The Masqueraders by Georgette Heyer

Once again, another wonderful novel by Georgette Heyer! I enjoyed reading

this novel of adventure and romance. It is wonderful.

The two protagonists of the story, Prudence and Robin Merriott, are obliged to don disguise

on the instructions of their father, and are sent, as it were, into the lions' den of London. This is because

they were escaped Jacobites of the time and they had lived in other countries of the Continent. For various reasons Prudence's father had wished Prudence to disguise herself.

It is a fascinating

story of loyalty, disguises and a wonderful romance of Prudence (aka Peter Merriott) and

Sir Anthony Fanshawe. Sir Anthony Fanshawe, who to all appearances seemed not likely to

notice anything untoward did become suspicious of Prudence and that she was not all that she

appeared to be.. However, he did fall in love with her which is a marvellous aspect of the story.

Prudence was completely without guile and it is this mark of her character which is also so appealing. She had courage and wit and would even accept a challenge for a duel when called out. Prudence and Robin certainly became prominent in Polite Society which may not have been

initially intended.

Robin was the consummate actor who donned the guise of Kate Merriott to perfection. He was of athletic build and looked the noble genleman in his fashionable attire and nobody would have been wiser for his disguise. As Kate Merriott, he played an often vapid woman. The father wished to embark on a new life in England and claim his title of the Viscount. This in itself is a fascinating aspect of the storyline as he had left the family home many years earlier.

The plot of the story progresses and evolves with duels, cards, rescues, banquets and balls. I loved reading about the times. The costumes are described in great detail and the reader is transported to another time completely. The dialogue is excellent. I loved reading of the characters and their romances and adventures.

Wonderful descriptions of the moonlit countryside are given of England during a night ride with the hoot of an owl or the twittering of a nightjar breaking the silence of the night. A romantic setting is described with a horse trek across the open fields guided only by moonlight and the occasional lamplight in a house window of a town which they would circumvent.

Propriety and respectability are themes which do enhance the novel as it was set in the seventeenth century.

It is a noteworthy book of value.

An entertaining novel of great value and worth! This book does have all of the elements of comedy and drama and characters of some esteem. The romance of the story is lovely.

The Pindar Diamond by Katie Hickman

This wonderful novel is set in early seventeenth century Venice.

The story is inspirational and a joy to read. This book follows on from

the exotic novel set in Old Constantinople, The Aviary Gate, in which

an English merchant's fiancee, Celia Lamprey, is captured on a sea voyage,

sold and taken to the Sultan's harem.

The Pindar Diamond is an extraordinary story. Paul Pindar is the English

merchant who mourns the loss of his true love and does not really know what

has happened to her.

Characters from the earlier novel come into play, as for example, Paul Pindar's

friend and servant, John Carew, Celia Lamprey's friend, Suor Annetta, who now

resides in a convent on the island of Guidecca on the Venice lagoon. Here there is beauty to be found in the inspirational nature paintings of one of the sisters and the magnificent gardens and orchard of the convent.

It is a beautiful story and I am reminded of shades of “Angelique in Love” by Anne

Golon in which Angelique had not seen her husband for many years. It is quite

compelling reading for the romance and sense of adventure in the story.

A troupe of tumblers and performers travels along the coast of Italy, their destination the “Serenissima”

the beautiful city of Venice set on the sea and the people who make up this group of itinerant

travellers seem other worldly but quite beautiful. Maryam, considered too tall and ugly proved

to be of the finest of qualities of human character.

The colourful descriptions of the settings in Venice make this story come alive with the sea and water reflections, the light and shadows. As the story progresses it also seems to be made of light

and shadows, the good and the bad.

A fascinating card game for the Sultan's blue, the diamond, the palazzos, the atmosphere, the beauty, the mists of Venice and the Angels' tears over the city when there is a light mist and falling rain which enhances the beauty of the story. It is a heady mix.

These Old Shades by Georgette Heyer

A wonderful way to start the New Year!

A perennial favourite, These Old Shades, by Georgette Heyer

is a wonderful romance story which would appeal to people

who enjoy reading of the elegance and beauty of earlier times.

This story is set during the time of Louis XV in France.

Descriptions of the Court of Versailles, the nobility of France and England

at Versailles and in Paris and also in England are related in a unique way with

special insights which give the story its charm.

A way of life which seems all but lost now is quite fascinating in

its detail to read.

Elegance, wit, sophistication and drama are all elements of this story.

