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Liked It “Hilarious, in a Jane Austen way. Love this author. This particular book is out of print and hard to find, tho.” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“Hilarious, in a Jane Austen way. Love this author. This particular book is out of print and hard to find, tho.”
Jenny E wrote this review 13 days ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Одна из моих любимых!”
Valentina A wrote this review Thursday, November 5 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Good book strong charactors and fun plot”
Katy N wrote this review Wednesday, August 5 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Georgette Heyer, the author, invented the concept of the "Regency Romance" novel. Starting writing professionally in 1922 when she was still in her teens, she wrote dozens of books, most but not all in the Regency genre. Her role in creating this type of light, enjoyable novel, almost Austen-esque in style, (and set in Jane Austen's own time period) is undisputed. She studied old letters, diaries, books of the time, to get the feeling for the way the people talked, thought, interacted with the opposite sex, dressed, treated servants, and on...Any one of her Regency books introduces the reader to the actual slang and terminology of the people who lived in that era. This book---and I don't want to get into the plot--is one of her best Regency stories. Fun, witty, and thoroughly enjoyable. (For those interested in the Regency era, read the non-fiction book by V. Murray, "An Elegant Madness, High Society in Regency England." ) ”
gilly 8 wrote this review Tuesday, June 9 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“This is one of my all-time-favorite books! It is so witty and sometimes just hilarious, especially the dialogue. Heyer has a way of building relationships through dialogue that most authors can't duplicate. The Grand Sophy is definitely a romance, but while there aren't any lover-like scenes until the very end, there is no doubt that the hero and heroine know and love each other, which is a testimony to Heyer's talent. Many authors have to establish love and a connection by creating physical attraction and/or love at first sight, which is probably why the majority of heroines in romance novels are beautiful; it would be difficult to convince a reader that a man took one look at an ordinary woman and fell instantly in love/lust with her. Heyer's ability to create relationships based on intelligence and personality is probably what enabled her to create so many lovable heroines without having to resort to making them all stunningly beautiful.”
Carolyn M wrote this review Wednesday, May 27 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“hilarious”
Analese C wrote this review Monday, March 30 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Its an amazing book with characters full of life and the romance so beautiful. All heyers books are amazing, esp this one.I simply love Sophy.”
Lavanya wrote this review Friday, December 12 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Another favourite georgette heyer - i've read it about fifty times!”
Kate Forsyth wrote this review Monday, November 3 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
1 of 1 members found this review helpful“Black Sheep
Annaeturner wrote this review Tuesday, September 16 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
These days I've been treating myself to reading or rereading all of Georgette Heyer's novels in the order in which they're being reissued by Sourcebooks (in lovely trade paperback editions). Although they've not yet reprinted my favorites (those being The Grand Sophy, Sylvester, Arabella, and The Reluctant Widow), I just finished Black Sheep (Sourcebooks, 2008), which now joins the other four on my "absolutely best of the best list." So even though I included Heyer's An Infamous Army in March's Pearl's Picks, I feel compelled to rave about Black Sheep. Abigail Wendover, is beautiful, smart, and high-spirited. She's also, at age 28, well past the optimal marriageable age for an upper-class Regency woman. She and her also unmarried much older sister are raising their young, orphaned heiress niece, Fanny. Fanny has most unfortunately fallen in love with a cad of a fellow named Stacy Calverleigh (who's obviously after her not inconsiderable inheritance). In attempting to break up the relationship, Abigail finds herself forced to spend more time than she wishes with Stacy's uncle Miles (the black sheep of the title), who has just returned to England from years spent womanizing and making a fortune in India. Miles is strong-willed, unconventionally handsome, and witty enough so that he can invariably bring Abigail to giggles, even when she's furious at him (which is almost always). Obviously these two are going to get together (this is a romance, after all), but you can have faith that Heyer's going to throw a lot of obstacles in the putative lovers' way. Heyer's writing is both clever and droll - the closest to Jane Austen that you'll get - but I found myself chuckling over all the Regency era slang that Heyer uses: "a fit of the dismals" seemed pretty easy to decode, as did "slow-top," but what about "lobcock"? "scaff and raff" and "turnip-sucker"? And what does "quizzes" mean when it's not referring to tests but rather describing a group of women? And what is a "brummish" story? (Context will usually give you some idea, but Google "regency slang", if you really want to know.) Perhaps the worldwide legion of Georgette Heyer fans can join forces and bring some of these words back into common usage. I think stating that you're having (or are in) "a fit of the dismals" is so much more descriptive than saying that you're feeling blue, don't you?
Nancy Pearl Review 2008”
“Her father assures his sister that Sophy is a biddable, little thing, and to please let her stay and find her a husband. Sophy is of course, indepedent and managing, and sets about to fix her aunt's floundering family. ”
Luella S wrote this review Sunday, July 27 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
