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Regency Buck
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Regency Buck Chapters 1-12
Hana wrote: "HJ wrote: "“There it goes, flow, flow, flow, always the same." He actually said that in real life" I loved that line--I'm so delighted it was the real Duke of Clarence. Thanks, HJ :) And Karlyne, y..."I dunno - I always found Darcy's proposal in P& P really funny!
I wonder if Heyer found that line and started the whole scene from it. She must have enjoyed writing it immensely!
Hana wrote: "I'm loving all the comments on the Royal family. I found this excellent web page about Queen Charlotte and her many children and I think I've finally got the lines of succession down in my mind. ht..."Hana, I followed the link you gave, and I've just finished reading about George and Charlotte's children. Such sad lives they had, especially the daughters! Surely there were enough Protestant princes
in Europe to match them up in a more timely manner!
Hana wrote: "I'm loving all the comments on the Royal family. I found this excellent web page about Queen Charlotte and her many children and I think I've finally got the lines of succession down in my mind. ht..."Hana, thanks for that link! After reading about Princess Charlotte's life (I knew some of it, such as her running away to her mother), I've decided that there's simply no reason to like the Prince Regent, even if he was personable and seemed kind (to Judith, anyway). I'd like to give him a piece of my mind, and it wouldn't be pretty!
What I find amusing is the double standards applied to Princess Caroline. Her husband had numerous affairs, yet she was tried in the House of Lords for adultery. Poor woman. I'm glad Charlotte had a happy marriage even though it was brief. You have to wonder what kind of queen she would have been given the peculiar circumstances of her childhood.
I started reading some of those bios, too, and it's a pretty sad set of stories. What a dysfunctional family!Which one was Princess Caroline?
I liked Queen Charlotte's love of botany. Kew Gardens is a treasure even though Miss Scattergood and Judith didn't think much of it.
Carolien wrote: "What I find amusing is the double standards applied to Princess Caroline. Her husband had numerous affairs, yet she was tried in the House of Lords for adultery. Poor woman. I'm glad Charlotte ha..."
It does make me wonder. So often those who have had cold childhoods go on to be admirable (I'm thinking of Eleanor Roosevelt, for one). But, dead at 21 really is sad.
Hana wrote: "I started reading some of those bios, too, and it's a pretty sad set of stories. What a dysfunctional family!Which one was Princess Caroline?
I liked Queen Charlotte's love of botany. Kew Garde..."
Caroline was the Prince Regent's hated wife. They were cousins, her mother being his father's eldest sister. I think. It's hard to keep them all straight!
Thanks, Karlyne! I have to keep checking the lists to sort them out :DAnother tidbit: I was reading about Kew Gardens and apparently Queen Victoria associated them with the madness of her grandfather George III because the king was incarcerated at Kew. That's maybe why they were transferred from being a royal estate by Queen Victoria to become the national botanical collection. http://alainelkanninterviews.com/rich...
Hana wrote: "Thanks, Karlyne! I have to keep checking the lists to sort them out :DAnother tidbit: I was reading about Kew Gardens and apparently Queen Victoria associated them with the madness of her grandfa..."
I had never really thought about how they became the national treasure. I've seen pictures of Kew Gardens, and they have to be over-powering in real life!
They are beautiful and take hours to walk around. I went there on a day trip and I didn't get around all of the green houses!
To those who asked about Princess Caroline (of Brunswick), Prinny's wife, I read this anecdote about her years ago: Prinny sent her a message after their daughter, Charlotte, was born, saying that she had fulfilled her marital obligation and he would make no further demands on her. So she lived in her own establishment and went her own way. When it was reported that she had adopted a baby boy, someone suggested that she had actually given birth to him, and she responded, "Prove it, and he'll be your King!"Alas, that feisty spirit seems to have been all she had going for her. When her estranged husband became King, she was shut out of the coronation.
I've had this on my shelf for a while, but haven't got around to reading it yet Rebel Queen: How The Trial Of Caroline Brought England To The Brink Of Revolution.I love The Economist's review on the back cover (for those of us who remember the new princess's grandmother): "A young woman marries into the royal family and discovers there are three people in the marriage. Neglect and separation follow. She finds consolation in the arms of a foreigner; attracts intense media attention; becomes the darling of the people, and after proceedings for divorce, dies in mysterious circumstances. This is the story of Caroline of Brunswick who, in 1795, married the Prince of Wales, afterwards George IV. But for sheer entertainment and political theatre, it far outstrips the tale of Princess Diana...A fascinating book."
