Rodney Stone

Conan Doyle's 1896 novel is a coming-of-age, hidden crime, bare knuckle boxing, Regency society, pre-Trafalgar epic of fops and bruisers and old salts. More than anything, it is Conan Doyle's peroration on the varieties of English manliness, and a compelling social x-ray of men thrilled by the manliness of other men, notwithstanding class distinctions. Rodney Stone owes some of its enthusiasm to several preceding generations of English novelists going back to Scott. Doyle is consciously standing on the shoulders of giants: he is having a fine time with the world-building required of his subject, and does not stint.

As with all of Doyle's works this is spellbindingly difficult to put down! I was very disappointed to find he went with convention by throwing slights against the Jewish race. Otherwise this is a very well written novel, great with suspense and a surprise ending. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this.

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