The Foundling
Georgette Heyer 10th printing 1974 Pan Books PB 350pp
“When the young gentleman strolling through the park with his gun on his shoulder and an elderly spaniel at his heels cam within sight of the house it occurred to him that the hour must be farther advanced that her had supposed, for the sun had sunk below the great stone pile, and an autumnal mist was already creeping over the ground.”
Mmm, after having seen a thousand books by Miss Heyer and never having read one, I admit my interest was piqued by her novels being a category on the ABC’s Einstein Factor last year. However, I was mindful of the time several years ago when I was burnt badly by reading a Barbara Cartland omnibus. One ‘Duke’ book; kind of cute, two a little twee, and three…..well I remember I had to read some China Meiville to recover.
I think a single novel is a much more civilised way to approach this type of fiction. I admit Miss Heyer is cleverer and considerably more sly than Miss Cartland. Not so saccharine and maybe even alittle ‘unpredictable’. I found the habit of her characters to suddenly break into unintelligible Regency slang a little disconcerting and nobody went to the ‘Pump room’, but as this genre goes, I thought it quite sweet.
Good for train trips or those lazy days when you have enough of a cold not to go to work but are still to be able to justify not doing any housework.
“When the young gentleman strolling through the park with his gun on his shoulder and an elderly spaniel at his heels cam within sight of the house it occurred to him that the hour must be farther advanced that her had supposed, for the sun had sunk below the great stone pile, and an autumnal mist was already creeping over the ground.”
Mmm, after having seen a thousand books by Miss Heyer and never having read one, I admit my interest was piqued by her novels being a category on the ABC’s Einstein Factor last year. However, I was mindful of the time several years ago when I was burnt badly by reading a Barbara Cartland omnibus. One ‘Duke’ book; kind of cute, two a little twee, and three…..well I remember I had to read some China Meiville to recover.
I think a single novel is a much more civilised way to approach this type of fiction. I admit Miss Heyer is cleverer and considerably more sly than Miss Cartland. Not so saccharine and maybe even alittle ‘unpredictable’. I found the habit of her characters to suddenly break into unintelligible Regency slang a little disconcerting and nobody went to the ‘Pump room’, but as this genre goes, I thought it quite sweet.
Good for train trips or those lazy days when you have enough of a cold not to go to work but are still to be able to justify not doing any housework.
- posted by FuschiaReads @ 1:48 PM
Comments:
I now own about 6 of her vast output, and enjoy them thoroughly. As you say, much better than anything BC does. She does go to the Pump Room in other books. I have a pact with myself now that I'll only read her if I find old copies of her, because they look so loved. I do have a couple of new editions, and the reading experience is not the same.
# posted by
Ampersand Duck : 9:36 PM
very cool
(and no bicycle pants!)
# posted by
FuschiaReads : 1:55 PM
# posted by
Zoe : 8:35 AM
It's such an extreme price to pay tho' - can we make a blow for full employment and give me - and those like me - a government subsided housekeeper - like in the old movies where there was always a maid - and a gardener - and a chauffer - yes, i want a chauffer!
# posted by
FuschiaReads : 9:50 AM
Travelling to and around Sydney on the train was one of the best things about being a single parent, because I could afford the fares. Now I'm a full citizen I can't afford the trains. How dumb is that?!
# posted by
Ampersand Duck : 5:46 PM
# posted by
Anonymous : 8:35 AM
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