Queen and from England. The story covers the Earl, his wife, and several surrounding figures.

Sir Walter Scott wrote in the time before people lost their attention span, and that is evident. With that, the first 200 pages or so is on the slower side, setting up the characters and situation. The back 250 are where they all collide, and you watch as the Earl of Leicester allows ambition and bad advice to overcome his conscience and decision by decision makes everything worse. It’s a stressful read but very good. I read the entire back half of the book in a day and could not take my eyes off the page.

Also, Queen Elizabeth I is very interesting, and I now want to read a biography of her.

[Allie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was this book Kenil-worth it? Great question! Either way, this was a book that I read and now my coworkers never have to hear me say the word "Kenilworth" ever again. My opinion of it is highly elevated, though, by the quote, “I tell thee...thou art an ass. Go bolt the wicket on the stair, and trouble not thy noodle about ghosts.” I love a novel written in the nineteenth century that mentions a ghost!

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

This dragged for me. I read Walter Scott for adventures and heroics, but this book is about a weak man tempted into foulness, aided by a rotten servant, and not helped by a useless wife and her annoying ex. I never cheered for anyone. It's a mismatch between expectation and reality -- the book does what it wanted to, but that's not what I wanted.

[Sofia · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The death-bell thrice was heard to ring,
An aerial voice was heard to call,
And thrice the raven flapp'd its wing
Around the towers of Cumnor Hall".

Now THAT is how you do historical fiction.
This novel was so alive and painted its historical scenes and characters with vividness and depth.
You can feel Scott having fun with this.
An absolute pleasure to read.

[Edward Polson · Rating 4 out of 5]

“This aching of the heart, this languishing after a shadow which has lost all the gaiety of its colouring, this dwelling on the remembrance of a dream from which we have been long roughly awakened, is the weakness of a gentle and generous heart.”

At first sight an easy-reading novel, a fictionalised story of the events surrounding the Earl of Leicester’s final great attempt to court Elizabeth over an extravagant 19-day reception at Kenilworth Castle, imperceptibly reveals itself to be a work of surprising depth in various directions.

Scott researched meticulously, drawing on first hand accounts — the 1584 Kenilworth Inventory, Gascogine’s The Princely Pleasures…, Robert Laneham’s letter on the same — to portray a mis-en-scene vibrant and accurate in the minutiae.

If he does play with timelines and events in order to construct a compelling narrative — an as yet unborn Shakespeare makes a cameo at court! — we can only forgive him by virtue of his success in this regard.

The unfolding tragedy, psychological depth of characters is, in this reader’s opinion, Shakespearean, a compelling study of Leicester’s fatal ambition weighed against love, and indeed touching on predestination and fate. There is some improbability in certain events, but at every point characters act entirely in character. Could anything have been avoided?

The characterisation and portrayal of the courtly age is also excellent; in their magnanimity the likes of Leicester, Raleigh, Tressilian tower above the modern reader. Some Dickensian oddities of characters also make amusing appearances, if with some incongruity.

A must read for all sensitive young men.

[Kaja Kulinicz-Szymankiewicz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Męczące, powolne, przykre, powtarzalne. Jednocześnie świetnie napisane - mimo znajomości tej historii (książka opowiada o wydarzeniach historycznych), powiątpiewałam czy zakończy się tak, jak "powinna", tak dalece autor zawirował akcją i zdarzeniami.
Przykra opowieść o zwycięstwie zła nad niewinnością, przykry obraz wielkiego hrabiego, potężnego możnowładcy, który ma serce myszy, moralność gadzią, a rozum jak mucha.

[Eliza Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved. Favorite novel so far this year

[Tracey- Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to find this book at work. Really enjoyed it as I’ve always found the story of Amy Robsart intriguing as a kid.

[Monty Milne · Rating 3 out of 5]

The court of Elizabeth I is a fascinating subject for a historical novel, and Scott delivers the goods with this one, although it is a lengthy read, and – as with most Scott – there are boring bits which one is tempted to skim.

There is something unpleasing about Elizabeth I – something which I think is to do with that combination of the petty and the deadly – and this is very well conveyed here. The false sycophancy of the courtier can easily come horribly unstuck if he fails to get the balance exactly right between flirtatious gallantry and over familiarity. One is reminded of those male spiders who risk between eaten by the females they attempt to entice.

There are lots of excellent and memorable minor characters here who in many ways are more interesting and entertaining than the major characters. Tressilian and Leicester, for example – two of the principals – I thought were a bit dull compared to the ugly and brilliant urchin Dickie Sludge, or the sinister alchemist Alasco, or the mythologically-tinted Wayland Smith.

