April Lady
- Georgette Heyer
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
The romantic plot is based on misunderstanding between a couple, a usual trope in romance novels. The misunderstanding is not particularly interesting, at least in the current times, yet better than another of her novels (The Nonesuch), where it was just plain stupid. The heroine is kind-hearted and sensible, but something of a doormat who allows everyone to walk over her. The hero is foolish, and I disliked him for not apologizing enough to his wife for his unjust and harsh remarks, and also for not chastising his sister for causing his wife so much trouble and pain. The entire plot is a big farce, but there is not much of humor, which is what I like best in Heyer novels.
Why Shoot a Butler?
- Georgette Heyer
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Having binged on Heyer's regency books for last two years, most of which I enjoyed for their wit and humor, I wanted to give her mystery novels a try. The title and the blurb of this sounded interesting, something in the style of Christie's Poriot.
This didn't have much of humor, not even in dialogues, unless you count the sarcastic remarks of the Hero to all and sundry, specially the heroine. Then, it was quite predictable - the heroine's secret, the villain's identity, and the reason for murder(s) are evident quite early. The long chase sequence at the end, and the last-minute rescue was very theatrical, and jaded - I've read much better action sequences written in the same era. And finally, the lengthy, winding explanation of the entire plot bored me so much that I skipped most of it, just scanning to confirm what I suspected.
Okay, if you are a die-hard Heyer fan and enjoy very light mysteries. Avoid, if you are into intelligent murder mysteries or fast-paced thrillers (the non-gruesome kinds, because others are a different game altogether).
No comments:
Post a Comment