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A review by maplessence
The Black Moth by Georgette Heyer
5.0
Ahhhh, reading my sentimental favourite!
This is the first of GH's novels I read in it's entirety. & wasn't I lucky starting with GH's first book, written when she was only seventeen. I still have my original copy, although the cover fell off on this reading! [bc:The Black Moth|13488637|The Black Moth|Georgette Heyer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1329471051l/13488637._SY75_.jpg|2651650]
According to Jane Aiken Hodge, GH said she had two hero types
The Mark I hero, who is “The brusque, savage sort with a foul temper” (Vidal from Devils Cub, Max from Faro's Daughter)
The Mark II hero, who is “Suave, well-dressed, rich, and a famous whip” (Robert Beaumaris from Arabella and Lord Alverstoke from Frederica.) But she had two more.
1/ the affable blonde giant (Hugo from The Unknown Ajax and Captain Jack Staples from The Unknown Ajax.)
2/ The sweet hero- Gilly from The Foundling, Phillip from Powder & Patch & the quixotic Jack Carstares from this book.
& then there is Freddy Stanton from Cotillion who is impossible to categorise! I have to say I do have a fondness for the sweet heroes & I like it that nice guys don't always finish last.
Diana is also a different heroine – I loved the description of her beauty. She isn't as resourceful as the usual Heyer heroine – more a traditional damsel in distress.
But this book differs from most Heyer's & indeed from most romances. Jack & Diana are both absent from a good part of the book. The villain is the titular character (I think Devil Belmanoir would have been a better title) and it is also the story of Jack's brother Richard & his troubled marriage.
Richard's weak character & passion for the lovely but spoilt Lavinia and her diabolical brother's pulling the strings are important plot points. Add GH's gift for creating engaging & memorable secondary characters and you have an engaging, fast paced romp.
GH herself had a fondness for these characters and many of them are renamed & reworked in These Old Shades. & duh,it was only on this reading that I realised Andrew becomes Rupert in These Old Shades.
If you have never read a Heyer start with this one. Lucky you if you can read them in the order written & trace this wonderful writer's development.
Edit; After chatting with GR friend Andrea, I realise I should have said read in order, but skip the titles the formidable GH had suppressed other than maybe Footsteps in the Dark. GH hated those books for a reason.
You can read it for free online at http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/heyer/moth/moth.html
September 2020. My Second Read Since being on Goodreads and a very necessary diversion in a world that has become scary and deadly
I know a few people who have been rereading their Heyer romances in these troubled times.
On to my review. I realise last time I was way too hard on Diana. And I don't agree with reviewers who thought their were too many characters. I love GH's gift for making even minor characters come to life. However, Belmanoir's brother Bob could be dispensed with. The plot point he was needed for could have been handled another way & he is very similar to his elder brother in character.
The ending - well it isn't GH's best work & I have the same problems I have to a similar ending in and why was it such a terrible sin for
Still a remarkable book for a seventeen year old.
I'll make a small correction to my previous review. [b:Footsteps in the Dark|311123|Footsteps in the Dark|Georgette Heyer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1320460143l/311123._SY75_.jpg|1055239] isn't one of the titles GH had suppressed. It was just reprinted less often because, well, it isn't that good.
This is the first of GH's novels I read in it's entirety. & wasn't I lucky starting with GH's first book, written when she was only seventeen. I still have my original copy, although the cover fell off on this reading! [bc:The Black Moth|13488637|The Black Moth|Georgette Heyer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1329471051l/13488637._SY75_.jpg|2651650]
According to Jane Aiken Hodge, GH said she had two hero types
The Mark I hero, who is “The brusque, savage sort with a foul temper” (Vidal from Devils Cub, Max from Faro's Daughter)
The Mark II hero, who is “Suave, well-dressed, rich, and a famous whip” (Robert Beaumaris from Arabella and Lord Alverstoke from Frederica.) But she had two more.
1/ the affable blonde giant (Hugo from The Unknown Ajax and Captain Jack Staples from The Unknown Ajax.)
2/ The sweet hero- Gilly from The Foundling, Phillip from Powder & Patch & the quixotic Jack Carstares from this book.
& then there is Freddy Stanton from Cotillion who is impossible to categorise! I have to say I do have a fondness for the sweet heroes & I like it that nice guys don't always finish last.
Diana is also a different heroine – I loved the description of her beauty. She isn't as resourceful as the usual Heyer heroine – more a traditional damsel in distress.
But this book differs from most Heyer's & indeed from most romances. Jack & Diana are both absent from a good part of the book. The villain is the titular character (I think Devil Belmanoir would have been a better title) and it is also the story of Jack's brother Richard & his troubled marriage.
Richard's weak character & passion for the lovely but spoilt Lavinia and her diabolical brother's pulling the strings are important plot points. Add GH's gift for creating engaging & memorable secondary characters and you have an engaging, fast paced romp.
GH herself had a fondness for these characters and many of them are renamed & reworked in These Old Shades. & duh,it was only on this reading that I realised Andrew becomes Rupert in These Old Shades.
If you have never read a Heyer start with this one. Lucky you if you can read them in the order written & trace this wonderful writer's development.
Edit; After chatting with GR friend Andrea, I realise I should have said read in order, but skip the titles the formidable GH had suppressed other than maybe Footsteps in the Dark. GH hated those books for a reason.
You can read it for free online at http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/heyer/moth/moth.html
September 2020. My Second Read Since being on Goodreads and a very necessary diversion in a world that has become scary and deadly
I know a few people who have been rereading their Heyer romances in these troubled times.
On to my review. I realise last time I was way too hard on Diana.
Spoiler
She fights Jack hard for both their happiness and uses strategy against the evil Devil BelmanoirThe ending - well it isn't GH's best work & I have the same problems I have to a similar ending in
Spoiler
[b:The Convenient Marriage|32106|The Convenient Marriage|Georgette Heyer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1386919934l/32106._SY75_.jpg|3183163]Spoiler
Jack to have cheated at cards, but not so terrible when the cheat turned out to be Richard, who while tormented, left his elder brother living in poverty and disgrace for seven years!Still a remarkable book for a seventeen year old.
I'll make a small correction to my previous review. [b:Footsteps in the Dark|311123|Footsteps in the Dark|Georgette Heyer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1320460143l/311123._SY75_.jpg|1055239] isn't one of the titles GH had suppressed. It was just reprinted less often because, well, it isn't that good.