Believe it or not, I’ve only read one Georgette Heyer before – I listened to April Lady and really enjoyed it. In the three years since, I’ve bought quite a few Heyer novels but haven’t actually got around to reading any of them. A little while ago, I thought I’d see if any of the Heyer titles on my shelves matched gaps on A Century of Books – and landed on Frederica (1965), which comes rather late in her publishing career.
Like most of Heyer’s novels, this is a Regency romance – and she certainly enters into the style and ethos of a novel from the period. How many 1960s novels would open with this lack of urgency?
Not more than five days after she had despatched an urgent missive to her brother, the Most Honourable the Marquis of Alverstoke, requesting him to visit her at his earliest convenience, the widowed Lady Buxted was relieved to learn from her youngest daughter that Uncle Vernon had just driven up to the house, wearing a coat with dozens of capes, and looking as fine as fivepence. “In a smart new curricle, too, Mama, and everything prime about him!” declared Miss Kitty, flattening her nose against the window-pane in her effort to squint down into the street. “He is the most tremendous swell, isn’t he, Mama?”
Lady Buxted responded in repressive accents, desiring her not to use expressions unbefitting a lady of quality, and dismissing her to the schoolroom.
Uncle Vernon – more commonly known as the Marquis of Alverstoke, or just Alverstoke – is very wealthy and very selfish. His sisters are forever importuning him with requests to use his power and connections to help their various offspring, and he languidly refuses to do any such thing because it doesn’t interest him. There is a very believable grown-up-siblings dynamic between them, with a fair dose of Mr Bennett being needlessly antagonistic to his wife in Pride and Prejudice, all the while intending to help. But more often than not, Alverstoke won’t do anything for anybody else unless he finds it interesting. It’s not a very attractive character trait, truth be told, and it’s fortunate that Heyer manages to make almost every occasion an example of an exception to the rule – so the rule is really just what we are told, and the exceptions are what we are shown.
Bursting into this contented world are the Merriville family. They are oprhaned and as desolate as you’d expect of a family who will never have to work for a living. Oldest of the lot is (as we might expect from the title) Frederica – a sensible, clever, funny and caring woman who considers herself on the shelf as a spinster, aged 24. Next is Charis, who has that Regency trio of characteristics: beautiful, dim-witted, and kind. And finally three brothers, one of whom is away at Oxford. The other two are Jessamy, pious and anxious, and Felix, enthusiastic and boisterous.
It’s an enjoyable whirlwind to encounter, and Alverstoke finds himself rather taken aback. Having initially turned down the opportunity to help them as guardian, he ends up agreeing when he sees that they aren’t really mercenaries – and that Frederica is a capable, unsentimental woman. From this point onwards, none of the negative character traits that we’ve been led to believe beset Alverstoke ever really appear again.
What makes Frederica so fun is Heyer’s unceasing commitment to the Regency vibe. It’s a rich, detailed prose which you can’t read quickly, as the verbal sparring between characters is delightfully Austenesque and the narrative voice itself is, if not on Austen’s level, still great fun. Here, for instance, is Alverstoke trying to get Frederica to be chaperoned in town:
“I was under the impression that I warned you that in London country ways will not do, Frederica!”
“You did!” she retorted. “And although I can’t say that I paid much heed to your advice it so happens that I am accompanied today by my aunt!”
“Who adds invisibility to her other accomplishments!”
and here is Alverstoke being wonderfully bitchy to his sister:
“Do you mean to tell me that Mr. Trevor read my letter?” demanded Lady Buxted indignantly. “Your secretary?”
“I employ him to read my letters,” explained his lordship.
“Not those written by your nearest and dearest!”
“Oh, no, not them!” he agreed.”
The only downside to Heyer’s commitment to verisimilitude – in my opinion – is the vast quantity of era-appropriate slang, particularly from the boys. Here’s a selection, just flicking through: basket-scrambler, ninny-hammer, Friday-faced, high fidgets, rumgumption, Queer Nabs, mawworm, and so on and so forth. I can see how some readers would love these touches of authenticity, but they always took me out of the action. They were the only times it felt like Heyer’s researchw as being unceremoniously dumped into the dialogue.
To go back to the hero and heroine: what really warmed me to Alverstoke was his reluctant devotion to the young boys. (I didn’t need to warm to Frederica, as I loved her from the off.) And Heyer does the boys so well – especially the youngest, who believes he is offering a great treat to the men he meets by talking to them at length about mechanics, and being escorted to mills or something. Her eye for young people is so accurate, and timeless.
The Marquis believed himself to be hardened against flattery. He thought that he had experienced every variety, but he discovered that he was mistaken: the blatantly worshipful look in the eyes of a twelve-year-old, anxiously raised to his, was new to him, and it pierced his defences.
