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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
Sophy Stanton-Lacy is a heroine like no other - a force of nature and a true delight. I laughed so much all through this novel as Sophy uses her wit, intelligence, and fearlessness to bring happily-ever-after endings to her hapless relatives - and to herself. The story's denouement is a farce right out of a 1930s screwball comedy, only in Regency era trappings. Not a particularly romantic romance novel at all, but lots of fun. I can see why this is so many people's favorite Heyer.
Hilarious! This was so entertaining! The dialogue was great and witty.
- Sophy was so charmingly autocratic and a great scheming matchmaker.
- Charles was funny as well in his way. He tried to be strict but in the end he couldn't help but crack a smile at Sophy's antics.
- It was all very dramatic and hilarious in its campiness. The dialogue is a bit unusual and you can tell that the book is a bit older in that the characters speak in a very circular way. It takes them a while to come to the point. (Also, there's a lot of exclamation points!)
- The ending felt a little abrupt, everything happened all at once in the very last chapter (reminded me a lot of theater) and the changes in behaviour seemed very abrupt.
- Heyer conveys a lot in her dialogues, it's very subtle the way Charles warms up to Sophy and starts being annoyed by Eugenia. I would have liked to get more of a feel for Sophy's emotional landscape. She was very much a protagonist but I felt like her as a character with tender feelings was missing a little bit.
- I choose to ignore that they are first cousins. In my mind Charles is Ombersley's child from a previous marriage...
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
The short version: This one is okay, but give it a pass and read Heyer's Frederica instead if you haven't yet.
The characters entertain, but the realism and romance are missing. I never felt engrossed in the story or the characters' concerns. Sophy's independence strains credulity for the time and place she lives in, particularly when. The romance of her cousin Cecelia has greater depth and realism than Sophy's own supposed "romance" with her cousin Charles. I never saw an ounce of romantic chemistry between them, and Sophy's final bizarre scheme in the book leads to a dull climax that skips to the "let's get married" part without enough build-up to make for a satisfying end.
All that said, still three stars, because this is still Georgette Heyer, and she can still write, even when her characters and plot are not all there.
The characters entertain, but the realism and romance are missing. I never felt engrossed in the story or the characters' concerns. Sophy's independence strains credulity for the time and place she lives in, particularly when
Spoiler
she fends off the stereotypical Jewish moneylender with a pistolAll that said, still three stars, because this is still Georgette Heyer, and she can still write, even when her characters and plot are not all there.
How have I not heard of this author before now?! This book was utterly charming and lots of fun to read.
This was amazing. Best thing I’ve read in a while. Best regency/historical romance I’ve read in a while. It definitely takes a bit to get used to. Kind of like starting West Wing or anything done by Aaron Sorkin. Your thrown in head first in the midst of things. But eventually I picked it up and I never wanted to put it down. The humor reminded me more of Evelina by Frances Burney. And her characters were a mix of Burney’s and Jane Austen. Very colorful. But our main lady. Grand sophy. She is funny and a whirlwind and it’s so fun to watch her out maneuver everyone and steadily cause Charles to fall for her without realizing it though. And it ends how I think every enemies to lovers should. Well not enemies but strong dislike to lovers.
I cannot recommend this enough. I’m so sad I don’t have the other books by her yet and have to read something else. Highly recommend this
I cannot recommend this enough. I’m so sad I don’t have the other books by her yet and have to read something else. Highly recommend this
Re-listen date: Saw this as a recommendation in some catalog, and boom! here I was hooked again. Spent a solo weekend sewing, cleaning, etc., and listened to this fun story. 11/2018
Supported by Ann's glowing reminder, I got this on audio and it romped me into vacation and through quite a bit of cleaning up and various yard chores. Heyer is at her funny, fluffy, rambunctious best in this story of the fearless, dauntless Sophy and her high-handed management of the family she comes to stay with. Predictable, madcap, and completely entertaining. BRAVA!
Supported by Ann's glowing reminder, I got this on audio and it romped me into vacation and through quite a bit of cleaning up and various yard chores. Heyer is at her funny, fluffy, rambunctious best in this story of the fearless, dauntless Sophy and her high-handed management of the family she comes to stay with. Predictable, madcap, and completely entertaining. BRAVA!
I admit I am fascinated by Heyer's writing, just as everyone. The repetitive elements don't bother me that much, but what I found lacking in her stories is the longing, the pining...like, I need more tension than this!
The cousin romance (I know this was acceptable back then and I'm trying to keep an open mind to history, still kinda irks me though) gives a more platonic vibe rather than a romantic one...and I can't find anything juicy other than the writing, really.
The Grand Sophy is Heyer's top-rated book (according to Goodreads), and I'm kinda disappointed by this. Charles is so annoying and capricious, there were so many times he insults her, disregarding all her good qualities, then the next, when someone insults her, he has nothing but good to say. And Sophy, yes, she is indeed a bad-ass, but also impulsive and quite mad sometimes. The only real romance in her books is in the secondary characters and that still fails to be interesting enough, because I want it more for the main ones.
The cousin romance (I know this was acceptable back then and I'm trying to keep an open mind to history, still kinda irks me though) gives a more platonic vibe rather than a romantic one...and I can't find anything juicy other than the writing, really.
The Grand Sophy is Heyer's top-rated book (according to Goodreads), and I'm kinda disappointed by this. Charles is so annoying and capricious, there were so many times he insults her, disregarding all her good qualities, then the next, when someone insults her, he has nothing but good to say. And Sophy, yes, she is indeed a bad-ass, but also impulsive and quite mad sometimes. The only real romance in her books is in the secondary characters and that still fails to be interesting enough, because I want it more for the main ones.
Maybe it was a case of just the right book at just the right time, but this book had me laughing so hard I cried. Really, cried. Heyer gives Wodehouse a run for his money. (I imagine her thinking, "What would make this scene even more absurd? Ah, yes! A box full of ducklings. Just the thing!!")
Hello Dolly! regency romance style. The last chapter is hilarious.