Scan barcode
kailey_luminouslibro's review against another edition
5.0
The Scarlet Pimpernel is at it again, saving aristocrats from the guillotine, eluding the evil Citizen Chauvelin, and doing it all with flare! With his own band of merry men, Percy is a Robin Hood for the French Revolution, but now dissension and betrayal within his group of trusted men might just be enough to bring the Scarlet Pimpernel to his knees.
This time the Scarlet Pimpernel is rescuing a humble priest, who heard the last confession of King Louis XVI before he was sent to his death at the guillotine. I love how these books always add in some true historical facts!
I am always amazed at the plots of the Scarlet Pimpernel books! I never see it coming, and then I laugh and chuckle at the elegant simplicity of the Scarlet Pimpernel's machinations. He gets away with it, because every scheme is just so entirely bold and unthinkable! No one would imagine that an English spy would have the temerity to pose as a sergeant in the Gendarmerie Nationale and pretend to arrest everybody! haha! His many disguises are just one of the fascinating things about the audacious Percy.
There are times, especially at the beginning, when the author tends to go overboard with the lengthy descriptions of the political climate and the French Republican government and all the gruesome guillotine stories. However, once the plot gets going, all of the descriptions dwindle down, and the pacing goes along quickly with lots of action and intrigue and ruined schemes. Such good writing, and I was drawn into the story, loving every page!
One of the best things about this story is seeing the Scarlet Pimpernel's group of men interacting, hanging out and laughing together in the midst of their spying and strategizing. I love how they all trust Percy perfectly, and put their lives on the line to realize his plans. They all admire and respect their chief, but then one of their ranks begins to question the chief, and their happy group is thrown into turmoil. I really enjoyed this plot twist and the way it throws another light on Percy's character.
This time the Scarlet Pimpernel is rescuing a humble priest, who heard the last confession of King Louis XVI before he was sent to his death at the guillotine. I love how these books always add in some true historical facts!
I am always amazed at the plots of the Scarlet Pimpernel books! I never see it coming, and then I laugh and chuckle at the elegant simplicity of the Scarlet Pimpernel's machinations. He gets away with it, because every scheme is just so entirely bold and unthinkable! No one would imagine that an English spy would have the temerity to pose as a sergeant in the Gendarmerie Nationale and pretend to arrest everybody! haha! His many disguises are just one of the fascinating things about the audacious Percy.
There are times, especially at the beginning, when the author tends to go overboard with the lengthy descriptions of the political climate and the French Republican government and all the gruesome guillotine stories. However, once the plot gets going, all of the descriptions dwindle down, and the pacing goes along quickly with lots of action and intrigue and ruined schemes. Such good writing, and I was drawn into the story, loving every page!
One of the best things about this story is seeing the Scarlet Pimpernel's group of men interacting, hanging out and laughing together in the midst of their spying and strategizing. I love how they all trust Percy perfectly, and put their lives on the line to realize his plans. They all admire and respect their chief, but then one of their ranks begins to question the chief, and their happy group is thrown into turmoil. I really enjoyed this plot twist and the way it throws another light on Percy's character.
lucille03's review
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
ejdragonlover's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed reading this. I like the Scarlet Pimpernel novels even though I am generally not a fan of historical fiction. I would recommend this to anyone who liked the first book or similar stories. This book takes place in France in 1793. It follows multiple missions carried out by the Scarlet Pimpernel and his men. They save multiple people from execution.
helwyse's review against another edition
4.0
I actually enjoyed this one more than The Scarlet Pimpernel! No annoying Marguerite, plenty of twists, turns, and developments. It felt a little longer and had a little more layers and depth, possibly because there were more characters.
It was nice to meet some of Sir Percy's band, and to see more of how they operate (I was almost hoping to see more of the planning and mission support). As in The Scarlet Pimpernel, the disguises are key to the plot and rescues, and it is fun to see Percy and the band transform over and over again, from professor to musicians to gendarmes... Impossible to read these books without suspending disbelief though; I'm sure their accents, mannerisms etc. would have given them away at some point... Not to mention the fact that Percy criss-crosses the country in record time. Finding fresh horses and not getting recognised at inns and so on must have been a nice challenge.
Orczy's tendency to come up with slightly exaggerated villains is somewhat tempered here by the jealousy angle provided by no less than two intersecting love triangles. But still, I find it a little hard to believe that Devinne would give up everything (his reputation and social relations) in England for a crush, however passionate. The men in her books have absolutely no understanding of women, it is almost comical how they think if they just get rid of other contenders, they will receive the girls' affections automatically. Orczy is very heavy handed and the fast, romping pace makes up for this to a certain extent, but I can never take her characters all that seriously because the lack of subtlety, realism and depth in characterisation.
It was nice to meet some of Sir Percy's band, and to see more of how they operate (I was almost hoping to see more of the planning and mission support). As in The Scarlet Pimpernel, the disguises are key to the plot and rescues, and it is fun to see Percy and the band transform over and over again, from professor to musicians to gendarmes... Impossible to read these books without suspending disbelief though; I'm sure their accents, mannerisms etc. would have given them away at some point... Not to mention the fact that Percy criss-crosses the country in record time. Finding fresh horses and not getting recognised at inns and so on must have been a nice challenge.
Orczy's tendency to come up with slightly exaggerated villains is somewhat tempered here by the jealousy angle provided by no less than two intersecting love triangles. But still, I find it a little hard to believe that Devinne would give up everything (his reputation and social relations) in England for a crush, however passionate. The men in her books have absolutely no understanding of women, it is almost comical how they think if they just get rid of other contenders, they will receive the girls' affections automatically. Orczy is very heavy handed and the fast, romping pace makes up for this to a certain extent, but I can never take her characters all that seriously because the lack of subtlety, realism and depth in characterisation.
allison_on_a_book_break's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
bedneyauthor's review
adventurous
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
teresa_r's review
2.0
La Pimpinela Escarlata vuelve con una aventura bastante más tediosa y repetitiva que su predecesora.
Siendo, en mi opinión, los personajes el punto fuerte de la saga, la mayor pega de este volumen es la ausencia de Marguerite y la escasa aparición de Sir Percy, en quienes reside el verdadero interés de la obra de Orczy.
Para una novela de aventuras el libro adolece de verdadera acción y en cambio se excede en tribulaciones y reflexiones -redundantes y repetitivas- por parte de personajes no muy atrayentes ni llamativos.
Bastante decepcionante en comparación con el primer libro de la saga; aun así no tengo en mente abandonarla, espero llevarme una mejor impresión con la tercera parte.
Siendo, en mi opinión, los personajes el punto fuerte de la saga, la mayor pega de este volumen es la ausencia de Marguerite y la escasa aparición de Sir Percy, en quienes reside el verdadero interés de la obra de Orczy.
Para una novela de aventuras el libro adolece de verdadera acción y en cambio se excede en tribulaciones y reflexiones -redundantes y repetitivas- por parte de personajes no muy atrayentes ni llamativos.
Bastante decepcionante en comparación con el primer libro de la saga; aun así no tengo en mente abandonarla, espero llevarme una mejor impresión con la tercera parte.
More...