GH mixed up

[insaneneko]

I came across a hilarious Japanese review of The Grand Sophy. First off, she starts off by saying:「 “素晴らしきソフィー”というより、“策士ソフィー”。」I laughed when she called Sophy 腹黒: 「腹黒なんだよ、ヒロインのくせに！」

It's just fascinating which GH books people like and dislike. I stumbled across an LJ post by seperis in which she disses Lady of Quality, which I happened to love. I totally agree with the defense in the comments. While I'm happy she adores Cotillion (as everyone should), this great unadulterated (except for the anti-semitic part) love for The Grand Sophy by the masses continues to baffle me.

I've been rereading books as I've been returning them to the library, and fell in love with Cotillion's Freddy all over again. Now that I've read a lot of her books, I can see how Jack is much more the typical hero. He's smart, he's selfish and mean, he's good-looking. His only problem is that he hasn't met the woman who is a match for him that he can fall in love with and change him for the better.

I have a much better opinion of The Corinthian and Faro's Daughter upon rereading them. I still find the hijinks at the end of the former silly beyond all belief, but I think the sweet relationship between the couple manage to hold up in spite of it all. I love the conversation in which Richard bitches about all that Pen has put him through (and Penn rebuts each complaint). The best bit:

Richard: "...You drew a portrait of me which led everyone in the coach to regard me in the light of an oppressor of innocent youth--"
Pen: "Not the thin, disagreeable man. He wanted me to be oppressed."
Richard: "He was a person of great discrimination."

Faro's Daughter was still Just Too Much on many levels (especially Deborah screeching over Ravenscar), but Ravenscar driving away Deborah's brother in disgust was pure gold. Also, Deborah's aunt was hilarious.

I've tried to read The Quiet Gentleman and False Colours, and can't get into either one of them. I haven't been able to read either of them straight through--I read the beginning then skip to the end, then read bits in the middle. I guess I didn't care for the premises of either one?

I've been having fun reading reviews of GH books over at Austenprose as they celebrated her works last August.

Comments

[ah-chan.livejournal.com]

If you get annoyed by Sophy, I can see why you won't understand the love people have for it ^^;. But for me, it was nice to see a rather hearty heroine saving the day without wilting once, rather than relying on the hero ^^;.

The Quiet Gentleman sort of suffers from being unable to decide whether it is a mystery or a romance - I enjoyed it mainly because it stars another of Heyer's non-standard heroes - a quiet gentleman, as you might guess XD, and for the family politics.

False Colours is one of her more bland ones; I think it was one of the last ones I got around to reading, when I was pining for more Heyer ^^;.

The link looks interesting - thanks!

[insaneneko.livejournal.com]

I don't get annoyed at Sophy, not at all. I enjoy the book and the character very much. She's just too fantastic for me to rank the book higher than other books that touched me more.

I found the hero and his love in TQG boring. Also, his brother was a bit annoying. I might try reading it again...Or not. :P

Bland is a good word for FC. Ugh.

Hope you like the link!