ALL OF MS. HEYER'S wonderfully enthralling heroines, are -- though living in the midst of the male-dominated English Regency period -- closet feminists! Or, at least, are those with whom I am acquainted. I have yet, it seems, to read all of her numerous and wonderous books. But I have, however, read FARO'S DAUGHTER, and know, from it and the other of ther novels that I have read, that I have many new treats in store for me, from reading the rest of her work! : ) This closet feminism of her he...

ALL OF MS. HEYER'S wonderfully enthralling heroines, are -- though living in the midst of the male-dominated English Regency period -- closet feminists! Or, at least, are those with whom I am acquainted. I have yet, it seems, to read all of her numerous and wonderous books. But I have, however, read FARO'S DAUGHTER, and know, from it and the other of ther novels that I have read, that I have many new treats in store for me, from reading the rest of her work! : ) This closet feminism of her heroines is all the more amazing, since Ms. Heyer wrote her novels in the only-slightly less male-dominated eras of the 1930's through the 1980's. Yet, her heroines do manage, (in spades!), to retain a definite femininity, and, usually, a great deal of charm. The difference between these very feminine, "closet-feminists", and, say, the "sweet little dears" portayed within the novels of Horatio Alger, (heroines who, it appears, did little more than cheer on Mr. Alger's brave male protagonists), is that Ms. Heyer's heroines had minds of their own, (as well as hearts and tender feelings), and, in her novels, it is not only battles with circumstance, and between the genders which is seen....one also sees a battle going on betwixt the heroine's head and her heart. Often, the head prevails...but the heroine's actions -- usually intelligent, well-planned ones, but often leading to hilarious and sometimes unforeseen results -- are always planned, and done, (whether she knows it or not), at the behest of the heroine's heart.

This is amply shown in the delightful "FARO'S DAUGHTER". The heroine, Deborah Gratham, lives with her aunt, a proprietress of
a gaming house. This makes the heroine to be -- despite her wealth, beauty, lineage, (and, yes, brains) -- looked down upon by polite London society of the day. A (very) young aristocratic gentleman, Lord Maplethorpe, frequents the gaming house...and soon decides that he is in love with her...moreover, he is certain that Deborah is in love with him. Enter, (at the behest of Lord Mapelethorp's anguished mother), the young gentleman's uncle, Max Ravenscar...who intends to break up this horrendous affair before it seriously begins. What he doesn't realize is that the affair never began at all: Deborah is NOT in love with the very young Lord Maplethorpe, and is, indeed, at that very moment in the depths of considering how to let the youngster know she is not in love with him, without hurting his youthful, kind feelings. But....Max Ravenscar's bold and arrogant manner, which considers her, conclusively but without evidence, nothing more than a "gaming-house title-hunter", infuriates the proud and independent-minded Ms. Gratham...who vows revenge on the haughty, jumping-to-erroneous-conclusions Ravenscar.

Including a race, a kidnapping, a hilarious dress-up, (and character) deception, and much else besides, this is indeed a most delightful reading romp! Indeed, this novel could well be sub-titled "Pride and Prejudice", (were not that title already the name of a novel written in similar, elegant fashion)...for truth, true love -- and lost stereotypes -- finally do win out, over Deborah's understandable, but at times over-weening pride, and Max Ravenscar's infuriating prejudices. This is the story of two very head-strong, yet very human people, who find themselves at first at odds, then in battle, but finally in love...as they realize their simularities far outweigh, and finally dissapate, any differences they may have.

This is an enjoyable, enthralling book from its beginning to its end. Beneath the petticoats and starched collars, real people emerge...as in all of Heyer's romances. Who says elegance must be dull, or that "X"-rating is needed for excitement? Not I...and I hazard to guess, not other readers either, once they have read this and other Heyer books. You might, indeed, find yourself writing elegantly, after the 18th centry manner, as I have here-in tried to do, after reading it, and other Heyer novels! Of course, realizing (sadly?), that I am,for better or worse, still a person living amidst the hurly-burly of the 21st century, I do find myself so deeply wishing that at least one of Georgette Heyer's elegant and yet truly realistic novels would, someday very soon, be made into a motion picture! And, although I love all of her books, my vote would go for the hilarious, deeply-moving, fast-paced, insightful FARO'S DAUGHTER to be filmed, first!

