Status
Available
Call number
Series
Collection
Publication
New York : London : New American Library ; Turnaround [distributor], 2006.
Description
Fiction. Romance. Historical Fiction. Humor (Fiction.) HTML:Everything is coming up carnations in this national bestselling series Realizing romantic heroes are a thing of the past, graduate student Eloise Kelly is determined to focus on her work. Her first stop: England, to finish her dissertation on the English spies of the Napoleonic Wars, like the Scarlet Pimpernel and the Purple Gentian. But her greatest conquest is to reveal the most elusive spy of them all, the dashing Pink Carnation. As she does, she discovers something for the history books-a living, breathing hero all her very own...
User reviews
LibraryThing member coffee.is.yum
The Secret History of the Pink Carnation is similar to the Spider-man movies. Stupid girl loves the masked man, wants to know who the masked man is, and yet has a complicated relationship with him when, unknowingly, he's not in disguise.
If you enjoy movies where ridiculous "comedic" comments are
I found the female character annoying. I thought she was going to be a strong, independent, original character by her description at the beginning of the book: this woman wants to be a spy and spent her entire childhood pretending to be on adventures. She decides to travel all the way to France just to find this spy, The Purple Gentian. However, as the book progresses her originality vanishes as she's taken as a simple woman who is so much of a klutz that it's "attractive" to the main male character. Every time she is introduced she is bumbling, fumbling, tripping...whatever...over something. The book seems to make an attempt at making her a strong character with comments like "she sullied her dress as she ran through the gutters!" Oh my!
You won't be fooled for long.I just don't understand why this book is so popular with such high ratings. Who wants to read about a female character who has the intellect of a 10 year old, and the only significance she seems to hold in this book is when she's subjected to the male character's gaze.
Please, don't be fooled, this is not a historical novel. It's a teen-drama with a boring and predictable plot!
If you enjoy movies where ridiculous "comedic" comments are
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sprouted from the characters at inappropriate moments and you think "why does this guy think he has time to be funny when a giant spider is chasing him?" then you might not like this book. No, there's no giant spiders (that might have actually improved the book), but the book pushes humor so much that I was really turned off by it. There are no serious moments and no complex relationships. Every line is an attempt to be witty and the characters were so flat that within 40 pages I was seriously hating them.I found the female character annoying. I thought she was going to be a strong, independent, original character by her description at the beginning of the book: this woman wants to be a spy and spent her entire childhood pretending to be on adventures. She decides to travel all the way to France just to find this spy, The Purple Gentian. However, as the book progresses her originality vanishes as she's taken as a simple woman who is so much of a klutz that it's "attractive" to the main male character. Every time she is introduced she is bumbling, fumbling, tripping...whatever...over something. The book seems to make an attempt at making her a strong character with comments like "she sullied her dress as she ran through the gutters!" Oh my!
You won't be fooled for long.I just don't understand why this book is so popular with such high ratings. Who wants to read about a female character who has the intellect of a 10 year old, and the only significance she seems to hold in this book is when she's subjected to the male character's gaze.
Please, don't be fooled, this is not a historical novel. It's a teen-drama with a boring and predictable plot!
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LibraryThing member PuddinTame
I write this in the odd situation of having enjoyed the novel but being able to understand why other people gave it one star. I'll just try to be helpful enough to allow the potential reader to decide if they would enjoy it. I am willing to forgive a lot in a book that made me laugh out loud.
The
If the average romance writer (or is it the editors?) was redoing Pride & Prejudice, Lydia Bennet Wickham would be the heroine. But of course, one doesn't want the heroine to come off as a reckless, selfish fool. So Amy Balcourt takes her place in the lengthening line of Regency heroines who are not so much impulsive as clueless. They don't ignore their era's norms of propriety, morality and modesty as much as grow up in complete and unlikely ignorance of them. Woman usually were Out in Society around the age of 17; at 20, Amy is implausibly childish.
O.K., so what made me enjoy the book anyway, in addition to finding it funny? Well, other than Richard and Amy, I enjoyed most of the characters, and that is very important to me in a novel. Further, I enjoyed their interactions: Richard's family and the relationship between Amy and Jane. It is unusual for an author to be able to do justice to two such different characters. There is a satisfying amount of swashbuckling and adventure.
Some people did not like the frame of a modern day researcher. The book could have been done successfully with or without it, but I enjoyed it. It was sometimes jarring since one leapt from one time frame to another without notice. "Colin?", I would be thinking, "Who is Colin?", before realizing that the book had returned to the modern era. I thought the potential modern romance was handled much more credibly than its Regency counterpart. I hate it when authors substitute bickering for plot, but there was a nice balance here of conflicting purposes and attraction.
