Foundling [Import] [Paperback]

Georgette Heyer (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 396 pages
• Publisher: ARROW (RAND); New Ed edition (2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0099468069
• ISBN-13: 978-0099468066
• Product Dimensions: 5.1 x 1 x 7.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,184,384 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Author of over fifty books, Georgette Heyer is the best-known and best-loved of all historical novelists, making the Regency period her own. Her first novel, "The Black Moth," published in 1921, was written at the age of fifteen to amuse her convalescent brother; her last was My Lord John. Although most famous for her historical novels, she also wrote eleven detective stories. Georgette Heyer died in 1974 at the age of seventy-one.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Different from her usual novels, August 16, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Foundling (Mass Market Paperback)

This is a more subtle story than most of GH's romances. On the first reading, I liked it but wasn't 'in love' with it, after the handsome, dashing heroes of 'These Old Shades', 'Venetia', 'Frederica' et.al.

But upon re-reading it, I've started to enjoy it more. It hasn't actually got much romance -- the comments about the lack of character in the hero's fiancee, Henrietta, are pretty accurate. She's a timid and rather dull portraiture.

What struck me upon re-reading it was the deeply affectionate relationship between Gilly and his cousin Gideon. Gideon is in fact the perfect Regency hero -- dark, tall, handsome, dashing -- but although he races off to Gilly's rescue when he learns his little cousin is in danger, his help turns out not to be needed as Gilly rescues himself, growing up considerably in the process.

In fact, this is the only Heyer novel that shows such an openly caring relationship between two men raised as brothers. It's actually a nice change from the usual romance formula, watching Gilly gain confidence during his adventures after suffering for so long under the well-meaning tyranny of his guardian and the old family retainers.

Most of Heyer's novels tend to have better-drawn female characters than male characters, so it's an interesting change to read one of her books where the male characters are much more vivid and active than the females.

A great book? No. But a very charming one, and I re-read it more often than I first thought I would. I like Gilly a lot -- all those incredibly handsome, dashing heroes get a bit wearisome after a while! He's very believable, and engages one's sympathies in being burdened with wealth, responsibility and titles that he isn't sure he can live up to.

29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Foundling, August 30, 2000

By 

tregatt (Portland, Oregon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Foundling (Hardcover)

Another Heyer gem!

Adolphus Gillespie Vernon Ware, the Duke of
Sale, is tired of all the pompous trappings of his position. A mild
mannered and kindly young man, he's also tired of being treated like a
semi-invalid child by his family and retainers alike. Longing for an
adventure, he leaps at the chance to help a young realtive who has
written some unwise love letters to an unsuitable young lady, and who
is now being sued for breach of promise. What follows is a series of
adventures, some hilarious, a few somewhat dangerous, as the young
duke comes into his own.

A truly excellent book. The young Duke of
Sale is exactly the kind of romantic hero one wishes one read more of
instead of the autocratic-almost-a-rapist "hero" one comes
across more often in regency romances today.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars More Coming of Age than Boy Meets Girl, February 7, 2005

By 

Meredith Allady "author and respectful Jane A... - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Foundling (Mass Market Paperback)

This is one of Heyer's least 'romance-driven' Regencies, but it's one of my favorites. I really like the mild-mannered Gilly and his dashing cousin, and The Villain of the Piece is hilarious. The dialogue, descriptions, and historical inter-weavings are all top-notch, as usual. This ranks right up there with The Unknown Ajax, The Talisman Ring, and Sprig Muslin (none of which pay overwhelming attention to the romance part of the plot,and all of which are enormously entertaining).