The Cornish Trilogy: The Rebel Angels; What's Bred in the Bone; The Lyre of Orpheus Paperback – February 1, 1992

A friend encouraged me to put the Cornish trilogy on my list of books-to-get-to-someday. Eight years later, I have finally read it, and am so glad I did. I found the reading itself to be remarkably easy-- the plots are not complicated or unreasonably challenging for someone like me, who is not interested in being confused. The books are really less about plot than about characters and ideas. Like others, I found the author/characters to be much like the best of my college professors: able to take big ideas and lay them out in a way that makes sense and lets me absorb them.The three arts-- literature, painting and music-- explored in the three novels left me feeling like I know a little more about each. And here I want to defend the third novel which some other reviewers have dismissed as unremarkable or even unreadable. I came to Lyre with more knowledge of the theme (with my music degree in my hip pocket, as it were) than to the others. I found the discussions of the role of composition vs. libretto to be amusing and insightful-- the fight among the levels of creators in an opera isn't unlike the parallel struggle for control of the Cornish foundation. The need of musicians for sponsors was well played out. The exploration of the Arthur legend in all of its bastardizations, including the one played out in the novel, was also engaging.For me, the last novel was the most accessible because I came to it with the most understanding of the topic. But all three challenged me enough to make this more than just an average summer read. Find sustained reading time-- this is a group of books to be savored and digested, not just sucked down and tossed aside.

Superbly written novels. Time flew by, and felt well spent.

Well, what exactly to say about this trilogy stretching to over eleven hundred pages? So many things come to mind, and it would be impossible to give them all due consideration without writing a review at least half as long as the book(s). -- I'll deal with what I don't particularly fancy about the trilogy as a start: I don't like being confronted with gypsy Tarot readers who put menstrual blood in a fellow's drink to besot him, female spies with bedazzling psychic powers who also offer a good tumble when the praeternatural reading is over and art connoisseurs endowed with a very effective "evil eye" who bequeath their fortunes in Swiss numbered bank accounts upon their demise (and such like figures) around every corner. But such are the characters who populate all three books of the trilogy and whom we are supposed to take (to a certain extent at least) seriously. But these improbable characters are merely bothersome, it seems to me, on a rather comedic level. My deeper problem (and this was a problem with The Deptford Trilogy as well) is Davies's professorial tone here. Another reviewer has already remarked on his lack of passion. I should rather frame it thusly: Davies writes quite well and extensively ABOUT passion and characters - to borrow from Yeats, as Davies frequently does herein - full of passionate intensity, but he does not write WITH passion. He is not lyrical, not a stylist, not poetic. Rather, parts of this book read like Jungian sermons (coming, of course from Simon Darcourt, so obviously an alter ego of Davies himself). - This is, summarily, what I find problematic and dislike about the trilogy.What I appreciate about The Cornish Trilogy is that it at least makes an attempt, however excruciating in the execution, to deal with the depths in us all. This is the reason I would recommend it, despite misgivings, to any literate and contemplative reader; there is at least a trace, certainly of Simon Darcourt, probably of Francis Cornish, in anybody even considering reading this opus - not to the exclusion of other characters, however rum.E.T.A. Hoffman, as Davies portrays him, shuffling about in Limbo, awaiting his Fate, exclaims, "Undine- yes, my wonderful tale of the water nymph who marries a mortal, and at last claims him for her underwater kingdom; what does it not say about the need for modern man to explore the deep waters that lie beneath his own surface?"Somewhere in this rambling, shaggy dog trilogy full of parodies, grotesqueries and academic in-jokes, the persevering reader is destined to come upon his or her undertow into the depths. - Reason enough to read, I say.

Enjoyed reading this Trilogy by Robertson Davies. Fascinating plot and excellent character studies. Really would love to have seen the opera 'Arthur in Britain', the novel's creation. Look forward to reading more works by R. Davies.

If you’re a serious reader and you’ve never read Robertson Davies, you must correct this deficiency ASAP. This man was erudite, a very sharp observer of human frailty, a polymath but above all a forgiving god of letters, who metes out the most perfect justice to his characters. And some of the oddest characters you will meet. These Canadians are definitely not boring, you may even fall in love with one.

I really enjoy the writing and story-telling style of Robertson Davies. The characters are all multidimensional and are easily related to as "friends." His little quips are funny while right on the nose true. My favourite was a priest who taught in a boarding school who said regarding his Sunday priest duties, "On Sundays I turn the crank on the dogma mill." Being in music ministry I really got a kick out this. And there are many more. This was the first of his Trilogies for me and certainly not the last of my reading of his work.

The quality of the paper

I bought this to give to a friend - stopped lending books several decades ago. I read Davies' novels the same way I read those of Robert Jordan or Barbara Kingsolver, the same way I watch STNG. No matter how often I've read or watched I always find something new - about people, events, relationships, the world of the spirit. Not enough superlatives for this extraordinary book by an extraordinary man.

Any praise for Robertson Davies is superfluous. He is undoubtedly a literary giant who fame and reputation spread well beyond the boundaries of CanLit. His plots are intricate, his characters believable and frequently memorable, and his writing style makes for an easy read while revelling in the richness of his language. The Deptford Trilogy, probably his best-known series although it incorporates some characters which turn up in his other novels, is an excellent stand-alone work which will engage the reader completely. As well as his other later novels, there are his earlier comedies Tempest Tost, Leaven of Malice and A Mixture of Frailties which will provide a pleasing introduction for those previously unacquainted with this great author.

I read his Deptford Trilogy years ago, and found it an intriguing mixture of worldly wisdom, arcane knowledge and fascinating characters. I bought a copy of What's Bred in the Bone a while ago and started reading it, but when I realised it was the middle section of another trilogy, I decided to get the whole trilogy and start reading it again from the start! I haven't embarked on it as yet, but am looking forward to it, particularly as (unlike The Deptford Trilogy) it is in a university setting, and I find his style and characters most appropriate to that kind of environment.

Robertson Davies devrait recevoir le Prix Nobel de littérature. Ses livres sont si plein de connaissance, de distraction, de surprises, si bien écrits, intelligents et amusants...

I came across Robertson Davies many years ago, rather by accident.This was the first of his works that I read and it remains my absolute favorite (grown-up book in the world).Since then, I have been looking for authors who write like Davies, and failed. (Any suggestions?) I wish he had written much, much more books!This is the kind of book one can really get into, with proper narrative style and more than just 100 words to the page.Davies' prose is elegant, eloquent, intelligent without ever being boring. And his ideas, the depth and humanity of his characters, his knowledge of music, art and, not least, his insight into the human psyche!And before I sound too much like a raving (mad) art critic:Great if you enjoy reading, reading all evening, night, day....- he can easily hook you.Buy it, read it, savour it, enjoy it!

Robertson Davies has a remarkable knowledge of the English language which he uses extensively thus improving mine. An extremely convoluted three part series, yet I wanted to read all 1100 plus pages. Yes, it’s a work of art