The
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negatives first: The weakest part of the novel are the Regency-era male and female leads. What the Stolidiaries website calls "Random Acts of Heavy Petting and Smuttage" (I will have to remember that phrase!) demolishes the credibility of this pair. If Richard Selwick was the best British spy, the United States would be the last bastion of the English language. Even given the somewhat farcical nature of the story, he is truly incompetent, unable to keep his mind on his very dangerous and delicate job in the presence of a female. Any self-respecting femme fatale would reject Selwick as offering no challenge. As R. McCoy commented in the review of February 18, 2006, the story can be a farce either because the main character is a bumbler or because he/she is an unlucky adept, but not both. If the average romance writer (or is it the editors?) was redoing Pride & Prejudice, Lydia Bennet Wickham would be the heroine. But of course, one doesn't want the heroine to come off as a reckless, selfish fool. So Amy Balcourt takes her place in the lengthening line of Regency heroines who are not so much impulsive as clueless. They don't ignore their era's norms of propriety, morality and modesty as much as grow up in complete and unlikely ignorance of them. Woman usually were Out in Society around the age of 17; at 20, Amy is implausibly childish.
O.K., so what made me enjoy the book anyway, in addition to finding it funny? Well, other than Richard and Amy, I enjoyed most of the characters, and that is very important to me in a novel. Further, I enjoyed their interactions: Richard's family and the relationship between Amy and Jane. It is unusual for an author to be able to do justice to two such different characters. There is a satisfying amount of swashbuckling and adventure.
Some people did not like the frame of a modern day researcher. The book could have been done successfully with or without it, but I enjoyed it. It was sometimes jarring since one leapt from one time frame to another without notice. "Colin?", I would be thinking, "Who is Colin?", before realizing that the book had returned to the modern era. I thought the potential modern romance was handled much more credibly than its Regency counterpart. I hate it when authors substitute bickering for plot, but there was a nice balance here of conflicting purposes and attraction.
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LibraryThing member fyrefly98
Summary: Grad student Eloise Kelly knows what she wants to write her thesis about: the true identity of the Pink Carnation, who, like the Scarlet Pimpernel and Purple Gentian, was a British spy in France during the Napoleonic wars, but who, unlike the other two men, has never had his identity
Review: This book was thoroughly, exceedingly silly, but still entirely entertaining. Let's be honest: it's got a lot of flaws, both in concept and execution, but at the same time, it kept my attention, kept me reading, and was a nice, light, thoroughly fluffy, funny good time.
The main problem I had with the book was how thoroughly anachronistic it was, both in terms of dialogue and behavior. I'm not an expert on the Regency period by any means, but I know damn well that the vast majority of the situations in which Richard and Amy contrive to find themselves would never, ever have happened. A young lady of high society arranging a midnight meeting with a man she's never met in a public park? Right. That selfsame lady getting to third base on the floor of a rowboat crossing the Seine? Not a chance, no matter how impulsive she is. Amy frequently behaves like an rather slow child, or at best an impetuous 14-year-old, rather than the 20-year-old she is (and this in an age where many 20 year old women were already married with a kid or two), and I had to frequently remind myself that Robert wasn't being inappropriately gross and creepy by lusting after her. (At least not based on their age difference. Based on how incapable Robert seemed to be of holding a single other thought in his head when he was around her, his attraction to her was certainly ill-advised and incompatible with his espionage activities.)
I wasn't crazy about the framing plot, either. Chick lit is just not my genre of choice, and the framing story is thoroughly steeped in it (New rule: If you refer to an article of apparel, particularly shoes or handbags, by designer ("my Jimmy Choo boots"), then what you are writing is chick lit.) The male "romantic" "lead" in the framing story is your standard devastatingly handsome but curmudgeonly but with a soft gooey heart of gold Brit... Willig even names him "Colin", fer god's sake. And, while I'm okay with the framing device of a grad student pouring through old documents to introduce a historical plot, the abrupt switch from "Oh my goodness, look at these amazing papers and documents and letters and diaries and DOCUMENTS." to an omniscient third-person narrator in the historical sections left me wondering about the context, and about how much of what we were reading was actually available to Eloise.
But despite not being clear about the context of the story, and despite wanting to give Amy a good slap and tell her to stop being a moron, AND despite figuring out the identity of the Pink Carnation very, very early on, I still kept reading, and I still enjoyed the book. As long as I was able to turn off the part of my brain that makes rational objections to all of the things mentioned above, this book was funny, and entertainingly racy, and a fun adventure romp. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: If you like historical romances, or just need something light and appropriately guilty-pleasure-ish for an airplane or vacation read, or just to give your brain a break, this one was certainly fun to read, despite (or because of?) it being thoroughly silly fluff.
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revealed. Eloise stumbles upon a treasure trove of papers which she is told may hold the name of the Pink Carnation, but what she finds instead is a love story between Amy Balcourt, a feisty young woman who is determined to help the British cause against Napoleon, and Richard Selwick, the man who was known as the Purple Gentian.Review: This book was thoroughly, exceedingly silly, but still entirely entertaining. Let's be honest: it's got a lot of flaws, both in concept and execution, but at the same time, it kept my attention, kept me reading, and was a nice, light, thoroughly fluffy, funny good time.