When Leicester is in a tight spot, he contemplates rebellion against his Queen, but rejects the idea because – “This is not like other thrones, which can be overturned by a combination of powerful nobles; the broad foundations which support it are in the end the love and affections of the people.” Scott genuinely believed this, and so probably did Queen Elizabeth herself, and so indeed did most of her subjects. So although Scott is here displaying his own political opinions in the mouth of one of his characters, it is also an accurate enough statement. Whenever I think of Elizabeth’s tyranny and cruelty I remind myself of this.

The ending is very dramatic and vintage Scott. There are an awful lot of pages to wade through before we get there, however. As always with Scott, you won’t enjoy this if you want quick thrills or are in any kind of a hurry.

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hmmm, what to say. Once I was about 40% into this book, I enjoyed it much more. Granted the ‘stage’ had to be set so much back-story was provided before the real interesting bits began (read that to mean the character of Queen Elizabeth I entered ).
Having visited Kenilworth for the second time this last summer and being honored to see the recreated gardens that were mentioned by Scott (from a primary source of the time of Elizabeth’s visit) this book had added enjoyment and interest. The mystery that surrounds Amy Robsart’s death has provided fertile ground for speculation ever since it occurred. The one thing that remains is the fact that the cloud which hung over it ended Leicester’s hopes of marriage to Elizabeth—if there were ever any chances.

My only concern for this book, being a historian, is the aptness for readers to assume it is the truth. I encountered that often as a history teacher where students would have seen a historical event fictionalized on film or television (some may have even read fictional books) and think it was true. In many cases I wasn’t teaching history so much as un-teaching Hollywood’s version of history. Sorry for the leap there, but thanks for letting me get that little editorial out in the midst of this book review.

Since the Tudor era is my favorite time period, this book would get recommended regardless and the footnotes include an inventory of Kenilworth that I had never seen before and thoroughly enjoyed.

[Ed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another masterpiece from Scott. Having read the introduction and several of the preceding Waverley novels I thought this might prove a somewhat predictable read. Far from it. I was absorbed by the plot and characterisation throughout. Some of the history, specifically the visit of Queen Elizabeth to Kenilworth castle at a time when Dudley, the Earl of Leicester, was currying her favour, was familiar to me. Much of the action, however, takes place prior to this in Berkshire where the heroine of the piece is held captive. Scott's stories often contain colourful characters who with their virtues and vices make them interesting. The "goodly"pub landlord, his reprobate nephew returned from adventures abroad, the avaricious minder of the manor house where our heroine is confined, and his caring daughter are a few of these met in the opening chapters. As the plot proceeds more are introduced, all of whom contribute to the novel, which culminates in the aforementioned entertainments of the queen at Kenilworth. Here the story comes to its final denouement. Despite knowing how this was going to turn out it was not an anti-climax. Classical historical romance at its best!

[🐶 Amy Beagle Mom x2 🐶 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was listening to the LibriVox audiobook edition, which I don’t see listed on Goodreads selections. I didn’t finish this book because of a combination of feeling bogged down in the story and the frequent mispronunciations by the narrator.
Such as Le-lahnd Cypress instead of Lee-lund, for Leland; Dahth instead of duhth for ‘doth’ and more in only the first 20 minutes. I realize I’m a stickler for correct pronunciation- but with such common words- it was distracting to me. Let me add that I am extremely grateful to all the LibriVox volunteers, including so many behind the scenes, in addition to the folks who read the books aloud so that we can have no-cost audiobooks that are in the public domain. I realize not everyone is as affected by these errors as I am; I feel sure they aren’t- but a proofread/proof-listen could have caught them.
This is the third book by Sir Walter Scott that I haven’t been able to get through, so I’m sure the material has a lot to do with my distaste for the work.
I’ve really tried. Perhaps his writing just isn’t for me. Or rather I’m not the audience to whom he was writing.

[Al · Rating 4 out of 5]

A stirring tale of deception and dishonor set in Elizabethan England, with Elizabeth herself playing a prominent supporting role. I never cease to marvel at the quantity, quality and scope of Scott's output. Kenilworth's plot is ingenious, and Scott's evocative prose, albeit formal to a degree not seen today, does it full justice. It's hard to believe his books were written nearly 200 years ago.

[Kaya Kobold · Rating 3 out of 5]

Und sie lebten unglücklich bis zum jähen Ende ihrer Tage.

