Review: G. Heyer - The Black Moth

I'm not a great review writer. Nevertheless I wanted to write about the first Georgette Heyer Book I have read*. I came across this author via you twitter guys and had to try if I liked her. On various blogs I read that the first experience of a Heyer book will either lead to love her or just not. When I started the Black Moth, which I got as an ebook, I had no idea what to expect. I hardly knew in which time it was set. Only until I reached the end of the first half of the novel I got to know. The hints she dropped then were unmistakably. The Pompadour, Elizabeth Gunning... There! Finally got it. But all the while reading the first half and being kind of in the dark, I dressed the characters in the right fashion. I have to reread it though, as I apparently skipped the prologue. But it might have been the Kindle that switched to the first chapter...
Another extraordinary fact Georgette Heyer's book had upon me, that I really had not the slightest clue where the plot was leading to. I didnt read any reviews or a single synopsis. Being puzzled until the story really started in the second half I wondered about her strange way of writing and plotting. But now, seriously!, I love it and adore her.
My favourite part is in chapter, ah, let me get the Kindle to check...., is in chapter 24: 'Richard plays the Man'. "You shall not leave me! Do you understand? I cannot live without you!" ... ""Oh, please, please forgive me and keep me with you!" - - - They are so wonderful. I quite resented her childish ways in the beginning, then I pitied her enormously, but meanwhile I quite like her. The Belmanoirs are an interesting lot, especially Tracy, of whom I would love to read a sequel. Is there one? I have no idea, because Georgette Heyer wrote so many books. Presently I will write a list and try to get my hands on her work asap.

Update: Just saw, that the story is continued in 'These old Shades'.
1921 - The Black Moth
1926 - These Old Shades
1932 - Devil's Cub
1937 - An Infamous Army

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* It was her first novel. Stunning, did not expect that!

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They are, generally speaking, the most happy women in the world [due to the good nature of Englishmen towards their Wives].

(Edward Chamberlayne: Angliae Notitia. in: Maureen Waller: 1700, Scenes from London Life. Sceptre, 2001, page 35.)

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June 25th, 2010

The staff of the Leyland Manor Research Center and the author of the Leyland Manor Diary proudly announce the new Project Homepage: The Leyland Manor Project at Google Sites. The Research Center will soon move completely to the Project Page and will close it's Blogger Adress. You are of course welcome to the new Homepage and we are looking forward to your contributions and feedback!

LM-staff

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Meiner Meinung nach ist der Mensch in einem stetigen Wandel, auf einer immerwährenden Erfahrungsreise - die Einzigen, die dies nicht merken, sind Menschen, die Scheuklappen aufhaben und somit die Dinge nicht an ihnen vorbeirauschen sehen. Und so dreht sich das Rad immer weiter, die alte Generation hetzt gegen die neue, ohne zu verstehen, worum es eigentlich geht: Neue Techniken und neue kulturelle Prozesse bieten immer Chancen zur negativen und positiven Gestaltung unserer Gesellschaft.

In my opinion people are in a steady change, on an eternal trip of experience - the only ones who do not notice this, are people who wear blinkers and therefore do not see the things rushing past them. And thus the wheel turns on and on, the old generation scolding the new without understanding what it is, actually, about: New technologies and new cultural processes always offer chances to the negative and positive creation of our society.

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A wonderful Christmas to all!

Happy Christmas to all you readers of this diary

and to all who stumbled upon it...!

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