Georgette Heyer never lets you down

one of her best. Excellent story, really well read. I must have read this book half a dozen times, brilliant story, descriptions of the battle second to none. Fourth story in the mini- series, can be read alone but better if read in sequence. fully recommended.

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Brilliant vintage Georgette Heyer

Brilliantly written by Georgette Heyer, but you'll need a strong stomach for the chapters on the terrible Battle of Waterloo!

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Paints a convincing picture of the Battle of Waterloo

I read this book as a teenager and skipped through the “boring” bits. I appreciated it much more this time round, especially as an audiobook. The superb narration captured the atmosphere; the contrast between the shallow frivolous lives of the aristocracy in Brussels and the horror of the battlefield was brought to life by the slow build up to the action and the detailed descriptions.
For once Georgette Heyer gives us a flawed and complex heroine. We would use all sorts of labels and modern vocabulary to describe her these days. The narrator has a good range and depth of voices and accents making it easy to distinguish between the various characters in the story (apart from a few mispronunciations in the French) and carries her audience with her.
Some of the battlefield descriptions sounded as though influenced by the First World War which must have been within living memory given the time it was written.
It was difficult to follow the movements and geography of the battle without a map and I soon gave up, treating it as background to the story.

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Big book for GH and a lot going on.

Excellent book, showcasing Heyer's excellence as a historian as well as a romantic novelist.

Atherton read it incredibly well. The characterisations are wonderful, and she does brilliantly with all the accents and names and the slang and speech of the times. Really well done.

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3 people found this helpful

Waterloo brilliantly portrayed

This is my favourite Georgette Heyer book (and Ihave read all her historical novels) and one of my favourite books. The merging of the two stories is terrific. The first following the romance of Col. Charles Audley and Lady Barbara ‘Bab’ Childe (née Ainsley) was a much more mature narrative than usual. The second detailing the days leading up to the battle of Waterloo and the battle itself was brilliant and possibly the best fictional account of the battle I have ever read. The details were superb.
With regard to the narration by Kristin Atherton this was first class and really brought the book to life. Each character had its own characteristics and all were totally to the point.
All in all superb and kept me glued.

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4 people found this helpful

An Infamous Army

Wonderful story and beautifully read - entralling description of the Battle of Waterloo which comes to life

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Excellent in depth story

A compelling historical telling of the lead up to, and the battle of Waterloo, mixed in with stories of characters old and new. It’s fun to meet again Judith and Worth, and have the Alastairs pop up again - when worlds collide..! Clearly meticulously researched and very well told; at times there was quite a bit of listing of people and positions which was hard for me to completely follow, but if you find yourself in a similar predicament don’t worry - you don’t need to remember every name, battalion and position to enjoy and follow the story (though I’m sure it makes it better for those already well informed).
I was particularly impressed with the narrator - she did a truly excellent rendition of the story, and moved between the different moods and characters perfectly.

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1 person found this helpful

Detailed story of Waterloo with a bit of romance

Amazing level of information on the period up to and immediately after the battle of Waterloo. This is held together by a volatile romance. That story served to introduce characters and allow you to get to know them as the battle draws closer. But there are so many characters in this book that it’s difficult to keep track of them

I found myself reading up on Quatre Bras and Waterloo. On the whole it was very interesting and not your usual romance novel!

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1 person found this helpful

Tour de force

Some of the most incredible military history writing in the English language, I haven't been so gripped by a turning point in history since Beevor's Stalingrad. I am not a military type, I was trusting to Heyer for distraction and instead found myself glued to every twist and turn in of all things, the Battle of Waterloo. Heyer's command of source material is unparalleled, her ability to add detail through narrative is consummate. An experience of a lifetime to have lived through this superb production and reading. I need to listen again to catch more of the detail. Superb.

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Heyer’s most meaningful novel

I am a huge Heyer fan and read all her regency romances to shreds. I have avoided reading this one however, not being a fan of Spanish Bride. I am so glad I have finally done so. Whilst most of her novels are chocolate boxes for sick days, this most thought provoking and meaningful of all her novels truly demonstrates that she has soul. As always rich in accurate historical detail, alongside beautifully drawn characters, this novel demonstrates the horror of war, but does not neglect to provide an uplifting story line and romance.

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2 people found this helpful