When everything changed

This is the story of how the Great Reform Act of 1832 was finally passed through the UK parliament. I became interested after listening to two other terrific books: Bury the Chains by Adam Susskind and George Elliott's Middle march.

The first tells the story of the abolition of the slave trade in the UK in 1805, but why did slavery itself take another 30 or so years to come to an end? Because before the Great Reform Act the few who could vote wouldn't get tlrid of it, after 1832 the newly enlarged elotoarate could and did. Middlemarcj is one of the supreme novels of the English language and set during the ructions around the passing of the act.

Lady Fraser takes us through the tortuous struggle to pass the act with humour, learning and a sharp eye for character. And what characters populate this book. Almost all the main players are eccentric. The author's thorough research let's her drop great dollops of fabulous Regency English into the narrative. A thoroughly entertaining and informative book.

My one criticism is that she could have included something about the repercussions of the act. Other than that, excellent.

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Fantastic!

I really enjoyed this book. Well written, doesn't go into too much detail and is classic Antonia Frazer. Essential reading for anyone interested in 19th Century politics and has all of the drama and political arguments I was hoping for. Allows you to gain incite of the political figures of the time and the make up of the early 19th Century British political system. Great book!

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Of more specialized interest

If you're interested in British political history I think you'll enjoy this book as it focuses in great detail on the turbulent first few years of William IVth short reign as reformers tried to get rid of the rotten Burghs and enable large cities, such as Manchester, to have representation in Parliament and also to extend the voting rights beyond a few property owners. Lord Grey had pressed for reform for about 40 years and finally succeeded with the Reform Bill of 1832. I had underestimated how this modest reform was so vehemently opposed by many in the Tory party and their aristocratic supporters. I was also surprised by how England teetered on the brink of insurrection as ordinary people denied the vote pressed violently for the right to vote. The narrative is very detailed with many names of politicians many of whom have faded from history which led to my mind wandering a bit a times nevertheless I was glad to learn more about this important turning point in the political climate of this country.

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8 people found this helpful

Excellent research, poor narration

As I would expect from this author, she has done an excellent job of research, and formed it into an excellent narrative.

Unfortunately, the whole thing is let down by poor narration. When telling the story he is fine. However, he should not have been allowed to attempt accents, which frequently had me laughing out loud, spoiling the listening. Also, no attempt seems to have been made to find out how to pronounce names such as Belvoir. As a working class pleb I am happy to distort such names, but I would expect a book of history to be correct.

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Reader fails to bring to bring the scholarship to life

The reader had a very pleasant voice and would probably to justice to a bit of Dickens, but without the strong narrative thread driving the reading, it’s easy for the book to become a background drone rather than a lively listen. I’m 8.5 hrs in but I feel as though the amount of detail I’ve taken in doesn’t reflect that.

Because it is difficult to become engrossed, petty quibbles, like the reader not knowing the correct pronunciation of, oft repeated, place names such as Hawick and Belvoir (Hoick and Beaver), and the continual misplaced stresses in sentences, pull one out of the subject matter. This is a failure of direction and editing as much as reading.

I’ll finish the book, but it could, and should, have been so much better.

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