Comments on: Book Review: The Corinthian by Georgette Heyer http://thebooksmugglers.com/2009/08/the-corinthian.html Smuggling Since 2007 | Reviewing SF & YA since 2008 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:28:18 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: GrowlyCub http://thebooksmugglers.com/2009/08/the-corinthian.html/comment-page-1#comment-10509 GrowlyCub Thu, 27 Aug 2009 18:29:04 +0000 http://thebooksmugglers.com/?p=4913#comment-10509 I never include 'Black Sheep' amongst my top 5, but it really ought to be in it. If you liked Alverstoke's focus on Frederica, Miles will blow your pants off with his indifference to rules and etiquette. He's a great hero and Abigail is a great heroine! I like 'Faro's Daughter', but it's not one of my top favorites. I never include ‘Black Sheep’ amongst my top 5, but it really ought to be in it.

If you liked Alverstoke’s focus on Frederica, Miles will blow your pants off with his indifference to rules and etiquette. He’s a great hero and Abigail is a great heroine!

I like ‘Faro’s Daughter’, but it’s not one of my top favorites.

]]> By: Janet W http://thebooksmugglers.com/2009/08/the-corinthian.html/comment-page-1#comment-10507 Janet W Thu, 27 Aug 2009 14:18:24 +0000 http://thebooksmugglers.com/?p=4913#comment-10507 Somehow as an adult I don't find <strong>Cotillion</strong> a farce so much anymore. There are undercurrents that are so dark -- one of the putative heroes concurrently trying to establish a young woman as his mistress, another of the quartet of men in real danger of being locked up by his mother (a ghastly creature), the heroine's honestly desperate need for money ... yes, it's very funny and witty, especially the convos between Freddy and his father, but Heyer may not write about the <em>behind the scenes</em> side of Regency reality but she doesn't shy away from alluding to it very clearly. I agree <strong>Devil's Cub</strong> is classic. A marvelous first Heyer. What about <strong>Black Sheep</strong>? A slightly older heroine and an intensely anti-romantic hero. Great dialogue, internally, as the heroine wrestles with what she should do and her heart's desire. Somehow as an adult I don’t find Cotillion a farce so much anymore. There are undercurrents that are so dark — one of the putative heroes concurrently trying to establish a young woman as his mistress, another of the quartet of men in real danger of being locked up by his mother (a ghastly creature), the heroine’s honestly desperate need for money … yes, it’s very funny and witty, especially the convos between Freddy and his father, but Heyer may not write about the behind the scenes side of Regency reality but she doesn’t shy away from alluding to it very clearly.

I agree Devil’s Cub is classic. A marvelous first Heyer. What about Black Sheep? A slightly older heroine and an intensely anti-romantic hero. Great dialogue, internally, as the heroine wrestles with what she should do and her heart’s desire.

]]> By: Ana http://thebooksmugglers.com/2009/08/the-corinthian.html/comment-page-1#comment-10504 Ana Thu, 27 Aug 2009 12:47:02 +0000 http://thebooksmugglers.com/?p=4913#comment-10504 Tumperkin thanks, I will keep that in mind. I just found out that I also own Faro's Child. Recommended at all? Tumperkin thanks, I will keep that in mind.

I just found out that I also own Faro’s Child. Recommended at all?

]]> By: Tumperkin http://thebooksmugglers.com/2009/08/the-corinthian.html/comment-page-1#comment-10502 Tumperkin Thu, 27 Aug 2009 12:26:42 +0000 http://thebooksmugglers.com/?p=4913#comment-10502 If I were you, Ana, I wouldn't go for Cotillion. It's another farce and you might want to try something different (having said that, the choice of hero is surprising and I think some people really love that about it). The Grand Sophy is a very good one and is one of the ones I often recommend to new-to-Heyer readers. However, this is also farce and light on romance. I don't think either of those would overcome the issues you had with the Corinthian. In your case, I'd recommend Devil's Cub. It has a proper romance pay-off plus classic romance elements that I think you'd appreciate. If I were you, Ana, I wouldn’t go for Cotillion. It’s another farce and you might want to try something different (having said that, the choice of hero is surprising and I think some people really love that about it). The Grand Sophy is a very good one and is one of the ones I often recommend to new-to-Heyer readers. However, this is also farce and light on romance. I don’t think either of those would overcome the issues you had with the Corinthian.

In your case, I’d recommend Devil’s Cub. It has a proper romance pay-off plus classic romance elements that I think you’d appreciate.

]]> By: Ana http://thebooksmugglers.com/2009/08/the-corinthian.html/comment-page-1#comment-10492 Ana Thu, 27 Aug 2009 06:45:42 +0000 http://thebooksmugglers.com/?p=4913#comment-10492 So....maybe I have been reading the wrong Heyers???? She has so many books...perhaps I should give her one more try. Hummmm Cotillion maybe? :?: So….maybe I have been reading the wrong Heyers????
She has so many books…perhaps I should give her one more try. Hummmm

Cotillion maybe? :?:

]]> By: GrowlyCub http://thebooksmugglers.com/2009/08/the-corinthian.html/comment-page-1#comment-10488 GrowlyCub Thu, 27 Aug 2009 02:57:07 +0000 http://thebooksmugglers.com/?p=4913#comment-10488 Oh, and I forgot to mention how surprised I was to see this cover, after the interview on SBTB about how carefully they try to match pic to content! Certainly Pen never looks like this in the book! Oh, and I forgot to mention how surprised I was to see this cover, after the interview on SBTB about how carefully they try to match pic to content! Certainly Pen never looks like this in the book!

