Review: Mr. Standfast

Mr. Standfast by John Buchan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Considered as an action novel, this is pretty good, despite the author's usual fault of getting his hero out of trouble using lucky coincidence. I was also genuinely moved at the end.

The problem is with all the bits that aren't an action novel. Both Buchan and his hero Hannay are narrow-minded, party-line-hewing early-20th-century British bigots for the most part, and given to pontificating predictably, though there's a positive presentation of a conscientious objector. There's a cursory gesture towards a romance plot, in which the love interest, we're told, is clever and courageous and resourceful, but it's a decal; we never see her do anything to justify this, and in a crisis she's completely passive, with no plan, and has to be rescued.

The idea that a major-general, who seems to have genuine military ability despite not being a career soldier, might be pulled out of the war at a critical stage in order to perform espionage, even though most of his previous success in that field appears to have been more by good luck than good management, is also difficult to swallow. Yes, despite his protestations that he's not courageous, he clearly is, and he does perform some effective feats of bravery and physical endurance, but he's not actually the best man for the job, especially since he's known to the opposition.

A mixed bag overall. Decent at being a thriller, but otherwise not so hot.

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