The main problem I had with the book was how thoroughly anachronistic it was, both in terms of dialogue and behavior. I'm not an expert on the Regency period by any means, but I know damn well that the vast majority of the situations in which Richard and Amy contrive to find themselves would never, ever have happened. A young lady of high society arranging a midnight meeting with a man she's never met in a public park? Right. That selfsame lady getting to third base on the floor of a rowboat crossing the Seine? Not a chance, no matter how impulsive she is. Amy frequently behaves like an rather slow child, or at best an impetuous 14-year-old, rather than the 20-year-old she is (and this in an age where many 20 year old women were already married with a kid or two), and I had to frequently remind myself that Robert wasn't being inappropriately gross and creepy by lusting after her. (At least not based on their age difference. Based on how incapable Robert seemed to be of holding a single other thought in his head when he was around her, his attraction to her was certainly ill-advised and incompatible with his espionage activities.)
I wasn't crazy about the framing plot, either. Chick lit is just not my genre of choice, and the framing story is thoroughly steeped in it (New rule: If you refer to an article of apparel, particularly shoes or handbags, by designer ("my Jimmy Choo boots"), then what you are writing is chick lit.) The male "romantic" "lead" in the framing story is your standard devastatingly handsome but curmudgeonly but with a soft gooey heart of gold Brit... Willig even names him "Colin", fer god's sake. And, while I'm okay with the framing device of a grad student pouring through old documents to introduce a historical plot, the abrupt switch from "Oh my goodness, look at these amazing papers and documents and letters and diaries and DOCUMENTS." to an omniscient third-person narrator in the historical sections left me wondering about the context, and about how much of what we were reading was actually available to Eloise.
But despite not being clear about the context of the story, and despite wanting to give Amy a good slap and tell her to stop being a moron, AND despite figuring out the identity of the Pink Carnation very, very early on, I still kept reading, and I still enjoyed the book. As long as I was able to turn off the part of my brain that makes rational objections to all of the things mentioned above, this book was funny, and entertainingly racy, and a fun adventure romp. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: If you like historical romances, or just need something light and appropriately guilty-pleasure-ish for an airplane or vacation read, or just to give your brain a break, this one was certainly fun to read, despite (or because of?) it being thoroughly silly fluff.
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LibraryThing member kaionvin
Written as a chick-lit, extra-bad "historical" fanfiction piece to Emmuska Orczy's The Scarlet Pimpernel, Lauren Willig provides not one but two insipid idiotic (Mary-Sue) "heroines". These spies are more interested in trite banter and tired slap-slap-kiss routines or in initiating sex scenes too
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cheesily full of "swoon"s to be accepted into a romance novel than actually doing any spy work. By the time I was halfway through this novel, I had long since dried my feminist tears and was actively hoping Napoleon would uncover our protagonists and execute them to spare the world from more of this horrific prose. Show Less
LibraryThing member Jennisis
I am all for comedic books and light reads, and regency romances...but this one is just plain silly. Based on the premise, I expected a tale of intrigue, romance and danger. What I got was a tale of idiocy, sex and bumbling. The present-day Harvard student and the 1803 "well-bred" lady who traipses
My suggestions to the author:
1. Your readers are not 12-year-olds
2. Read a book of Regency etiquette if you are going to write about it
3. Don't lure your readers to your book by talking of intriguing subjects such as the Scarlet Pimpernel and then leave them hanging without the return on the promises it suggests.
4. You lost me completely when the heroine said "Argh"
I gave this two stars because I actually finished it, and because the author used the word "Pulchitrudinous" more than once, even if it was parodically.
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about like a street urchin and practically loses her virginity on a canal boat in front of a boatman without even a second thought think the same, speak the same and act the same. The only reason that this book can be said to be set in 1803 is because Amy didn't have an airplane or a car, and because the author kept beating us over the head with famous people of the time with whom the heroine could interact (One of whom she admittedly fudged into the story a year too early). I felt throughout the book as though the author doubted my ability to understand her and therefore had to simplify things to the point of inanity. Although, this book got enough good reviews that I suppose Ms. Willig has her audience. I certainly won't hang around for the sequel!My suggestions to the author:
1. Your readers are not 12-year-olds
2. Read a book of Regency etiquette if you are going to write about it
3. Don't lure your readers to your book by talking of intriguing subjects such as the Scarlet Pimpernel and then leave them hanging without the return on the promises it suggests.
4. You lost me completely when the heroine said "Argh"
I gave this two stars because I actually finished it, and because the author used the word "Pulchitrudinous" more than once, even if it was parodically.
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LibraryThing member bell7
Eloise is working on her dissertation, and she's always been fascinated with enigmas like the Scarlet Pimpernel, the Purple Gentian, and the Pink Carnation. The identity of the first two have long been unmasked, but her hope is to come across something in the archives that will reveal the
Most of the story, in fact, is set during 1803, when Amy Balcourt returns to France (she is half-French, half English) to try to meet the Purple Gentian and assist him in his fight against Napoleon. I am a moody reader and what I, apparently, was in the mood for when I picked up this book was pure, unadulterated fluff. Oh, don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it and would probably read it again. The characters were engaging and the romance aspect of the story amusing. Don't expect to find accurate historical fiction, however. History bends to serve the purpose of the narrative in more ways than one. The plot twists were not unexpected; in fact, I'd already guessed elements of the past and present story lines far before they were made explicit in the narration. Despite these facts, it was precisely the story I was in the mood for, and I enjoyed every unbelievable minute of it.
