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A review by maplessence
Beauvallet by Georgette Heyer
4.0
I had a bit of trouble persuading the Georgette Heyer Fans Group to read this title - I must be losing my touch! :D
Although this book was always a 3.5-4★ read for me, I can understand why that wouldn't be the case for all readers.
GH wrote [bc:Simon the Coldheart|3535744|Simon the Coldheart|Georgette Heyer|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1214325575s/3535744.jpg|3083876] earlier about one of buccaneer "Mad" Nick Beavallet's ancestors. GH took her world building very seriously - my 1937 copy of Beauvallet even has a family tree at the back. It is too hard to reproduce the whole thing (its very wide) but here is a snippet;
Quite charming. I'll admit I used to create fictional family trees as a child! & GH is known to have had a well developed fantasy life as a teen writing & acting in her own dramas with friends.
The thing is, the strong minded GH decided Simon the Coldheart wasn't up to her usual standards & had it suppressed (her son thought his mother had been too hard on it & agreed to "Simon" being republished after her death.)
This left Beauvallet to be read as a standalone for generations & I don't think that really worked.
For Beauvallet is a very short book & quite a bit of it covers family history. I always knew about "Simon", as it was my father's favourite book as a teen & he spent a lot of time trying to find a copy. Even so, my eyes used to skim over the back history. Other readers could find this confusing.
I may be unromantic but I do find the main plot pointinsane quixotic for me!
The first half of the book, the writing is very Ye Olde Englishe! But when Nick & his servant, Joshua the pace picks up & it becomes a much better book. The second half is right up with GH's best work & Dona Beatrice is one of her best (& most understated) villains.
I think this story could film very well. Is there a modern Errol Flynn around?
Although this book was always a 3.5-4★ read for me, I can understand why that wouldn't be the case for all readers.
GH wrote [bc:Simon the Coldheart|3535744|Simon the Coldheart|Georgette Heyer|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1214325575s/3535744.jpg|3083876] earlier about one of buccaneer "Mad" Nick Beavallet's ancestors. GH took her world building very seriously - my 1937 copy of Beauvallet even has a family tree at the back. It is too hard to reproduce the whole thing (its very wide) but here is a snippet;
Quite charming. I'll admit I used to create fictional family trees as a child! & GH is known to have had a well developed fantasy life as a teen writing & acting in her own dramas with friends.
The thing is, the strong minded GH decided Simon the Coldheart wasn't up to her usual standards & had it suppressed (her son thought his mother had been too hard on it & agreed to "Simon" being republished after her death.)
This left Beauvallet to be read as a standalone for generations & I don't think that really worked.
For Beauvallet is a very short book & quite a bit of it covers family history. I always knew about "Simon", as it was my father's favourite book as a teen & he spent a lot of time trying to find a copy. Even so, my eyes used to skim over the back history. Other readers could find this confusing.
I may be unromantic but I do find the main plot point
Spoiler
Nick captures Dominica & her ailing father on the high seas & risks their lives, his ship's company & the ship itself to return Dominica & her father to Spain. TooThe first half of the book, the writing is very Ye Olde Englishe! But when Nick & his servant, Joshua
Spoiler
arrive in SpainI think this story could film very well. Is there a modern Errol Flynn around?
