I picked up Faro’s Daughter by Georgette Heyer last week, being in the mood for some Heyer but at the same time wanting a story I didn’t know inside and out (as I know so many of Heyer’s books). I’d only read Faro’s Daughter once ten years ago and my memory of it was suitably vague so it seemed like a good enough choice.
I quickly realised there was in fact a very good reason I had never reread it: it isn’t very good. In fact, it is probably the worst Heyer I’ve read.
Now, I love Heyer. I love her historical details, I love her slang-filled dialogue, I love both her madcap and more sedate plots. I love her but this book pushed the boundaries of my patience almost to the breaking point.
We begin with a typical enough Heyer hero: Max Ravenscar is a wealthy bachelor, fond of racing, gaming, and, to some extent, his extended family. His young cousin Adrian has fallen in love with a most unsuitable young woman and Max is called upon by his aunt to protect her precious son from this Jezebel. Deborah Grantham, the young woman in question, is several years older than Adrian, an experienced hostess at her aunt’s gaming house, and completely uninterested in the puppy-ish Adrian. But when Ravenscar insults and attempts to bribe her into rejecting Adrian, she becomes determined to…do inexplicable things for inexplicable reasons. Basically, it becomes increasingly ridiculous and pointless from there. Unfortunately, there is the very beginning of the book.
Events include: an attempted elopement and an actual one, several silly young people (male and female), a creepy man who has acquired Deborah’s aunt’s debts in an attempt to coerce Deborah into a romantic (this seems too polite a word, but let’s go with it) entanglement, a few physical fights, and, let us not forget the centrepiece of Deborah’s ridiculous and entirely off-the-wall plan, a kidnapping.
There aren’t a lot of saving graces here. Usually Heyer could rescue a ridiculous plot with a few good characters and some sparkling dialogue. That is all sadly lacking here. There is carriage race between Ravenscar and one of the several odious men who lurk in the background throughout, but it happens off-stage and we only hear about it second-hand. Still, that’s about as thrilling as the story gets. She has some promising secondary characters but they never come up to scratch and as for our hero and heroine, well they are abysmal. I can’t think of a less romantic Heyer pairing or a less interesting one. Aside from their first meeting (in which they play cards for hours – Ravenscar wins, naturally), they do not exchange civil words until the final pages of the novel, when presumably Heyer realised this would be necessary in order for them to become engaged.
Faro’s Daughter was published in 1941, when one must suppose Heyer was exhausted by her efforts of the previous year (both The Spanish Bride and The Corinthian came out in 1940), busy working on a new mystery novel (Envious Casca – also published in 1941), and anxious about the war. I hope Faro’s Daughter put food on the table and clothes on her family’s backs. That’s about all the good I can say of it.
Understandably, this did not quench my need for some Heyer. Back now to one of the old reliables, most likely Frederica or The Grand Sophy. After the useless Deborah, I’m in need of a capable heroine.
The Captive Reader 
Thank you for saving me!! I always wondered about this book but now I know I don’t need to read it. I vote for The Grand Sophy. She never disappoints!
It’s hard to get better than The Grand Sophy, isn’t it? That said, I know some readers who enjoy Faro’s Daughter so probably still worth trying if you have an interest in Heyer. It’s just not the book for me!
It’s not one of my favorites either. I don’t enjoy the books where the heroine and hero spend the whole time angry & fighting (Bath Tangle being another example).
Another great example!
At least there is a tangible relationship in Bath Tangle and they can be kind to each other (before the inevitable engagement). I reread it not that long ago and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Here, on the other hand, nada.
I read a biography of Georgette Heyer and it seems like she and her husband were always strapped for money so she was always pushing out books.
Very true. I find that is the case with many of my favourite authors (Heyer, Thirkell, Trollope, etc) and, as Heyer in particular was so prolific, it’s easy to forgive a dud or two. Still a little disappointing.
Oh, gosh! How timely. I *almost* bought this last week, but I got Bath Tangle instead. Which from Lisa’s comment might not be such a great choice either…
I think Bath Tangle is exponentially better but even then I’ve gone back and forth in my feelings about it. I read it around this time last year (and even remembered to review it) and quite enjoyed it that time around.
