Henrietta by Sophie Irwin. An "official" Georgette Heyer Novel

[TeaAndStrumpets]

I know GH has a lot of grateful readers on Mumsnet!

This novel is officially approved by the Georgette Heyer Estate, the first such book that I know of. Call me cynical, but given that the terms of GH's will forbid dramatisation of her novels on film and TV, I can see this as a good ploy for getting a screenplay with Georgette Heyer in the credits.

Sophie Irwin has written several competent Heyer-style books and I enjoyed reading them . She knows her stuff academically so no awful clangers or improbable modern attitudes creep in. I think she was a good choice to write some 'new' GH novels and I will probably read them as they appear.

Has anyone read Henrietta yet? I would love to hear opinions. I enjoyed it, but it did fall slightly flat for me. The supporting characters were as nicely described as one would hope - plenty of daft young men. The heroine had some funny moments, although the object of her love was a bit generic.

What I really missed was any decent minor characters. There were servants galore, but they remained voiceless. In a Heyer novel even the voiceless ones were permitted to roll their eyes and chat to each other. Description of their appearance, even. I still recall that Tiffany Wield's maid was flat chested and anxious. Just one word scrawny, spare? ( not got book to hand) and some agitated comments, and you could picture her.

Those are my first impressions, anyone else?

Oh I didn't know about this.

Generally I've been disappointed by continuations by other authors - JPW's Wimsey, Sophie Hannah's Poirot. I'll give this one a go but I'll be surprised if she has the wit and sparkle of authentic Heyer.

And yes, the secondary characters were part of what made GH so good.

I agree but it would be a good basis for a TV adaptation which I suspect is the lure for the heirs. At least the original novels are safe!

I agree but it would be a good basis for a TV adaptation which I suspect is the lure for the heirs.

With an eye on the success of Bridgerton, I suppose.

Exactly. The Bridgerton novels were very badly written (I read them all to make sure 😉) so there was nothing lost.

Yes. The Nidd family & Kate’s wide-eyed young country-bred maid in Cousin Kate, the innkeeper’s daughter in Sylvester who was so excited about meeting a Duke, and loads of the butlers, valets & grooms.

I might listen to Henrietta as a free audiobook if it comes up on one of the library apps.

Well I've downloaded the Kindle sample.

The hero who comes back from the war to find his finances in chaos and the heiress who secretly loves him does sound somewhat familiar....

Oh these cliches are like old friends! A bit more wit and some good minor characters it would have been fine.

Does the heiress have an overbearing but good hearted cit father?

Strangely, no! Maybe next time. That would make a cracking drama, done right.

It's based on one of Heyer's short stories, so the ending sings because that's the source. It's not quite there but I found it pretty enjoyable, although unlike Heyer it's not quite going to hit my comfort re-reading list. I spent a bit too much time thinking "ooh, younger sister is the pattern from April Lady" etc.

I do hope she does more though.

Yes not quite there but a fair attempt. I'll read the next ones, for sure! Interesting it was based on a short story, thanks for that. Maybe that explains the lack of interesting minor characters.

Sophie Irwin's previous books are entertaining, and much better written than many. I have read so many really awful faux Heyer attempts but this one didn't annoy me!

I’ve started How to Lose a Lord in 10 Days. Is it worth carrying on with or does it descend into farce?

I liked JPW’s portrayal of Harriet, but having their oldest son call Bunter ‘Mervyn’ to be friendly really jarred. If he’d wanted to show respect he’d have called him ‘Mr Bunter’.

I can vaguely remember enjoying it in a passes the time way but I would think farce, really. I've been buying them for DD2 who is an academic steeped in Austen and Burney but no complaints...I think she treats them as a light snack!

I really held out against reading JPW but read them free online eventually. I was curious. I agree that 'Mr Bunter' would be the proper form of address! Not sure I'd reread them like I do the originals.

Massive GH fan here, but wasn’t aware she’d vetoed dramatisation. Do we know why? It could surely only have benefited her estate. Perhaps being such a stickler for authenticity she feared that it would be undermined by the compromises involved.

I thought it was because she hated the film version of The Reluctant Widow. But according to Jennifer Kloester, who I think is a good authority, it’s not true that Heyer vetoed dramatisations. https://jenniferkloester.com/2-heyer-films-mythconceptions-things-georgette/

JPW? Google has failed me

Sorry, Jill Paton Walsh.

Thanks for sharing. I hope this is true and I hope some films are made. I would definitely watch and I think they’d be very popular

Thank you it was driving me spare

I’m always wary of film adaptations if I liked the books. Especially if they change the plot.

I am too, and I’m definitely a book before film person, but as I read Heyer for lighthearted, romantic fun, I don’t feel too worried about film alterations. And I would enjoy some hot romantic leads 😁

Oh that is news to me! Thanks for digging that up, it's really interesting, and the comments are very pro.

Not sure I would trust anyone to do a decent Heyer adaptation. If she was happy to sell the rights then fair enough. As DH often says when I moan about how difficult it will be to clear all his junk when he pops off, "I won't care, I'll be dead!"

What I would really like to see is a decent adaptation of Dorothy L Sayers. Harriet Walter was good as Harriet Vane absolutely years ago, but it's time for a remake.

What I would really like to see is a decent adaptation of Dorothy L Sayers. Harriet Walter was good as Harriet Vane absolutely years ago, but it's time for a remake.

And maybe a new adaptation would get Miss Climpson right. She was far too young and well dressed in the Edward Petherbridge version.

I'm not sure I'd trust anyone to do a proper Heyer adaptation either, that remained true to the spirit of the books. Would cost a fortune too - costumes, ballrooms, country house locations, horses and carriages. I bet an adaptation would cut a lot of the secondary characters and subplots too.

I liked the Petherbridge ones much more than the Carmichael ones though.

Although I wish they’d done the end of Gaudy Night properly.