Susan Hated Literature

Author: Georgette Heyer
DDC: 823.912
See also: Library Thing ; Elsewhere on the web

“A fox got in among the hens last night, and ravished our best layer,” remarked Miss Lanyon. “A great-grandmother, too! You’d think he would be ashamed!”

Venetia Lanyon lives with her younger brother Aubrey, managing the estate for her elder brother who is away with the army. Or abandoning his family duties, whichever option you prefer. As an unmarried woman of 25 years of age she appears to be on the verge of a life of spinsterhood, however, she does have two options in the locality. Oswald Denny is too young for her, but that doesn’t stop him pursuing her. While Edward Yardly is far too “worthy” to really attract her attention. But she has little option. For once her elder brother marries she will have to find somewhere to live, her vague plans for setting up home with the scholarly Audrey are quite eccentric, marriage would be far more prudent.

“Men, my love, are different from us,” she had said once, “even the best of them! I tell you this because I hold it to be very wrong to rear girls in the belief that the face men show to the females they respect is their only one. I daresay, if we were to see them watching some horrid, vulgar prize-fight, or in company with women of a certain class, we shouldn’t recognise out own husbands and brothers. I am very sure we would find them disgusting! Which, in some ways, they are, only it would be unjust to blame them for what they can’t help. One ought rather to be thankful that any affairs they may have amongst what they call the muslin company don’t change their true affection in the least. So odd!”

I really enjoy Heyer’s works. Even the worst of them have something worth reading them for; whether that is the characters she creates, the humour she uses, or the way she uses language. In this case it is a combination of the humour and the characters. Venetia clearly knows her own mind. She isn’t about to let anyone force her into doing anything she objects to. While at the same time is aware that other people’s opinions are important as she cannot live totally isolated from all society.

What is really interesting about this book is that it really does show how life for women was limited by convention and “manners”. How Venetia is hamstrung by society’s expectations. It makes for an interesting companion book to The Courtesan’s Revenge. Two contrasting views of a similar society. Harriette Wilson, the courtesan was outside polite society. Yes, she may have mixed with the men of the aristocracy, but she never would have been accepted into “proper society”. Venetia, similarly, is outside most of society simply because she is content to stay in Yorkshire, managing the estate.

Of course this is a romance, so Venetia will not be *condemned* to a life alone. From the 2nd chapter the reader is pretty much aware of who she will end up with, but that isn’t really important. As always it is the description of how they get together that is important. And in this case it is through a growing friendship, which makes a nice change from people being swept off their feet.

Related posts

• The Conqueror (0)
• Simon the Coldheart (3)
• Regency Buck (0)
• Powder and Patch (0)
• Friday’s Child (8)

Author: Georgette Heyer
ISBN: 0330258303 DDC: 823.912
See also: LibraryThing | Dusty Pages |

He came walking from Bedford into Cambridge one May morning when the sun was still young and the dew scarce gone from the grass

According to the introduction to this by Heyer’s son this novel was one of the 5 or 6 that Heyer wished never to be printed again. But her son didn’t think it was all that bad, so she republished it. It tells the story of Simon, the illegitimate son of Geoffrey of Malvallet, as he makes his way in the world. He enters the service of Malvallet’s enemy, Fulk of Montlice, as it is said that Montlice is the harder man. And Simon is never one to take the easy route.

Everything he sets out to do he accomplishes. Along the way coming to the king’s attention, gaining a title for himself, and making friends with his half-brother, Geoffrey. But he also gains the nickname, the Coldheart, as he is unfeeling and logical. Stern, but fair. Although children do manage to worm their way into his affections, but never a woman. Not until he goes to France and meets the Lady Margaret, “spitfire of Belremy”. The results are, of course, predictable. This is a romance after all.

It isn’t a terrible book, not by a long stretch, but in comparison to some of the other Heyer’s I’ve read I can see why the author wasn’t as fond of it. The characters are quite flat; there is little of the sparkle that other books have. But still, it is readable and entertaining, just not as good as her others.

Related posts

• Venetia (0)
• The Conqueror (0)
• Regency Buck (0)
• Powder and Patch (0)
• Friday’s Child (8)

Author: Flann O’Brien
ISBN: 0586087494 DDC: 823.912
See also: Library Thing ; Scriptorium ; Ted’s Thoughts

Not everyone knows how I killed old Phillip Mathers, smashing his jaw with my spade; but first it is better to speak of my friendship with John Divney because it was he who first knocked old Mathers down by giving him a great blow in the neck with a special bicycle-pump which he manufactured himself out of a hollow iron bar.

Recently this book has been brought back to public attention by the creators of Lost who said that anyone who has read it may have a greater insight into their TV show. But that shouldn’t be the reason you pick up this book. Flann O’Brien is one of the pseudonyms of Brian O’Nolan. Well known in Ireland for his satirical columns in the Irish Times which he wrote for almost 30 years, beginning in the 1940’s. This is my first Flann O’Brien novel, and I think I’ll have to read some more.

