Scan barcode
the_jesus_fandom's review
4.0
As a Dutch person, it was so cool to see an old book set in my country. I liked how, for example, the Ijsselmeer was called the Zuiderzee back then. I also learned a new word: plepshurk. I will be using it.
The story itself did drag a bit every now and then, and I probably should have read The Laughing Cavalier first (whoops) but even so, I enjoyed it.
The story itself did drag a bit every now and then, and I probably should have read The Laughing Cavalier first (whoops) but even so, I enjoyed it.
Spoiler
I also didn't like that during the climax they were actively trying to murder the villain. Just not my thing, to kill someone instead of simply capturing them.twicebaked's review against another edition
5.0
You can read this book for free at Blakeney Manor. Directions down beeloww.
I loved this book, more than The Laughing Cavalier I think. If you've read this book all the way up to Chapter 9 and you're thinking about stopping, don't! Reconsider bro, it gets better, I promise. The characters are pretty kick*** (butt).
Let me tell everyone who is at that point in the book, everyone who is very disappointed and hates the book right now because of his dilemma, I promise that if you liked the Laughing Cavalier, you will like this book.
Just because he's blind doesn't mean he's defeat-able. If anything, he's more awesome now that he's working around the huge roadblock of being blind.
(I read most of the books on blakeneymanor.com. Click on the picture, then at the top right corner click on the picture "Books", then click on the top picture (with the books, and the "Scarlet Pimpernel Series" next to it) which will take you to the chronological listing of the whole series. They're in chronological order, from top to bottom, starting at the left. Click on the flower to the left of the title. Or, if my directions are too hard for you, click on this link and it'll take you straight to The First Sir Percy.)
I loved this book, more than The Laughing Cavalier I think. If you've read this book all the way up to Chapter 9 and you're thinking about stopping, don't! Reconsider bro, it gets better, I promise. The characters are pretty kick*** (butt).
Spoiler
IF YOU HAVE NOT GOTTEN TO CHAPTER NINE, DO NOT CONTINUE READING THIS SPOILER. This is for those of you who have already gotten to the low point in this book. If you have, keep reading.Let me tell everyone who is at that point in the book, everyone who is very disappointed and hates the book right now because of his dilemma, I promise that if you liked the Laughing Cavalier, you will like this book.
Just because he's blind doesn't mean he's defeat-able. If anything, he's more awesome now that he's working around the huge roadblock of being blind.
(I read most of the books on blakeneymanor.com. Click on the picture, then at the top right corner click on the picture "Books", then click on the top picture (with the books, and the "Scarlet Pimpernel Series" next to it) which will take you to the chronological listing of the whole series. They're in chronological order, from top to bottom, starting at the left. Click on the flower to the left of the title. Or, if my directions are too hard for you, click on this link and it'll take you straight to The First Sir Percy.)
storiesforhisglory's review
5.0
Adorable adventures
This is the sequel to The Laughing Cavalier and what a rousing, romantic adventure. Gilda and Diogenes are incomparable. What a story!!! Loved it. Classic.
This is the sequel to The Laughing Cavalier and what a rousing, romantic adventure. Gilda and Diogenes are incomparable. What a story!!! Loved it. Classic.
helwyse's review against another edition
3.0
It was nice to get to see the characters from The Laughing Cavalier again, especially since the ending of that novel was quite abrupt and didn't give the reader the satisfaction of seeing Diogenes and Gilda happily married. To me, that truly was the highlight of this book: to see them interact a bit more after the events of the kidnapping and plot in The Laughing Cavalier.
Unfortunately there wasn't very much downtime for the couple in this book, as they were essentially painfully separated for most of it. The pacing and focus of the book intensified my frustration: the middle section really drags, with Gilda stuck in her occupied town, agonising in the clutches of the still ever-so-evil Stoutenburg for chapter after chapter, re-hashing the same thoughts and stuck with the same dilemma. I feel like that section could have been shortened and edited and the plot would have flowed just as well if not better. I liked that Gilda continued to show her stoic, strong side in this adventure, but I did feel like there was more hand-wringing and swooning than in the previous one.
There were fewer plot twists than in The Laughing Cavalier; in this book Orczy relies heavily on hiding certain events from the reader until the very end to create suspense. It works to a certain extent, but I had mostly guessed what those events would be, so it was less successful than it could have been.
My issues with characterisation were confirmed and amplified in this book: Stoutenburg is even more grotesque, we are veering in farcical territory here. And Nicolaes made some very disappointing decisions which I feel should have been explained and justified a bit better: such treason would have taken some degree of decision-making and moral struggle which Orczy simplifies a great deal. This weakens both the character and plot, and comes across as very convenient.
In brief: I enjoyed this sequel, but preferred the first novel in the series!
Unfortunately there wasn't very much downtime for the couple in this book, as they were essentially painfully separated for most of it. The pacing and focus of the book intensified my frustration: the middle section really drags, with Gilda stuck in her occupied town, agonising in the clutches of the still ever-so-evil Stoutenburg for chapter after chapter, re-hashing the same thoughts and stuck with the same dilemma. I feel like that section could have been shortened and edited and the plot would have flowed just as well if not better. I liked that Gilda continued to show her stoic, strong side in this adventure, but I did feel like there was more hand-wringing and swooning than in the previous one.
There were fewer plot twists than in The Laughing Cavalier; in this book Orczy relies heavily on hiding certain events from the reader until the very end to create suspense. It works to a certain extent, but I had mostly guessed what those events would be, so it was less successful than it could have been.
My issues with characterisation were confirmed and amplified in this book: Stoutenburg is even more grotesque, we are veering in farcical territory here. And Nicolaes made some very disappointing decisions which I feel should have been explained and justified a bit better: such treason would have taken some degree of decision-making and moral struggle which Orczy simplifies a great deal. This weakens both the character and plot, and comes across as very convenient.
In brief: I enjoyed this sequel, but preferred the first novel in the series!
More...