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Mar. 9th, 2013 04:26 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
skygiantsSo yesterday as a reward for several weeks of stress I reread Georgette Heyer's Cotillion, and even though this was the very first Heyer I ever read, it turns out that it in fact pre-dated my booklogging habit and therefore I have never written it up!
I AM FIXING THAT NOW, because Cotillion is so, so delightful. Everybody who's ever read a Heyer knows this, but there are presumably some people out there who don't! BUT NOW YOU WILL. (You're welcome!)
Cotillion starts out with our heroine Kitty being informed by her cranky old guardian that she has to marry one of his great-nephews/her fake cousins, or he's not going to leave her any money. He's summoned them all here, so she can pick which one she likes best, and that will be that!
Unfortunately, the Dashing Sexy fake cousin that she is secretly in love with and that her guardian secretly wants to leave all his money to has failed to turn up, leaving her with the option of Bachelor A, the rector who doesn't believe in fun and is only proposing because he's Very Worried About Kit's Future, and Bachelor B, the one who has a mental age of seven and is only proposing because his mother made him. Everyone involved agrees that this is very awkward -- bear in mind that they are all fake cousins and have known each other since they were kids -- but nobody really knows what to do about it!
Fortunately, while Kitty is in the process of throwing a tantrum and running away, she bumps into Bachelor C, the amiable and hapless one who is already rich and has no interest in getting married because any potential wife would probably clash with his exquisite wardrobe.
KITTY: FREDDY. Freddy! Buddy. Favorite fake cousin!
FREDDY: . . . first I've heard about being your favorite fake cousin . . .
KITTY: Sooooo Freddy, how about we get fake engaged? And then I could go hang out in London for a month and buy a lot of engagement dresses and make our Dashing Sexy cousin feel like an idiot for not turning up to get married, and then we'll break up! Is this not the greatest idea ever? :D
FREDDY: . . . not sure I'd actually use the words 'greatest idea ever . . .'
KITTY: Pleeeeeeeease Freddy! Please! I have NEVER GOTTEN TO WEAR A PRETTY DRESS EVER IN MY LIFE DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND HOW HARD THIS IS.
FREDDY: . . . you're right, that is pretty terrible. FINE. Let's do this thing.
KITTY: FREDDY YOU'RE FOR REAL MY FAVORITE :D :D :D :D
And then they go back and earnestly explain to everybody that they have been nursing a SECRET PASSION for each other for years, and then they go to London, and Freddy helps Kitty buy dresses, and Kitty drags Freddy to all the tourist traps, and they hang out and admire each other's good taste and have awesome BFF times, and, like, that's it. THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE BOOK.
I mean, Sexy Dashing Cousin inevitably shows up to be a romantic interest, and Kitty gets involved in some wacky hijinks around various other cousins, but mostly IT'S ABOUT BUDDIES who then decide being buddies is so great they might as well get married for real!
This book is commentary on the romance genre in lots of ways, I think, not least because this recurring conversation:
SEXY DASHING COUSIN: Hah, yeah, this is a funny joke, but we all know you can't really like Freddy, Kitty, he's so boring and un-manly!
KITTY: Um are you kidding me, FREDDY IS THE GREATEST. He is adorable and sweet and my favorite, and really competent when it counts, and I want to hang out with him all the time! :D
SEXY DASHING COUSIN: . . . . . >:|
could easily be reframed as
ROMANCE NOVEL PUBLISHERS: Ha, yeah, this is a funny joke, but we all know no one could really like a hero like Freddy, they're so boring and un-manly . . .!
And no, actually, please, give me more Freddys. Please!
I also need to ask you guys what Heyer I should read next, since I anticipate more stressful weeks in my future and I've run out of ones that I remember having been directly recommended.
For the record, I have also read and loved: The Talisman Ring, The Unknown Ajax, Sprig Muslin, Sylvester, The Corinthian, Frederica and The Foundling
I have read and enjoyed with some caveats: The Grand Sophy, Venetia, Devil's Cub, The Convenient Marriage, The Masqueraders, and Regency Buck
I have read and did not like at all: Bath Tangle and The Spanish Bride
I AM FIXING THAT NOW, because Cotillion is so, so delightful. Everybody who's ever read a Heyer knows this, but there are presumably some people out there who don't! BUT NOW YOU WILL. (You're welcome!)
Cotillion starts out with our heroine Kitty being informed by her cranky old guardian that she has to marry one of his great-nephews/her fake cousins, or he's not going to leave her any money. He's summoned them all here, so she can pick which one she likes best, and that will be that!
Unfortunately, the Dashing Sexy fake cousin that she is secretly in love with and that her guardian secretly wants to leave all his money to has failed to turn up, leaving her with the option of Bachelor A, the rector who doesn't believe in fun and is only proposing because he's Very Worried About Kit's Future, and Bachelor B, the one who has a mental age of seven and is only proposing because his mother made him. Everyone involved agrees that this is very awkward -- bear in mind that they are all fake cousins and have known each other since they were kids -- but nobody really knows what to do about it!
