Review: Bordeaux Red by C. Guy Clayton
Bordeaux Red by C. Guy Clayton
Published in 1986
ISBN: 0-7088-3052-8
Rating: Liked it (4/5)
Oh dear. It would seem I'm incorrigible. Clearly I was born callous and disrespectful, and, alas, maturity has not cured me.
A line from the Marguerite of this volume. Possibly a masked defense from Clayton? Definitely an explanation of my love for this author.
Though not quite on the same level as the first two volumes of "The Blakeney Papers", I still had a good laugh or two over Bordeaux Red.
I think the most obvious drawback (bring this book to the rating of 4 over its predecessors' 5) is the lack of push-and-pull between the "Tony/Orczy" version of events and the "Marguerite/Clayton" version. However, there are likely two reasons for this choice:
First, Clayton pushed herself* into corner in Daughter of the Revolution by declaring all the sequels to Pimpernel "pure fiction" -- that is, entirely invented by Orczy -- and to go back on that would certainly be cheating. Secondly (which might link into the first) it is next to impossible to incorporate the sequels into any kind of cohesive backstory -- there are simply too many contradictions: not only from book to book, but also within individual volumes. Much as I love Orczy, I can't say she had the best eye for details.
That said, this third (final?) volume amuses nearly as much as the first two, with Clayton's love of the ridiculous, great knowledge of the Revolution and it's characters, and her wonderfully self-centred heroine. Also, it must be said, few appearance though he makes, Clayton's Percy is spot on. I adore him.
Yes, call me disrespectful of Orczy, but I can't help but be amused by seeing my favourite story stretched in unusual (and, yes, mocking) directions. It keeps me from making the same mistake Percy made about Marguerite -- putting the story on a pedestal and convincing myself it has no faults.
...if I may blow my own horn, this is, I think, a key characteristic of a writer -- to see things from another point of view, even if it's one with which you don't entirely agree.
Cate
* for my theory on Clayton's gender, please see my review of the first volume of "The Blakeney Papers"
Published in 1986
ISBN: 0-7088-3052-8
Rating: Liked it (4/5)
Oh dear. It would seem I'm incorrigible. Clearly I was born callous and disrespectful, and, alas, maturity has not cured me.
A line from the Marguerite of this volume. Possibly a masked defense from Clayton? Definitely an explanation of my love for this author.
Though not quite on the same level as the first two volumes of "The Blakeney Papers", I still had a good laugh or two over Bordeaux Red.
I think the most obvious drawback (bring this book to the rating of 4 over its predecessors' 5) is the lack of push-and-pull between the "Tony/Orczy" version of events and the "Marguerite/Clayton" version. However, there are likely two reasons for this choice:
First, Clayton pushed herself* into corner in Daughter of the Revolution by declaring all the sequels to Pimpernel "pure fiction" -- that is, entirely invented by Orczy -- and to go back on that would certainly be cheating. Secondly (which might link into the first) it is next to impossible to incorporate the sequels into any kind of cohesive backstory -- there are simply too many contradictions: not only from book to book, but also within individual volumes. Much as I love Orczy, I can't say she had the best eye for details.
That said, this third (final?) volume amuses nearly as much as the first two, with Clayton's love of the ridiculous, great knowledge of the Revolution and it's characters, and her wonderfully self-centred heroine. Also, it must be said, few appearance though he makes, Clayton's Percy is spot on. I adore him.
Yes, call me disrespectful of Orczy, but I can't help but be amused by seeing my favourite story stretched in unusual (and, yes, mocking) directions. It keeps me from making the same mistake Percy made about Marguerite -- putting the story on a pedestal and convincing myself it has no faults.
...if I may blow my own horn, this is, I think, a key characteristic of a writer -- to see things from another point of view, even if it's one with which you don't entirely agree.
Cate
* for my theory on Clayton's gender, please see my review of the first volume of "The Blakeney Papers"