Reviews

The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy

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cunningba's review

4.0

A book I've been meaning to read since junior high school. Perhaps it might have been better in junior high school.
It starts out kind of slow, and I had some annoyances in Orczy's style. The main plot in fact is somewhat preposterous: British aristocrats saving French aristocrats.
The first major reveal happens about halfway through the book. But, it is hard to imagine that it could come as a surprise to anyone over the age of twelve. The title and the first chapter are about a male superhero. Then we spend umpteen chapters following a woman around. Why is that? What is the connection?
Finally the pace picks up and we have some real action. This bit is better paced, which is probably why it seems better written. Eventually it even culminates in the 18th century shanks' mare equivalent of a car chase, reminiscent of Kidnapped or John Buchan chases through the gorse. However the disguises wouldn't fool anyone who has read a few Doc Savages or is over the age of twelve.
So am I glad that I read it after all these years? Yes.
Do I wish that I had read it earlier? Yes, but not because I feel like I was missing some part of my education by not reading it. It's more like I think I might have enjoyed it more if I were more naive.

meguniqueuser's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

annashiv's review against another edition

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5.0

This was so awesome. It was exciting, it had mystery and romance. It had all the things I love and was written well. I loved everything about it. I definitely recommend this book to everyone. It's like Zorro or the Three Musketeers, but better. It has great characters, a great plot, and great writing. What more could one want? Just go read it.

livpaige93's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

eggjen's review

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4.0

This one was an unexpected delight. The first couple of chapters were kind of boring and filled with dates and names. I was dubious about it, especially because I had to read it with my 6th grader for homeschool. We decided to listen to the audio book and ended up loving it by the end. Once the plot picks up and the adventure begins, the whole book got more exciting and the ending surprised us both.