Reading Classics: "The Warden" by Anthony Trollope

Anthony Trollope was a contemporary of Charles Dickens. However, his books are definitely not as widely known or read as those of Dickens. The Warden was my first taste of Trollope's writing and I absolutely loved it. In fact, compared to Dickens, Trollope's style (at least for me) is much more accessible. I was a bit cautious about this particular novel. I did not want to skip it because it is the first in his Barchester Chronicles. However, I knew that the subject matter revolved around some very period-specific Church of England issues, specifically stewardship of endowment funds, and I was apprehensive that the book might be too dry or hard to follow. 

I am glad to report that those fears were completely baseless. Even though the book is focused on issues pertaining to endowed funds management, at the center of it is a moral struggle. In addition, the entire situation is very clearly explained and presented, and even though the events that are described would have transpired close to 150 years ago, I had no trouble understanding the issues or following the events. However, what makes this book truly timeless (just as any other classic) is the fact that the focus is squarely on the characters, their moral dilemmas and choices.

I do believe, it is better to go into the book not knowing much more about the plot. I really enjoyed following the characters' journeys and observing them interacting with each other and making choices. If you tried some other classics before and found them to be boring, long or just insurmountable, I would highly recommend checking out Trollope. The Warden in particular is quite short, beautifully written and has an interesting moral conflict at its core. I am definitely planning to read more of Trollope's books and in particular, I will be continuing with his Barchester Chronicles. 5 out 5 stars.