Friday's Child

I had great hopes of Friday's Child; maybe that was the problem. I'd heard it was probably the author's own favourite and I'd read the existing reviews. So I settled down for a real treat but emerged feeling slightly let down. Unusually, I didn't warm to many of the characters. Gil was actually the most engaging and if Hero had had any sense (which she absolutely hadn't)she'd have gone off with him. His grandmother was also much more interesting than Lady Sheringham Senior; pity she appeared so near the end. Scrapes which seemed funny and entertaining towards the beginning began to seem tedious and unbelievable towards the end. And I found myself nitpicking about the logic of people's actions, rather than being able to get swept up in them. Finally, I couldn't really get on with Eve Matheson's various 'voices'. That's entirely a matter of personal taste I know. But I'm going back to Sian Phillips!

This is in my top 10, possibly even my top 5 Heyers. According to Joan Aitken Hodge, Heyer's biographer, it was Heyer's own favorite too. The heroine is fun and feisty but the real humour in the story is the group of young friends, Sherry, Gil, Ferdy and George and their escapades. Joan Aitkin Hodge has a lovely story of a woman writing to Heyer to say that she had been a political prisoner in Romania for 12 years in appalling conditions but had survived by telling and retelling the story of Kitten and Sherry and their friends over and over again to her cell mates. "Truly, your characters managed to awaken smiles, even when hearts were heavy, stomachs empty and the future dark indeed!"

I am a great fan both of audiobooks and Georgette Heyer's romances. I really enjoyed this and Eve Matheson reads it with great skill and charm. The whole thing is a delight with some great set-piece comic scenes and funny characters.

I would buy anything read by Eve Matheson again.

A tale of two highly spirited youngsters(the female Hero and 'Sherry') on a combined journey to maturity, so the narrative is full of high jinx. Hero is as innocent as 'a Kitten' and I loved the voice Eve Matheson did for her. Sherry is almost as ill equipped as she, to be upon the town without restraint.
Also a close knit collection of Sherry's friends are looking out for them, although this gave me a nice feeling while listening, the friends have ideas of their own which only add to the high jinx!
It has a light hearted centre and is a satisfying way to pass the time.

A very enjoyable listen, it follows the book well. A light easy story that brings often a smile

Superb book which was read brilliantly by Eve Matheson who captured, for me, the youth and vitality of 'kitten' and she didn't do bad job on all the rest of the characters either!
This has always been a favourite of mine and although, in this day and age, very silly in places, it still remains a firm favourite although now it is an audio favourite. Well done Eve!