Classics Corner: London by Edward Rutherfurd; Epic Novel of London's History is Superior to Rutherfurd's Sarum in Every Way
By Julie Sara Porter
Bookworm Reviews
PopSugar Reading Challenge: A book set in a city that has hosted the Olympics (London)
Spoilers: In my mind, there is only one name in epic historical fiction, the type of fiction that is set over the centuries set in the same location with various generations, usually within the same family. That name is Edward Rutherfurd.
Beginning with Sarum, published in 1985, Rutherfurd wrote a series of novels set in various locations that cover five to seven families that represent different social classes. The books include Sarum, The Forest, London, The Princes of Dublin, The Rebels of Dublin, Russka, Paris, and New York. In each one, he covers an exthaustive series of historical events that are seen through multiple pairs of eyes.
Sarum begins the formula with its epic scope and is brilliant at capturing the various time periods and details. However, the characterization isn't as strong as it could be. While the family aspects are strong, many characters are flat and interchangeable. They are less of individuals and more symbols of their social status, gender, class, occupations, and placement in their family lines.
However in his 1997 follow up novel, London, Rutherfurd obviously learned from his mistakes on characterization and wrote not only an epic story, but filled it with characters who are just as interesting on their own right as they are as members of their families and in a society reacting to the ever changing times.
Of course the biggest character is London itself. Rutherfurd captures every district, every street, every business bringing them to vibrant life as though the Reader can see the buildings, hear the many accents, and smell the various odors right in front of them.
London is experienced in its various incarnations from an out of the way backwater in Celtic times, to one of the final bastions of the Roman empire, to a central area of conflict during the Medieval Era, to the go-to destination for those seeking their fortune during the Renaissance, to the central location of the British Empire, to a place under attack during WWII, to a modern cosmopolitan city welcoming various immigrants, all who consider themselves Londoners.
These changing and dramatic times are witnessed by eight families. They are:
The Duckets/Doggets-They are present in every chapter from the Celtic days, originating as Duckets, to modern times. The name came from their ancestor's ability to swim like a duck. Many of the members are recognized by their black hair with a white streak near their forehead and webbing between their fingers (possibly a holdover from evolution.) Eventually, they split into two different families: The Duckets, who ascended into wealthy titled nobles and The Doggets, an impoverished family that remains primarily in the poorer sections, particularly London's East End.
The Bulls-The second most prominent family, making their debut during the Anglo Saxon era. They are a family that goes between wealthy landowners to members of the merchant class as brewers. Their name comes from the family living near a sign of the bull. Many of the family members are known for their stubborn uncompromising view of the world as black or white, right or wrong with no in between.
The Silversleeves-A family that came over with the Norman conquest, their name comes from the fancy robe one of the earliest ancestors wore. They are recognizable by their long noses, which some are rather sensitive about. They are a family of conniving schemers who climb their way to the top and in subsequent chapters act as various authority figures.
The Barnikels-This family is descended from the Vikings. The last name comes from their Viking ancestor who warned his subordinates not to kill children during the raids (bairn nikel=no children). The Viking blood is still present in subsequent generations by their large sizes, bad tempers, and seafaring abilities in which many become sailors, fishers, and members of the British Navy.
The Carpenters-A largely working class family that debuts during the early Medieval Era. Their family name is one of the occupational names that are so frequent. Many of the members help build some of the most iconic sites in London including St. Paul's Cathedral and Hampton Court. They are also a very religious and opinionated family, particularly during the English Civil War when they are ardent Puritans and during WWII when another is a member of the Fabian Society.
The Flemings-This family emigrated from Flanders during the late Medieval Era. They are known for the high standards that they set towards the people around them. They are also among the most mutable families in the book having different occupations that fit whatever the current needs are. They go from grocers, to costumers, to bakers, to tailors and other necessary occupations.
The Merediths-They emigrated from Wales during the Tudor era. They are known for their eloquence and intelligence which is put to good use as writers, preachers, and academics. They also have very adventurous spirits which gives them the opportunity to travel and live colorful lives.
The Pennys-The youngest of the families arrived from France around the time of the London Fire. Protestant Hugenots, they sought religious freedom and are often very strident and devout in their beliefs. They also have very mathematical and analytical minds which they reveal in their occupations in mathematics, banking, and engineering.
The families are well written as a unit, but also the individual characters within that unit. Considering Rutherfurd wrote over 100 chatacters and over 2,000 years of history, it cannot be stressed what a fantastic achievement that is. With Sarum, he took the easy way out to make his characters sketches, ideals, and just symbols of who they represent. In London, he made them real characters with motives, goals, and personalities that go beyond their expected roles.
Many characters stand out but among them are: Julius, ancestor of the Ducket Family, a scamp from Roman times who forges coins to get ahead, romances pretty girls, and hoards gold for his future. In fact his hiding of gold gets him in big trouble with the authorities and himself when he loses his gold and can't remember where he put it. (The gold becomes a continuing plot thread, until it is finally found by Julius' descendant, Charlie Dogget during WWII).
