The Last Chronicle of Barset, by Anthony Trollope.
Warning: The editorial reviews at Amazon are about another book. The customer reviews are correct.
Last Chronicle is the 6th and final of Trollope's Barsetshire novels. The perpetual curate, Mr. Crawley, comes under suspicion for theft from Lord Lufton. Mrs. Proudie tries to pressure the bishop to remove the curate. Archdeacon Grantly's son, Henry, has fallen for Crawley's daughter. And the ever-constant John Eames still wants Lily Dale. But there's still Crosbie.
Maybe it's been too long since Small House At Allington, but I don't care all that much now if Johnny and Lily get together. And I really wanted them to in Small House. And I certainly care about Major Grantly and Grace Crawley.
All of Trollope's Barsetshire novels have at their heart a simple romance. Two lovers, separated by circumstance, struggling to come together. At heart, they're also a dissection of the clergy and the church (in what I'd consider a secular kind of way). Trollope's observations about society, to contrast him with Jane Austen for a moment, are in the narration, not the dialogue, where Austen of course is known for her character's wit, ready opinion, and powers of observation. Trollope's more through the story as opposed to through the characters, if that makes any sense.
Enjoying it, of course. Not actually done yet (it's been a busy week at work).
