Badgworthy Water at Malmsmead, with the Lorna Doone Farm in the background. Image courtesy of jusben, Morguefile.
Once upon a time, there was a boy named John Ridd, “of the parish of Oare, of the county of Somerset.” John was your basic good kid, but he had no liking for anybody with the last name of Doone (not surprising, since the Doone outlaws killed his farmer father and got away with it). So John was off exploring waterfalls in a hidden valley one day and he met a young girl named Lorna Doone. And so begins a forbidden romance.
R.D. Blackmore’s novel Lorna Doone, I think, is pretty obscure — it’s not as commonly known as Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice or Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations. To my mind, it’s just as good. There is danger, adventure, bravery, comedy, fighting, prejudice, character reformation, a stolen necklace, evil, a shooting, class issues (nobility versus commoner) and even a love quadrangle going on. All of this is set against the backdrop of the beautiful English countryside and the Monmouth Rebellion.
You’ve got to admire my boy R.D. — he really packed a lot into one book and there isn’t a dull moment. Maybe this explains why the book’s been made into a film several times. The BBC did an excellent miniseries in 2000 with Richard Coyle playing John Ridd and Amelia Warner as Lorna Doone.
Lorna’s really made something out of her name, the cheeky little hussy. (I’m kidding! I’m kidding!) In addition to the miniseries, there is a Lorna Doone shortbread cookie, a Lorna Doone Hotel, a Lorna Doone Farm and a Lorna Doone Trail, as well as a gift shop and campsite.
But all in all, it’s a fun read. I recommend a cup of good strong tea and chocolate-coated McVitie’s digestive biscuits (roughly similar to graham crackers) as accompaniments.
For those of you who prefer to watch your books, see MydieLy’s excellent YouTube video below, set to the very appropriate music of Taylor Swift’s “Love Story.”
Ha — great minds think alike strikes again. I predated a Romeo and Juliet post with Lorna Doone as a featured star-crossed duo. It’s one of my favorite movies, for sure. My post is due out this Friday, I think. Happy shortbread!
I’m coming over to read on Friday! Save me some shortbread!
How did I miss this one in school? I guess I’ll check it out. Love the cookies.
And if you can get the cookies, make sure that they are Lorna Doone cookies. So appropriate, wouldn’t you say?
Interesting review. I will have to look into checking it out at the library…especially the movie version.
I read this many years ago…perhaps it is time to do so again.
And please, please catch the BBC adaptation. So, so good! (Wonder what it would sound like in Italian?)
I have neither read, nor viewed, any version of Lorna Doone, how very shameful for me as a Brit! I must rectify this and add it to my reading list.
Bet you can figure out the Somerset accent sections better than I can.
Thanks for bringing this to our attention – I must make a date with Lorna and have at my side tea and cookies–sounds like a lovely way to pass time.
You go, girl!
For a woman named Lorna, you would think I would have read this book or at least viewed a movie adaptation. But no. Stubborn me! A few people called me “Doone” as a nickname when I was younger and I hated it, so my protest was to avoid this apparently fine piece of literature. I may have to rethink my strategy at picking/avoiding books!
As I was writing it, I did wonder if your parents had taken your first name from the book. Mystery solved!
I always thought it was just a movie . . .
Try the book. Pretty good.