[Richard Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't remember where this book came from. Probably, someone gave it to me. Possibly, I bought it, but so long ago I forgot. It was on the "books that don't fit anywhere else" shelf for years when I handled it again and thought about reading it.

The copy itself is old, well over 100 years, but I can't verify exactly which edition. It's cool, though.

And it is still a good book.

Knowing literally nothing about the novel--setting, characters, plot, nothing--I just opened and read, and then I kept reading. It's quaint, yes, but despite the archaic language, it reads very modern.

This is the story of a man, Tressilian, who loves a beautiful woman, Amy Robsart, the daughter of a country squire. He is hunting for her after she disappears. She has been taken by a powerful man, Earl Leicester, but with her consent, and she marries him in secret. The difficulty is that he keeps it a secret, and keeps her as a prisoner. Leicester, a favorite in Queen Elizabeth's court, could almost marry the queen if he had not been so foolish, and he has ambitions, while the man who loves the woman is a simple, good, and honest man.

There are a number of interesting and fun characters, including Sir Walter Raleigh, who performs his cloak-across-the-puddle act in the novel, and I finally understand what that might have looked like. Raleigh is fun character, though minor, and his friend Blount, an honest soldier trying to play courtier with embarrassing consequences, deserves his own novel. The commoner Wayland Smith, a man of limitless wit and resources, feels like another protagonist, and the prankster referred to as Flibbertigibbet is like a force of nature whose playful sleight of hand has dire results. The antagonists, including a quick-thinking drunk, an alchemist, and Leicester's brilliant but amoral right-hand man, round out full cast of characters.

A modern reader can hardly avoid noticing the lack of female characters and the condescension toward women. Queen Elizabeth holds her own--despite frequent asides by the narrator and actual character dialogue referring to female weaknesses and rather unattractive strengths--and Amy Robsart is a strong character in both senses, but that mostly covers it. The other women are not even secondary characters. You expect little more from a 19th Century novel set in the Sixteenth Century, but it disappoints nonetheless. (Ivanhoe, which I read several years ago, has a similar problem, as I suspect most of the Waverly novels do. In addition, it has an odd, mixed tone toward its Jewish characters that mars an otherwise very entertaining novel. Old dead white guys, right?)

Still, the energy and inventiveness of the author is impressive, the plot brisk, and the entertainment undeniable. I liked it, and I recommend it.

[Mbilmey · Rating 3 out of 5]

**PLEASE DO NOT JUDGE SCOTT BASED ON THIS BOOK** Not his best work tbh....
I hate this book so much. But also not really. I was going to give it two stars, which would be a first for me and Scott, But I had to give it three stars bc only Scott could make me not only endure, but grip in suspense, 460 pages of over descriptive historical inaccuracy. Be warned: this book is depressing. I only just happened to know some historical background and so anticipated the ending. It made the read not unlike reading Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes where you know it can only end in tears with a fall into vanity for the man that ought to be the hero. (Even so, I agree with readers of the time that he sanitized Dudley.) Scott's romantic hero here is useless and melancholy. There is little likeable about Tressilian, but also he's less important than Ivanhoe is to Ivanhoe, iykyk. Also, 460 pages was waaaay too long for what this book is doing. I honestly did not care that much for the fist 150. However, I couldn't put it down after half-way. I got the sense though that Scott himself was reluctant to write it and was only doing so at the behest of his publisher.
So I am once again conflicted because I hate depressing books that are depressing just because drama. But I also can't deny that the second half was done so skillfully. I thought his depiction of Elizabeth was bland until seeing her interactions with Dudley. Then, I both related to her and sympathized with her the same as I did when I first read about their relationship. Amy was likewise relatable. She was brilliant and shone throughout the book. I both hated Dudley, wanting him beheaded, but also wanted him to reconcile with Amy but also partially wished he and Elizabeth could be a thing and it was so frustrating, but Scott definitely made me feel it.
Over all, I would 100% recommend Fortunes of Nigel over this for court drama, but this was worth the read even if it frustrated me haha. I wouldn't hate it so much if he didn't make me care so much about the characters. You would just need to be in the mood for a loooong book with a looooot of description and tragedy.
Notice: There is time period sexism and one racistly depicted side character (wth Scott. You wrote Rebecca and then turn around and write this kind of antisemitism?)

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Kenilworth’ is an entertaining, plot-driven historical novel, set during a few weeks of Elizabeth’s reign, though it’s as expected, a bit loose with facts. Often it veers close to the magical and heroic, like some chivalrous medieval epic, with its damsel-in-distress central story, replete with rival factions, convenient save-the-day, just-in-the-nick-of-time, miraculous appearances, narrow escapes, cloaked disguises, and mystical potions with antidotes. No dragons at least.

