Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Unavailable
    Venetia
    Unavailable
    Venetia
    Unavailable
    Venetia
    Audiobook (abridged)4 hours

    Venetia

    Written by Georgette Heyer

    Narrated by Richard Armitage

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    Venetia Lanyon, beautiful, intelligent and independent, lives in comfortable seclusion in rural Yorkshire with her precocious brother Aubrey. Her future seems safe and predictable: either marriage to the respectable but dull Edward Yardley, or a life of peaceful spinsterhood. But when she meets the dashing, dangerous rake Lord Damerel, her well-ordered life is turned upside down, and she embarks upon a relationship with him that scandalises and horrifies the whole community. Has she found her soul-mate, or is she playing with fire?
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherNaxos Audiobooks
    Release dateApr 1, 2010
    ISBN9789629549985
    Unavailable
    Venetia
    Author

    Georgette Heyer

    Georgette Heyer (1902-1974) was an English writer of historical romance and detective fiction. Born in London, Heyer was raised as the eldest of three children by a distinguished British Army officer and a mother who excelled as a cellist and pianist at the Royal College of Music. Encouraged to read from a young age, she began writing stories at 17 to entertain her brother Boris, who suffered from hemophilia. Impressed by her natural talent, Heyer’s father sought publication for her work, eventually helping her to release The Black Moth (1921), a detective novel. Heyer then began publishing her stories in various magazines, establishing herself as a promising young voice in English literature. Following her father’s death, Heyer became responsible for the care of her brothers and shortly thereafter married mining engineer George Ronald Rougier. In 1926, Heyer publisher her second novel, These Old Shades, a work of historical romance. Over the next several decades, she published consistently and frequently, excelling with romance and detective stories and establishing herself as a bestselling author.

    More audiobooks from Georgette Heyer

    Related to Venetia

    Related audiobooks

    Royalty Romance For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      6 Best Jane Austen Books: From ‘Sense And Sensibility’ To ‘Emma’

      Feb 2, 2021

      Ranking Jane Austen’s six witty, wise, and utterly moreish novels changes over the years. You might have found Northanger Abbey absolutely unreadable when at school, but were rendered helpless with laughter when you picked it up again years later. Pr

      6 min read

    • Article

      The best-ever ROMANCES

      Jan 7, 2021

      The best-ever ROMANCES
      2 min read

    • Article

      THE BLACK SPIDER Part Two

      Oct 30, 2019

      THE BLACK SPIDER Part Two
      25 min read

    • Article

      Some Are Born Great…

      Mar 10, 2020

      Some Are Born Great…
      3 min read

    • Article

      What Kind of Angel: On Percy Shelley

      Nov 21, 2022

      Shelley saw himself as a conduit for the electricity of the universe. The post What Kind of Angel: On Percy Shelley appeared first on The Millions.

      15 min read

    • Article

      The Provocation of a Good Meal

      Dec 16, 2019

      The Provocation of a Good Meal
      5 min read

    • Article

      The Only Rule

      Jul 13, 2020

      There is only one rule in polite English society, but it is iron clad. Of course, polite English society is a fiction. For one thing, its members are rarely polite. Politeness is for the middle classes rather than those who live off ancestral acres o

      5 min read

    • Article

      The Advent Of Christmas

      Nov 9, 2023

      The Advent Of Christmas
      6 min read

    • Article

      The Art of Loading Brush

      Sep 1, 2017

      The Art of Loading Brush
      27 min read

    • Article

      Jane Austen Trivia

      Mar 26, 2020

      Who knew that Jane brewed her own beer? In a letter to her sister Cassandra in January 1800, Jane told her, “We are brewing spruce beer again.” During this period, brewing was a traditional chore for women because water was often contaminated and it

      5 min read

    • Article

      Pats On The Back

      Dec 12, 2019

      I AM writing this column from a prone position. Reclining on my sofa in the library, propped up with cushions like some latter-day Lady Ottoline Morrell, but without the wit, brilliance and patronage. I wish I could say my current condition arose fro

      3 min read

    • Article

      The Last Friend on Earth

      May 4, 2023

      It was as if Doreen Saunders had been waiting for me, passing the time until my arrival. She might as well have been sitting in a rocking chair, knitting needles clicking, jam tarts cooling on the side, the door wide open, waiting for the next visito

      6 min read

    • Article

      Cosplaying Jane Austen

      Jul 22, 2017

      Cosplaying Jane Austen
      7 min read

    • Article

      The Art of Poetry No. 111

      Sep 6, 2022

      The Art of Poetry No. 111
      26 min read

    • Article

      Books

      Aug 19, 2022

      Books
      4 min read

    • Article

      Requiem for a Reader

      Jul 28, 2017

      My first memory of my father as a reader was him telling me to hurry up; it was almost time to silflay. The post Requiem for a Reader appeared first on The Millions.

      12 min read

    • Article

      In The Garden Of The Fugitives

      May 18, 2018

      In The Garden Of The Fugitives
      24 min read

    • Article

      The Girl Who Lived

      Dec 28, 2018

      The Girl Who Lived
      4 min read

    • Article

      The William Trevor Reader: “On the Zattere”

      Mar 14, 2023

      I’m truly undecided on whether Trevor succeeds with this story.  The post The William Trevor Reader: “On the Zattere” appeared first on The Millions.

