Johnstone of the Border

Name: Johnstone of the Border
Author: Harold Bindloss

The novel revolves around a young man who returns to his ancestral home on the Scottish border after years abroad. He becomes embroiled in local politics and romance, while also dealing with family conflicts and personal identity issues. The story explores themes of loyalty, duty, and the complexities of social class during this time period.

By Harold Bindloss · First published 1894 · Genre: Adventure, Romance, Historical Fiction · 31 chapters · 105,883 words

First lines

Sable Lake shone like a mirror among the ragged pines, as it ran back between the rocks, smooth as oil except where a puff of wind streaked its flashing surface with faint blue wrinkles. Behind it the lonely woods rolled on, south to Lake Superior and north to Hudson Bay. At one place a new transcontinental railroad cut its way through the forest; hammers rang and noisy gravel plows emptied the ballast cars along the half-graded track; but these sounds of human activity were quickly lost and in a mile or two only the splash of water and the elfin sighing in the pine-tops broke the deep silence of the woods. This belt of tangled forest, where the trees are stunted and the soil is sterile, offers no attraction to homesteader or lumberman. In consequence, it has lain desolate since the half-breed _voyageurs_, who crossed it with canoe and dog-team, abandoned the northwest trail when the Canadian Pacific locomotives began to pant through the rock-cuts by Lake Superior.

What this Textopian page supports

Johnstone of the Border is listed on Textopian as a novel by Harold Bindloss, dated 1894 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Novel
Author: Harold Bindloss
Date: 1894 CE
Language: English
Genres: Adventure, Romance, Historical Fiction, Western, Drama
Length: 105,883 words
Structure: 31 chapters, 2,603 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

Good citation fit

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Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Similar titles

Genres

Adventure — The plot centers around exploration and action, with characters facing challenges in a rugged setting.
Romance — The narrative includes romantic elements and relationships that drive character motivations.
Historical Fiction — The story is set in a historical context, with attention to period details and events.
Western — The setting and themes align with the Western genre, featuring frontier life and conflicts.