Continue Reading »

Related posts

• Life on Mars - season 1 (0)
• Kafka on the Shore (2)
• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (0)
• Venetia (0)
• Ultraviolet 1.05 - Terra Incognita (0)

Author: Georgette Heyer
ISBN: 0099468042
823.912
See also: Library Thing ; Wikipedia entry

“Do not, I beg of you, my lord, say more!” uttered Miss Milbourse, in imploring accents, slightly averting her lovely countenance, and clasping both hands at her bosom.

This may be my favourite Heyer so far. It has all the usual ingredients, romance, melodrama, along with a great deal of humour. Most of her books do have some, but this had me laughing more than any other. Plus the characters were great. Hero, or Kitten really isn’t much of a hero at all but she is so good-humoured that no matter the scrapes she ends up in you can’t help but like her. And Sherry is just as bad. And as entertaining and likeable.

The collection of friends are great fun too.

And as usual the book is a page-turner, you won’t want to stop once you’ve started reading it.

Related posts

• Regency Buck (0)
• Devil’s Cub (0)
• April Lady (4)
• Venetia (0)
• The Conqueror (0)

Author: Georgette Heyer
ISBN: 0099465760
DDC: 823.912
See also: Library Thing

The youthful gentleman in the scarlet coat with blue facings and gold lace, who was seated in the window of Lady Worth’s drawing-room, idly looking down into the street, ceased for a moment to pay any attention to the conversation that was in progress.

Bab Childe, renowned beauty, is in Brussels along with many a fashionable person. Britain had been isolated by Napoleon’s earlier campaigns so many took the chance to travel and revisit Europe when he was defeated. But now he is on the move again, prompting the arrival of the red coated officers, along with the rest of Wellington’s “infamous army”.

Bab is the great-granddaughter of Julian Alastair from Heyer’s earlier books. But her is not the only family to make a return, as the Worths also turn up.

As is usual in Heyer books there is a central romance to this novel, but it isn’t your average regency romance, as there is a much darker tone to this book. War and death will do that.

Overall I did enjoy this book, but it didn’t seem to quite fit together, almost as though Heyer wanted to write a serious book about war and Waterloo, Wellington and Napoleon, but at the same time wanted to fit in her romance. Or possibly didn’t want to alienate her publishers/readers. Whatever the reason, this ends up uneven in story and atmosphere. Moving from a light-hearted romance into descriptions of wounded and dying soldiers. Sections work really well. But as a whole the novel doesn’t.

Still entertaining, and interesting, especially if you have any interest in this time-period, because Heyer has a real ability to create a world-view and make it seem realistic, but not as readable as some of her other works.

Related posts

• Venetia (0)
• The Conqueror (0)
• Simon the Coldheart (3)
• Regency Buck (0)
• Powder and Patch (0)

Author: Georgette Heyer
ISBN: 0099468093
DDC: 823.912
See also: LibraryThing

Two ladies were seated in the library at Milverly Park, the younger, whose cap and superabundance of crape proclaimed the widow, beside a table upon which reposed a Prayer Book; the elder, a Titian-haired beauty of some twenty-five simmers, in one of the deep window-embrasures that overlooked the park.

Heyer’s romance novels show the reader that your story doesn’t have to be original to be entertaining, and that predictability isn’t always a bad thing. By the time you’ve finished reading the first chapter you’ll know exactly who Serena will end up with. It takes a little longer to work out the other pair, but that is merely because one party takes a while to show up.

But, as I’ve just said, that doesn’t matter. You don’t read these books looking for shocks and surprise endings. You read them for the style of writing. For the setting. And for the characters.

The main heroine of Bath Tangle is Serena, whose father, recently deceased, has left her fortune in the trusteeship of the Marquis of Rotherham, much to Serena’s shock and displeasure. She was once engaged to Rotherham, but jilted him before the wedding could take place. Since then they’ve remained on somewhat friendly terms, although they do tend to wind each other up.

In the wake of her father’s death Serena, and her stepmother, and close friend, Fanny decide to move to Bath for a change of scenery. While there Serena meets a very old friend, as well as meeting a few interesting characters, and before long all are caught up in a web of romances and marriages and scheming parents.

As usual, it is the language that kept me entertained. Heyer has a wonderful turn of phrase, blending manners and humour together with ease.

Related posts

• Regency Buck (0)
• Friday’s Child (8)
• Devil’s Cub (0)
• Cotillion (0)
• April Lady (4)

Author: Georgette Heyer
ISBN: 043432826X
DDC: 823.912
See also: LibraryThing; Georgette Heyer

There was a silence in the book-room, not the silence of intimacy but a silence fraught with tension

Nell is in a little spot of bother. An issue of rescuing her brother from his debts and her own expenses means she is in debt herself. And she doesn’t want to tell he husband, Cardross has told her she must be debt-free by the end of the quarter. But in the process of attempting to pay the bill she gets herself in even more bother. And then there is the problem of Letty, her sister-in-law, determined to marry despite her intended’s lack of fortune.

It’s a Heyer romance, you really should know what to expect. Plenty of drama and miscommunication leading to even more drama and trouble. But in the end everything will work out and the couple who are so suited will realise this and get married. Only in this case the couple are husband and wife at the beginning of the novel.

As usual, very readable and enjoyable.

Related posts

• Regency Buck (0)
• Friday’s Child (8)
• Devil’s Cub (0)
• Venetia (0)
• The Conqueror (0)