The result of the latest Classics Club Spin has been revealed today.
The idea of the Spin was to list twenty books from my Classics Club list, number them 1 to 20, and the number announced by the Classics Club represents the book I have to read before 30th September 2020. The number that has been selected is…
18
And this means the book I need to read is…
The Black Arrow by Robert Louis Stevenson
Originally serialized in a periodical of boys’ adventure fiction, The Black Arrow is a swashbuckling portrait of a young man’s journey to discover the heroism within himself. Young Dick Shelton, caught in the midst of England’s War of the Roses, finds his loyalties torn between the guardian who will ultimately betray him and the leader of a secret fellowship, The Black Arrow. As Shelton is drawn deeper into this conspiracy, he must distinguish friend from foe and confront war, shipwreck, revenge, murder, and forbidden love, as England’s crown threatens to topple around him.
~
This wasn’t one that I was particularly hoping for from my list, but I’m happy enough with the result. If you’ve read it, let me know what you thought.
She Reads Novels 
I have not read that one but it sounds pretty good.
I hope it’s going to be as good as it sounds!
It sounds quite exciting!
It does! I’m looking forward to reading it.
I’ve wanted to read this book since middle school! I couldn’t read it at that age because the language was too old times-y for me and the history went way over my head. But I remember being blown away by what I did understand. I hope it’s a wonderful experience!
I’m not sure if I would have wanted to read this when I was younger either. I’m pleased to hear you were blown away by it anyway!
That one sounds like fun, and it has a nice cover, too!
Yes, I like the cover. I hope the book is as much fun as it sounds!
I also don’t know it, but Stephenson writes really well so… I think you might have lucked out!
I’ve read some other books by Stevenson and enjoyed them, so I think I have been lucky with this result!
I have to agree with Davida, Stevenson writes very well and his swashbuckling adventures become like a real period drama! Hope you enjoy the book!
Yes, I love Stevenson’s writing and have enjoyed some of his other books, particularly The Master of Ballantrae. I’m looking forward to starting this one!
My childhood memories suggest not as good as Treasure Island but much more readable than Kidnapped.
I’m pleased to hear that as I didn’t get very far with Kidnapped!
Helen, I don’t know this one, but it sounds like it could be fun! My result was Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne, which I am very happy about. Happy reading! 😃
It does sound fun, so I’m quite happy with it! I think yours sounds like a good result too.
Oh, nice! Not a Stephenson I’ve read! Good luck!
Thanks! I usually enjoy Stevenson, so I’m quite happy with this result.
I didn’t officially list my books for this spin, but I estimate that the eighteenth title in order on my unread Club listing is The Castle of Otranto which I’d intended to read pretty soon anyway — so Horace Walpole it is! 🙂
I read The Castle of Otranto a few years ago and remember it being a really interesting example of the early Gothic novel.
I meant to comment about your spin choice but got distracted and pressed send before I thought about it, sorry. Aged about thirteen I skim read The Black Arrow but can remember precious little about it, so look forward to your review to see if it’s worth a proper revisit!
I don’t know this particular Stevenson, but he is usually fun, and as it is about one of your favorite periods of history, I’m sure you will enjoy it.
I hope so. It was the mention of the Wars of the Roses that made me put this one on my Classics Club list.
I haven’t read The Black Arrow, but I did enjoy Kidnapped and Catriona when I read them years ago. I hope you enjoy it.
I didn’t get very far with Kidnapped, but I think it might have been the wrong book at the wrong time and I will probably try it again. I’ve enjoyed a few of his others though, so I’m happy with this result!
This has been on my TBR for years, so I’ll be very interested to hear how you get on with it.
I hope I have good things to report!
I read it as a teen and enjoyed it at the time. Don’t remember much about it now. I’ll be waiting for your reactions.
I missed out on this as a teenager, so I’m hoping it’s the sort of book that can be enjoyed by adults too. I’m looking forward to starting it.
I haven’t read anything by Robert Louis Stevenson, but it does sound like it could be a lot of fun. 🙂
It does sound fun – I hope it’s good!
I also have this one on my list and wish I had put it at the same number as you so we could have compared notes. I did try reading it before and didn’t get on with it at all!
That’s a shame – it would have been interesting to have compared our thoughts. I have had mixed experiences with Stevenson so far; I didn’t get on with Kidnapped, but enjoyed The Master of Ballantrae and Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.