Fortunately, while Kitty is in the process of throwing a tantrum and running away, she bumps into Bachelor C, the amiable and hapless one who is already rich and has no interest in getting married because any potential wife would probably clash with his exquisite wardrobe.
KITTY: FREDDY. Freddy! Buddy. Favorite fake cousin!
FREDDY: . . . first I've heard about being your favorite fake cousin . . .
KITTY: Sooooo Freddy, how about we get fake engaged? And then I could go hang out in London for a month and buy a lot of engagement dresses and make our Dashing Sexy cousin feel like an idiot for not turning up to get married, and then we'll break up! Is this not the greatest idea ever? :D
FREDDY: . . . not sure I'd actually use the words 'greatest idea ever . . .'
KITTY: Pleeeeeeeease Freddy! Please! I have NEVER GOTTEN TO WEAR A PRETTY DRESS EVER IN MY LIFE DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND HOW HARD THIS IS.
FREDDY: . . . you're right, that is pretty terrible. FINE. Let's do this thing.
KITTY: FREDDY YOU'RE FOR REAL MY FAVORITE :D :D :D :D
And then they go back and earnestly explain to everybody that they have been nursing a SECRET PASSION for each other for years, and then they go to London, and Freddy helps Kitty buy dresses, and Kitty drags Freddy to all the tourist traps, and they hang out and admire each other's good taste and have awesome BFF times, and, like, that's it. THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE BOOK.
I mean, Sexy Dashing Cousin inevitably shows up to be a romantic interest, and Kitty gets involved in some wacky hijinks around various other cousins, but mostly IT'S ABOUT BUDDIES who then decide being buddies is so great they might as well get married for real!
This book is commentary on the romance genre in lots of ways, I think, not least because this recurring conversation:
SEXY DASHING COUSIN: Hah, yeah, this is a funny joke, but we all know you can't really like Freddy, Kitty, he's so boring and un-manly!
KITTY: Um are you kidding me, FREDDY IS THE GREATEST. He is adorable and sweet and my favorite, and really competent when it counts, and I want to hang out with him all the time! :D
SEXY DASHING COUSIN: . . . . . >:|
could easily be reframed as
ROMANCE NOVEL PUBLISHERS: Ha, yeah, this is a funny joke, but we all know no one could really like a hero like Freddy, they're so boring and un-manly . . .!
And no, actually, please, give me more Freddys. Please!
I also need to ask you guys what Heyer I should read next, since I anticipate more stressful weeks in my future and I've run out of ones that I remember having been directly recommended.
For the record, I have also read and loved: The Talisman Ring, The Unknown Ajax, Sprig Muslin, Sylvester, The Corinthian, Frederica and The Foundling
I have read and enjoyed with some caveats: The Grand Sophy, Venetia, Devil's Cub, The Convenient Marriage, The Masqueraders, and Regency Buck
I have read and did not like at all: Bath Tangle and The Spanish Bride
no subject
Date: 2013-03-09 10:45 pm (UTC)My third favorite is The Nonesuch, because the heroine is a no-nonsense governess.
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Date: 2013-03-09 10:51 pm (UTC)Try the Reluctant Widow? I think it will fall in your caveats category, but it has NICKY. And Nicky has BOUNCER. And Nicky also has HILARIOUS PERIL. Alas, Nicky is not the hero.
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Date: 2013-03-09 10:51 pm (UTC)Your lists are also helpful as I want to read more Heyer but she has so much.
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Date: 2013-03-09 10:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-03-09 10:54 pm (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2013-03-09 11:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-03-09 11:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-03-09 11:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-03-09 11:13 pm (UTC)I love it and I also need to finish watching Capital Scandal at some point. I think I haven't started it up again because I know that when I start watching, I won't want to stop and that means time enough.
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Date: 2013-03-09 11:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-03-09 11:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-03-09 11:26 pm (UTC)NOW I DO, THANK YOU! :D
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Date: 2013-03-09 11:27 pm (UTC)Oh and The Toll Gate and seconding False Colours, Toll Gate has the woman being the sensible one and a man who's trustworthy but odd. False Colours somehow makes the twins switching places trope work. I was very wary of it going in but it ended up working.
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Date: 2013-03-09 11:31 pm (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2013-03-09 11:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-03-10 12:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-03-10 12:26 am (UTC)It's got siblings! And sensible romance plus watering-pot romance!
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Date: 2013-03-10 12:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-03-10 12:33 am (UTC)...what do you mean, the list might continue onto the SECOND LINE? anyway, Frederica is still awesome but you might also like a Civil Contract. It is the least Romance-y of her books that I've read but really interesting in the way it plays out.
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Date: 2013-03-10 12:45 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-03-10 12:47 am (UTC)omg shati
shati
Freddy-Yong Ha
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Date: 2013-03-10 12:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-03-10 12:50 am (UTC)