Comments on: TBR Challenge – A Recommended Read

By: Lynne Connolly

Lynne Connolly — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 15:23:14 +0000

You do get to know Heyer fans by their use of her slang. It just kind of happens. I met one of my author friends by saying someone was “making a cake” of himself. “oho, you read Heyer, do you?” she said, and we were off.
Freddy and his friends are the fashionable men about town, with their own language, just as some “sets” do today. Think the execrable Jersey Shore, or The Only Way Is Essex for some examples of “tribes” of young people.
Heyer took her slang from the time, mainly from Grose. But there are words her fans haven’t been able to source, and because of that, there have long been rumours that Heyer made them up. As far as we know, she never made anything up. At the time, the Devonshire set made a practice of using their own language and even pronounciation.
Anyway, love Freddy. Even named a character of my own after him! I love the way Heyer gives the heroine the hero we all love, instead of the alpha.
And this book has one of my favourite older characters in Freddy’s father. He is just swoony, loves his wife, understands his children, and is the reason a lot of older readers still read “Cotillion.”

By: Kari S.

Kari S. — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 05:18:50 +0000

As a woman who was introduced to Georgette Heyer at the age of fifteen (many, many years ago), Regency slang quickly became a second language to me, and I enjoy it immensely. Freddy is a really terrific hero, and Cousin Dolph’s mother is one of Heyer’s scariest villains! However, I would probably agree to the “B” grade for Cotillion. I just can’t love everything about the book, and it does not make my “top fifteen” list of Georgette Heyer books. But I do love Freddy. He really saves the day for almost all of Kitty’s friends and relatives.

By: Renee

Renee — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 02:07:44 +0000

I liked Cotillion but definitely prefer the Grand Sophy or Frederica.

By: Kathy W.

Kathy W. — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:26:09 +0000

I too found the first part of the story a bit of work to slog through. Now that Lynn has promised a bit more vivacity in the story as it moves to London, I will take it up again. Sylvester it is not!

By: Kay Webb Harrison

Kay Webb Harrison — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 23:29:35 +0000

Have you read Heyer’s, The Quiet Gentleman? It has more of a mystery plot. The heroine is in the Freddy mode; the hero is “quiet.”

Kay

By: AAR Lynn

AAR Lynn — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 16:38:22 +0000

Like I said, I had a hard time with all the slang and I also got a little bored with the opening, but Freddy was wonderful. One of the few romance heroes I’d want to know in real life.

By: Leslie

Leslie — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 16:33:45 +0000

I love Georgette Heyer’s romances dearly, but I have to say that “Cotillion” is not a favorite. I would recommend reading “Frederica” or “Regency Buck”.

By: Carrie

Carrie — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:10:18 +0000

Cotillion was one of the first Heyer romances I read, and in fact one of the first “romance” books I ever read, so it has a special place in my heart. Plus, I really love Freddy! The book never fails to make me smile.

By: Leigh

Leigh — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:52:33 +0000

I remember as a teenager being disappointed that Freddy wasn’t a dashing hero but reading the book as an adult was completely different. I love Freddy. Love his grasp of sense and sensibility about society and the way of the world. I laugh every time I read the scenes about Freddy trying to explain to his father that no he is not in the river tick, he is in love. Love how the heroine sees past good looks and her notion of hero characteristics (learned from books) to what is really important.

By: WendyL

WendyL — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 13:33:00 +0000

One of the few by GH that I haven’t read. You make it sound so good!