There is Henri Silversleeves, an emigre from Norman-era France who like his father is an adept chess player and uses those skills in life against everyone else. He is a skilled tactician who isn't afraid to play everyone around him from allies, to family members, to his unfaithful wife, Hilda. During conflicts between members of the Royal family and various factions, Henri skillfully observes, schemes, and takes years to play his hand but ultimately comes out ahead.
Edmund Meredith is a playwright of questionable talent during the Elizabethan era, who loves two things: Jane Fleming, a costumer for Shakespeare's acting company,@ and the sound of applause geared towards him and not necessarily in that order. When Jane gets abducted by pirate, Orlando "Black" Barnikel (an interesting character in his own right), Edmund settles for the applause. He becomes a well spoken minister who plays both sides during the English Civil War.
Another outstanding male character is Sam Dogget, a young Cockney lad in the 18th century who in a Dickensian twist gets mistaken for a wealthy heir and is adopted by the family of the Earl of St. James and Lord Bocton (also known as the Ducket family). Sam settles into the rich life and lives as an Earl until old age. In one moving scene, a confused and addled elderly Sam wanders through East End London remembering his former upbringing and speaking fluent Cockney.
The female characters are also equally well written. There are several standouts. Among them is Elfgiva, matriarch of the future Bull family, who is desperate to hold onto her pagan beliefs despite her husband and sons converting to Christianity. She stands firm to her beliefs despite her husband, Cerdic's emotional abuse and threats to put her away for a younger wife. Eventually, she converts, but by her own choice no one else's.
A pair of fun protagonists are Isobel and Margery Dogget, twins and the first to carry the surname of Dogget, to separate themselves from the wealthier Duckets. The duo are prostitutes and brothel madams, 13th century hookers with hearts of gold. They aid a pair of young lovers who are separated by family disapproval and imprisonment and get the better of a hypocritical alderman.
Then there's Dame Barnikel, who could be a second cousin to Chaucer's Wife of Bath. She has a few marriages under her belt and is busy arranging the marriage, and practically the life, of her stepdaughter, Amy Fleming. Dame Barnikel is also a hard-nosed businesswoman, singlehandedly running her husband's brewery and is a member of the Brewer's Guild. Guild membership is not an easy feat for many women to achieve, but those who know Dame Barnikel's abrasive and domineering personality would be fools to refuse.
Another standout female is Violet Bull. She causes trouble first by marrying Col. Meredith, an older man who once caught her mother, Mary Anne's fancy. In middle age, she joins the women's suffrage movement and takes part in their demonstrations like throwing bricks into windows, disrupting the horse races, and picketing. Violet stands for her beliefs, despite ostracism from her father and son.
One of the ways that Rutherfurd makes his characters more well rounded is to insert them in more than one chapter. In Sarum, he devoted one chapter to each era so we barely got to know the characters before we say goodbye to them and get introduced to a new set of characters. Rutherfurd's approach in London is a lot slower. He stretches characters's storylines out so we see them in different ages and how decades of change affected them.
Nowhere is this approach strongest than in the sad story of Lucy Dogget. Her story begins in 1822 in East End London. As a child, she loses her father to a workplace accident and her mother and brother to illness. She finds temporary work with her Uncle Silas as a dredger, someone who scavanges the Thames River for goods, refuge, and corpses to steal from. Silas eventually lets her go to start a new career, leaving Lucy on her own. Her story continues into young womanhood when she faces an illegitimate pregnancy and no money to care for her child. It concludes in old age as she makes the heartbreaking decision to give up her orphaned granddaughter to enter into service and obtain a better life for herself.
Another interesting approach that Rutherfurd does is ultimately tie all the families together through marriage, employment, and friendship. While there are some signs of this in early chapters where a Fleming girl marries a Carpenter boy or a Penny works for Meredith, the families are particularly united through the 19th century marriages of the Dogget Sisters, the daughters of Lucy's crafty Uncle Silas. Harriet marries Penny, who is extraordinarily gifted in numbers and money put to use as a banker. Esther marries Arnold Silversleeves,who is fascinated by machinery and becomes an engineer. Charlotte marries Captain Jonas Barnikel, a sea captain who participates in boat races. Mary Anne, the most opinionated and adventurous of the four sisters marries Edward Bull, a brewer who takes his wife on a hot air balloon ride as a gift.
The ties tangle even further when Esther Silversleeves hires Lucy Dogget's granddaughter, Jenny as a maid and Jenny later marries Percy Fleming, a tailor and as previously mentioned Mary Anne's daughter, Violet marries Col. Richard Meredith (whom her mother contemplated an affair with when they were younger).
By the time the book ends, it almost seems incestuous how tight these family ties become. However, since they are separated by generations, there are no causes for alarm when modern day archaeology grad, Sarah Bull begins a romance with British Museum curator, Dr. John Dogget. It is more seen as a sign of fate, like some people are destined to be together. It's in their blood and genes.
The best word to describe Edward Rutherfurd's London is epic. Epic in scope. Epic in history. Epic in character. Epic in setting. It is the right kind of history lesson, the kind that gives us faces and people to go with the dates and events.
