Literary Moonfleet by John Meade Falkner - Page 2

Bookworm_Girl · 07-12-2020, 08:54 PM

I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was a lot of fun too. It's always exciting to read a book that takes place in a location that you've been so that you can visualize it. The well and the donkeys is the main part of the tourist attraction of the castle. I asked a friend who grew up on the Isle of Wight if he read it as a boy. He said everyone knows of that book, but he has not read it.

A few weeks ago I watched the 2013 movie edition. I did not like the movie because it changed a big part of the plot. In the book it is important to John that he not succumb to the curse of the diamond and stays on course with his moral compass despite the hardships that he has to endure including imprisonment. It's why he can go back home at the end of the book and regain is life.

Spoiler:

Bookworm_Girl · 07-14-2020, 08:26 PM

I forgot to mention that we watched the 1939 Hitchcock version of Jamaica Inn recently. I have not read the book before. It was set in Cornwall in 1819 and was interesting watching as a comparison to Moonfleet on its story of shipwrecks and thievery along the English coast. Moonfleet shows the smugglers in a more benevolent light despite their crimes whereas in Jamaica Inn they are absolutely greedy, murderous scoundrels.

Pajamaman · 07-14-2020, 10:12 PM

I thought it was set in Cornwal? Anyway, south coast anyway. I agree the setting is vivid and beautiful. I can hear the sound of the waves just remebering the boy listening to it at night.

This book is more than a simple YA smuggler adventure. It is a story of a father-son relationship, love and sacrifice. A forgotten classic. Oh yes, and it also a thrilling smuggler adventure.

SPOILER ALERT!

I was surprised that the baddie customs agent got killed off about 30% into the book.But the story is a long (though short book) meandering tale that is quite epic.

The twist at the end is awesome! Brilliantly done. He ties it all up wonderfully.

Bookworm_Girl · 07-15-2020, 12:32 AM

The places in the book represent the following real locations.

From Wikipedia:

Quote:

Falkner uses the local geography of Dorset and the Isle of Wight in the book, only changing some of the place names. The village of Moonfleet is based on East Fleet in Dorset by Chesil Beach. The headland in the book called The Snout is Portland Bill.

Corfe Castle and Carisbrooke Castle are key plot locations

Bookworm_Girl · 07-15-2020, 12:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pajamaman

The twist at the end is awesome! Brilliantly done. He ties it all up wonderfully.

I never would have known about this book if it weren’t for the book club. I thought the writing was entertaining, and I really liked the way it wrapped up the plot too! Stay true to your moral compass and you can win at life and love. I like happy endings.

sun surfer · 07-15-2020, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

The places in the book represent the following real locations.

From Wikipedia:

I read On Chesil Beach earlier this year and didn't realise while reading our selection that Moonfleet's quasi-fictional setting was so close to the same place.

Bookworm_Girl · 07-15-2020, 11:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sun surfer

I read On Chesil Beach earlier this year and didn't realise while reading our selection that Moonfleet's quasi-fictional setting was so close to the same place.

What did you think of On Chesil Beach? It's on my TBR.

sun surfer · 07-18-2020, 03:49 PM

I liked it, although I wasn't as impressed by it as I'd expected to be. It was my first by McEwan and I liked his elegant writing style. Some of the story fell a little flat for me but overall I thought it worth reading and it's brief, almost a novella. I also just listened to his book Nutshell and finished a few days ago before starting our Giordano selection. Now that book, despite similar elegant writing, I have a few issues with, lol.

I have a feeling I'd like his book Atonement more than either of those, judging mainly by how good the film was.

Bookworm_Girl · 07-18-2020, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sun surfer

I liked it, although I wasn't as impressed by it as I'd expected to be. It was my first by McEwan and I liked his elegant writing style. Some of the story fell a little flat for me but overall I thought it worth reading and it's brief, almost a novella. I also just listened to his book Nutshell and finished a few days ago before starting our Giordano selection. Now that book, despite similar elegant writing, I have a few issues with, lol.

