The Scarlet Pimpernel

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Summary: A Classic French Revolution Romance Novel
Review: I am a huge fan of the classics and this book is definitely a classic. This is a gripping tale of terror during the French Revolution and how one man, the Scarlet Pimpernel, and his followers decide to take a stand by helping people out of France. Meanwhile the brother of one of England's most important people, Lady Marguerite Blakeney (who is originally from France), married to Sir Percy Blakeney, returns to France on business. Soon after Percy also goes off to France on business. Then the French agent Chauvelin comes to Lady Blakeney with stunning evidence of her brother's treason against France and blackmails her into helping him find and apprehend the Scarlet Pimpernel, whom she admires from afar. But it turns out that nothing is quite as it seems...

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Summary: Orczy has woven a stirring French Revolution-era tale.
Review: I picked up this book when I was fourteen and have read it numerous times since. Orczy's dramatic writing fully captures the drama and the tragedy of the French Revolution. This novel has something for everyone: political intrigue, adventure and romance. I particularly appreciate the development of her three main characters. They live lives that require superhuman intellect and courage. All of them find themselves searching for something: whether it be love, power or heroic fulfillment. Orczy has a true talent for writing. She envelopes her plot with dramatic dressing. One can see this by reading the novel's first sentence: "The seething, surging, mumuring crowd of people, human only in name..." If you enjoy this book, I recommend you read her other titles in the series. Most are not in print, but usually libraries have some or most of the hard to get titles. My other favorite novel in the series is The Triumph of the Scarlet Pimpernel. It carries the same premise as the first book but incorporates more edge-of-your seat excitement.

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Summary: A fun read
Review: I read this book expecting it to be as boring as most books from that time period are. Boy was I wrong! This, hands down, is my favorite book of all time. The characters were human (in terms of their personalities anyway), meaning they have the same flaws as you or me. And it wasn't just action and suspense....there was romance too. The relationship between Percy and Marguerite is beautifully orchestrated...there's one particular part in the book that shows the longing the two of them have for eachother. I wont describe it, but it had me in tears. All in all, it was an exciting and fun book to read, even if some aspects are a little far fetched (that whole escaping alive EVERY time thing gets to be a bit much after a while).

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Summary: Demmed Wonderful Reading!
Review: I really enjoyed this book, and I am defiantly going to read the rest of them! This is the first of many Pimpernel stories, and it is very good. It has lovable character, wonderful twists, and a heartbreaking Love story. My mother and I both read it and Loved it!! I totally recommend it for anyone of any age I was 15 when I read it a year ago, and My mother is in her 40's, and We both loved it!!

NOW THERE IS ONE THING I SHOULD WARN YOU ABOUT... The first few chapters are a little slow and you may be tempted to stop reading, but KEEP WITH IT!!!! It is so worth it!!!!!

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Summary: Obvious and cliched
Review: No doubt this was great reading 100 years ago. But to a modern reader, the book's age is apparent on every page. The central mystery of the book (the identity of the Scarlet Pimpernel) is obvious well before it is revealed. The dialog is distractingly archaic and upper crust. The thoughts and concerns of the main character (Marguerite) are plain, without nuance or complexity, and by the end I was gritting my teeth every time she was described as "the cleverest woman in Europe." The book's first sentence is great, and the first chapter is very good, but it's downhill from there. Baroness Orczy may have invented a genre of literature, but it is so familiar to us now that the original appears tired. It gets one star for illuminating historical aspects of the French Revolution.

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Summary: Great Book!!!
Review: The Scarlet Pimpernel is set during the French Reign of Terror, when aristocrats and royalists were being beheaded in the name of "liberty, freedom, and brotherhood". The author creates The League of the Scarlet Pimpernel, a band of Englishmen committed to helping aristocrats escape to England, and keep their heads. The head of this band of Englishmen is, of course, called by the code name The Scarlet Pimpernel. His identity is secret to all, even those he helps escape.

This sets the scene for a "Three Musketeers" style swashbuckling adventure story. It is fun and exciting, full of suspense that lasts until the very end. There is a nice love story woven quite naturally into the fabric of the plot, that manages to add to the plot without being syrupy. The story also includes some thoughtful moments that excute simply without bogging down the story in the least. Overall, a very enjoyable novel. It treads lightly on the moral/ethical issues surrounding the French Revolution, and deals mostly with an adventuresome story. Those looking for a more 'serious' fictional work of the French Revolution may prefer A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens.