]]> By: GrowlyCub http://thebooksmugglers.com/2009/08/the-corinthian.html/comment-page-1#comment-10487 GrowlyCub Thu, 27 Aug 2009 02:56:02 +0000 http://thebooksmugglers.com/?p=4913#comment-10487 I love 'The Convenient Marriage'. Not so much the plot, which is a bit silly, but the subtle bits of POV of Rule we get here and there. I love seeing a self-confident hero develop doubts about his desirability, especially since he never had that issue before. 'Frederica' is way too farcical for my taste and I don't 'do' kids, but it has a few nice moments. 'The Corinthian' is also not among my favorites, mostly because I'm not into suspense subplots. I love ‘The Convenient Marriage’. Not so much the plot, which is a bit silly, but the subtle bits of POV of Rule we get here and there. I love seeing a self-confident hero develop doubts about his desirability, especially since he never had that issue before.

‘Frederica’ is way too farcical for my taste and I don’t ‘do’ kids, but it has a few nice moments. ‘The Corinthian’ is also not among my favorites, mostly because I’m not into suspense subplots.

]]> By: Janet W http://thebooksmugglers.com/2009/08/the-corinthian.html/comment-page-1#comment-10479 Janet W Wed, 26 Aug 2009 20:17:42 +0000 http://thebooksmugglers.com/?p=4913#comment-10479 I liked Heyer so much I even like reading "meh" reviews! Anything to get my fix. But yeah, not one of her bestbestbest, is it? Like you, I loved the dialogue between Richard and his family and friends. Convenient Marriage, yep, not so great. But Frederica, I love. There are so many great Heyer books it's too bad you read 2 out of 3 that you didn't particularly care for. Try Venetia or Friday's Child :) Or Cotillion ... or on and on and on! :lol: I liked Heyer so much I even like reading “meh” reviews! Anything to get my fix. But yeah, not one of her bestbestbest, is it? Like you, I loved the dialogue between Richard and his family and friends.

Convenient Marriage, yep, not so great. But Frederica, I love. There are so many great Heyer books it’s too bad you read 2 out of 3 that you didn’t particularly care for.

Try Venetia or Friday’s Child :) Or Cotillion … or on and on and on! :lol:

]]> By: KMont http://thebooksmugglers.com/2009/08/the-corinthian.html/comment-page-1#comment-10477 KMont Wed, 26 Aug 2009 19:17:58 +0000 http://thebooksmugglers.com/?p=4913#comment-10477 Eh. I won a Heyer book via a Smart Bitches/Sourcebook contest. I could not get into it and it awaits me should I ever decide to try again. At least you gave this one your all. It does <em>sound</em> good, despite the lack in the romance section. Eh. I won a Heyer book via a Smart Bitches/Sourcebook contest. I could not get into it and it awaits me should I ever decide to try again.

At least you gave this one your all. It does sound good, despite the lack in the romance section.

]]> By: Rose Lerner http://thebooksmugglers.com/2009/08/the-corinthian.html/comment-page-1#comment-10458 Rose Lerner Wed, 26 Aug 2009 02:18:40 +0000 http://thebooksmugglers.com/?p=4913#comment-10458 This was the first Heyer I ever read. A friend of mine loaned it to me in 7th grade, and there were catchphrases from it we would say ALL THE TIME ("One does one's poor best!"). But I agree, it is not her best hero/heroine relationship, and the age difference is pretty squicky because Pen is SO child-like. And the way Richard treated her did NOT seem romantic to me as a kid who really hated to be patronized. I remember me and my friend picking out scenes where Heyer could have changed like one sentence and made Pen's characterization SO much less disturbing (for example, if she had ever shown the slightest bit of concern that Piers wouldn't want her anymore). I loved it so much that I'm actually afraid to re-read it now because I'm pretty sure it wouldn't hold up as well as some of her others. (She can be a bit hit-or-miss, IMO, but when she hits, she hits.) I'd recommend trying "The Grand Sophy" before you give up entirely--the romance is still understated but the plot arcs much more smoothly and Sophy is amazing. I've even loaned it to several of my friends who are not Heyer fans and they've all enjoyed it. This was the first Heyer I ever read. A friend of mine loaned it to me in 7th grade, and there were catchphrases from it we would say ALL THE TIME (“One does one’s poor best!”).

But I agree, it is not her best hero/heroine relationship, and the age difference is pretty squicky because Pen is SO child-like. And the way Richard treated her did NOT seem romantic to me as a kid who really hated to be patronized. I remember me and my friend picking out scenes where Heyer could have changed like one sentence and made Pen’s characterization SO much less disturbing (for example, if she had ever shown the slightest bit of concern that Piers wouldn’t want her anymore).

I loved it so much that I’m actually afraid to re-read it now because I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t hold up as well as some of her others. (She can be a bit hit-or-miss, IMO, but when she hits, she hits.)

I’d recommend trying “The Grand Sophy” before you give up entirely–the romance is still understated but the plot arcs much more smoothly and Sophy is amazing. I’ve even loaned it to several of my friends who are not Heyer fans and they’ve all enjoyed it.

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