Catriona

[poliphilo]

Catriona begins exactly where Kidnapped breaks off. It has never been as popular as its predecessor- and that's unsurprising given that it's full of politicians and lawyers whose canny talk is entertaining but not as breathlessly entertaining as being in company with Alan Breck Stewart and having to fight for your life on board a hell ship and flee from red coats across the heather. Besides, the plot is complicated- and there are too many people called James and too many people called Stewart and it's easy to confuse and conflate them. I'm about halfway through, Alan Breck Stewart has reappeared (hooray!) and he and Davie are having a lively time (at last). I got out my map book and located all the towns and villages they pass through as they try to evade pursuit along the coast of East Lothian. I do like a book that has real places in it...

Comments

[cmcmck]

I read it as a kid and maybe it's time for another look.

It's an area I know a bit too.

[poliphilo]

Stevenson isn't really a kids' author. The politicking in Catriona is quite sophisticated and you'd have to be a wise child to fully comprehend what's going on.

We've driven along the East Lothian coast- and I recognised some of the place names.

[cmcmck]

I read a lot of those classics back then and I suppose there were reasons I needed to be a wise child!