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long-debated identity of the Pink Carnation. In the course of her search, a descendant of the Purple Gentian gives her unprecedented access to family papers, which contain the story of the origins of the Pink Carnation.Most of the story, in fact, is set during 1803, when Amy Balcourt returns to France (she is half-French, half English) to try to meet the Purple Gentian and assist him in his fight against Napoleon. I am a moody reader and what I, apparently, was in the mood for when I picked up this book was pure, unadulterated fluff. Oh, don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it and would probably read it again. The characters were engaging and the romance aspect of the story amusing. Don't expect to find accurate historical fiction, however. History bends to serve the purpose of the narrative in more ways than one. The plot twists were not unexpected; in fact, I'd already guessed elements of the past and present story lines far before they were made explicit in the narration. Despite these facts, it was precisely the story I was in the mood for, and I enjoyed every unbelievable minute of it.
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LibraryThing member aluvalibri
Enjoyable story were it nor for the fact that the author makes the characters talk as if they were contemporaries, and not living at the beginning of the 19th century. Also, where else would two little-more-than-teenage girls find a chaperone willing to let them roam around a city such as Paris
The prose is now and then peppered with important words such as "hubris"...Did Willig do it to show her level of culture?
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alone at night?The prose is now and then peppered with important words such as "hubris"...Did Willig do it to show her level of culture?
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LibraryThing member ashleyk44
If you're looking for something fun to read that will hold your attention, you've come to the right place...or rather, right book. No, it's not exactly a great literary work of historical fiction, but reading isn't just about literary value, it's about entertainment as well.
Willig has taken some
The novel has elements of a number of genres - romance, adventure, and mystery, to name a few - so there's more or less something for everyone. I knew the whole time I was reading it how predictable it was, but Willig actually surprised me in the end by proving me wrong with a twist or two.
Even though I know it was a little bit silly, and not exactly serious, I can't wait to read the next book in the series. It will definitely provide a nice break from reading the heavy, academic stuff (enjoyable though it is) that comes with being an English major.
Willig has taken some
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liberties with dates and names (as she explains in the historical notes at the end of the novel), and the main characters are fictional. Despite that, it still remains fairly historically accurate, although the heroine and her companions do some things that ladies of the time would very likely not have done. If you can look past that and just enjoy the book, you'll have a lot of fun with this one.The novel has elements of a number of genres - romance, adventure, and mystery, to name a few - so there's more or less something for everyone. I knew the whole time I was reading it how predictable it was, but Willig actually surprised me in the end by proving me wrong with a twist or two.
Even though I know it was a little bit silly, and not exactly serious, I can't wait to read the next book in the series. It will definitely provide a nice break from reading the heavy, academic stuff (enjoyable though it is) that comes with being an English major.
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LibraryThing member Kasthu
It’s 1803, and the Scarlet Pimpernel and the Purple Gentian have wowed Europe with their daring exploits. Amy Balcourt is a twenty-year-old, adventurous English girl who, in joining the League of the Purple Gentian, wishes to become a spy herself. She, along with her cousin Jane and their escort
The Secret History of the Pink Carnation is, first and foremost, chick lit, with historical accuracy taking a backseat. For someone who was supposed to be so smart, she behaved like a twit sometimes—for example, thinking that another character (a well-known rake) is the Purple Gentian, she makes an assignation with him in a dark, secluded space. I thought it was also rather ridiculous that she really didn’t know who the Purple Gentian was until the last minute. The prose of this book is also laughable: when talking about her “feelings” for the Purple Gentian (who she’s only met twice at the time this passage occurs, and both times when his face was covered), Amy thinks: “Oh, but she had been so sure of her feelings for the Gentian! And of his for her. His promise of a necklace of stars had seemed to be a sort of divine seal of approval, marking him out as her official, one and only true love.” Please. Like anyone could be so naive. I only continued reading to find out if Amy would learn from her mistakes. She never did.
The spies don’t seem to sneak around all that much; at one point Lord Richard emerges from the front door of his house in his disguise. He also seems to spend an inordinate amount of time staring at Amy’s behind; in one part, the book literally becomes a bodice-ripper, heavy panting and bad sexual innuendoes included. The politics of the period, and the court of Napoleon, seem like a trip to Disney World. The characters all have modern day behavior and speech patterns. For example, at that time a man would never call a woman by her first name if she wasn’t related to him.
With regards to Eloise, the graduate student who writes her thesis on the Pink Carnation, I found it hard to believe that she couldn't figure out who the Pink Carnation was sooner. And Eloise's story seemed like a rude, unwelcome interruption into the main narrative.
