Comments on: Review: The Grand Sophy, Georgette Heyer

By: Once Upon A Bookshelf » Blog Archive » The Grand Sophy

Once Upon A Bookshelf » Blog Archive » The Grand Sophy — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 11:56:40 +0000

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By: Jenny

Jenny — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 16:04:35 +0000

In reply to rebeccareid. Well, yeah, her characters are superficial. I think the resemblance between Heyer and Austen is fairly superficial itself, but I was expecting that going in. Austen is satirizing her own society, and Heyer's books (the two I've read anyway) have an air of nostalgia for that time period, so that's at least one major tonal difference.

By: rebeccareid

rebeccareid — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 21:41:23 +0000

I didn’t LOVE my first Heyer, I think because I was expecting something like Jane Austen, and I found Heyer’s characters to be horribly superficial. I’ll have to try the GRAND SOPHY because it seems most people really like it!

By: lavs

lavs — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 17:27:34 +0000

heyer is my absolute fav. “These old shades” was my first and now i have ebooks of her whole collection.
Wish i can find more authors like her

By: Jenny

Jenny — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 20:21:40 +0000

In reply to Susan Breen. They were probably just sad they hadn't brought fun page-turners their own selves. Whenever I am on public transportation without a book, I occupy myself by trying to see what everyone else is reading.

By: Susan Breen

Susan Breen — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 19:35:39 +0000

I love the way Heyer makes me turn the page, even though I know how it’s all going to turn out. I can’t figure out how she does that, but I admire it. As to being snobbish, I happened to be reading TGS on a MetroNorth train leaving Manhattan and I did feel a little uncomfortable when I noticed people eyeing the cover. Perhaps they were envious. But I kept reading!

By: Jenny

Jenny — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 19:53:27 +0000

In reply to parisreader. I'd've gone to it too! Hell, I'd've gone to it even if I had never read any Heyer. I enjoy listening to people talk about books. So there is absolutely no judgment here. :P

By: Jenny

Jenny — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 19:51:53 +0000

In reply to alitareads. Yes, go with The Grand Sophy. I had the same dilemma and asked my mother which one to choose, and she ran through about four before finally telling me to choose The Grand Sophy.

By: alitareads

alitareads — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 23:29:22 +0000

I really want to read some Heyer, but I get so overwhelmed by the number of titles at the library. What if I don’t pick the right one?? What if I accidently pick up one of her off books and never want to try another one ever again?

Looks like The Grand Sophy would be a good place to start!

By: parisreader

parisreader — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 22:20:28 +0000

In reply to Jenny.

The recent editions are much better though – more classic paintings and fewer heaving bosoms.

Originally they were marketed as historicals, not romances, and for both men and women. The early Barbosa covers are quite elegant: http://www.georgette-heyer.net/img/civil_lrg.jpg

If you are at all interested in cover art here’s a summary of the talk given at the Georgette Heyer symposium last year, http://teachmetonight.blogspot.com/2009/11/heyer-2009-sam-rayner-publishing-heyer.html

Ahem. Yes. Yes, I did go to it.