P.S.: Georgette Heyer's books are NOT for women only! Intelligent, thoughtful gentlemen, who wish to obtain some inkling as to what goes on with-in the feminine mind and mind-set -- today as well as in the past -- would do well to read Ms. Heyer's intelligent, involving, character-as-well-as-plot-driven novels, too!

When Max Ravenscar's aunt informs him that her son Adrian is in danger of being ensnared by a wench from a gaming house into a most unsuitable marriage, he resolves to do whatever it takes to save his hapless relative from a disastrous alliance. Deborah Grantham, the "wench" in question and the chief attraction of her aunt's gaming establishment, has beauty and brains to spare, but little in the way of money or societal approbation. Despite her family's money troubles - which seem to accumula...

When Max Ravenscar's aunt informs him that her son Adrian is in danger of being ensnared by a wench from a gaming house into a most unsuitable marriage, he resolves to do whatever it takes to save his hapless relative from a disastrous alliance. Deborah Grantham, the "wench" in question and the chief attraction of her aunt's gaming establishment, has beauty and brains to spare, but little in the way of money or societal approbation. Despite her family's money troubles - which seem to accumulate with alarming frequency - Deb is no conniving shrew, out to entrap an impressionable young heir into a mercenary marriage. When Ravenscar high-handedly assumes that Deborah can be bribed, she's outraged. Determined to give the insufferably proud Max his comeuppance, Deb exerts herself to play the role of tacky fortune huntress to the hilt. As the stakes rise and their battle of wills escalates, Deb and Max stand to lose their only chance at happiness if they can't overcome their stubbornness and pride. Rife with comic misunderstandings and outrageous escapades, Faro's Daughter is the unlikely love story between a couple who could make the perfect match - if only they didn't hate each other so much.

In Faro's Daughter, Georgette Heyer delivers one of the most obstinate, headstrong romantic leads I've ever encountered in the pages of one of her novels. Max Ravenscar (LOVE that name!) is the Heyer Regency hero taken to the extreme - self-assured and arrogant, he possesses an annoyingly unshakeable confidence in his own judgment. Deborah, on the other hand, is perhaps one of Heyer's most interesting heroines - far from being a proper Regency miss, Deb is witty, resourceful, intelligent, and best of all, a bit scandalous thanks to her position as mistress of her aunt's gaming establishment. I found Heyer's recreation of Regency-era gaming parties to be fascinating - it's an aspect of upper-class life from that time period that I've never really seen explored in fiction. The gambling plotline, combined with Max and Deb's fiery, and often borderline venomous exchanges, brought a darker, edgier tone this novel that I'm not used to seeing in Heyer's Regencies. Generally I love a romance featuring couples attracted to each other in spite of themselves - i.e., Darcy and Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice, or Beatrice and Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing - but Heyer takes things a bit too far until the final third of Faro's Daughter with Max and Deb for me to rank their relationship with those like-minded classics.

Heyer had a gift for populating her Regency romances with laugh-out-loud, entertaining supporting characters and creating the most outlandish situations for her leads to navigate, and Faro's Daughter is no exception. I absolutely loved Deborah's aunt, Lady Bellingham, and her delightfully ditzy way of navigating through life. Her complete incomprehension of why she is beset by overwhelming bills, and the way Deborah's feud with Ravenscar is always about to give her the vapors provide some of the funniest scenes in novel. Lady Bellingham is a classic Heyer creation - over-the-top, lovable ridiculousness, as is the scenario that sees Deb overseeing Ravenscar's kidnapping and lock-up in her cellar. Ravenscar's reaction that indignity was priceless! Humor-wise I feel like Faro's Daughter was a departure for Heyer. I crave her humor and razor-sharp wit, but too often the dialogue that fills these pages felt barbed instead of hilarious. However, the last third of the novel returns to vintage Heyer territory, packed with comic misunderstandings, lightning-fast dialogue, and the emotional heart that I'd been missing earlier in the story. I wouldn't recommend starting with Faro's Daughter if you're looking to explore Heyer's Regencies. While it's not my favorite, Heyer's superb research and sense of time and place shine, and the wildly entertaining wrap-up to Ravenscar and Deborah's feuding made the journey for this long-time Heyer fan worthwhile.