"The Nonesuch" by Georgette Heyer
Product ISBN: 9781402217708
Price: $13.99 Publication Date:*reissue April 2009, Sourcebooks
The Burton Review Rating: 4 stars
"A charming Georgette Heyer romance about finding love at any age."
Georgette Heyer is a well known author for her Regency England novels. She had written over 50 books by the time of her death in 1974. Luckily for the new generation, many of her books are being reissued through Sourcebooks. The novel, "The Nonesuch" is one such historical romance, and it is set somewhere in the mid 1800's. While the text is somewhat dated, it is done so that we truly feel we are reading something written in that time period. It reminds me of reading Margaret Mitchell and Louisa May Alcott. There were a few words that were 'new' to me.. although the words I am sure were quite old. Such as sennight, which I looked up: a week. And the line "O my God! thought Sir Waldo. Now we are in the basket!" I also have seen the phrase "on the shelf" for those unmarried girls past their prime (at 26?!)
This novel has a simple storyline: The nonesuch (a talented, popular guy) is Sir Waldo who comes to town to settle an estate he has inherited. We are introduced to those he crosses paths with. Miss Ancilla Trent is a governess to Tiffany Wield within that circle, and the Nonesuch and Ancilla fall in love from afar. Of course there are obstacles to that inevitable path, and we chuckle along the way as the younger set in the story supplies enough antics to keep up occupied. The characters are well-defined and I often found myself wishing I was watching a black and white movie instead of reading it. There was a lot of dialogue going back and forth and it would have played really well on the Silver Screen.
The storyline itself is not a far-reaching plot, therefore it was slightly slow at times, but how it all goes about it is so charming with the style of writing it becomes amusing and witty. However predictable the plot may have seemed, I did enjoy this novel and I look forward to her other books. The book made me smile and I enjoyed the way the writing took me back to that period.
From what I can tell, there are some of her other books that are more widely coveted, and I am glad that this was my first Heyer knowing that it can only get better.
There is a website on the author, Georgette Heyer with book news and other information there.
Also check out the blog, Georgette Heyer Challenge, with more reviews.
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