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Miss Gwen, go to France, where they meet Lord Richard Selwick, also known as the Purple Gentian. A case of confused identities ensues in a bad parody of good spy fiction.The Secret History of the Pink Carnation is, first and foremost, chick lit, with historical accuracy taking a backseat. For someone who was supposed to be so smart, she behaved like a twit sometimes—for example, thinking that another character (a well-known rake) is the Purple Gentian, she makes an assignation with him in a dark, secluded space. I thought it was also rather ridiculous that she really didn’t know who the Purple Gentian was until the last minute. The prose of this book is also laughable: when talking about her “feelings” for the Purple Gentian (who she’s only met twice at the time this passage occurs, and both times when his face was covered), Amy thinks: “Oh, but she had been so sure of her feelings for the Gentian! And of his for her. His promise of a necklace of stars had seemed to be a sort of divine seal of approval, marking him out as her official, one and only true love.” Please. Like anyone could be so naive. I only continued reading to find out if Amy would learn from her mistakes. She never did.
The spies don’t seem to sneak around all that much; at one point Lord Richard emerges from the front door of his house in his disguise. He also seems to spend an inordinate amount of time staring at Amy’s behind; in one part, the book literally becomes a bodice-ripper, heavy panting and bad sexual innuendoes included. The politics of the period, and the court of Napoleon, seem like a trip to Disney World. The characters all have modern day behavior and speech patterns. For example, at that time a man would never call a woman by her first name if she wasn’t related to him.
With regards to Eloise, the graduate student who writes her thesis on the Pink Carnation, I found it hard to believe that she couldn't figure out who the Pink Carnation was sooner. And Eloise's story seemed like a rude, unwelcome interruption into the main narrative.
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LibraryThing member mjmbecky
(Review based off of the audio version of the book.) While this book has received mix reviews, I thought it was a pretty interesting story. Although it is far from a true history of the era or culture, and read a bit more like a historical romance, I enjoyed the escape factor. Since I tend to be an
While the book had me confused in a few places, and not following the how, where, and why of the espionage, I still was entertained and enjoyed the story. The book does contain two pretty surprising sex scenes that honestly had me reaching for the volume on my radio to turn it down for fear someone would hear! I know. I sound silly, but they took me a bit by surprise. On the whole, I would say that the novel was a fun romp through history, but in a very fictitious way. I enjoyed the story, but wouldn't turn to it for any sense of true history or the culture of that time period.
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easily distracted reader and listener, the two stories (past and future) were fine for me. In fact, I appreciated being jerked back into the present from time to time, to be reminded that this is a diary we're being privileged to look into, and not a history book! Some of the encounters between Amy and Richard/The Purple Gentian were a bit far-fetched, and steamy at times, which wouldn't be exactly accurate. However, in keeping with the idea that this is a diary, and about a supposed female SPY, I figured it was meant to delve into the non-standard for the time. Spies don't necessarily live by every strict code of the culture they live in, right?While the book had me confused in a few places, and not following the how, where, and why of the espionage, I still was entertained and enjoyed the story. The book does contain two pretty surprising sex scenes that honestly had me reaching for the volume on my radio to turn it down for fear someone would hear! I know. I sound silly, but they took me a bit by surprise. On the whole, I would say that the novel was a fun romp through history, but in a very fictitious way. I enjoyed the story, but wouldn't turn to it for any sense of true history or the culture of that time period.
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LibraryThing member thepequodtwo
intellectually speaking, i know that i should go into this book without any expectations. it's a light, fluffy read that should at the least be mildly diverting. with a title that has "pink" and "carnation" in it, what else could i expect? carnations, incidentally, are the homeliest and least
and so, excepting the title, it was entertaining. at the same time, however, i walk away from the secret history of the pink carnation dissatisfied. i guess i can't completely divorce it, in my mind, from its predecessor, the scarlet pimpernel, to which it pales in comparison. the overall tone detracted most from this book's potential. the characters capered about, had their dalliances and played dress up. when they failed to take their situation, namely the napoleonic wars, seriously, or, for that matter, themselves, how was i to return the favor. i kept trying to engage in the story and care about the characters, but i couldn't help being irritated. amy, in particular, grated on my nerves, no matter how patient i tried to be. way too excitable and silly, which is a problem when she's the one holding the book together. i kept expecting amy to grow up (an arc that would have salvaged the whole book) but she never did. i guess the chick lit tone of amy's story didn't transfer very well for me, though louise's story, the conventional chick lit part of the book, was enjoyable and rang true. in this sense the "genre-bending" in my opinion, wasn't all that successful.
as for the purple gentian... he was no scarlet pimpernel. it seemed that the author was so focused on adorning him with what was supposed to pass as sparkling and witty dialogue that he came off as just as shallow as amy.
so, while i did enjoy the secret history of the pink carnation, i have to say that the fluff got in my way. maybe some expectations snuck into my perspective after all, because i'm always on the look out for another good swashbuckler. amy's cousin and co-conspirator jane, on the other hand, seems to show some promise (she's not nearly as bouncy and giggly as amy), so, with the possibility that willig can deliver on that score, i'll go hunting for the next installment of her flower stories, hopeful in spite of myself.
