Pam's Book 17: Ivanhoe

I'm not quite sure what exactly drove me to read Ivanhoe. I read Scott's Heart of Midlothian in college and enjoyed it. My freshmen are currently reading To Kill a Mockingbird, and Ivanhoe is what Jem is forced to read to Mrs. Dubose. I felt it was time to read another classic. The last several books I've read had been easy reads, and I felt like it was time to read a book I had to work for. Somehow, among all these things, Ivanhoe is what I picked up for my spring break reading material. I fully expected it to take many weeks to read, and that I would have to cajole myself into enjoying it. Actually, it was quite easy to get through, thoroughly enjoyable, and even funny in parts.

When the book begins, we meet the swineherd Gurth and jester Wamba. They're just chilling in the woods with Gurth's dog Fangs. They meet some knights/priors wanting directions to their master's house. On the way there we meet the title character, Ivanhoe, although we don't yet know it's him (don't worry, I'm not giving anything away; it's obvious right off the bat who he is). The Normans have recently conquered Saxon England and have brought with them the ideals of chivalry. Cedric, the master of the house and die-hard Saxon, has disowned his son for aspiring to the court of the (now-exiled) Richard Plantagenet, aka Richard the Lionheart. Ivanhoe and later King Richard return to England incognito, Richard to reclaim his throne from his brother John, Ivanhoe to reclaim the heart of the beautiful Rowena.

Ivanhoe has anything you could ever want in a romance. Describing it is kind of how the grandfather in The Princess Bride describes his story. There are battles and intrigue and mystery and swooning maidens and honor and true love. Robin Hood and Friar Tuck even make appearances. The good guys win in the end and the bad guys get what's coming to them. Sort of. Scott makes sure to remind the readers that Richard's rule is short and that many of the ideals of chivalry die with him.

If you're looking for a good medieval romance full of knights and chivalry, this is the book for you. The characters are well-drawn and believable (except, strangely enough, Ivanhoe and Rowena, whom we actually see very little of). The story is exciting and interesting. The book does not seem 520 pages long. It's not full of deep meaning (which is why this post is rather sparse); it is pure escapism at its finest.