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Pistols For Two
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Pistols for Two Group Read March 2017
Carol ♔Type, Oh Queen!♕ wrote: "HazardNow this was my joint favourite as a young thing. & I still like it a lot as I allow for the fact that Sir Ralph is pond scum & Carleton is very drunk. & when it is starting to look too muc..."
Hazard
I thought this might be one of your co-favorites, Carol. It's definitely memorable. Points for a couple of approximately the same age.
Sheila wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "A Night at the InnYikes! This was really well-done, Heyer masterfully ratchets up the tension - I really pictured the oppressive darkness, the suffocating silence, the overwhe..."
Oh dear, I forgot about that - yes, really sets the scene, looking back, that something is definitely going on - the innkeepers' minds are NOT on hospitality!
The DuelI really enjoyed this - Dorothea was so innocent and funny and sincere - and with those few opening paragraphs Heyer establishes Rotherfield as a bored, autocratic aristocrat. I find it hard to believe that Dorothea turns him around after one meeting, but Heyer makes him seem so full of ennui and looking for a fight, a challenge (even if just from his butler being there when needed or not), anything to distract him from his stultifying existence, and she is a sweet, beautiful distraction!
I know, I know, talk about your first-world problems, spoiled, incredibly wealthy aristocrats bored with having it all and still wanting more! But that pretty much sums up the era, doesn't it? And I think it works here - he's ripe for a change, a new face, some warmth and innocence and unquestioning adoration from a pretty young girl who thinks he's helping save her rotten, spoiled brother - insta-love!
HazardOnce I got past the initial repulsion at Ralph staking his sister in a game of chance, I enjoyed this very much. I know Carlington being very drunk, gambling, and taking Ralph up on his offer to win his sister was appalling, but I have to admit, I found him very appealing - especially after I understood why!
Miss Morland was very funny, and Heyer redeemed this story by making her a calm, level-headed, strong young woman - so much so that I couldn't help wondering if this clever young woman stuck in an awful situation totally played her rotten brother and all of his drunk friends to escape! I too wondered how Heyer would pull it off, and I must say, well-played - and a lot of fun, elopements galore!
Susan in NC wrote: "HazardOnce I got past the initial repulsion at Ralph staking his sister in a game of chance, I enjoyed this very much. I know Carlington being very drunk, gambling, and taking Ralph up on his off..."
I love this one too despite having read it several times over the years and, in spite of the questionable plot device, I agree that Heyer pulls it off brilliantly. I really do think her plotting is excellent.!
Susan in Perthshire wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "HazardOnce I got past the initial repulsion at Ralph staking his sister in a game of chance, I enjoyed this very much. I know Carlington being very drunk, gambling, and taking..."
Hazard
This plot device is pure catnip for me, making this story one of my favorites in this collection. The resolution is just fabulous--kudos to GH, even if it did involve yet another elopement.
(I am tempted to do a spreadsheet to tally just how many stories have an elopement in them--my vague recollection is that over half of the stories use the Big E in some way, shape or form!!)
Barb in Maryland wrote: "my vague recollection is that over half of the stories use the Big E in some way, shape or form!!."Yup, either an elopement, a broken down carriage, or both at the same time!
Susan in NC wrote: "A Night at the InnYikes! This was really well-done, Heyer masterfully ratchets up the tension - I really pictured the oppressive darkness, the suffocating silence, the overwhelming creepiness - r..."
I really loved it, too, especially John's chagrin at being such a noddy!
Yes I really enjoyed this one myself. Just slightly different to the others and a nice break between stories.
Susan in NC wrote: "HazardOnce I got past the initial repulsion at Ralph staking his sister in a game of chance, I enjoyed this very much. I know Carlington being very drunk, gambling, and taking Ralph up on his off..."
Hazard
I really enjoyed the way it started with melodrama and ended in comedy!
SnowdriftEchoes of Cotillion.
Fast paced & charming. Lovely fairytale 5★
Anjali wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "HazardOnce I got past the initial repulsion at Ralph staking his sister in a game of chance, I enjoyed this very much. I know Carlington being very drunk, gambling, and taking..."
Yes! It seemed so dark and honestly appalling - a well-bred young lady in a house with all those very drunk, gambling young men did not bode well! But then I was chuckling by the end...
Carol ♔Type, Oh Queen!♕ wrote: "SnowdriftEchoes of Cotillion.
