The Grand Sophy, by Georgette Heyer

The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


“The Grand Sophy” by Georgette Heyer delivered exactly what I expected: a sparkling, if somewhat dated, Regency romance. At times, it felt stuffy and blustery, especially in the dialogue, where I found myself struggling with the verbosity of certain characters.

»Really, Horace, I must say that I think that most unjust of you, for how could he help it? It is so mortifying for him! And, what is more, excessively unfortunate, because I don’t doubt that had he been able to attach Cecilia… But no one can deny that nothing could be more ill-timed than Charlbury’s mumps!«

This type of rambling speech made the beginning of the book feel quite slow for me. The social dynamics and constant talk of marriages seemed quaint and twee—typical of early 20th-century historical fiction, yet it grated on me initially. However, as the story progressed and Sophy’s vivacious nature took centre stage, the novel became utterly irresistible. From orchestrating romantic entanglements to causing delightful mayhem, Sophy is a force of nature.

Though it’s tempting to dismiss such stories as too formulaic or predictable, Heyer demonstrates masterful pacing. Her truly witty writing, far better than many imitators in the Regency romance genre, propelled the latter half of the book to become a page-turner of the highest degree. While old-fashioned in certain areas, “Sophy” holds up far better than many of her contemporaries.

Four out of five stars.


Ceterum censeo Putin esse delendam




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