Carolien wrote: "I've had this on my shelf for a while, but haven't got around to reading it yet Rebel Queen: How The Trial Of Caroline Brought England To The Brink Of Revolution.I love The Economi..."
Oh, you definitely need to put it on your soon-to-be-read list, Carolien! "The more people change the more they stay the same"?
Great find, Carolien!
Mod
The end result was as those of us who deplore double standards would have wished: the court found in effect that there was nothing to choose between the pair of them, and they thoroughly deserved each other, so no divorce.
There was nothing mysterious about Caroline's death - she was already ill months before the coronation and went rapidly downhill afterwards, dying of an obstruction of the bowel.
Meanwhile, back with Regency Buck...;) I read chapters 11 and 12 last night and there are some very interesting plot twists and turns. GH is a master of misdirection or indirection or something. Cousin Bernard is making at least some of his intentions quite clear.The encounter at the King's Arms between Worth and Farnaby and Bernard was delightfully enigmatic and Worth comes across as quite cold-blooded and calculating.
Worth and Judith seem to be more in charity with one another when they meet at Belvoir Castle--heavens what grand company she's keeping!
Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire
Hana wrote: "Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire"
That is gorgeous!
And huge! Here's one of the gazillion rooms--the setting for much of the film Young Victoria
Hana wrote: "Meanwhile, back with Regency Buck...;) I read chapters 11 and 12 last night and there are some very interesting plot twists and turns. GH is a master of misdirection or indirection or something. Co..."The deft writing is one of the reasons I think I appreciated this book more this time around!
I completely agree, Carol. I'm reading more slowly this time around and savoring both her skill as a writer and her meticulous historical research.
That castle looks wonderful. I may just try and persuade my husband that it is within viewing distance on our travels down from Newcastle to London in August. (He'll not be impressed since I am already dragging him off to view Roman ruins and Bamburgh castle on that day...)
lol Carolien! You sound like Judith Taverner forever going off to view Roman ruins to Peregrine's irritation.
Carolien wrote: "That castle looks wonderful. I may just try and persuade my husband that it is within viewing distance on our travels down from Newcastle to London in August. (He'll not be impressed since I am alr..."Ooh! Which Roman ruins?
The Newcastle museum has loads of Roman stuff from Hadrian's Wall and will probably try and get to some of the actual wall. I cannot complicate it too much since there'll be a 6 year old and nearly 8 year old along. I'm reading Asterix to them at the moment to try and provide some context!
Carolien wrote: "The Newcastle museum has loads of Roman stuff from Hadrian's Wall and will probably try and get to some of the actual wall. ..."Good stuff. Did you see the Flying Archaeologist on Hadrian's Wall? It's well worth watching for a new perspective on the wall itself and the surrounding country. I thought it was still on BBC iPlayer but apparently it isn't, or not on the website -- I watched it on the Roku app and I'll swear it's still there.
I didn't. I'll try to get hold of it.
Digression: What a fun trip, Carolien! Have you read The Ivy Tree by Mary Stewart (it takes place close to Hadrian's Wall)?
Karlyne wrote: "Digression: What a fun trip, Carolien! Have you read The Ivy Tree by Mary Stewart (it takes place close to Hadrian's Wall)?"I agree with this recommendation!
The Ivy Tree is in my to read queue as well!
Not in the same genre, but Kipling's Puck of Pook's Hill has a chapter about Hadrian's Wall. A charming book!
Jacquie wrote: "Not in the same genre, but Kipling's Puck of Pook's Hill has a chapter about Hadrian's Wall. A charming book!"I haven't read Kipling since childhood. Which is odd, because I adored him!
Jacquie wrote: "Not in the same genre, but Kipling's Puck of Pook's Hill has a chapter about Hadrian's Wall. A charming book!"I must get hold of this. The only Kipling I've read is Stalky & Co., which I love, but I understand that it isn't typical of his work.
Jacquie wrote: "Not in the same genre, but Kipling's Puck of Pook's Hill has a chapter about Hadrian's Wall. A charming book!"I just added it to my Amazon wish list!
You can download Puck of Pook's Hill from Project Gutenberg in many formats for free -- http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/15976
Jacquie wrote: "You can download Puck of Pook's Hill from Project Gutenberg in many formats for free -- http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/15976"Thank you! I've already reserved it from my library, but I'll read it there if the library can't find it in their store.
