As a romance, the slow twists and turns of The Trumpet-Major intrigue, exasperate, and come to a bittersweet end. As a historically military tale, the novel captures England’s intense fear of Napoleon, the “Corsican ogre,” while also spotlighting the power and pageantry of the British royal forces. The Trumpet-Major combines quirky moments and gestures with mirth, patriotism, and melodrama, and is especially enjoyable in this spoken form.