Georgette Heyer Fans discussion
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Snowdrift and Other Stories
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Group read November 23 Snowdrift / Pistols for Two: the middle four stories
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Jenny wrote: "There seems to be a hitch starting a thread for the last four stories - perhaps I've created too many in quick succession. I'll start one as soon as I'm allowed!"Sorry Jenny - forgot to tell you. Due to problems with spammers I think even moderators can only create three new threads a day. Complaints to GR about how hard that things make for moderators have fallen on deaf ears!
I'll create the final thread for you. :)
A Husband for Fanny: I like it how GH subverts her own recurring trope of the child-bride and the huge age difference. (view spoiler)
good point, SabagreyI think Night at the Inn is really an amazing mix of creepy and a very sweet love story. Seems unlike anything else by Heyer I've read, or am I forgetting something?
John (especially) and to a lesser extent Mary feel like real people, although John's naivete put him at risk of his life. It still makes sense given what we know about his family by the way he speaks of them.
I don't know if this is my favorite in the book, but it's certainly the most memorable.
I love A Husband for Fanny - so much more rewarding and enjoyable than the child brides of (view spoiler) (although I do enjoy both books despite the age gap)I also like the fact that Fanny's daughter is such a caring daughter.
Night at the Inn is such a creepy rendition of the Sweeney Todd story. It's done really well but the romance is disappointingly abrupt!
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The other notable feature of the story is the social class of the protagonists - much more middle-class than her usual cast, aren't they? But I suppose her usual aristocratic subjects wouldn't be staying at such a dodgy joint, and they would have had servants with them - certainly the young lady wouldn't have been alone.
I enjoyed these four. A Husband for Fanny was my favourite. I agree with Susan about the Sweeney Todd element in Night at the Inn. It was different to the other stories in the book which I liked.
“Pink Domino” - romance seems told rather than shown, and quite a coincidence at the masked ball, but needs must in the short story format! A humorous scene at the end when a distracted big brother Giles comes home and meets Letty’s verbose intended!
As improbable as it is, Pink Domino remains a favourite of mine - it is such a sweet case of instalove. 5★
Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "As improbable as it is, Pink Domino remains a favourite of mine - it is such a sweet case of instalove. 5★"True…;o)
Jenny wrote:of course, Miss Gateshead's utter obliviousness to the whole affair is funny, too.
it really is, and his care to keep her completely innocent of it now and forever is sweet, I don't care if it's sexist. He is a very nice man and makes an excellent hero.
that's a good point about everyone's class, it seems necessary so that Mary is completely alone.
I've never read Sweeney Todd.
The tales of the mad barber, Sweeney Todd was originally published as a Penny dreadful comic. I’ve never read that but I’ve seen one film and one theatre version of it. Very grim!
I think Night at the Inn is really an amazing mix of creepy and a very sweet love story. Seems unlike anything else by Heyer I've read, or am I forgetting something?It's a great story and I agree that it's not like anything else GH wrote. Nearest I suppose would be Footsteps In The Dark, but I much prefer Night At The Inn.
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Characters from April Lady are instantly recognisable, even down to their names! Letty's Jeremy may have become Edwin, but he's definitely the same person.
If ever I found myself transported by time machine to GH's Regency, I would definitely know not to go to a masquerade, though - so many of her heroines have unfortunate experiences that it's clear they are Not At All The Thing.
Lol, “Timetraveler’s Guide to the Regency tip 1 - NO MASQUERADES” - although male timetravelers might be inclined…
Jenny wrote: "Do you think we're meant to believe that the murderous innkeepers were actually dishing up their late guests on the menu? Or were they just boiling up the remains to make them less identifiable and..."oh, boy, not sure I want to think about this much but she did mention the watery soup John and Mary (and Waggleswick) are eating.
I hope it's just the disposal.
The twist in "Husband" isn't strongly telegraphed, but it's fun to look for any hints. One might be the daughter's comments about the man in question. A weaker one could be the visit from the sister. Are there others?Also fun is to speculate how Lady Pednor reacts to hearing the news, and how it might vary depending on the way she hears it.
- personally over morning chocolate
- a note or letter
- an invitation to the celebration
- from a third party
- or just reading it in the papers
Jackie wrote: "Jenny wrote: "Do you think we're meant to believe that the murderous innkeepers were actually dishing up their late guests on the menu? Or were they just boiling up the remains to make them less id..."Also easier, in those days, to pass them off as bones from the long past.
Jackie wrote: "Jenny wrote: "Do you think we're meant to believe that the murderous innkeepers were actually dishing up their late guests on the menu? Or were they just boiling up the remains to make them less id..."If she had set this story in the Scottish Borders then I think would have been a definite hint that the meat in the meat pies was not necessarily from a Cow or a sheep! But in this short story, I’m definitely believing that it’s simply a way of removing the flesh! (And that is pretty horrific anyway!)
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I did notice that in the 'crunch' conversation between Lord Harleston & Mrs Wingham that no names are mentioned, nor even any useful identifying pronouns! The conversation is a bit stilted because of its delicate and emotional nature, which makes that seem less unnatural: so Lord H is too delicate to actually state the reason for his visit, but only says "I believe you must know for what purpose" and then says "I collect - a prior attachment?" rather than "You mean you're in love with somebody else?"
What a mess being too formal and too delicate can make of a proposal!
