The Unknown Ajax by Georgette Heyer rounded up to 2 stars

[Karin]

My stars are because I just don't care for regency set novels unless they were written at that time--I gave it plus one because I didn't absolutely hate it. I had to read one and this is the sort of time when I wonder why I do reading challenges and games.

This is a romance set in the regency period in England featuring a fairly impoverished Lord and hs family along with grandson they have never met who is his heir. Be warned now, the romance centres on first cousins which was certainly done back then even in the States, but may be past your comfort level.

Personally, I would have liked this book somewhat better had it been edited to 75% of it's current length since I thought it rather draggy and drawn out with not enough interesting things to keep me reading. Also, there is a lot of showing off of research--now I do love a well researched historical novel, but some of this was overkill. Sure, use a few terms from the time, but some were ridiculous. Why use flawn when you can just spell it flan since that's merely an outdated spelling? Why make me waste my time looking that up?

Please note that I did give 3 stars to the other Heyer novel I read.

Another problem for me is that I don't care much for the aristocracy or the ton (I have come across this term before, but for those not familiar with this meaning it has to do with the rigidly class conscious--it's explained on this page about some TV show I don't plan to watch https://www.elitedaily.com/entertainm...

[KateNZ]

I’m sorry you didn’t like it, Karin. It’s not Heyer’s best but its one of my personal favourites because it’s more satirical than some. And Hugo is such a delightful character.

[Karin]

KateNZ wrote: "I’m sorry you didn’t like it, Karin. It’s not Heyer’s best but its one of my personal favourites because it’s more satirical than some. And Hugo is such a delightful character."

Okay, I chose poorly then.

[KateNZ]

Most of the Regency romances are set in or around the higher classes - so you really get that snobbishness coming through (and Heyer herself was pretty classist, so that doesn’t help). Some of the more modern treatments like ‘Longbourn’ might be more to your taste - set in that period but more down to earth.

[Karin]

KateNZ wrote: "Most of the Regency romances are set in or around the higher classes - so you really get that snobbishness coming through (and Heyer herself was pretty classist, so that doesn’t help). Some of the ..."

I realize that, and I do love Pride and Prejudice. I'm not a fan of Austen retellings. The next time I have to read for a regency I'll just reread one of the two Austen books I like the best.

[KateNZ]

That’s really interesting. Why don’t you like Austen retellings? Is it because nothing can live up to the class of the original, so there’s too much to get distracted by? If so, I sympathise. I’ve tried a few and am nearly always disappointed (‘Longbourn’ was an exception - but I’m looking firmly at you for the woeful ‘Eligible’, Curtis Sittenfeld!!). But I keep hoping to find a spark of the original, whether it’s in something set at the same time, a genre mashup, or a version that’s been brought up to date. Plus I’m interested in what angles authors choose to focus on - the comparison makes me think about the original more - so I keep trying!

I did like the online ‘vlog’ series, ‘The Lizzie Bennet Diaries’ - that was pretty clever. The book I just read (‘The Secret Life of Miss Mary Bennet’) not so much. In fact not at all, sigh.

[Karin]

KateNZ wrote: "That’s really interesting. Why don’t you like Austen retellings? Is it because nothing can live up to the class of the original, so there’s too much to get distracted by? If so, I sympathise. I’ve ..."

There are many reasons. I tried a sequel and it was sex in every second chapter which Austen would never have done. But it's also true that retellings never live up to the original if I like the book.