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interesting of flowers in my opinion, but i tried not to let that color my view of the book too much. and so, excepting the title, it was entertaining. at the same time, however, i walk away from the secret history of the pink carnation dissatisfied. i guess i can't completely divorce it, in my mind, from its predecessor, the scarlet pimpernel, to which it pales in comparison. the overall tone detracted most from this book's potential. the characters capered about, had their dalliances and played dress up. when they failed to take their situation, namely the napoleonic wars, seriously, or, for that matter, themselves, how was i to return the favor. i kept trying to engage in the story and care about the characters, but i couldn't help being irritated. amy, in particular, grated on my nerves, no matter how patient i tried to be. way too excitable and silly, which is a problem when she's the one holding the book together. i kept expecting amy to grow up (an arc that would have salvaged the whole book) but she never did. i guess the chick lit tone of amy's story didn't transfer very well for me, though louise's story, the conventional chick lit part of the book, was enjoyable and rang true. in this sense the "genre-bending" in my opinion, wasn't all that successful.
as for the purple gentian... he was no scarlet pimpernel. it seemed that the author was so focused on adorning him with what was supposed to pass as sparkling and witty dialogue that he came off as just as shallow as amy.
so, while i did enjoy the secret history of the pink carnation, i have to say that the fluff got in my way. maybe some expectations snuck into my perspective after all, because i'm always on the look out for another good swashbuckler. amy's cousin and co-conspirator jane, on the other hand, seems to show some promise (she's not nearly as bouncy and giggly as amy), so, with the possibility that willig can deliver on that score, i'll go hunting for the next installment of her flower stories, hopeful in spite of myself.
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LibraryThing member booksandwine
The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig is an adult historical fiction romance. It alternates between modern day England and Post-Revolutionary France. The book alternates between three main characters, Eloise, Amy Balcourt, and Richard Selwick.It's basically a spin-off of The
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Scarlet Pimpernel.I felt the Secret History of the Pink Carnation was rather exaggerated, but the exaggeration was hilarious. You have Amy Balcourt who is part English, part French, and so determined to join a league of spies, she's getting herself consistently into trouble. You have Eloise who is a modern girl, but has boy troubles. You also have a certain character and her umbrella. The dialogue isn't incredibly witty either, but I laughed (perhaps it doesn't take much for me).I liked that there were strong women in this book, I almost didn't expect it, because it is billed as a historical romance, but these women kick ass. They are brave, courageous, intelligent, and loyal. Granted they may be a bit sexually active, but that really does not bother me. I felt Amy Balcourt was a determined force to be reckoned with.Aside from the characters, The Secret History of the Pink Carnation was steamy. There were certain scenes/chapters which may offend those who dislike book sex, whereas others will have to cool down after those scenes.I would say this is definitely not a serious read, it's basically brain candy after a stressful week, and I found it rather easy to lose myself in this book. While reading it, I suggest you drink Chocolate Lab Wine. It's a New York chocolate flavored dessert wine, I wouldn't call it my wine of choice, it's too sweet, but definitely something I do enjoy once in awhile! Show Less
LibraryThing member cyderry
We've all heard of the Scarlet Pimpernel, and very much along the lines of the his adventures, we are treated to the story of the end of the career of the Purple Gentian (a friend of the Scarlet Pimpernel) and how he was unmasked and the circumstances which lead to the birth of the Pink Carnation
The story is woven around the research of a Harvard Doctoral candidate (Eloise Kelly) searching for the identity of the Pink Carnation - an English spy during the Napoleonic era whose true identity has never been revealed. Having searched numerous archives in the British library and universities, Eloise makes a last ditch effort and contacts the family members of the Scarlet Pimpernel and the Purple Gentian asking if they have any information that could be helpful. The story that evolves is delightfully entertaining and mysterious.
This is the first in the series and I'm definitely looking forward to continuing this series - the characters were fun and amusing and the style was refreshing.
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in his stead.The story is woven around the research of a Harvard Doctoral candidate (Eloise Kelly) searching for the identity of the Pink Carnation - an English spy during the Napoleonic era whose true identity has never been revealed. Having searched numerous archives in the British library and universities, Eloise makes a last ditch effort and contacts the family members of the Scarlet Pimpernel and the Purple Gentian asking if they have any information that could be helpful. The story that evolves is delightfully entertaining and mysterious.
This is the first in the series and I'm definitely looking forward to continuing this series - the characters were fun and amusing and the style was refreshing.
