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maplessence's review against another edition
3.0
3.5✶
A character flaw of mine is that I really hate admitting I'm wrong.
*shuffles feet, looks embarrassed*
I was wrong about Simon the Coldheart.
Members of the Georgette Heyer Fans Group can let their eyes glaze over this section, as they have heard this story many, many, many times before!
My late father (who introduced me to the works of Georgette Heyer) loved this novel as a young boy. Being blissfully unaware that this was one of the titles that the strong minded Heyer had suppressed, he spent many fruitless hours as an adult scouring bookshops trying to find another copy. So I was thrilled to find this [bc:Simon the Coldheart|3535744|Simon the Coldheart|Georgette Heyer|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1214325575s/3535744.jpg|3083876]. Dad was a fussy devil and I thought I had finally found the perfect gift! Well Dad read this book - & this time round, he hated it. I tried it and I hated it too!
Fast forward to the present. Dad has been on my mind a lot recently, so I thought I would reread this as a tribute to him. I allowed 2 weeks for the read as I thought this was one of GH's leaden titles where I have to force myself to push on, but this was not the case! I rocketed through this read in a couple of days. The first half of the book has "baseborn" Simon giving himself the surname Beauvallet and becoming a page to his father Malvallet's sworn enemy, Fulk. (Note:this enmity never amounts to much)
Fulk comes to love Simon as much as he loves his son, the romantic poet Alan. Rather than being jealous, Alan also adores Simon (I swear I kept hearing that old meme
right through this read!In spite of a singular lack of charm or humour, we are to believe Simon perfect)
Malvallet's son Geoffrey becomes the third member of a devoted trio and like another Heyer [bc:The Conqueror|311191|The Conqueror|Georgette Heyer|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1320418201s/311191.jpg|302156] male friendship and loyalty is a very strong theme.
In spite of all this, the tale was told at a rollicking speed. I really didn't want to put it down! 4✶ until the final third, which was a romance tacked on to the end. I liked the fierce and beautiful Margaret a lot
it was
If you read in the same spirit you watch movies from the same era I don't think you will be disappointed. If you are hoping for the deft plotting and wit of GH's Regencies, you will be.
Simple as that.
A character flaw of mine is that I really hate admitting I'm wrong.
*shuffles feet, looks embarrassed*
I was wrong about Simon the Coldheart.
Members of the Georgette Heyer Fans Group can let their eyes glaze over this section, as they have heard this story many, many, many times before!
My late father (who introduced me to the works of Georgette Heyer) loved this novel as a young boy. Being blissfully unaware that this was one of the titles that the strong minded Heyer had suppressed, he spent many fruitless hours as an adult scouring bookshops trying to find another copy. So I was thrilled to find this [bc:Simon the Coldheart|3535744|Simon the Coldheart|Georgette Heyer|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1214325575s/3535744.jpg|3083876]. Dad was a fussy devil and I thought I had finally found the perfect gift! Well Dad read this book - & this time round, he hated it. I tried it and I hated it too!
Fast forward to the present. Dad has been on my mind a lot recently, so I thought I would reread this as a tribute to him. I allowed 2 weeks for the read as I thought this was one of GH's leaden titles where I have to force myself to push on, but this was not the case! I rocketed through this read in a couple of days. The first half of the book has "baseborn" Simon giving himself the surname Beauvallet and becoming a page to his father Malvallet's sworn enemy, Fulk. (Note:this enmity never amounts to much)
Fulk comes to love Simon as much as he loves his son, the romantic poet Alan. Rather than being jealous, Alan also adores Simon (I swear I kept hearing that old meme
Women want to be with him, men want to be him
right through this read!In spite of a singular lack of charm or humour, we are to believe Simon perfect)
Malvallet's son Geoffrey becomes the third member of a devoted trio and like another Heyer [bc:The Conqueror|311191|The Conqueror|Georgette Heyer|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1320418201s/311191.jpg|302156] male friendship and loyalty is a very strong theme.
In spite of all this, the tale was told at a rollicking speed. I really didn't want to put it down! 4✶ until the final third, which was a romance tacked on to the end. I liked the fierce and beautiful Margaret a lot
it was
Spoiler
her rescue from the rapacious Raoul did make me want to giggle and reminded me very much of the 1920s cinema - understandable since this was written in 1925, when the author was a young & naive 22/23 year old!If you read in the same spirit you watch movies from the same era I don't think you will be disappointed. If you are hoping for the deft plotting and wit of GH's Regencies, you will be.
Simple as that.
reading_historical_romance's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
momopeanut's review against another edition
5.0
This book reminded me again of why I love historical romance. It is really interesting and because the times are different from my times, it makes you understand how things happened back then. I don't know if this is a spoiler, but my favourite bit was the end. I advise you to read it, and then read it again! :)
celestemarin's review against another edition
2.0
Definitely less good than the other Georgette Heyer books I've read. I like that her books have strong and non-traditional women characters, and this did a bit but not enough, and none of the characters, male or female, were at all complex. Or funny. There was more kissing, which makes me wonder if she just put less kissing in her later books, or if it reflects actual differences in social mores between the 15th and the 19th centuries. Not enough to look it up or anything though.
vae's review against another edition
3.0
Mixed feelings about reading this after reading the foreword, which acknowledged that Miss Heyer never wanted this to be published. Mixed feelings after reading the book as well - it's a very strong opening and a very strong start, but everything unravels rather once Margot appears on the page. It feels like the author believed that , but their characters and the narrative had to be contorted to get there.
Spoiler
Simon and Margot needed to be romantic endgameliacooper's review against another edition
1.0
bleh. first Heyer, last Heyer. i questioned whether or not i should read this (i found out about her problematic antisemitism after having purchased this because she often gets rec'd as classic HistRom) and i definitely could have done without spending the time on it, but since it was on my Annual TBR i stuck it out. i can say i've tried her, she is NOT my cup of tea (the "romance"is laughable when not downright offensive and tbh this story would have been far more believable and less misogynistic and infantilizing if Simon had just been gay with Alan)
daisymama's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this book. I loved the characters, and the whole ambiance of the story. When I first picked it up, I was expecting something closer to a regency novel, so the middle-ages setting threw me off and it took me a little while to settle in. But I'm glad I did. So good.
olivia_godfrey's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
5.0
bookstuff's review against another edition
1.0
Before Rambo, there was Simon, the soldier's soldier, the self-made legend in his own time, hard and unyielding, except to little boys, who can twist him 'round their wee pinkies. He's got no time for love, he thinks, but of course he falls for the first woman who tries to stab him.
As you might guess, this novel was not to my taste. Actually, I had the most problems with the leading lady, who mostly reminded me of a 40's era silver screen star: spit-fire one moment, swooning the next.
I will admit that the dialogue between the supporting couple was mildly amusing.
As you might guess, this novel was not to my taste. Actually, I had the most problems with the leading lady, who mostly reminded me of a 40's era silver screen star: spit-fire one moment, swooning the next.
I will admit that the dialogue between the supporting couple was mildly amusing.