Where Heyer Assembles a Fun Cast

The Foundling by Georgette Heyer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I feel like I have to defend my rating of 5 stars where so many gave it 3. Surely this is no classic. It's not even in the top 10 of her books ranked by readers. (Over at Ranker, they have this as 26th best-liked of her books--well down in the middle. And some of the plot is a bit over-the-top.) [Examples below.] But here's the thing--

Every time I picked it up, I was glad to find my bookmark, open to the page, and continue reading. According to Marie Kondo rules, that spark of joy means this book is a winner. Mainly, I think, I was rooting for the shy Duke of Sale, hoping for him to defeat the bad guys, demand respect from his controlling uncle, and emerge as a better man. I was also curious what would happen to everybody else, and I was psyched when his (selected by his uncle) bride-to-be turns out to be likable and interesting. Of course, for any of this to matter or seem interesting, the writing and pacing and plotting needs to be pretty tight, and IMO it is.

One of the things I like and find impressive in the 9 or 10 Heyer books I have read is the way she can create such varying characters, from mousy to overbearing, patient to reckless, virtuous to criminal, brilliant to shockingly foolish, and yet somehow make them all sympathetic. (Bird-brained Belinda and troublesome Tom, despite it all, are sympathetic and likable. Even his controlling uncle is round enough to be sympathetic.) Like most authors, her male protagonists tend to be highly competent and confident, which makes it easy to appreciate them, but they aren't always like that, and Gilly is a good example. Compliant, managed, cowed, and diffident, he's a nice guy but is pushed around by everyone. He's nobody's idea of a hero. However, he's not hopeless, even in the beginning, and it becomes easier and easier to cheer for him and hope he's gonna sort his life out.

That leads to some of the over-the-top bits. Belinda, the beautiful foundling he rescues, is so dopey that she has to be watched to keep her from wandering off with the first guy who offers her something shiny. She's such a sweet, foolish little dummy that she's almost unbelievable. But Gilly tries so hard to help her find her way that I couldn't help caring about her, so I'll allow it. On the other hand, when Gilly refuses to prosecute Liversedge, the man who abducted him, the man who was negotiating with his cousin for his life, I found that weird enough, but helping him, letting him act like a valet in his house while he decided what to do with him, trusting him not to escape or harm someone else--that's pretty far-fetched and I may have rolled my eyes a bit. I get it, though. Heyer has a soft spot for old rogues. And while Liversedge is an amusing character, I still would have rather seen the bad guy get more of what he deserved...

Anyway, it's a fun read, and I don't care much about these quibbles, honestly. It's a fun story. Spoiler--things work out, Gilly has his HEA, and there's lots to cheer for. Plenty to spark joy.

Recommended for those who've already read at least a few Heyer books. :)

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