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LibraryThing member miyurose
I adored this. From Eloise’s spunky confrontation with Colin over the family papers to her weakness for champagne to Amy and Jane’s scheming to the surprise of Miss Gwen to Richard’s family, this book was a jewel. I can’t believe it was out there for three years before I heard of it. I
I chose a short passage to share that I thought captured the tone of the story perfectly:
Richard rather fancied the idea of springing out of a brandy barrel, rapier at the ready. “Not the vintage you were expecting, gentlemen?” he would drawl as he leaped out of the cask, brandishing the shining steel of his blade in their astonished faces. With a thrust to the left, and a stab to the right, he’d fight his way through the room, dueling personally with the man in charge, flipping his sword in an arc across the room. And then he’d deck the man guarding the gold with a quick uppercut, whirling to fight off the three men who’d jump on him from behind. He’d kick the first in the stomach, trip the second, and run through the third. And then he’d make some sort of witty remark. “Huzzah for the Purple Gentian!” his men would cheer.
If only it ever happened that way.
I guarantee I will be reading this series to its conclusion.
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liked the fast pace and the humor, even during serious situations. Amy is independent and adventurous and not as smart as she needs to be, and it all adds to her charm. I wish we had gotten to know Jane a little better, but her story is still to come.I chose a short passage to share that I thought captured the tone of the story perfectly:
Richard rather fancied the idea of springing out of a brandy barrel, rapier at the ready. “Not the vintage you were expecting, gentlemen?” he would drawl as he leaped out of the cask, brandishing the shining steel of his blade in their astonished faces. With a thrust to the left, and a stab to the right, he’d fight his way through the room, dueling personally with the man in charge, flipping his sword in an arc across the room. And then he’d deck the man guarding the gold with a quick uppercut, whirling to fight off the three men who’d jump on him from behind. He’d kick the first in the stomach, trip the second, and run through the third. And then he’d make some sort of witty remark. “Huzzah for the Purple Gentian!” his men would cheer.
If only it ever happened that way.
I guarantee I will be reading this series to its conclusion.
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LibraryThing member Alie
I loved this book! I found it on the shelf at Borders, read the first page and was laughing in the store. It combines mystery, love, and history. It is everything I could ever ask for in a book, and now I am hooked on the series. At times there can be an overload on vocabulary, but it does add to
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the descriptive nature of the novel. I have been recommending this book to all of my friends and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, mystery, chick lit, and romance. Show Less
LibraryThing member Kiri
What a fun (and anachronistic) romp!
Written in the vein and spirit of Possession by A.S. Byatt but given a humorous tongue-in-cheek aspect along with a decidedly will not take itself seriously bent and intent to illustrate the absurdities of current everyday life added into the mix it does a fine
I liked the characters (even if in reality Amy would have been a very badly brought up girl for her status from the English countryside - Jane [so far] is a much better example) Jane is a delight, Miss Gwen.. well what can one SAY about Miss Gwen other than to just utterly adore her? Mr. Stiles deserves a nod and a mention if only because he is entirely fun and possibly the closest character to the Scarlet Pimpernel in the entire book. The other characters all have their points as well (mustn't spoil!) I was slightly surprised at how utterly graphic some of the "hot n steamy" interludes got. ok !! [oh and the boatman was a howl.] Definitely no discreet drawing of the curtain or any other veiled references and letting the reader imagine what they will! I'm not one for romance books but.. whoa.. that ain't harlequin folks!
The actual "Secret Of The Pink Carnation" I did guess shortly after we were introduced to the main cast of characters. But that didn't' lessen my enjoyment of the romp through Napoleonic France. Ms. Willig's portrayal of Joséphine de Beauharnais was also very well done in my opinion. I also liked her note at the end about taking serious liberties with history and highlighting some of what she'd done.
The modern storyline had just about as much to offer. We all have our Pammy's (although hopefully not turning up with red leather bustiers!) and other such things happening in our lives. It was a nice touch of an American in London and the differences in living life. Oh and her "anti-compass" loved that part!
Ms. Willig has confused actions, mores, and speech from the different periods, but it does not detract from what is a fun story. After-all it is "historical fiction" and written with a light humorous tongue-in-cheek touch that makes it all the more entertaining.
Written in the vein and spirit of Possession by A.S. Byatt but given a humorous tongue-in-cheek aspect along with a decidedly will not take itself seriously bent and intent to illustrate the absurdities of current everyday life added into the mix it does a fine
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job of perhaps not being recognized as a similar novel pre-text. I liked the characters (even if in reality Amy would have been a very badly brought up girl for her status from the English countryside - Jane [so far] is a much better example) Jane is a delight, Miss Gwen.. well what can one SAY about Miss Gwen other than to just utterly adore her? Mr. Stiles deserves a nod and a mention if only because he is entirely fun and possibly the closest character to the Scarlet Pimpernel in the entire book. The other characters all have their points as well (mustn't spoil!) I was slightly surprised at how utterly graphic some of the "hot n steamy" interludes got. ok !! [oh and the boatman was a howl.] Definitely no discreet drawing of the curtain or any other veiled references and letting the reader imagine what they will! I'm not one for romance books but.. whoa.. that ain't harlequin folks!
The actual "Secret Of The Pink Carnation" I did guess shortly after we were introduced to the main cast of characters. But that didn't' lessen my enjoyment of the romp through Napoleonic France. Ms. Willig's portrayal of Joséphine de Beauharnais was also very well done in my opinion. I also liked her note at the end about taking serious liberties with history and highlighting some of what she'd done.
