It took me awhile to get into this book as I had so many others easier to read on the go. However, once I got half way I really got into the story and started to enjoy the story and the historical content.
Set during the 1745 final Jacobite uprising, Scott relates this time period and the manners and traditions of the Scottish people, with a keen eye to description and narrative. Some say too much so but I enjoyed immersing myself in his winding ways.
The ending for some was a little too sweet and yet for others, it was all too realistic of those who were charged with High Treason.
I think the book deserves 4 stars.

A surprisingly quick read all things considered (like the fact it's 650 pages and absolutely full of purple prose).

Scott's writing is very recognizable by its wordiness - if you can use four words he'll use 40. His writing is characterized by long sentences, with a thousand clauses separated by a thousand commas, flitting here and there in topic before finally ending with a dramatic ~*flourish*~.

Amusingly, Scott seems cognizant of this - he starts chapter 24 with this: "Shall this be a long or a short chapter? This is a question in which you, gentle reader, have no vote, however much you may be interested in the consequences." Don't I know it, buddy.

Pet peeve: Scott switches between calling his hero "Edward" and "Waverley" sometimes in the same sentence. Drives me nuts. Pick his first name or his last name and just use that throughout, I have whiplash.

It's not a bad book. It's not my favourite among the classics for the reasons above, but it's a pleasant read. And I did actually like Waverley as a character. He's surprisingly progressive considering this book was published in 1814.

For instance, he has a thing for his friend Fergus MacIvor's sister, Flora, and asks her to marry him. She only sees him as a friend, so she declines. He accepts her answer without whining, even though he's crushed, and he leaves her alone. Fergus is pissed, though, and tells Waverley not to worry, he'll convince Flora (women aren't supposed to have opinions about their husbands after all - that's for their menfolk to decide on their behalf). Waverley's like... yeah, no thanks, I don't really want to marry someone who is forced into marrying me, but I appreciate the thought. Fergus then becomes angry at Waverley - basically saying, "What, she says no and you just accept it and move onto someone else? How can you treat her so lightly - she's a sister of mine after all." To which Waverley replies, "She is Flora MacIvor, sir, which to me -- were I capable of treating any woman with levity -- would be a more effectual protection." In other words - his respect for Flora is because she's Flora, not because she's somebody's sister. We love a feminist ally in 1812.

Also, this novel has my new favourite list of toasts to make at dinner:

"To him that will not turn his back on friend or foe. To him that never forsook a comrade. To him that never bought or sold justice. Hospitality to the exile, and broken bones to the tyrant. To the lads with the kilts. To Highlanders, shoulder to shoulder."

And here's a couple other quotes I liked!

"Where we are not at ease, we cannot be happy; and therefore it is not surprising, that Edward Waverley supposed that he disliked and was unfitted for society, merely because he had not yet acquired the habit of living in it with ease and comfort, and of reciprocally giving and receiving pleasure."

"Why, to speak the very truth, there is a person in Scotland upon whom I now find my happiness depends more han I was always aware, and about whose situation I am very anxious."

"To Rose Bradwardine, then, he owed the life which he now thought he could willingly have laid down to serve her. A little reflection convinced him , however,that to live for her sake was more convenient and agreeable, and that, being possessed of independence, she might share it with him either in foreign countries or his own."

1,5 ⭐

Finally, I never thought that I'll finish Waverley.

Honestly, the only reason I didn't DNF it was because it was a required read for a seminar.

This was just boring.

The historical events and time were quiet interesting but required knowledge of the Jacobite uprising which I did not have.

At some points it was so boring, it was mere torture to try to finish it.

At least I can say that I've read THE first historical novel.

Re-visit is via David Tennant:

BBC Blurb: Waverley by Walter Scott Adapted by Mike Harris

A gripping tale of love, war and divided loyalties with Scotland in open rebellion against the Union with England.

It's 1745 and 21year old Edward Waverley, a newly commissioned red-coat officer, is posted to Scotland on the eve of Bonnie Prince Charlie's violent bid for power. His father is a rising minister in the ruling Hanoverian state, but the beloved Uncle who brought him up is an old Jacobite, loyal to the exiled Stewart dynasty.

Waverley falls in love with two very different Scottish girls - the cautious, loyalist, lowlander Rose Bradwardine, and the fiery highland rebel Flora. He goes AWOL for Flora just as her brother Fergus is rallying their clan to fight for Charlie.

When Waverley is accused by his Commanding Officer of a treasonable flirtation with the enemy, he joins the uprising in a fit of pique and helps defeat an English army at the battle of Prestonpans.

When he finds out that he has caused the arrest of Uncle, he returns to London to try to clear his name.

The music is composed and performed by Ross Hughes and Esben Tjalve.

Producer: Clive Brill A Pacificus production for BBC Radio 4.

Listen here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/...