Sprig Muslin

by Georgette Heyer

Finding so young and pretty a girl as Amanda wandering unattended, Sir Gareth Ludlow knows it is his duty to restore her to her family. But it is to prove no easy task for the Corinthian.

• ISBN10: 0434328235
• ISBN13: 9780434328239
• Publish Date: 16 March 1950
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 13 July 1995
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Cornerstone
• Imprint: William Heinemann Ltd
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 278
• Language: English

Reviews

[jamiereadthis]

Another Georgette Heyer audiobook FTW. I think on the page this book could be frustrating: it’s all digressions and hijinks and tangents and lengthy scenes that unspool into chaos. But as audio, I wanted it to last for years. I loved Hester. “Uncle Gary,” dear lord. I kept doing extra work when I had my headphones in just so I could keep listening, because Sian Phillips had me hooked like a fish and laughing out loud.

[MurderByDeath]

I'm being kind with 3 stars.

I totally get why people love this Heyer book so much; I do.  But I really disliked it.  It's beautifully written and the narrator of this version did a fantastic job (although her Mr. Theele kept making Peter Sellers' Sidney Wang character pop into my head; I couldn't shake the feeling that when she read it she had a rictus-like smile on her face.  But I digress.)

So what didn't I like?  Amanda.  Dear God in heaven; at her best-behaved I'd have left her on the side of the road, taken Joseph with me, and buried her in the carriage's dust.  At her worst I wanted to slap her stupid. I very nearly didn't finish the book.

I know I was supposed to find her and her antics a hilariously entraining romp, and I have no problem understanding why most people do, but she's just such a spoiled rotten brat and I was stuck listening to her ridiculous tantrums and schemes for 2/3 of the book.

Why didn't I just dnf it?  Because everyone I know and trust loved it, and I really liked Lady Hester and Sir Gareth.  I'd have loved this book if it had more of them and less of that little idiot Amanda.

But after saying all of that, this is a personal thing; the book is superbly written and flows beautifully.  I hated the predominant character but that's not because she's badly written; likely the opposite.  If you can laugh at the antics of a teenager scheming to get her own way with careless but cheerful disregard for others, I highly recommend you put this Heyer at the top of your list.  If you're disinclined to find charm in spoiled teens, you might want to stick with Heyer's other titles.

N.B. - notwithstanding the rictus-smile narration of one of the characters, I'd totally listen to this narrator's work again; she did an excellent job.