Phineas Finn (Palliser Book Two) by Anthony Trollope

 

Phineas Finn (Palliser Book Two) by Anthony Trollope.

This edition published 10th November 2011 by Oxford World's Classics. 

Originally published in 1869.

From the cover of the book:

Phineas Finn, the handsome Irishman, is equally successful at scaling the political ladder and gaining the affection of influential women. 

As he makes his precarious way in parliament he discovers how far principles must be sacrificed to the common cause, and how essential money is to political progress. 

Set during the turbulent passage of the second Reform Act of 1867, the novel paints a vivid picture of the compromises and tactics of daily political life. 

Loss of independence is felt just as keenly by Lady Laura and Violet Effingham, whose choice of marriage partner will determine their future freedom as much as their happiness. 

With politics and the personal so closely entwined, Phineas faces an act of conscience that will have a profound effect on his life.

The second novel in Trollope's Palliser series, Phineas Finn's engaging plot embraces matters as diverse as reform, the position of women, the Irish question, and the conflict between integrity and ambition.

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The second novel in the Palliser series continues the political theme when the eponymous hero of the piece, handsome Phineas Finn, the only son of an Irish doctor, decides to give up on his intention to become a lawyer and try his hand at becoming an MP. The story then follows Phineas through the next five years of his career in the House of Commons, as he works his way up to a position as a junior minister.

Alongside Phineas' political career, Trollope also engineers various romantic adventures for the young Irishman, as he falls in love (mostly) with society heiresses with a modicum of success, until the whole tale comes satisfyingly full-circle in a way that spoilers naturally prevent me from divulging.

As Trollope novels go, this really is a story of two halves for me. The first issue is Trollope's preoccupation with political shenanigans for the first half of the book, which I think stems from his own, failed, political ambitions at the time of writing. The second, is that Trollope's excellent female characters, who always prove to be the most interesting part of any of his books, take way too long to have anything interesting to do.

As a result, I found it very difficult to get into this book, bored rigid by lengthy political ramblings, that no doubt would have been rather entertaining to Trollope's contemporary Victorian audience, but which left me cold. Despite the fact that Phineas is actually a genial and jolly decent chap who wants nothing more than to make a difference, and the odd flash of satirical humour, it was hard going indeed. However, bolstered by the assurances of the lovely Trollope read-along gang that things would eventually improve, I girded my loins and soldiered onwards... and I am rather thankful that I did.

Trollope eventually seems to give himself a little shake and remembers that he can write female characters with verve! As a result, Phineas' propensity to fall in love too easily gives rise to some lovely storylines about the women he gives his heart to. His first London-based love, Lady Laura Standish, who marries in haste and repents in despondent leisure; the heiress Violet Effingham, who is intended for Phineas' best pal (and Lady Laura's brother) Lord Oswald Chiltern; the unconventional wealthy widow, Madame Max Goesler; and sweet little Mary Flood Jones, back home in Ireland; draw Phineas into wandering plotlines about money, matrimony, and the loss of female independence that work themselves out in society salons, on country estates, during parliament business, and even via a garrotting and a misguided Continental duel! Some familiar faces from previous novels make a welcome appearance too, such as Plantagenet Palliser and his vivacious wife Glencora. Suddenly the continuing political threads are much less tiresome, and Trollope even manages to weave the personal and professional sides of Phineas' life together nicely to direct the course of his principal-guided fate at the end of the novel. Thank goodness, this is much more like the Trollope I know and love!

Phineas crops up again in the Palliser series in book four, which is intriguingly entitled Phineas Redux, so I am glad I finally conquered this beast in a much better state of mind than I was anticipating at the halfway point. This was definitely a struggle after the excellent first book in the series, Can You Forgive Her?, but I am looking forward to meeting up with Phineas again. In the meantime, the next Palliser novel awaits in The Eustace Diamonds, and, based on the title alone, I have high hopes that this will be more engaging straight out of the gate... stay tuned to see how I get on.

Phineas Finn is available to buy now in multiple formats.

About the author:

Anthony Trollope (1815-82) became one of the most successful, prolific and respected English novelists of the Victorian era. Some of Trollope's best-loved works revolve around the imaginary county of Barsetshire, but he also wrote penetrating novels on political, social, and gender issues and conflicts of his day.