I have a feeling I'd like his book Atonement more than either of those, judging mainly by how good the film was.

Thanks for the info! I don’t think I have read McEwan. I own Atonement but haven’t read it yet. Unrelated to reading but the soundtrack to the movie is excellent!

AnotherCat · 07-23-2020, 07:15 PM

As I mentioned I enjoyed the book.

While they are quite different stories but set in the same century and sea related, getting through Moonfleet and off my reading list prompted me to start on some of Lamdin's Alan Lewrie series, which have also been sitting on my reading list for some years. Have fitted in the first 2 of those in between other things.

07-12-2020, 08:54 PM	#16
Bookworm_Girl E-reader Enthusiast Posts: 4,871 Karma: 36507503 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Southwest, USA Device: Kindle Oasis 3; Kobo Aura One; iPad Mini 5	I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was a lot of fun too. It's always exciting to read a book that takes place in a location that you've been so that you can visualize it. The well and the donkeys is the main part of the tourist attraction of the castle. I asked a friend who grew up on the Isle of Wight if he read it as a boy. He said everyone knows of that book, but he has not read it. A few weeks ago I watched the 2013 movie edition. I did not like the movie because it changed a big part of the plot. In the book it is important to John that he not succumb to the curse of the diamond and stays on course with his moral compass despite the hardships that he has to endure including imprisonment. It's why he can go back home at the end of the book and regain is life. Spoiler: In the movie, he loses his moral way and has to sneak back home and fake his death and pretend to be someone else.

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07-14-2020, 08:26 PM	#17
Bookworm_Girl E-reader Enthusiast Posts: 4,871 Karma: 36507503 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Southwest, USA Device: Kindle Oasis 3; Kobo Aura One; iPad Mini 5	I forgot to mention that we watched the 1939 Hitchcock version of Jamaica Inn recently. I have not read the book before. It was set in Cornwall in 1819 and was interesting watching as a comparison to Moonfleet on its story of shipwrecks and thievery along the English coast. Moonfleet shows the smugglers in a more benevolent light despite their crimes whereas in Jamaica Inn they are absolutely greedy, murderous scoundrels.

07-14-2020, 10:12 PM	#18
Pajamaman Wizard Posts: 2,827 Karma: 10700629 Join Date: May 2016 Location: Canada Device: Onyx Nova	I thought it was set in Cornwal? Anyway, south coast anyway. I agree the setting is vivid and beautiful. I can hear the sound of the waves just remebering the boy listening to it at night. This book is more than a simple YA smuggler adventure. It is a story of a father-son relationship, love and sacrifice. A forgotten classic. Oh yes, and it also a thrilling smuggler adventure. SPOILER ALERT! I was surprised that the baddie customs agent got killed off about 30% into the book.But the story is a long (though short book) meandering tale that is quite epic. The twist at the end is awesome! Brilliantly done. He ties it all up wonderfully.

07-18-2020, 03:49 PM	#23
sun surfer languorous autodidact ✦ Posts: 4,235 Karma: 44637926 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: smiling with the rising sun Device: onyx boox poke 2 colour, kindle voyage	I liked it, although I wasn't as impressed by it as I'd expected to be. It was my first by McEwan and I liked his elegant writing style. Some of the story fell a little flat for me but overall I thought it worth reading and it's brief, almost a novella. I also just listened to his book Nutshell and finished a few days ago before starting our Giordano selection. Now that book, despite similar elegant writing, I have a few issues with, lol. I have a feeling I'd like his book Atonement more than either of those, judging mainly by how good the film was.

07-23-2020, 07:15 PM	#25
AnotherCat .... Posts: 1,547 Karma: 18068960 Join Date: May 2012 Device: ....	As I mentioned I enjoyed the book. While they are quite different stories but set in the same century and sea related, getting through Moonfleet and off my reading list prompted me to start on some of Lamdin's Alan Lewrie series, which have also been sitting on my reading list for some years. Have fitted in the first 2 of those in between other things.

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