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Summary: The Scarlet Pimpernel
Review: We seek him here, we seek him there,
Those Frenchies seek him everywhere.
Is he in heaven? -Is he in hell?
That demmed, elusive Pimpernel. The Scarlet Pimpernel takes place during the dark days of the French Revolution. When everyday a new aristocrat lost their heads beneath the platform of Madame la Guillotine. Until, however, when one Scarlet Pimpernel came to their rescue. The English Pimpernel and his many followers help save the lives of the French Aristos. With cunning and artful strategies, the Pimpernel is successful in tricking his many enemies, such as Bibot, which makes it easier for him to save many lives. The story also circles around Madame la Comtesse and her children, who were rescued by the Pimpernel, Sir Andrew Ffoulkes, Lady Blakeney, Sir Percy, Lord Antony, Jellyband, Sally, Mr. Hempseed, and many others who are all connected someway with the Scarlet Pimpernel. The book was exciting at certain parts, while boring during the others. Though, it's one of the best historical-fiction books I've read. My favorite part happened in the beginning when Bibot was fooled by the elusive Pimpernel. I liked this part because Bibot let the Scarlet Pimpernel escape right after he finished criticizing those, like him, who let the Englishman escape. It was funny to me especially since it was him who kept on babbling about how he would never let the "hero" get past him, and how those who let him escape should be sent to the guillotine. I also liked this part because it showed how smart and keen the Pimpernel's strategies were. For example, I had no idea, what so ever, that the woman with the plague-stricken son was part of his plan to save Madame la Comtesse and her children. The parts discussing the rescues made by the Scarlet Pimpernel were exciting and kept me hooked. Though, there were only a few. Other than those few passages, the book was full of dialogue. Even though there was some action during the many pages dialogue, like when Lady Blackeney and Madame la Comtesse reunited, I still struggled while reading the book. However, what made me continue reading the book was the fact that after almost every boring part in the book, the author always made up for it, either by having people argue, fight, or discuss the ways of the daring Scarlet Pimpernel.
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Summary: A wonderful story
Review: Before there was Batman, Superman, and Spiderman, there was the Scarlet Pimpernel, the greatest of all masked heroes, a man who uses his great intelligence and bravery to save French aristocrats from certain death at the guillotine. He, with the help of his band of brave English gentleman, risk their lives time and time again for this "sport." He's famous throughout England, infamous throughout France - and yet no one knows his true identity. Enter Marguerite Blackenly, nicknamed "the cleverest woman in Europe" yet married to the inane fop, Sir Percy. In an effort to save her brother from the clutches of the new dangerous French government, she consents to help her old friend, and new enemy, to discover the identity of the elusive Scarlet Pimpernel. But with the knowledge she gains, she becomes more deeply involved than she bargained for. An adventure, a history, and a romance all rolled into one, The Scarlet Pimpernel is a book you'll never forget.
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Summary: This book leaves you wanting more!
Review: This is a superb adventure story. It's enjoyable reading and even more enjoyable re-reading. How often do you read a book that's so good that it makes you want to track down all of the sequels, even if they are now out of print? "The Scarlet Pimpernel" is just such a book. Enjoy!
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Summary: Absolutly Sublime.
Review: This book was wonderful. I'm 16 and I tell you, all teenagers out there read this book. Or, if you are a parent with a teenager studying the French Revolution tell them about this book. It makes history come to life and appreciate what you've learned in class. I couldn't put it down from start to finish.
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Summary: A Clue for the Timid Reader
Review: This note is mostly for people who are surprised at the wonderful reviews this book gets then find the first few chapters rather gruesome. I want to say, keep reading. The first few chapters only set the scene. After you wade through them, the story picks up marvelously. A college friend begged me to read this book when I was in college. I picked it up but couldn't stomach the first few chapters. I put it down. When I was studying for my master's degree, I picked it back up and loved it once I got past that stuff in the beginning. Also, if you saw the movie first (any version), you won't find the movie ending in the book. The movie ending comes from a SP sequel. I catorgize this book as a romance. Yes, there is adventure, but the conflict is that the Scarlet Pimpernel married the love of his life only to lose trust in her on their wedding day when he discovers that she was responsible for a dasterdly deed that cost a French family their lives. His secret life must be hid from his wife as well as the rest of England and France. As the story unfolds, the wife must learn to depend on her husband, whom she comes to regard as a complete idiot, and he must learn to forgive her. Once you get past the gorey beginning, the story is great.
So, hang in there and read, read, read, and enjoy.
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Summary: A True Classic!
Review: The Scarlet Pimpernel could easily have been another Robin Hood type book -- but Baroness Orczy made it so much more than that. The book focuses not so much on the Scarlet Pimpernel's adventures, but on his wife, and her relationship to varoius people. It is a complicated mix of divided loyalties and devotions, blackmail, death, and intrigue. I highly recommend it!