Frederica is a long book, and did feel long. My copy was about 300 pages but the font is tiny – I see other editions are around the 400-page mark. There are some brilliant set pieces – a runaway dog; a chase after a hot air balloon – but most of the novel is simply the steady, detailed study of these people interacting, squabbling, matching wits and falling in love. I had to relax into it and not expect anything to happen quickly – but, on those terms, it was a total treat.
I grew up in Canada & back when I was in grade 9 (13 years old) I came across the first Georgette Heyer I had seen in the library & started reading them one after the other … the first one I read was Sylvester (which I remember & picked as that is the name of a cartoon cat) …
She wrote a dozen country house murder mysteries which I have bought since moving to England & they are great fun. You might want to read one of those if you happen across one somewhere …
I have one or two of the murder mysteries on my shelves – on the face of it, they’d be even more up my street, so I’m hopeful.
I love Heyer’s books with a completely uncritical passion. I discovered her when I was a teenager, read every single one the library had, and reread them regularly. I objectively know some are better than others but my heart is unwilling to acknowledge that! I am so glad you enjoyed Frederica.
“I love Heyer’s books with a completely uncritical passion.” That’s me – absolutely!
Love a completely uncritical passion sometimes! That’s definitely how I feel about some of my favourites.
I love Heyer but haven’t read this one yet. It sounds like a good one. I quite like the slang in her books, but it does sometimes get a bit distracting!
From the comments, sounds like it’s a particularly good one!
I love Georgette Heyer’s Regency romances (I admit, I haven’t read her mysteries or historical fiction) & envy you the experience of reading her for the first time! She’s done her historical research and it shows, in her use of slang and period detail, and she has a wonderful sense of comedic timing (IMO some of her dialogue is equal to P.G. Wodehouse). In many ways, I thing the “romance” label is a misnomer; as you point out, her stories work so well in part because she creates a sense of real characters and relationships. Among my favorites BTW (in no particular order) are The Unknown Ajax; The Grand Sophy; Cotillion & The Black Sheep!
Yes, I can definitely see the Wodehouse comparisons – I think I enjoyed that comic timing even more in April Lady because I listened to it from a very good audiobook narrator.
You know how much I love Heyer so I’m glad you’ve read another one and enjoyed it on its own terms. I’m trying to think what the Most Simon book might be – possibly one of her crime novels, maybe The Unknown Ajax, or Cotillion.
Good to know! I don’t think The Unknown Ajax or Cotillion are among the others I have on my shelf, so might try one of the crime novels next.
Frederica is also pone of my favorite Heyer’s, but you must must must read The Grand Sophy, which is even better than Frederica. Other excellent ones are Faro’s Daughter, Sylvester, and Arabella.
It looks like the others I have are Devil’s Cub, Spring Muslim, Behold Here’s Poison and A Blunt Instrument – though there are always millions in secondhand shops, so I can branch out if need be.
Yup, me too, I devoured them as a teenager, but I’ve never been tempted to re-read them!
Tempted now? :D
I discovered Georgette Meyer as a teenager and have enjoyed them ever since.They became comfort reading during lockdown. My favourites are The Reluctant Widow and The Tollgate as well of course her detective novels. Sadly there are only twelve of them. The biography of her by Jennifer Kloester is a very interesting read.
The Reluctant Widow is a brilliant title – I don’t think I’ve heard people talk about that.
How delightful to find you talking about Heyer! I’m glad you were able to relax into it and enjoy the experience, especially as this is one of my favourites (within my top five).
Good to know! What else makes the top five?
(Quietly putting another Heyer on my to-be-read list …!)
Hahah!
Georgette Heyer Regency Era romances are my guilty pleasure reads. I haven’t read them all yet, because I don’t want to run out! However, I am not a fan of her mysteries. I tried one once and couldn’t finish it. I have never attempted her historical fiction (ie My Lord John, Simon the Coldheart, etc.). Fredericka is delightful. You just have to be in the mood for this type of book. I have also enjoyed “The Nonesuch”, “Regency Buck”, and “Powder and Patch”. One more observation is that while her titles aren’t stellar, her ability to evoke the time/setting is very extraordinary at well as her witty dialogue as Simon has pointed out.
Yes, the historical (or more historical) fiction doesn’t appeal at all, but good to know some recommendations from the others.
Georgette Heyer accompanied my early years in teaching…netted purses and all! I also found some of the Regency period cant distracting but loved the books nevertheless. Always remember she wrote her first book to entertain a brother, laid up with a broken leg…I wonder what was put in the books purely to entertain him!
Lovely :) And yes, hope he enjoyed it!
Frederica is one of my favourite Georgette Heyer regency novels. Like others, I strongly recommend The Grand Sophy – especially if you want one with a PG Wodehouse feel; Cotillion and Friday’s Child and Venetia are also among my top five. Of the books you’ve got I’d recommend reading Behold, Here’s Poison. It has some great back and forth between the hero and heroine with an interesting murder device.
Yup, uncritial passion over here, too. The ultimate comfort read!