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Summary: My Favorite Book
Review: This book is exellent! Although it contains romance, it also has adventure, suspense, mystery, and action. I work at a library and have recommended it to many, even reluctant readers. Few have come back not liking it. Most have wanted to know if we had anything similar to it or had other books by her.

Summary: Marguerite St. Just is put in a tough position when an old friend shows up with papers that prove her brother to be a traitor to the French Republic. Although her husband has connections in France that might save her brother, she doesn't know if it will be enough to save him. Taking place during the French Revolution, Marguerite must decide to help the old friend discover the true identity of the Scarlet Pimpernel and help bring this crusader to justice or let her brother be killed by the Guillotine. Who is the Scarlet Pimpernel? Will Marguerite's husband be able to help her or will she have to betray the Pimpernel? Does the Pimpernel get saved? Does the brother get saved? You'll have to find out for yourself. The mystery is half the fun.

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Summary: Funny, refreshing, romantic book...
Review: This is a book that it is delightful, enchanting, at times thrilling, smooth sailing, and wickedly easy to pay attention to.

First off...generally, a pimpernel is a flower. In the book it's used as a communication symbol.

The plot? Well nowadays it isn't anything brand new, but for its time it was. This was the first "masked hero" kind of a story, which is pretty impressive considering we wouldn't have dear old Superman or Batman or Zorro or anybody if it weren't for that good old Scarlet Pimpernel. The Pimpernel rescues "aristos" and anyone else who needs the help, from the Reign of Terror in France. It's actually a very refreshing and fun book. I liked it a lot and think that its a true classic, which it is.

The characters? There's Percy Blakeney, the fool, the fop, the ridiculously annoying "demmed idiot." His charming wife, Marguerite, who is considered the "cleverest woman in all Europe". There's Chauvelin, he's the bad guy. He's nasty, and wicked, and despicable, and it's easy to hate him, yet I love him. There's the Scarlet Pimpernel, who actually is --------, but no one but his best friends know that it's him. His friends are part of the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel, and help rescue the "innocent" ( or maybe not so innocent) from the claws of the guillotine.

These 4 characters, plus Marguerite's brother Armand, get hopelessly entangled in a rather deadly and stomach turning game of who-trusts-who (much to Chauvelin's delight) that takes place mainly in glimmering ballrooms, enchanted gardens, and dark dingy alleyways. Told through Marguerite's perspective you really get anxious for her...

The Scarlet Pimpernel has some extremely interesting escapes and I think that is where Orczy's imagination sets in. It is like Sherlock Holmes without the feeling of "I have to figure this out." and more of "I shall see how it plays out and relax a bit." The book is sometimes funny, in an odd way, but look to it more for some good romantic scenes and some great excitement. Good vs. Evil. Masked Hero. Brave lady. Happy Ending. It's one of those, feel good, refreshing, suspenseful, two hanky books.

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Summary: Wonderful book, but a terrible audio (ISBN: 1567404529 )
Review: This review is specifically of the audiobook edition of this (ISBN: 1567404529) (I state this because reviews are sometimes posted on multiple editions).

The Scarlet Pimpernel is a wonderful book, and has been one of my favorites since middle school.

The problem here is the format of the audio book referenced by that ISBN. It is listed as a multi-track. Unfortunately, the information on the item does not make it clear what this is means. I did not understand until I actually purchased the item.

Multitrack means that the tape is designed for a special audiobook reader that can be adjusted so that you only hear one track of the tape at a time. Unfortunately, if you don't have an audiobook reader (or at least a stereo that allows you to adjust the balance between speakers) and you try to play these tapes on a normal cassette player, what you get is different parts of the story coming out of each speaker. Needless to say this makes this audio edition useless for listening to in a car or on a common cassette player.

Be warned. This edition is not for everyone. If you do not have the equipment to play it, seek an alternative edition.

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Summary: Average
Review: When I read this book I was disappointed. Marguerite's attitude to her husband is revolting. She treats him like a piece of meat until she finds out her husband's secret. Then she has a sudden change of personality. Many other characters had personal flaws which I did not like and the fact that the Scarlet Pimpernel escaped without harm and the way he did it is truly deus ex machina. The identity of the Scarlet Pimpernil is obvious very early in the book as well. How did this become a Puffin classic?