Faro's Daughter, by Georgette Heyer

[sophia_sol]

Lunchtime post again! A book review, this time, of a book I read back in...June? *headdesk*

Faro's Daughter, by Georgette Heyer

I really like this book! DEB DEB DEB ILU. Except! There's that unfortunate thing that Deb wants and indeed NEEDS a guy to be all masterful and in charge and stuff -- and that she believes ALL women want and need this! (and the author seems to agree!) Deb's so capable all the way through the book, capable and fiery and master of her own fate, and she may make some mistakes but she doesn't let that stop her from being her own person.

But at the end she's clutching Ravenscar in tears and thankfulness, and words like "weak" and "submitted" and "cowed" are used in descriptions of how she's behaving, and it's intended to be admirable that she's behaving this way? And she's "deeply pleased" to be addressed as "my beautiful idiot"? HMMM.

I mean, it's perfectly possible that Deb IS just like this -- some women are! But the fact that the narrative supports Deb's beliefs.... Georgette Heyer, once again I am giving you the side-eyes.

(also: of course the narrative is very careful to establish that Deb is totally upper class! Even though she's doing this shocking thing of running a gaming establishment! So it's okay that Ravenscar wants to marry her, because although she's not of good ton she is at least born into the right society! GEORGETTE HEYER....)

Comments

[holyschist]

From my admittedly limited sample of Heyers so far, I think Heyer very much had a kink for masterful dudes with humor lurking behind their poker faces. Consequently, so do a lot of her sympathetic heroines. Which is fine and all, it's her kink and she often writes it well, but it does rather give the impression that male dominance and female submission is the Proper Way of the World. Which...ehhhhhh, no.

[sophia_sol]

Yeah, she really does, and she's totally blind to the fact that it is a kink of hers rather than, as you say, the Proper Way of the World. I love Heyer, but at the same time there is SO MUCH LURKING IN HER WRITING TO AGGRAVATE ME.

[holyschist]

The funny thing is that, as a kink, she writes it in a way that usually doesn't annoy the crap out of me. It's just that she doesn't realize it's a kink. Alas.

I need to read more Heyer. I haven't run into much aggravation yet.

[sophia_sol]

My experience with Heyer tends to be that I love most individual books -- but if I read too many of them in a row I start gagging on Heyer's issues, and frustrated with how the books all start to blend together from their similarities.

Which Heyers have you read so far?

[holyschist]

Talisman Ring, The Masqueraders (MY FAVORITE OMG), and...some mystery that basically sucked (it was free at some point as an ebook, which is why I had it).

[sophia_sol]

Here is the sad truth that everyone who reads Heyer learns: her mysteries and thrillers and Srs Bzns Historicals are not worth bothering with.

Anyways. The Masqueraders is one that I think I actually haven't read yet! But I keep hearing really good things about it! And I enjoyed Talisman Ring, but it wasn't one of my favourites of hers.

If you want recs of other good ones to start with, I like The Grand Sophy (except for the one scene with blatant and awful antisemitism GEORGETTE HEYER WHYYYYYYY), The Black Sheep, Cotillion, The Unknown Ajax, and The Foundling. Though of course opinions vary and other people would list other Heyers above some of these!

[holyschist]

Masqueraders is like IDFIC JUST FOR MEEEEEEEE. So much crossdressing. So many hijinks.

I have Cotillion, I think. I actually did a huge poll a while back on what Heyers I should read first, and oh man, people had opinions. So many opinions.

[sophia_sol]

Heyer is really good at writing idfic! IT IS HER THING. And ooh, if you want more crossdressing, The Corinthian involves some? iirc it's pretty queer, in an "I'm entirely positive Heyer didn't mean it like that" kind of way.

Heyer is something that people who care, care about DEEPLY. THERE ARE ALWAYS OPINIONS. My opinion: The Grand Sophy is the greatest book Heyer ever wrote, or would be if not for the antisemitism, which is a TRUE TRAGEDY.

[holyschist]

I'm not entirely convinced Heyer didn't mean it like that, but probably subconsciously, I guess. I dunno.

I have heard this about TGS from many people!

[sophia_sol]

Hah, yeah, probably true, given that queer overtones do show up in a number of her works!