Reviews

The Masqueraders by Georgette Heyer

juliesplotsandpages's review

3.0

This month (Nov. 2021) was NaNoWriMo, so I returned to some older favorites to both: 1) not get distracted, and 2) to immerse myself in a similar time period as the story I was writing. The Masqueraders was the first of these.

This is another book that I haven't read in ages, but I've always really enjoyed it! It's such an interesting construct for a plot, and I think Georgette Heyer pulls it off very well. There's mystery, murder, intrique, masquerades, false identities, adventure, duels — it's just an enjoyable journey altogether! This is also not Regency at all, but probably more in the mid-1700's or so. I couldn't figure out the timing exactly, but that was my best guess.

bookaneer808's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

The plot is as light as souffle but the cross-dressing siblings at the heart of the tale are delightful. 

laurastewies's review

adventurous emotional funny hopeful relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

mimiathereader's review

4.0

I greatly enjoyed this books as I've come to expect from Georgette Heyer's books.
Thought the sibling pair was very funny and, all in all, just so very enjoyable. The idea is for sure different than the other books I've read - and I'd definitely read more about the mysterious old gentleman's plans and life in general.
However, there was a small something that made me like this book a little bit less than the others I've been reading. I can't quite put my finger on what it was but maybe the writing (as it was supposed to be more old fashioned than the others) or the fact that the siblings are refered by the right pronouns when in disguise which makes more difficult to follow who's saying or doing what or something completely different that I couldn't understand.

alisonalisonalison's review

4.0

I enjoyed this a lot. It's a fun, entertaining story and the main characters, the siblings Kate and Peter Merriot (also known as Robin and Prudence Tremaine, respectively), are awesome. They are, hands down, the best part of this book. They have the best relationship and they just cracked me up. I didn't really warm to any of the other characters and found their clever but conceited father to be downright irritating most of the time. I think his arrogance and boasting was meant to be amusing, but it was so over-the-top that it kind of put me off, even though he was super clever, as he said *all the time*. The two romances were a bit flat, but still enjoyable. While it's a little confusing initially, once it gets going, it's a lighthearted, upbeat, fun adventure romance with some nice surprises. Both main characters are crossdressing for the majority of the book and there's a lot of attention on "traditional" gender roles (and the thwarting of them). It's actually pretty progressive for a book from 1928. Robin and Prudence and their extreme competence and casual mastery of everything are totally fantastic. All in all, this was quite entertaining.

mrs_merdle's review against another edition

4.0

This is such a fun book, a fluff of adventure and swashing and buckling and heirs and rogues. I especially appreciated Sir Anthony’s respect and admiration for Prudence/Peter, which seems advanced for a book written in the 1920s.

wmhenrymorris's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

deannah's review

3.0

This is like Twelfth Night but set in Regency time period. I lovely little romp. The father is ridiculous but that is part of the fun.

bowienerd_82's review against another edition

4.0

I admit it: I have a weakness for stories wherein the heroine dresses as a man. This was made even more delightful by way of having the heroine's younger brother dress as a lady at the same time.

This was an excellent romp- romantic and dashing and charming- and best of all, a book that maintained its sense of humor the whole way through. I would give a lot to see this as a BBC period piece miniseries.

I've been consuming Heyer at a rather alarming pace since discovering her, but after awhile, a lot of the books seem rather derivative. It was a joy to find one that was quite out of her usual style, but still containing the best of Heyer's style, her eye to detail, and her wit.

barefootsong's review against another edition

4.0

(3.5 stars)

A good romp with some fun characters and quite interesting with some of the gender issues, but just a tad too long.

Spoiler

Also, I was slightly uncomfortable at the excitement with which one of the heroes set out to kill one of the villains. I know duels were a part of the culture and all, but having the hero so excited about killing the villain before the actual duel made it feel premeditated and therefore unheroic. Though of course the damsel-in-distress didn't think so.