The Prime Minister (1876)

Plantagenet Palliser at last becomes Prime Minister but all is not as golden for him as one would wish, partly because of Glencora's meddling. Gives an excellent picture of Victorian England in its highest strata. ( )

Not much happened in this 5th instalment of the Palliser 'political' novels, but it was paced beautifully and was much more character-based than previous novels. The villany of Mr Lopez and the fretfulness and aloofness of the Duke of Omnium, after his elevation to Prime Minster, are the focal points. In the former case, his end is felt to be justified and is a shining example of justice being done. In the latter, the depiction is of a political animal who is quite of his natural and proper position. While it seems perfectly obvious that Omnium, one of the most powerful and influential men in the country should be prime minister, it just does not suit his temperament. In my humble view, the novel examines whether a man can rise to these political heights and hold on to scruples, and concludes that this simply does not work. ( )

"The Prime Minister" was my second foray into Trollope's oeuvre, the first being "Can You Forgive Her?". Since then, I have read the final Palliser novel, "The Duke's Children"; and I must remark that Trollope's style is utterly unlike anything I have ever yet encountered -- and not necessarily in a complimentary sense. He wrote with something of the discursiveness of Thackeray and undeniably equals the latter's length, but without drawing any characters as vivid or lifelike as Becky Sharp from "Vanity Fair". Realism is certainly a specialty of Trollope's, and he gives excellent insight into the British political system and its 19th-century modus operandi. However, I expect an imaginative and well-maintained storyline in a novel above all else, and while Trollope's Palliser novels are all the former, I find that they lack a pellucid narrative and thoughtful, revealing dialogue.

All in all, a good read on a rainy day when you have a craving for a work of British literature that you haven't read before, but not memorable for characterisation or narrative style. ( )

This is the fifth book in the Palliser series which has power and politics as an underlying theme. Interestingly, this is the first book in the series to provide any sort of political commentary. In the earlier volumes the politics is given very superficial treatment, but here, through Plantagenet Palliser, now Duke of Omnium, Trollope sets out his understanding of the differences between a Tory and a Liberal view of politics (effectively, Tory stands for no change, Liberal for increased equality). The lead character in the book is the villain, Lopez. Trollope does not do villains well. They tend to be one-dimensionally bad, and lack the subtlety of his other characters. There is also something dispiriting in a long book about a bad man. So, not Trollope's best effort, but even his lesser books are a joy to read. (Read Feb 2011). ( )

I'd previously enjoyed the first 4 books of Trollope's Palliser series, so was looking forward to reading this, the fifth book. That anticipation was dimmed somewhat when I read the preface, which stated that although Trollope considered The Prime Minister one of his best works, the critics and public at the time disagreed.

Despite the inauspicious beginning, I did enjoy The Prime Minister, although I can appreciate the main criticism - that none of the characters (in particular Plantagenet Palliser, the Prime Minister of the title) are likely to appeal to the reader. The novel became strangely appropriate during the period I was reading it, as the fictional government of the day is a cobbled together liberal-conservative coalition, and this state of affairs was borne out in real life in the UK whilst I was reading this novel! The similarities with current day politics undoubtedly made this book more interesting for me, but I think this is a good read under any circumstances - I'd take the negative reviews with a pinch of salt. ( )