In the first half of the novel, John struggles with his growing attachment to a relative of the men who murdered his father, while caring for his farm and supervising his sisters Annie and Eliza. RELATED | Fifteen Epic Love Stories in Classic Literature

Of course, it turns out that Lorna is the granddaughter of Ensor Doone, the leader of the outlaws, and they call her Little Queen. And in that moment, the two form an attachment to each other that only grows as they get older. One day, when trying to catch fish for his mother, fourteen-year-old John finds himself in Doone Valley where he meets Lorna Doone. Our narrator finds himself looking after his mother, two sisters, and the farm. John’s father, John Reid, is one of their victims, leaving behind his wife and three children.

The Doones live in the protected Doone Valley and rob the passing road. Specifically, there is a family of bandits called the Doones. However, John’s town of Oare has a problem. He is a farmer, or a yeoman, so he first tells us about his education and his family. Told to us by the main male character, John Ridd, as he remembers it all, Lorna Doone takes us through John’s life. According to my copy, it has never been out of print, and I can see why. Other authors of the 19th Century, including Thomas Hardy, loved the story and its characters. Written by Richard Doddridge Blackmore, Lorna Doone was published in 1869. Lorna Doone: A Romance of Exmoor Review (1869)

Lorna doone novel