Fast paced & charming. Lovely fairytale 5★"
Snowdrift
Another fun story centered around a carriage accident, love at first sight (or at least within a day), and another bored aristocrat bowled over by a fresh face and warm personality! It helps that Sophy has no idea who Sir Julian is - I love that, he knows she really loves him for himself, not his title - and not a grasping mama in sight! And seeing the vile Joseph get his comeuppance only adds to the fun...
Full MoonYet another elopement and mistaken identity! But that's just the beginning, and the opening scene between Stavely and Tom at the inn was hilarious.
The fun continues when Stavely decides to travel on to Melbury Place and encounters the charming Annabella and pushy, managing Sir Walter - overly romantic and unrealistic insta-love again, but a satisfying and fun ending all round.
I have really enjoyed this story collection - it's really made me rethink the genre. I can dip in and out and read as much or as little as I like; very nice for taking a break from other books or when reading some weighty tome (like the last two of Trollope's Palliser novels in want to tackle and have on my TBR pile!)
Susan in NC wrote: " I can dip in and out and read as much or as little as I like; very nice for taking a break from other books"I wish I had done this! I read the whole thing in one go, and now, less than a couple of weeks later, they've all merged into one in my memory. Because I read them so fast they seemed very repetitive. I think if I'd left a little breathing space between stories then I would've enjoyed them more.
Nick wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: " I can dip in and out and read as much or as little as I like; very nice for taking a break from other books"I wish I had done this! I read the whole thing in one go, and now,..."
I remember you saying you binge read them, and then Barb warned us to go slowly, a story a day, and that's what I did! And I had to write my mini-reviews here right after reading each story or I'd forget the names and plots, they were pretty similar - but still fun!
I always do mini reviews of short stories as I go - I should really start doing that the rare times I read poetry.
Carol ♔Type, Oh Queen!♕ wrote: "I always do mini reviews of short stories as I go - I should really start doing that the rare times I read poetry."I tend to remember the plots of stories (and books), but the titles almost always let me down! I think authors should be more specific in their titling. You know, like instead of "Full Moon" it should be "Stavely Meets Young Tom While Tom Is Pursuing an Elopement He Doesn't Want with Annabella Whose Father Will Shortly Think He Is Off His Rocker". See? Now it's easy to remember!
Karlyne wrote: "Carol ♔Type, Oh Queen!♕ wrote: "I always do mini reviews of short stories as I go - I should really start doing that the rare times I read poetry."I tend to remember the plots of stories (and boo..."
Yes! This would help immensely, thank you!
Karlyne wrote: "I tend to remember the plots of stories (and books), but the titles almost always let me down! I think authors should be more specific in their titling."Like the Friends titles!
'The One Where Her Brother Loses her in a Bet'
'The One Where he goes to recover his sister from a masquerade, but finds the love of his life'
'The One where she's cross-dressing to escape an unwelcome match'
Nick wrote: "Karlyne wrote: "I tend to remember the plots of stories (and books), but the titles almost always let me down! I think authors should be more specific in their titling."Like the Friends titles!
..."
Did they actually title them like that, Nick?! I mean, the Friends episodes, not the Heyer books!
Now those I can remember - titles and character names, not so much...(heck, I can't remember the names of actual people I've met!)
Exactly! Arabella? Arabella Who? Sprig Muslin? Well, who wore it and why?!?
Karlyne wrote: "Did they actually title them like that, Nick?! "Yes, there's a whoe list here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...
I think they tried to be clever or funny with them though. So, for example, 'The One Where Old Yeller Dies' is the title, and there is a subplot about Phoebe watching sad children's movies, but it's not really the point of the episode.
Nick wrote: "Karlyne wrote: "Did they actually title them like that, Nick?! "Yes, there's a whoe list here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...
I think they tried to be clever or funny wit..."
Those are seriously funny! Thanks!
Hmm, so Arabella would be: 'The One Where the Heroine Pretends to Be an Heiress to Teach the Rich Asshole a Lesson'.
Nick wrote: "Hmm, so Arabella would be: 'The One Where the Heroine Pretends to Be an Heiress to Teach the Rich Asshole a Lesson'."Pretty much it! We used to do Fractured Fairytales in Book Club - I wish we would have thought of Fractured Titles, too...
Nick wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: " I can dip in and out and read as much or as little as I like; very nice for taking a break from other books"I wish I had done this! I read the whole thing in one go, and now,..."
Glad I'm not the only one Nick. I read it all in one go as well. Finding it hard to remember which is which. I put up a review of the whole lot. I know I had favorites. Think I might go back and read one a day again.