The story centres around Leon, a page of his Grace, the Duke of Avon,

and of the Duke's friends and family.. also of the Duke's rivalry with an

old enemy the Count of Saint-Vire.

Little is known of Leon until later in the story.

There is a game to be played of which many of the characters are ignorant.

However, the Duke of Avon has a winning hand in this game which involves

old passions, the way of the world in eighteenth century France and high society.

I loved this story.

Adventure and romance engage the reader and enliven the story.

The characters are believable, the settings authentic, even an old stage coach inn

in France where many of the characters of the story meet before embarking

on a journey to Paris.

The spirited page, Leon, whose

loyalty and love for the Duke of Avon give a magical touch

and add another dimension to the story which is quite beautiful.

The true identity of Leon, the page, who later becomes a ward of the Duke of Avon

is also finally revealed.

A magical story!

The Corinthian by Georgette Heyer

The Corinthian by Georgette Heyer

I loved reading this book by Georgette Heyer.

A wonderful adventure story and romance.

This book is set in the countryside at many of the country inns

which were often habited by members of the nobility on their travels.

Characters, places, towns and settings add interest and sparkle

to this unique story.

The Corinthian is Sir Richard Wyndham of the Wyndham Fall,

made quite famous in fashionable London, by the tying of his

cravat. He is accused of being a dandy by a few people in the story, but he is not this at all.

At one time Sir Richard is told by a disgruntled matron

that she has “the greatest dislike of all forms of dandyism” and has “ever deplored the influence exerted by the Bow -Window set upon young men of respectable upbringing.”

This is at a time when the lady's niece, Miss Penelope

Creed, has run away and she is searching for her with a view to her marrying her son.

Sir Richard Wyndham and Miss Penelope Creed, who is living in disguise, unwittingly

come across a stolen necklace which needs to be returned to its owner and meet with

some unexpected happenings along the way when they encounter thieves and villains.

The story is amusing, enchanting and appealing. Humorous dialogue also carries the story.

I loved reading this story. The romance is quite extraordinary. The characters of the novel apealing.

There are two romances in the story and the parralel romance is quite unusual also, involving a mid-night excursion to Gretna Green for an elopement.

An extraordinary set of circumstances brings about this unusual twist in the tale. Two families who were at odds with each other as similarly in the story of the Montagues and Capulets in Romeo and Juliet gave an added dimension to this adventure story.

Georgette Heyer, known as the Queen of the Regency Romance,

writes well of these earlier times, with inclusion of thieves's cant,

a reference of the Rogues' Calendar, Bow Street Runners and the Beau Monde set,

the “haut ton” of the worldm, many who reside in London, including the mother, sister and brother-in-law of Sir Richard.

Sir Richard is also being pressured and expected to marry against his better inclinations to a daughter of a family whereby a business arrangement is expected as he is informed quite frankly and directly by the daughter of the family.

Sir Richard believes that Penelope Creed has come into his life in the guise of Providence, as he tells her, either that or of Disaster and at the moment in reflection he does not care which. The story is very humorous.

The story commences in London and it is a lovely story. Well worth reading!

Wonderful St Malo!

Oh, to be in wonderful St Malo!

This is a magnificent walled city of fascinating landmarks and inspiring scenery.

In early June I enjoyed walking around the ramparts of this city in the early morning

 looking out over the views of the wide expanse of sea and sky which seemed

to greet the new day.

I loved the history, the folk lore and the sense of adventure which is to be found in the stories

which are told of the explorers, corsairs, merchants and traders who made the city a prosperous 

place.  

Two cruise ships could be seen in the harbour and also a brightly coloured pirate ship which 

was quite inspirational as it evoked a sense of the times of the pirates and corsairs who 

plied their trade on the Brittany coast so many years ago. 

I admired the architecture, the shops and brightly coloured buildings and the little streets with fascinating

outlooks towards the water.  Such is the street of Le Chat qui Danse with a plaque in the wall for 

this famous cat of history.

A statue of a sailor and corsair who was recognised and decorated by Napoleon

is Robert Surcouf, who unfortunately did not always agree with Napoleon on certain matters as for

example wishing for a terrace of coins which Napoleon did not approve.

There is a plaque for explorer, Jacques Cartier who left St Malo for Canada.

The stained glass windows of the Cathedral give an aura of beauty and peace. 

There were little coffee shops getting ready for the lunch time shoppers and workers and the

place had a friendly atmosphere.  

St Malo beckons again with its wonderful sense of history and enlightening stories of the past.

The Book of Lost Fragrances by M J Rose

I found this suspenseful book fascinating to read.