Jackie wrote: "Jenny wrote: "Do you think we're meant to believe that the murderous innkeepers were actually dishing up their late guests on the menu? Or were they just boiling up the remains to make them less id..."And the underdone stringy mutton!!! That's what immediately came into my mind when it was said they were chopping people up!
A Husband for Fanny & To Have the Honour are my favourites in this collection. (when I was younger it was Pink Domino & Hazard)I love that Clarissa was older for a GH heroine (from memory, there is also an older heroine in one of the Acting on Impulse: Contemporary Short Stories stories. Lord Harleston is a favourite hero - he is so sweet, kind & romantic.
To Have the Honour actually has a very strong (but slightly rushed) storyline. I think it would have made a good novella - given Trix a bit more room! 😅It does remind me of (view spoiler)
Both 5★
& good point Susan of P about what a genuinely nice person Fanny is!
Jenny wrote: "Big Fan wrote: "The twist in "Husband" isn't strongly telegraphed, but it's fun to look for any hints. One might be the daughter's comments about the man in question. A weaker one could be the visi..." [#22 above]It's tricky to fool the characters and the reader/audience, leading to some awkwardness. In mystery/suspense stories, the camera might show just the feet, a gloved hand with the gun, a backlit hooded character, or just the back of the villain. On the other hand, it would be really tricky to hide the identity of the old gentleman during his dinner conversation with Mary Challoner.
The confusion caused by mismatched conversations is used by GH in multiple stories. Of course, Kit impersonating his twin would give rise to a bunch of misunderstandings. Sophy intentionally misinterpreted comments from Charles. At the first meeting of Abby and Miles, one of them knew something was wrong. Freddy and Kitty were briefly confused at the inn.
Ancilla got confused with both Julian and Waldo for the "big mis". "Honour" in this group of stories also has one,
again at the inn.
Elinor and Carlyon has a long one with neither one knowing there is something wrong, and it sets up the situation nicely.
Off topic, one fun example of this device is when the Gregory Peck character and the Audrey Hepburn character discuss the circumstances under which her character's father might retire.
Big Fan wrote: "Jenny wrote: "Big Fan wrote: "The twist in "Husband" isn't strongly telegraphed, but it's fun to look for any hints. One might be the daughter's comments about the man in question. A weaker one cou..."Sorry- but when did Sophy impersonate a twin with Charles? What have I missed?
Susan in Perthshire wrote: "Sorry- but when did Sophy impersonate a twin with Charles? What have I missed?."You missed nothing ... each sentence in Big Fan's post refers to a different GH novel, and the 'it' refers to the 'confusion created by mismatched conversation'
The ‘it’ follows the sentence where impersonating twins is referenced. So perhaps it was not not unreasonable for me to have assumed the ‘it ‘ was referencing the impersonation - rather than the miscommunication.
An easy error for me to make, but of course I appreciate your correction.
Susan in Perthshire wrote: "The ‘it’ follows the sentence where impersonating twins is referenced. So perhaps it was not not unreasonable for me to have assumed the ‘it ‘ was referencing the impersonation - rather than the ..."
the 'it'-reference IS misleading ... i.e., your mental grammar has it correctly, nothing wrong there! ;-)
A Husband for Fanny - I love this one, sweet and touching, appreciate an older H/h and as someone pointed out, turning the usual creepy age spread (by modern standards), upside down- a mature hero who actually appreciates women his own age.To have the honour - fun and funny, Timothy is a hoot!
My two favorites, I think
GreyGirl wrote: "I think Night at the Inn is really an amazing mix of creepy and a very sweet love story. Seems unlike anything else by Heyer I've read, or am I forgetting something?It's a great story and I agree..."
Night at the Inn is indeed very different from anything else & proves that GH could have written Victorian style melodrama if she so chose. I liked that these were a working hero/heroine, but found the romance too instalove - I'd like it to have been dialed back just a little. 4.5★
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To me, that worked all right because the couple were left at the point of wanting to see more of each other, rather than an instant engagement, and that's quite realistic.
Though I did wonder how Miss Gateshead's employer would view her having a suitor! Was a governess allowed gentlemen callers? Would she even have been allowed to 'walk out' with him on her day off, or would that have been too scandalous?
sabagrey wrote: "Susan in Perthshire wrote: "The ‘it’ follows the sentence where impersonating twins is referenced. So perhaps it was not not unreasonable for me to have assumed the ‘it ‘ was referencing the impe..." [#30 above]
The text [in #26] has been edited to make it clearer.
Jenny wrote: "My scepticism about love at first sight spoils my enjoyment of Pink Domino. I have to accept in my head that it sometimes really happens, because people who have been happily married for years tell..."Everything Jenny said! Plus Letty is a brat and has no business getting married to anyone except maybe an old man who will pamper her.
"A Husband For Fanny" is my favorite so far. That was very sweet. The plot twist was a surprise the first time. "To Have the Honor" was another good one, sowing the seeds for some of her later novels. I didn't expect the plot twist the way it played out. I thought Lord Allerton would (view spoiler) That sister of his is a piece of work and she's going to be trouble! The heroine is nice and I'm glad she reworked this into novel length books because this story really needed more character development.
"Night at the Inn" was so different and a little creepy. Based on, I believe, a true story/stories. That happened in the wild west of America and in civilized England. One traveler was really dumb though and pretty much asking for trouble.
Pink Domino
A Husband for Fanny
To Have the Honour
Night at the Inn
without spoiler tags for those stories - but please don't forget to use spoiler tags for the other stories or other books.