For many of us this was our introduction to Trollope. Once used to the style and the 'wordy sentences' , the quality of writing shone through. The characters are well drawn, often with Dickensian names, which forewarn the reader with their likey behaviour. The themes are universal: greed; well-meaning, but ill-informed youth rushing in; the power of crowds; the influence of the press & the entitlement of those with power and/or money.