My go-to Heyers are always Venetia, Friday’s Child or Sylvester. They’re all so different from each other with a lovely cast of characters.
My faves are The Grand Sophy, Cotillion, The Quiet Gentleman, and Arabella
Excellent choices, Risa! My top three are A Civil Contract, The Grand Sophy, and Sylvester (with Frederica coming a very close 4th).
I’ve only read about seven Heyers, and so far my favorites are The Grand Sophie and Sylvester. The Quiet Gentleman was pretty good too. Thanks for the warning about Faro’s Daughter!
Ah, to only be starting out! You have so many good books ahead of you (though, clearly, not this one).
It’s many years since I read it, but I remember quite enjoying it. The thing about Heyer is that different books appeal to different people – see the wide variety of favourites listed above, some of which would not be in my top five. I think it’s agreed that some of the non-regency books are real clunkers, and there are one or two regency ones that I dislike or am lukewarm about, but I think fans really need to read all the regency romances to see what suits them.
Very true, Michelle Ann!
I’ve got a worse one, The Masqueraders. I’ve been reading one Heyer/month this year to read down my TBR. This one was the first that really left me “bleh.” But, happily, that’s the exception and not the rule with Heyer. 😊
That is one of the very few I haven’t read yet and, as I never enjoy cross-dressing as a plot device, one I’m not terribly eager to try.
Heyer will fulfill all tastes, i think. I quite like Faro’s Daughter, because I enjoy all the play-acting designed for the reader to see through, almost like a thoroughly well-done pantomime. I love The Masqueraders for the same reason. This one had me at the straw-coloured satin chairs and unsuitable cocquelicot ribbons, so much visual pleasure as well as verbal sparring.
Fair enough. I haven’t yet developed a taste for the play acting but, with Heyer, it is entirely possibly I will reread this one day and find it delightful!
Perfect timing! I had the audiobook out from the library 2 or 3 times but could never get to it before it had to go back… now I’ll look for another one instead. I do remember liking Bath Tangle, though. 🙂
Since library books are so low commitment, I say try it and see what you think! Of course, there are many excellent other Heyer books out there. There are a few very good audio versions of Sylvester, if you’re looking for suggestions.
A little harsh, given that there is only a finite number of Heyers! I quite enjoyed the sordid commercialism – and Deb is quite a liberated character as well as demonstrating strong principles in the cellar. But I agree the characterisation is sketchy.
As the finite number is in the dozens, I’m not going to worry too much 😉
For me, I’m not quite sure how strong your principles can be after you’ve had a man kidnapped and forcibly restrained in your cellar.
I haven’t read any Heyer in years. Thanks for putting her back on my radar!
My pleasure!
Besides the Grand Sophy, my favourite go-to Heyer is The Talisman Ring. It has absolutely everything: a runaway heiress, a deathbed promise, a wrongfully accused heir, a missing ring, a secret priest-hole, free-traders, bow-street runners, TWO heros and TWO heroines. Oh, there is a brief scene of cross-dressing, but for a very specific purpose.
I must go read it again.
It is indeed very wonderful. Happy re-reading!
I recently reread Faro’s Daughter and had the opposite reaction. I guess it depends on your mood! It’s definitely a frothy romance, with the reality of a soap bubble, but I completely sympathized with Debby’s intention of getting revenge on Ravenscar by doing SOMETHING, even when her plans are obviously absolutely divorced from reality. I understood her reasons perfectly! But in real life, she would have no power, so it’s only by the magical innocence of Heyer-land that it works — she knows enough to detest the creepy guy, but not enough to think that kidnapping will involve violence.
I tend to group Faro’s Daughter and Talisman Ring (which my book club is currently enjoying) together; it surprises me that you like the latter when the former is not to your taste. Maybe you read it in a sillier mood 🙂
Faro’s Daughter is not one of my perennials, but I did enjoy it. I don’t think you can beat The Grand Sophy, but I have so many that I really love–Sprig Muslin, Black Sheep, Convenient Marriage, Civil Contract, Unknown Ajax, just to mention a few. However, I find her histories slow going, but I thoroughly enjoyed most of her contemporary mysteries. Her books have a touch of genius that I haven’t found in any other writer in the same genres.