I think that I read this when I was about thirteen and, rereading it now, i can see what appealed to me. Pure escapism, it is entirely an Edwardian wet dream of manly arts (horse racing, boxing) and social mobility. Although the hero, of course, is a gentleman on his mother's side anyway.

The story moves along at an unbelievably swift pace - three days to set up a mansion in London and every possible assistance from an assortment of poachers, preachers and madmen met under hedges. Also just a touch anti-semitic by today's standards. All the good guys recognise immediately that the hero is one of them and the bad guys immediately dislike him - so he gets into a lot of fights. This book puts the swash into the buckle with avengeance.

A rollicking read in the manner of a cut price Charles Dickens without the social awareness. ( )

Excellent book of its genre. ( )