Book Review: The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan

Rating: 4/5★

Time it takes to read: 1 hour and 30 minutes - 2 hours.⌚

This novel follows a man by the name of Richard Hannay, who gets caught in a whirlwind of murder and political havoc in England before World War One. My attention was grabbed from the beginning with this famous 'man on the run' action story. For me, the plot was a typical run of the mill thriller, and I'm glad I went into it knowing little about it. To read the novel and enjoy what it has to offer I think you should go into it knowing as little as you possibly can.

In terms of characters, I found myself liking the characters that may not have necessarily remained in the novel for a long time. Characters like Scudder, the Innkeeper and the Roadman were instantly charming to me and whilst I did appreciate Richard's character throughout I couldn't help but wish a little bit more time was spent with these characters who equally helped to propel the plot. 

Pros: ✔

• The 10 chapters blend seamlessly together, and there is little discomfort moving from one chapter to another.
• The descriptions of the Scottish landscape was beautifully visceral, and I felt as though I was also among the moors.
• As the novel was published before the start of World War One, political intrigue plays well into the plot.
• Hannay's characters with his quick quips was a character that I could support throughout his endeavors, a protagonist that I could get behind.
• The plot-line was unique and ingenious to anything I've read before.
• There was a lot covered in only around 100 pages.
• I got what I anticipated out of it.

Cons: ✘

• The plot-line itself was one that lent itself to a frantic rush of events with a quick succession of unbelievable coincidences. While it was a fun read, the events weren't necessarily realistic, so if realistic is what you're looking for then you won't find it here.
• The ending was slightly anticlimactic to the progression of the story beforehand.
• There were sections of the novel that did seem to drag on, such as at the peak of the novel. Whilst it may have made sense I may not have necessarily wanted to read various anecdotes from characters when I wanted to find the solution to the problems.

All in all, the novel was an enjoyable quick read. Considering that there are 4 more books after this book following Richard Hannay and his adventures, I may give those a try and read those as well.