The penultimate book in Trollope’s political series finds Plantagenet Palliser, now the4 Duke of Omnium, called to be Prime Minister and organize a coalition government after the Liberal administration of Mr. Gresham falls. Lady Glencora is overjoyed and embarks on a series of grand entertainments to bolster her husband’s success.

In the process the Duchess finds herself in the company of Ferdinand Lopez, a handsome and ambitious young man who is “something” in the City of London, but no one is sure of just what that is. He is also politically ambitious and manages to convince the Duchess that he should stand for the seat in Silverbridge, the Duke’s borough. Lady Glencora agrees, but the Duke does not and forbids her from interfering in the election – an edict that the Duchess ignores.

Of course, no character in a Victorian novel named Ferdinand Lopez can be an upright gentleman, and this Mr. Lopez is certainly a very bad person indeed. He is a professional speculator, investing in the most dubious enterprises imaginable. He marries the daughter of a wealthy barrister who throws over a true English gentleman for this scoundrel, and very soon comes to regret her decision when he starts urging her to ask her father for money.

Meanwhile the Duke is having problems of his own, bringing up the age old question of whether or not a person of high mora; scruples can be a successful politician. The Duke with his upright (some may say rigid) morality is the perfect foil for Lopez who has no morality at all.

As usual with Trollope, the author weaves a colorful world that the reader, almost 150 years on, has no problem relating to. ( )

Yes, it's Trollope and the Duchess (Glencora), so all that is well and enjoyable, but ack that heroine Emily drove me to actually skip some pages in the last 100 due to her whiny self indulgent ranting. Trollope's point is that yes she was bad very very bad and must be debased by all but then after the most foul humiliation, then he is willing to bring her back and allow her to interact with decent folk? it's a question, but it does seem like his (Trollope's) intent and it is pretty vile. On to Book 6 (Duke's Children)? Not without some breathing space first. ( )

3.5 stars ( )

Ugh, that was interminable! I'm sorely tempted to give this 2 stars, which is annoying because i was all set to give it 4 or 5 during the early chapters.
This is actually two almost completely separate stories sewn together. The primary story following Ferdinand Lopez, an ambitious young wall-street type willing to do whatever it takes to make it rich. The secondary story follows Duke Plantagenet Palliser as he is asked to head up a coalition government.
Its sort of 'Wall Street' meets 'The West-Wing', and its good, there's a lot to like here. Interesting characters and politics. All of the main cast seem well rounded.
It gives an honest and somewhat horrifying view of the lives and social positions of women (or at least rich women) of the period, while not looking down on them.
Oh and i saw a parallel, (real or imagined) between the lives of Emily in one narrative and Plantagenet in the other. I think both characters were prideful but also weak and it was an interesting comparison, although i can't be sure it was the authors intent.
I really liked it... and then it just kept going.. and going.. and going! Seriously, even on their own each of the narratives would have been unnecessarily stretched, stitching two together was just cruel and unusual. ( )

Mr. Lopez made me shiver and I will never forgive the BBC for consigning Emily to her fate. ( )