The tale is told by Ephraim McKellar, the steward of the estate belonging to Durie of Durrisdeer in Scotland. The laird of Durrisdeer has two adult sons and as the 1745 Jacobite uprising is about to begin sides have to be taken. It’s a dangerous time for landed estates as supporting the losing side will mean that they will lose everything. To avoid this disaster familes with two sons have one son, usually the younger one supporting the Jacobites while the eldest one supports the status quo, King George. But James Durie the eldest is keen to leave home for the more exciting prospect of the rebellion and decides to toss a coin to do so, of course he wins the toss which leaves his brother Henry at home.
Henry is very much the ‘spare’ heir as far as his father is concerned. The father can’t stop talking about James as if he’s some sort of hero whereas in reality he’s a ‘right bad yin’. When the Jacobites lose the Duries eventually get word that James has been killed and the father persuades Henry to marry James’s fiancee, and that’s as far as I’ll go with this one.
I can’t say that it’s one of my favourites by Stevenson, I really disliked the whole idea of the father favouring his eldest son to such an extent, and the younger brother ending up more or less being mentally tortured by him, but that’s my problem. I felt so sorry for Henry that I really couldn’t enjoy the story and it has a really sad ending.
I could definitely have been doing with something more uplifting, but don’t let me put you off reading this one! You might really enjoy it as so many people seem to have done.
Hi Katrina,
I didn’t know this novel by Stevenson at all. Had never heard of it, so I’m glad to know that he wrote a tale like this.
By the way, I’d love to know your favorite Stevenson novels, or your #1 favorite.
I always think of him when I visit the village of Saranac Lake in the Adirondacks, where Stevenson stayed. It’s an historic landmark, and is a mere cottage. Saranac Lake was a top spot for tubercular patients in the late 1800s. And actually, the last time I was there was 2019, when I did a solo walking tour of the town and hills. Homeowners all over town took in tubercular patients, and you can see the now-glassed-in, but what was once open-air porches where patients used to stay. In winter even. And it gets wicked, wicked cold in Saranac Lake. I took loads of photos. Sadly, so many of these homes are in terrible disrepair. It would be great if money were available to help people maintain these historic houses, which played such a role in Adirondacks history.
I really, really want to visit this fall and stay in Lake Placid, just 30 minutes away. September would be ideal. Low rates after summer season, before foliage season.
Judith,
I think that Kidnapped and its sequel Catriona are my favourites, but it is so long since I read them. Saranac Lake sounds like an ideal place to attract literary tourism. RLS also wrote a book called Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes and people still do the same walk – some of them with a donkey! Actually it’s a good book.
They were still wheeling hospital beds out onto verandahs in Scottish winters even in the 1920s and 30s. My poor dad was in hospital for 10 years as a child and it’s a miracle he survived it, waking up with snow on his bedclothes, and he didn’t have TB. I hope you get to Lake Placid in September..
Ah, that’s a pity! I loved this one for the characterisation, and also for the adventure aspects of it. But yes, Henry is treated very badly, and I felt bad for him too. I found the idea of having one son on each side in the Jacobite rebellion interesting – I wonder if that really happened in a lot of families.
FictionFan,
It’s probably just me being over sensitive about that sort of favouritism situation! I’ve seen it so often and it never turns out well.
I hadn’t ever heard of that happening before but it would certainly make sense to have one son in each camp.
I believe it did. It certainly occurs in other novels set in Jacobite times.
It was a way for the gentry to hedge bets in the hope of keeping the family property – whatever happened.
The poor underlings of course didn’t have a choice. They were hustled off to war whether they liked it or not. (Though many of them probably did.)
Jack,
I suppose some men would just be keen to get away from the boredom of their life, for a while anyway, and none of them would think that they might not be getting back home eventually.
This does sound like a good book and an interesting look at that time. However, I don’t like a really unhappy ending at any time, and right now I am more sensitive to it.
tracybham,
I know exactly how you feel, I need uplifting books at the moment.
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