false321070099476355978009947635149731Sprig Muslinhttp://photo.goodreads.com/books/1168335983m/32107.jpg
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32107.Sprig_Muslin
18067Georgette Heyer25386257141falseMon Nov 02 00:00:00 -0800 2009Mon Nov 02 11:32:30 -0800 2009Thu Dec 10 21:41:10 -0800 20092 It's essentially the same set-up as The Foundling: a nobleman, in the process of contracting a marriage he isn't too enthusiastic about, finds himself saddled with a beautiful woman-child whose innocence he has to protect and a hotheaded youth who complicates matters with his impulsiveness. And I love both books, but I can't give either of them the top prize over the other.
What this one has that The Foundling lacks:
- The romance, which in The Foundling is only a minor part of Gilly's declaration of independence, is much more fully realized here. Hester is part of the action almost from the beginning, and when she's called to the rescue, you can easily see how their feelings for each other could develop. (I'd like it if we actually *saw* a little more of that, instead of having to imagine it, but at least the ingredients are there.)
- The complicating characters are, to me, funnier. Amanda is incredibly immature, yes, but she's smart and conniving and an extremely major challenge, and there are a few moments when it seems plausible that she could be a serious contender for Gareth's heart. And I found Hildebrand the budding poet much more interesting than The Foundling's Tom the brainless schoolboy.