On the other hand, the political minefield and dilemmas that ensnare the main characters, the ambitious Leicester and naive, neglected Amy especially, works in more psychological realism. Although few of the characters are especially admirable by modern standards. One feels sorry for Amy’s predicament, but she is, like Leicester, vain, class conscious and materialistic. Tressilian, the ostensible hero, is, we’re told, a man of letters and integrity, but he’s not given much of a chance to show it through his actions. Elizabeth was one of my favorites. She’s fickle and moody, but ultimately wiser than any of the conniving men around around her; level-headed, and fair.
Still we want truth and honor to prevail, and that hope propels the action forward in a satisfactory way.

The language blends standard early 19th century style with Elizabethan flourishes and metaphors that evoke the period, along with lavish descriptions of the courtly fashions, customs, and architecture.

Like many historical novels, there are hundreds of necessary explanatory notes - and a glossary - in this Penguin edition, made more difficult by not having relevant passages or phrases shown with superscripted numbers, just noted by page numbers in the end notes, so that means lots of referring back.

[Jacob Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up in Scotland and finally got to it. Really loved it and would like to read more Scott at some point.

Rich in themes of ambition, deception, and affection, this book is like The Crown on steroids. I kept thinking about James 4 and how quarrels exist because of the competing passions that exist in us. The Earl of Leicester especially is a central figure in whom much of the drama circles precisely because he believes that, given enough clever strategy, his passions can all be satisfied. To see how well he fares at this, one will have to read the book (RAFO)!

Around him are wicked servants, honourable rivals, and Elizabeth herself in a shrewd display of sovereignty. I really found myself hooked by it all about 100-125 pages in.

One could critique Scott for his characters. In a Dickensian fashion (and they share a similar era of writing), characters feel more like embodiments of virtues or vices. While I find that appealing myself, I could see a more modern reader finding the characters a bit stiff. However, this is more a matter of preference than it seems to be anything related to Scott's literary ability.

Overall, this seems to be listed as one of his better works but certainly not listed as his greatest. So I hope to be reading more of his literature in the future!

[David Zimny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kenilworth is a tale of aristocratic intrigue that takes place in England in 1575, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. The Earl of Leicester is an ambitious man and a favorite of the queen. He has even fancied marrying her and becoming king. There's only one problem- he is already married, to Amy Robsart. To make matters worse, Amy has the misfortune of being a "commoner", and the Earl is afraid to lose his royal status should the queen find out.

Kenilworth is quite different from Ivanhoe, the first Sir Walter Scott book I had read. Ivanhoe was high on action and low on character development. Kenilworth is low on action and high on character development. In addition to the individuals I have already mentioned, there is Richard Varney, the Earl's evil underling, Wayland Smith, a man whose many talents include blacksmithing and medicine, and Michael Lambourne, Varney's drunken servant.

The language is dated, resulting in some unintended humor, especially when someone hurls insults- "vile villain", "wretched scoundrel", etc. It is not the easiest read, but if you concentrate I think most people who enjoy 19th century British literature will appreciate Kenilworth. Also it had a surprisingly dark ending.

[Georgia Comins · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I started this I was honestly not expecting to like it, the first half was so incredibly boring to me. So I was not expecting to give it a high rating, but the second half and especially that ending more than made up for it. There is something about grim endings where nobody gets their happily ever after that make books which contain them almost irresistible to me. Maybe it’s because they feel more real?
In any case, I loved the ending of this book!

The first half however was almost unforgivably boring to me. Maybe this is because I had to read this incredibly slowly due to a series of pressing deadlines for university which interrupted my reading, or... maybe the plot was just *that* lacking early on. In any case I feel I cannot give it 5 stars because of this, but the ending was so perfectly an example of what I love to read that I had to bump up the initial low score I was planning on awarding this book to 4 stars and even deliberated on giving it 5.

So if you attempt to read this book and find yourself struggling initially - please try to stick with it!

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having not read a Sir Walter Scott novel for years, I started reading my grandfather's copy of Kenilworth, but read the bulk of it on my Kindle. As with Scott's other novels, it was a great read. However, the novel does require concentration. There were great plot twists that maintained my interest with scheming, subterfuge, and a bit of astrology. The only disappointment is the historical timeline does not work. Although the novel is set in 1575, Dudley's wife Amy died in 1560. Similarly, recusant priests were not active in England until the 1580s. However, this does not detract from a great story line.