Of exotic perfumes, an adventure story and ancient

history all combined to make a wonderful compelling

and mystical tale.

The heroine of the story, Jac or (Jacinthe as she was known by her father)

followed myths and

legends around the world and determined the truth of

many of these ancient legends.

I loved the settings of Paris and New York and the exquisite

nature of the tale with ancient perfumes deriving from ancient

Egypt.

Descriptions of the furniture of the home of the old work shop in Paris

where there were so many memories of earlier times were quite wonderful

and seemed so authentic. The atmosphere of an old fashioned home was

recreated from earlier eras with art works and decorative design of beauty

and majesty.

I enjoyed the re-telling of so many of the stories from the

past. Romances, the flower gardens and perfumes of Queen Cleopatra which provided

exotic and fascinating settings. It was almost as though past and future would mingle.

There were other exotic elements in the story which weaved

together, as for example, the Tibetan lore and the story of a

Tibetan boy who had been kidnapped and taken to China and

became a renowned artist in the field of the beautiful art of calligraphy and whose

works were finally presented in Paris.

A lost fragrance which could also recall past lives? This story has

all the elements of excitement and expectation of a grand finale.

This story is writing at its best and well recommended for people

with scope and imagination. Anything is possible and I found the

tale to be quite magical.

Sea Witch by Helen Hollick

Romance and adventure set during the times of the

the swashbuckling seventeenth century and early eighteenth century

give splendour to the story of “Sea Witch” which is a ship named after

Tiola Oldstagh, whose name in an anagram means “All that is good.”

The two main characters, Jesamiah Acorne and Tiola Oldstagh come

from very unlikely backgrounds which tend to fascinate and also shock. Tiola,

from a coastal village in England from which she had been forced to flee with the assistance of family members and Jesamiah from a plantation in the New World, where

he had been obliged to move on and make a new life for himself. Tiola and Jesamiah learn to overcome their background family traumas to hopefully

move on to a better life.

Tiola and Jesamiah both seem to have been

victimised as a consequence of events beyond their control. Tiola should have been free to

pursue a happy life and eventual marriage in her home village which would have been expected

in those times. Jesamiah should have been

welcome to work or pursue a career at his father's plantation.

The story is quite enchanting with a romance between Tiola and Jesamiah The fantasy aspects of the story appeal and are quite refreshing. Sometimes mystical, sometimes magical or was it only a drream? Quite fascinating!

Tiola is beautiful. Almost like a sea nymph. She is also gifted with special healing talents aided by concoctions from medicinal herbs. Jesamiah seems to be more of

a complex character. He is fascinating and popular with his sea going

friends. Jesamiah, with his blue ribbons in his wind-swept hair on board a ship appeals. This is the first time Tiola glimpses him from the deck of another ship.

The settings of the story are exotic and different.e.g. Cape Town in South Africa and the Bahamas,

Nasau and Port Royal. The descriptions given in the story bring the reader to the far off and distant places, often portrayed with vivid landscapes, as for example the beautiful scenery at Table Mountain, Cape Town in the early days. The author has realistically evoked the far off times and the places well with wonderful descriptions which give colour, brightness and beauty to the novel.

Piracy on the high seas

and the adventures of a likeable pirate, Jesamiah Acorne, make this story believable and wonderful. Other characters in the story, e.g. Rue, a friend and sea-going companion of Jesamiah and

Jenny, a companion/nurse/governess of Tiola give added depth to the story. Several of the characters are fascinating to read about, including William Dampier, Mr Overvanstratton, governors, sea-captains, sea-crew and acquaintances,

including people Jesamiah has known from his past.

It was interesting to read of nautical terms and learn more about the sailing of the ships. The book

gives very good descriptions of the complexities involved during those times of the master and crew sailing the ship.

There is an index given in the book of the nautical terms.

I look forward to following the story of Tiola and Jesamiah in the following

books in the series “Pirate Code” “Bring It Closer” and “Ripples in the Sand.” I loved the romance and adventure of the story and the descriptions given on land and on the ocean wave were magnificent. Sea battles, chases, the lure of the ocean, romance and humour make for an enjoyable read!

This book is bright and wonderful. Jesamiah is a bold and adventurous pirate.

Angelique and the Demon by Sergeanne Golon

Angelique and the Demon by Sergeanne Golon

Once again the writers of the magnificent series of

Angelique books which follows

the romance and adventures of Angelique and her

husband, Joffrey de Peyrac,

in the New World create magic.

