As much as I enjoyed Phineas Finn, the second book in what has become known as Trollope’s Palliser sextet, a lovely continuation of The Chronicles of Barsetshire, I wasn’t sure I wanted to have his story continue on in Phineas Redux. Boy, was I wrong! What a delight to get back not only to Phineas himself, but also to Lady Laura Kennedy and Madame Max Goesler.

When I began reading Phineas Redux I was delighted to see these characters (and several others, including, in brief but welcome moments, Lady Eustace) again, and I was surprised at how effectively Trollope brought them all together, given how their paths diverged at the conclusion of Phineas Finn. Don’t worry: I’m not going to spoil this for folks who haven’t read the earlier novel.

Our primary characters may have, like me, thought their story had already been told, wondering what else could be said. They certainly feel like, given the constant passage of time as well as the irrevocable choices they’d made, their best opportunities were behind them. Here is a quote, early on, from Lady Laura:

I have passed the period of a woman’s life when as a woman she is loved; but I have not outlived the power of loving.

But there is so much life left in each of them.

If we thought Finn had an exciting life in his first stint in London and British politics, here we get even more! A bullet passes a foot or so from Finn’s head, there’s a murder, and there’s the ensuing trial. All of those moments are filled with drama and excitement, but somehow Trollope kept me primarily interested in the characters and their relationships. Indeed, even while all of this is going on Trollope does not hesitate to stray a bit from the narrative to introduce us to some new characters and their own dramas (I think we’ll get more from them in the next couple of books).

Speaking of which, it’s time for me to move on to The Prime Minister!