2018-February The Trumpet Major by Thomas Hardy

The Trumpet Major

The Miller has two sons, One a Trumpet Major and one a Sailor. The local Landowner has one son Festus a bit of a ne'er do well. All fancy their chances with Anne Loveday who rents part of the Millers house. She falls for Bob the sailor from a young age, and then seems to vary between John the Trumpet-Major and Bob. She doesn't like Festus. Bob meantime nearly marries an actress in Portsmouth. John is a placewarmer back home trying to keep Anne keen on Bob but meanwhile their relationship is developing. Eventually the landowner dies and leaves her his land, except for a bit that goes to Festus. In the last chapter Festus marries the Actress, as much to spite John as anything, Anne has put Bob on 6 months notice, and the Trumpet Major goes off to the Peninsular wars and is killed. 

The book is slow but gets faster as it develops, then comes to a surge and an end. There are some lovely humorous sections.    Mark -9