“Angelique and the Demon”

leaves me spellbound and in awe of great story-telling,

with the wonderful prose and descriptions of the beauty

of the scenery of the coastal regions, the Gulf of St Lawrence

and Arcadia (the Coast of Maine.) There is an old map on

the inside covers of the book

which details the settings in the story.

The magnificent artistic drawing of Angelique and Joffrey de Peyrac

with a sailing ship in full sail in the background is illustrated on

the front cover of the book.

The colourful characters, the reality and sometimes

unreality of a situation were so well described which gave

an air of credibility and reality to the unusual set of

circumstances which Angelique found herself to be in.

Herein lies a talent of seeing things so clearly and

of expressing thoughts, ideas and philosophies of life

so succinctly on the written page.

The mystical enchantment of Angelique as the Lady of

the Silver Lake seems to evoke memories of Camelot,

as perhaps the town of Goldsboro, may very well

have been similar to Camelot,

where Joffrey de Peyrac was founding a settlement

on the shores of Maine.

Angelique and her husband, Joffrey de Peyrac, had

broadened their horizons by escaping the narrow

confines of the life of Versailles and all which life in the Old World

signified for new beginnings in the New World, and were therefore

more ready to accept new customs and ideas which may have been

anathema in the Old World.

At the same time the harshness of life in the new land

and its many travails gave them

a strength and courage to define life as it really is and also gave them

inner strength to surmount all obstacles placed in their path.

There were traces of humour to be found in the book,

as after a serious discussion of demonology with

the Governor,

Angelique enquired innocently of the Governor,

“Were they both going mad?”

It was fortunate that Angelique did have loyal friendships

which proved to be invaluable in times of need and self

doubt. Self doubt at times even as regards the beauty of her love and strong bond

she shared with Joffrey de Peyrac.

There certainly were demons in the novel, but not so much to the extent that Angelique

and her friends would allow themselves to be thwarted by them. As in a scene

where a new arrival to a settlement along the coast, Tidmagouche, in which Angelique and her few friends were stranded, makes light of the situation by saying that there are no demons which cannot be overcome or put in their place. She draws attention to her children within the context of the demons, which is

also highly amusing, to say the least! This being

when the new arrival, Marceline-la-Belle, was informed by the governor that she should not have arrived because of the demons.

This incident was also amusing, as again the extraordinary circumstances of Angelique's

situation seemed to be overwhelming and threatening her very existence and also of the

few people who remained loyal towards her while living in an atmosphere of hostility.

During these pioneering days of early settlement there were narrow minded people

who could easily be persuaded by superstition and perhaps also fear. Angelique had

to show courage above all in such situations.

Angelique, who had encountered Madame de Montespan and the intrigues of

the Court of Versailles,

some of the worst elements of society in her earlier days, was

now confronted by a menace of evil which was hitherto unknown to her

and she herself even acknowledged at one point in the story to herself

that she may have allowed her own self guard to

lapse in the very different circumstances which she now

found herself in living in the New World with her husband.

A Duchess from France, a governor, Monsieur Ville d'Avray,

with the gift of the gab, who was also extremely

humorous at times and the different personalities and quirks of the characters ( Marceline-

la-Belle was renowned for her ability to open shell-fish in record time) certainly

do make this story compelling to read.

Angelique befriends interesting

and fascinating people from different backgrounds and religions. She also

inspires loyalty and true friendship with characters of the novel. There

certainly is depth in many of the characters whom Angelique interacts

with in her life and in the story,

(as for example a

Jesuit Priest who had rescued her from drowning in the ocean in the preceding novel

of the Angelique series,

“The Temptation of Angelique.”)

Angelique also inspires people with

her wisdom and zest for life.

A tame bear (Mr Willoughby) who performs tricks,

a kitten and a wolverine give warmth, charm and pleasure. Another facet

which gives interesting scope

to this novel which is set in this wild landscape of forest, hills, rivers and ocean.

With a mix of ship-wreckers, sailors, pirates, cod-fishermen from France,

early settlers, trappers and the king's girls

(who were being sent from France to Quebec to populate New France), people with different

ideas and also with the indigenous Indians in the novel, who were often portrayed in a sensitive fashion, I found “Angelique and the Demon” to be

educational, informative and entertaining. The book also includes notations of actual events which occurred in history during these unsettled times.

Anne Golon has recently been honoured in France at an awards ceremony last

year for literature. The Angelique books have been translated into many different

languages and there may be another film of Angelique to look forward to.