Title: The Scarlet Pimpernel
Author: Baroness Orczy
Series: The Scarlet Pimpernel, #1
Genre: Classic Adventure/Romance
Era: 1790s (French Revolution)
Setting: England and France
Source: from library (read with my mom)
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars
The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy
Armed with only his wits and his cunning, one man recklessly defies the French revolutionaries and rescues scores of innocent men, women, and children from the deadly guillotine. His friends and foes know him only as the Scarlet Pimpernel. But the ruthless French agent Chauvelin is sworn to discover his identity and to hunt him down.
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I really enjoyed this book. It has definitely earned a place amongst my favorites! I think it’s one of those books everyone should read, along with Austen. It’s both humorous and thrilling, romantic and adventurous.
Plot: 5/5
This is genius. Absolute genius.
A dashing hero is saving the aristocrats from the dreaded guillotine. A beautiful woman fights for her marriage, which seems to be falling apart at the seams. An evil man plots to capture the dashing hero.
The plot is sooo good! I can’t begin to describe how much I enjoyed all the twists and turns. I swear I didn’t guess a single plot twist before it happened … not a single one! I was surprised every time.
It was so good that I’m just gonna have to send you off to read it. ‘Cause I can’t tell you with words how amazing it is.
Characters: 5/5
The characters were awesome, too! They were all beautifully developed and loveable – or hateful, in the case of the villains. I’ll describe a few of my favorites.
Marguerite … who can hate this girl? She comes off as a little silly and self-centered at first, but we soon learn her true mettle. She’s awesome.
Percy: *swoons* HE IS SO AMAZING I LOVE HIM! He’s got to be my favorite hero. Well, my favorite hero from classic fiction, anyway. Except … well, maybe he’s not my absolute favorite hero, but he’s up there! Top ten at least!
Chauvelin: I hate you. Die. But really, he was so absolutely despicable that I kinda admired the character development. Such evil! Such malice! Such hatred!
There were several other notable characters, but I won’t go into them.
Setting: 4/5
There wasn’t a ton of work done on setting, but I did enjoy everything about English social life at the time and then the French upheaval. The more I read about the French Revolution, the angrier I get. *glares at the evil French Revolution peeps* Seriously, that was so awful! I was shocked … I hadn’t realized it was that bad until I started studying it this year.
Writing: 5/5
*grins* I’m a sucker for old books. And old writing. I wish I could write like that and magically not bore secular readers. So yes, loved the writing. I really enjoyed the author’s style.
Content: 2/5
Language: Percy exclaims, “Odd’s fish!” and “Sink me!” and such. Otherwise, no.
Violence: mentions of the guillotine and people getting killed by it. Lots of talk of killing (’cause it’s Le Revolution!).
Sexual: Percy and Marguerite kiss a couple times (I think), but there are no details.
This was a pretty clean book, though the whole thing with the French Revolution might scare younger readers. Okay for any young adult.
Overall: 5/5
I LOVE THIS BOOK IT’S SO GREAT READ IT NOW AAAAAAAH!!!
*clears throat* Um … this is an excellent book. You may want to procure a copy and devour it. I enjoyed the plot, characters, and setting thoroughly. I’d recommend it to any lover of classics, adventure, romance, or simply good books.
~Kellyn Roth~
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p.s.
Have you read this book? If so, did you enjoy it? If not, will you read it now? Do you enjoy classics? If so, what are some of your favorites? If not, have you even tried classics? ‘Cause maybe you’d enjoy them … who knows? 😉
Also … I am out of town. *nods*