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Summary: Inventive and romantic
Review: Ahh what a wonderful book to read. Personally I'd been dreading this book for a while but I must read every book on my bookshelf and I finally picked it up. I'm not sorry that I did because everytime I set it down I longed to be reading it again. The story just takes off with an opening of the daring Scarlet Pimpernel's ingenius ideas of helping the French nobility escape and then rapidly becomes an intriguing tale of danger, loyalty, deceit, and romance. It's complete with twists and turns and a remarkably surprising ending. :) Enjoy this book. I know I will read it again and again.
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Summary: The Book To Read
Review: I really loved this book. It was so Completely evil characters you never want to win and completely 'good' characters you want to see conquer all. The romance between the Scarelt Pimpernel and his lady is awesome and the mystery surrounding him is tingling. I suggest this book for anyone who can wade through the first two-three chapters to find what a great book this is. The ending is different than the movie and personally I like this one A LOT better. Happy Reading :o)
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Summary: SP is great storytelling with average writing
Review: The Scarlet Pimpernel is great storytelling with average writing. The story is told in a series of scenes. It begs to be made into a play and that is how it first became published. Baroness Orczy is the type of writer who creates a scene before bringing the characters to life. This style of writing is seldom seen today. When the Baroness wrote The Scarlet Pimpernel, she knew the personality of her audience and played to it with quips of national pride and generalized bigotry that can't be as blatant today but still is a necessity for the modern writer. The Baroness brilliantly uses prejudices and ideals of her audience to build a story that lives because the readers want it to. Burroughs, a contemporary of Orczy was the same type of know-your-audience storyteller, but the best audience focused writing might be found in Ian Fleming's James Bond stories. Much of the power of the Pimpernel has been lost over the years but it is still fun to read an original that has been copied so much it is a cliché. Sir Percy Blakely, the Scarlet Pimpernel, is the standard hero of modern literature. He is the handsome man of the romance novels, the intelligent solver of the mystery story, and the action hero of popular fiction. The story is classic, a mystery man saving innocents from the guillotine and the evil of a good cause turned to fanaticism. The Scarlet Pimpernel is a novel that has to be read at least once. It is a small tale that has been copied so often it has lost its originality. But it is also a story that has lent its originality and inspiration to the many writers who followed.
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Summary: "That demmed illusive Pimpernel..."
Review: "The Scarlet Pimpernel" was written by Baroness Orczy, the setting of the story is during the French Revolution, 1792. The French Revolution is well under hand; hundreds of aristocrats are being put to death through the guillotine. All in Paris is in terror of the guillotine and many of the aristocrats try to flee but are always caught until a band of brave and noble Englishmen risk their lives to protect the innocent. This group of men are led by a mysterious man known only as 'the Scarlet Pimpernel'. No one knows who he is and the French Revolutionists want to know badly so that they can capture and kill him. One of the leaders, Chauvelin, comes up with a plan to use a former citoyenne of France, Marguerite St. Just, as a spy. Now that she is married to one of the most fashionable and richest Englishmen, Sir Percy of Blackeney, she is the pivot of social London who hears and sees everything. She might find out who the Scarlet Pimpernel is. Though she refuses and says she wants to have nothing to do with the Revolution, Chauvelin blackmails her with a signed letter proving that her brother, Armand St. Just, is in league with the Scarlet Pimpernel. If she does not cooperate with him, Chauvelin will produce the letter to the head of the French council and Armand will be put to death. Marguerite, seeing no choice, agrees reluctantly. She has had many problems of her own. When she married Percy, everyone was gossiping why ever would she marry such a fop and an idiot when she could have chosen to marry anyone. But Marguerite is in love with Percy, because she feels that he is wearing a mask, and that being a fop is just a façade. A terrible thing happens on their wedding day because Percy finds out that Marguerite was involved in the execution of the whole St. Cyr family when she tells the Committee that Marquis de St. Cyr is a spy for the Scarlet Pimpernel. Though she pleads that she is innocent, which is true, Percy does not believe her and is cold towards her. So thus Marguerite has no one to turn to when Chauvelin blackmails her. At the Prince of Wales's ball, she finds out that the Scarlet Pimpernel will be waiting for two of his accomplices in the library at the ball. Will Marguerite betray the Scarlet Pimpernel, or will she hand over the life of her dear brother, Armand? I love this book because it has plenty of adventure, action, mystery, suspense, and romance. One of my favorite parts of the book is where Sir Percy recites his poem, "The Scarlet Pimpernel." "They seek him here, they seek him there,
Those Frenchies seek him everywhere,
Is he in heaven or is he in hell,
That demmed illusive Pimernel." Baroness Orczy made me feel for the characters. When Marguerite was scorned by the Comtesse de Tournay, I felt so bad for her and when Chauvelin is about to go into the library to find the Scarlet Pimpernel, I was in such suspense as to whether he would find him or not. This is a book which can be enjoyed by everyone. One of those classics that must, MUST, be read! If you enjoyed the book, I strongly recommend the 1982 version of "The Scarlet Pimpernel". With great actors Anthony Andrews and Jane Seymore, this is one of my favorite films to watch even after watching it so many times. There's also a 1934 version with Leslie Howard though I'm sorry to say I haven't seen it yet. Do want to see it though!
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