The modern storyline had just about as much to offer. We all have our Pammy's (although hopefully not turning up with red leather bustiers!) and other such things happening in our lives. It was a nice touch of an American in London and the differences in living life. Oh and her "anti-compass" loved that part!
Ms. Willig has confused actions, mores, and speech from the different periods, but it does not detract from what is a fun story. After-all it is "historical fiction" and written with a light humorous tongue-in-cheek touch that makes it all the more entertaining.
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LibraryThing member roseysweetpea
Who could not love that title. This book is such a wonderful mix of historical and modern day history that you don't want to put it down. When I picked this book up little did I know that it was the first in a series. And if you know me at all you know I'm a sucker for a series.
LibraryThing member averitasm
I liked it, much resonance with the Scarlett Pimpernel. I liked the lead female in this too she was spirited. I am getting more and more interested in this series. I would suggest if you like historical mysteries and it does have a bit of romance.
LibraryThing member kayceel
Eloise goes to England, looking for source materials to discover the identity of an English spy, the Pink Carnation, during the Napoleonic Era. As she reads journals and letters, the reader is transported into the times of the journals/letters writers' times/lives. This was funny, light-hearted,
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romantic, and full of rich historic detail and intrigue. I found it delightful! Show Less
LibraryThing member erinclark
I had high hopes for this book but was sorely disappointed in how insipid the entire plot was. The Scarlet Pimpernel - this is not. I had to force myself to finish it.
LibraryThing member emhromp2
This book had all the right ingredients for me. A combination of chick-lit and historical fiction can't be missed. The book was exactly as I expected it to be and I liked it a lot.
Willig has her own style. Maybe it was the translation, but sometimes it almost seemed like it was a bit childish - in
The only thing that was a little farfetched is that Eloise didn't guess the Pink Carnation was either Jane or Amy.
Willig has her own style. Maybe it was the translation, but sometimes it almost seemed like it was a bit childish - in
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a good way. Like someone telling you a great story when you were little. The only thing that was a little farfetched is that Eloise didn't guess the Pink Carnation was either Jane or Amy.
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LibraryThing member selkie_girl
16. [The Secret History of the Pink Carnation] by [[Lauren Willig]]
Amy, a not very prim nor very popular young lady in England has wanted nothing other then join the Scarlet Pimpernel on one of his daring raids to save people from the French Revolution. The only problem is a) she's a girl and b)
But she soon turns her attention to his replacement the Purple Gentien who's a thorn in Napoleon's side. So with a smart cousin and a cranky old chaperone in tow, she heads over to France with a nose for trouble and aventure.
This is defiently a guilty pleasure, the book is predictable in its situations for the most part but it's so funny that the reader doesn't mind. Amy and Richard, the couple of the book, have sharp wits and great fights that are so enjoyable you will find yourself laughing out loud.
This is a great book for relaxing beside a pool during the summer.
Amy, a not very prim nor very popular young lady in England has wanted nothing other then join the Scarlet Pimpernel on one of his daring raids to save people from the French Revolution. The only problem is a) she's a girl and b)
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the French Revolution is no longer and c) Sir Percy Blakney has retired from his days as the Scarlet Pimpernel. But she soon turns her attention to his replacement the Purple Gentien who's a thorn in Napoleon's side. So with a smart cousin and a cranky old chaperone in tow, she heads over to France with a nose for trouble and aventure.
This is defiently a guilty pleasure, the book is predictable in its situations for the most part but it's so funny that the reader doesn't mind. Amy and Richard, the couple of the book, have sharp wits and great fights that are so enjoyable you will find yourself laughing out loud.
This is a great book for relaxing beside a pool during the summer.
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LibraryThing member icedtea
A fluffy and entertaining read. If you're expecting a serious book, this isn't for you. I could have done without the switching point of view between past and present, once I realized Eloise only gets a few chapters per book spread over the entire series.
LibraryThing member Audacity
I haven't been this excited about a books since I was eight, when I first read Anne of Green Gables. Willig's first novel in her series of historical fiction/chick lit works has become one of my favorites, of all time. After years of devouring the stereotypical chick lit novels, I thought I had
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exhausted the genre, and myself. Willig continually surprised me, with unexpected plot twists, charmingly crafted characters, and the academic requirements needed to write a really good and believable historical fiction. Plus, with the framing of the historical story within the subplot of a modern-day history grad from Harvard, readers are presented with two inspiring heroines with which to fall in love. I can't wait to read the next one! Show Less
LibraryThing member hlsabnani
This book is a great light-hearted read. If you are looking for "serious" historical fiction this is not it. However, if you want Bridget Jones meets the Scarlet Pimpernel this is the right book for you.
Language
Original publication date
2005-02-07
Physical description
400 p.; 23 cm
ISBN
9780451217424
Local notes
Pink Carnation, 1
DDC/MDS
| Fic Historical Willig |