Karlyne wrote: "Digression: What a fun trip, Carolien! Have you read The Ivy Tree by Mary Stewart (it takes place close to Hadrian's Wall)?"I haven't, but it's in a pile next to my bed. I'll move it up. I'm also planning on reading Terra Incognita before we leave.
I'm late to the party but I want to weigh in with my thoughts. I am enjoying this story more the second time around (I can see myself acting just like Judith) but several things still bother me.1)Worth- He takes advantage of Judith being stuck without her shoe. He teases her and kisses her when she can't run away. (Unlike Damarel in Venetia). Today he'd be slapped with a sexual harassment lawsuit. He continually teases Judith when he knows she doesn't have much of a sense of humor (like me). She hates it and his behavior makes her act childishly.
He is her guardian and I don't find his behavior terribly high-handed but rather her reaction to it causes him to tease and also to come down hard.
At the end of Ch. 12, he seems sinister.
2)Most of the boxing scene was unnecessary. I skipped a lot of the gory details.
3)All of the cockfight scene was unnecessary. Cruelty to animals just really makes me angry.
I agree with Karlyne
"I'm thinking that [the cockfighting scene it probably made me wrinkle up my nose while the boxing scene didn't bother me a bit because there's something about a man making a decision to have his brains beat out that's all right with me. But to play off an animal's natural aggressiveness is... distasteful."
I like the secondary characters- Beau Brummell and the Duke of Clarence.
Here is the Duke of Clarence, Mrs. Jordan and the little Fitzclarences by Gillray
(larger image Here
read more on their relationship here How sad for her!
King William IV (Duke of Clarence)
His brother, York
QNPoohBear wrote: "I'm late to the party but I want to weigh in with my thoughts. I am enjoying this story more the second time around (I can see myself acting just like Judith) but several things still bother me.1)..."
I hadn't thought about the shoe thing, but that's quite true!
I love that first picture!
All of those links and pictures were great, QNPoohBear! The York link took me to the DuMaurier novel, Mary Anne, which I remember reading eons ago. It would be fun to read it now with Regency Buck fresh in my mind!
QNPoohBear wrote: "I'm late to the party but I want to weigh in with my thoughts. I am enjoying this story more the second time around (I can see myself acting just like Judith) but several things still bother me.1)..."
I too am more bothered by animal abuse/cruelty than than prizefights (men choosing of their own free will to pummel each other!).
Great pictures and links, QnPoohbear! I'm rather charmed that Mrs. Jordan is reading a book while walking and that the Duke is the one lugging the baby carriage. But that was a sad story. I love the period detail in this book. It works better for me as historical fiction than as a romance, though I find both Worth and Judith sufficiently complex and interesting that I want to know more about them.
Yes! More fun than the average historical fiction and less fluffy simpering than the average romance.
Karlyne wrote: "Yes! More fun than the average historical fiction and less fluffy simpering than the average romance."Yes! It's more historical romantic comedy than romance. The steamy Regencies are known as "Regency historical" though the historical content is often doubtful.
I love the scene when Judith first sees Brummel or who she thinks is Brummel. He was such a character in his own right. I saw This exhibit: Artist, Rebel, Dandy and it was so amazing to put faces to names: Brummel, Poodle Byng, etc. I was completely blown away by how much GH knew about the Regency period without access to the sources we have now. My blog post about the exhibit. I'm crushed I didn't know they allowed photos or I would have taken some. You can see why Judith turns her noses up at dandies!
From the exhibit QNPB saw "From 1760 to 1800, hundreds of humorous prints, also known as drolls, were produced in London."I love it!
& not that Avon was a Macaroni, but the affected speech we were talking about - authentic. GH's research - impeccable.
QNPoohBear wrote: "My blog post about the exhibit" Those cartoon pictures on your blog are amazing!
Fred Astaire looks so elegant that it's hard to remember that the fashions came out of the dandy set!
Oh, that was a reference to QNPoohBear's lovely blog, by the way, where there's a picture of the wonderful Mr. Astaire (and Ginger Rogers in feathers. I think the movie was Top Hat).
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Georgette Heyer Fans
Books mentioned in this topic
Beau Brummell: The Ultimate Dandy (other topics)Beau Brummell, his life and times (other topics)
Beau Brummell: The Ultimate Man of Style (other topics)
Beau Brummell, his life and times (other topics)
Terra Incognita (other topics)
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I do think she has a sense of humor, but it's very dry with just a slight and charming whiff of self-deprecation (see the first meeting with George 'Beau' Brummell).