Yes, I suspect the re-read might be quite fun, because I'll start every story going: 'Hmm, this seems familiar...oh, it's THIS one. I remember now!'
Ok Nick let's go for it!! The March read is still on after all. I'll start tomorrow. And I'm only going to read a story a day.
Haha! OK, they are pretty quick stories so it probably won't be too hard to do one a day.
Full MoonIt's very amusing but it is my least favourite out of the original Pistols for Two collection. This may be partly because of it's position in the book (last) but also another elopement and this instalove is on the slightest of grounds. But the scene between Lord Staveley and Annabella's father in the rose garden is very funny, so I'm still going to give it 4★
Thoroughly enjoyed my reread of this one. There is a real art to writing short stories.
Carolien wrote: "Thoroughly enjoyed my reread of this one. There is a real art to writing short stories."Isn't there?
There are other subjects I'd like to have seen GH tackle - a romance where the woman is older than the man, for example. It will be exciting if any more of her short stories come to light!
To Have The HonorI thought a Husband for Fanny was my favorite story until I read this one. Absolutely loved it. I love how there are traces of her other stories in it. Obviously there are some similarities to this and Civil Contract but it's completely its own story.
Pink Domino
Completely silly. Instalove is not my genre at all.
To Have the Honor was a lovely story. One of the best ones in the book.
Trix deserved her own romance!
HazardI agree with Barb - this plot device is awesome. I love how it played out. There was a lot of story "written" in the short story because we were shown that Carlington had been in love with her for quite awhile and she knew it. I loved our heroine's sense of humor and also how she was quite crafty in getting herself a better situation. She knew that once he ran off with her that he'd be obligated to marry her. She had a lot of spunk. Her brother was just vile though. I can imagine that she had been in many trying and stressful situation living with him.
The ending was lovely. I'm glad GH was able to sneak a secondary romance in for us too!
The Duel*yawn* Insta-love. Even though it was clever with the twist I couldn't lose myself in this story to enjoy it.
SnowdriftThis was really sweet but at the end I had the distinct feeling of having read it before. I'm sure that was just it's similarity to Cotillion.
Carol, just returned from the library where I picked up the hardcover you got at your library back in the day. I don't remember when I last read this -- like most Heyers, I'm pretty sure I've read it at least twice -- but the last time was quite a while ago.I'll come back and peruse the comments after I've had a chance to read at least a bit. Looking forward to getting reacquainted with an old friend -- that's what re-reading is, really.
Which Heyer characters marry someone to take care of them? We have a couple of misers, and at least one who is intellectually challenged. Those are men, it's harder to define with women.
Snowdrift has one of the best ending lines: "if I were you I would not build too much upon that garnet brooch."Full Moon has an absolutely wonderful line: "I dare say i shan't dislike being married so very much, once I get used to it."
Louise wrote: "Snowdrift has one of the best ending lines: "if I were you I would not build too much upon that garnet brooch."Full Moon has an absolutely wonderful line: "I dare say i shan't dislike being marri..."
Yes! I admit, I laughed out loud at the garnet brooch, I was genuinely tickled and glad he had a sense of humor...
Way back up in comment 107. I mentioned the possibility of doing a spreadsheet on the various tropes. Well, it is not quite a spreadsheet but my review does try to tally the tropes. (I came up with 6 elopement stories out of the 14 stories in 'Snowdrift, etc').You are more than welcome to read my review at:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Wonderful review Barb. I appreciate how you put the reviews along with what story it was. That'll be super helpful in rereading the book too.Did you not get the feeling that there was going to be the start of a romance between the business man and the governess in A Night at the Inn?
Barb in Maryland wrote: "Way back up in comment 107. I mentioned the possibility of doing a spreadsheet on the various tropes. Well, it is not quite a spreadsheet but my review does try to tally the tropes. (I came up with..."I loved your review!
Amy wrote: "Wonderful review Barb. I appreciate how you put the reviews along with what story it was. That'll be super helpful in rereading the book too.Did you not get the feeling that there was going to be..."
Amy
As I am ever the romantic I thought it was possible. They will probably indulge in a mild flirtation over breakfast, if nothing else!
Barb in Maryland wrote: "Well, it is not quite a spreadsheet but my review does try to tally the tropes."This is great! It's very handy to have all the stories laid out.
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Yikes! This was really well-done, Heyer masterfully ratchets up the tension - I really pictured the oppressive darkness, the suffocating silence, the overwhelming creepiness - r..."
Loved her description of their meal--the most unappetizing ever!