Georgette Heyer, The Convenient Marriage

[rowyn]

This might be my least favorite of the Heyer books I've read so far. The male protagonist is twice the age of the female protagonist and I didn't like either of them. Some of the supporting cast was entertaining.  There are the usual hijinks, some of which were amusing, but for the most part without protagonists that I could actually like it just was not a fun experience.  I skimmed my way to the end just to see if the characters would redeem themselves, but meh. This was like a 5, I guess.

I put another Heyer book on reserve, one that was specifically recommended, because I am still in the mood to read one but I want it to be good this time. c_c Wish me luck!

Comments

[rowyn]

I quickly fell in love with the female protagonist, and the male protag's attitude at the end came across to me as "I'm glad I married this woman because she's so useful, but I don't love her and I never will." I forget exactly why it is burned into my brain like this, but it is. :|

[alltoseek]

I think he thinks that - I mean, Heyer literally writes that he thinks that - but what he means by love is infatuation, but he doesn't (yet) know the difference. But he's totes capable of learning.

Or Heyer meant to show that you can have a successful marriage without love. Maybe he never does love her, or realize that he does. It could go either way, I suppose.

But I think at some point, years on, she has some brush with death from illness or childbirth or whatever and he realizes that he would really miss her if she died - not just as mother to the kids or homemaker, but for herself, and he goes, oh, huh. But in a low-key undramatic way *g*

[rowyn]

Or Heyer meant to show that you can have a successful marriage without love.

I would actually have been much more okay with "their marriage is a success even though it's not romantic" than the "his wife is in love with him and completely devoted to his well-being, while he regards her with a mild affection based entirely on her utility to him" that Heyer presented.

I mean, I didn't hate the book: it had a lot of good bits and humor stuff. I just found the ending extremely sad, in a way obviously most people do not. :)

[alltoseek]

Oh, I wouldn't say you're alone in finding it a sad ending. I wouldn't say I'm "most people". And it's been a while since I read it - I have this affection for Heyer (or for the enjoyment of reading the books?) that is prolly not actually borne out by the books themselves, so I maybe remember them better than they are.

[rowyn]

Heyer is enormously popular for a reason! She writes well, with a particular flair for comedy IMO. And A Civil Contract was specifically recommended to me by another person who enjoyed it. I think your take is entirely appropriate. ♥