      4 min read

    Reviews for Venetia

    4/5

    758 ratings76 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 4/5
      Venetia Lanyon is an orphaned eldest daughter who has spent most of her twenty-five years living a small and isolated life in a small community in Yorkshire. With only her younger brother, Aubrey, for company, Venetia's life is not as adventure-filled as she'd like and her two local suitors are more irritating than in anyway suitable to her personality. However, when her notorious rake neighbour, Lord Damerel arrives at his country estate he turns her quiet country life upside down.An utter delight from start to finish, this is an excellent example of Heyer at her writing peak. The characters are fantastically well-drawn and while I was briefly concerned at Damerel's introduction that I was going to have to deal with an obnoxious alpha male, his character very quickly reveals far more depths. Venetia is bright, funny, and genuine and remains a delight throughout even in the midst of all the craziness that comes from her various family members and her two ridiculous suitors. An excellent point for sampling if you've never tried Heyer's Regency romances.
    • 3/5
      I'm not an avid romance reader--I've certainly read my share of books with romances in them, from Middlemarch to, most recently, Mr. Weston's Good Wine, but I don't seek out romance novels. Just making that clear, in case this is a particularly good example of the genre--I'm holding it to the same standards as all other books, whether written by Faulkner, LeGuin, or Koontz.

      It was a pleasant, charming read, with many pleasant, charming characters.

      Ms. Heyer appears to have discovered the word "nuncheon" (an afternoon snack) and as a consequence very few characters ever ate breakfast, lunch, supper, tea, dinner, or late night snacks--nope, it's nuncheon almost all the time. That took me out of the story a bit. But my biggest complaint, which keeps this from 4 stars, is that after the initial set-up and development, nothing happened until halfway through the book. The second half is full of incident and new characters, but the first half is a bit of a slog--we meet some attractive people, and then they have conversations and gradually get closer with no impediments whatsoever--which is great in real life, but not so great in fiction.
    • 5/5
      One of my favorites of Heyer's. Not quite as comical as some of her others, but more robust love story.
    • 4/5
      Aspects of this Heyer romance are great, with intriguing characterisations. Unfortunately, idiocy occasionally overwhelms the story such as [Spoilers] the unexpected arrival of Conway's bride and her extremely unpleasant mother (imho, Venetia could well have depressed the mother's pretensions); then the revelation that Venetia's mother is alive and living in London. This was a weak gambit to make her acceptable to the socially scandalous Lord Damerel.
    • 4/5
      Venetia would in all likelihood be considered a spinster at 25 if it wasn't for her great beauty. Thanks to her reclusive widower father, she has never been out of Yorkshire, let alone experienced a London season. With her father now dead and her elder brother with the army in France, Venetia is managing the family home and looking after her disabled younger brother. She is also fending off two unwanted suitors. Just as she's resigned herself to a life of spinsterhood, she meets the notorious Dameral from the neighboring estate. With Dameral's eye for a pretty face and Venetia's inexperience, their mutual attraction is inevitable. What surprises them both is the friendship that quickly grows between them. Obstacles, some expected and some unexpected, inevitably come between them, but Venetia is determined to remove them and find happiness with her dear rake.I enjoyed the friendship between Venetia and Damerel, and I loved that they drew Venetia's younger brother, Aubrey, the long-time household help, and even the family dogs into their circle of affection. The humor derived mainly from Venetia and Aubrey's quick-thinking wit in responding to their antagonists' attempts to assert their will. I did wonder, though, how Venetia and Aubrey could be so conversant with the current slang in their social isolation.
    • 2/5
      I've read some pretty entertaining books by this author, but every so often I encounter a real bore. Sadly, this novel falls into the latter category.Not enough happens. It's just a lot of dull talk with no action. The typical humour one expects to find in a Heyer novel is seldom in evidence.There are occasional good moments, hence why I've rated this two stars instead of one, but on the whole I found this a tedious read.
    • 4/5
      A sensible but inexperienced young woman falls in love with a rake, and even more unexpectedly, the rake falls in love with her, too. Still, the course of true love never did run smooth...Heyer is always good fun, and I liked this one very much.
    • 4/5
      I hadn't read this in years, and had forgotten some of the details. Most of it is fun to read, although it doesn't make it onto my favourites list. I'm not really a big fan of the reformed rake romance theme, but I think Venetia herself is a wonderful character.
    • 5/5
      Heyer's books are quickly becoming a guilty pleasure of mine! The elegant prose and vivid imagery captures my imagination and carries me into the story as a silent observer. I'm amazed at how quickly I get attached to her characters and love the timelessness of these romance novels. In this story, Heyer stays true to society rules and plays a difficult game with her characters' reputations, leading to a few interesting twists that hadn't thought possible! It was very enjoyable and a book I plan to reread over the coming years.
    • 5/5
      No one who has had the pleasure of reading the work of the incomparable Georgette Heyer, whose many novels are universally charming and well-crafted, would deny that she is a stylist par excellence. Her language sparkles, her characters amuse and entertain, and her romantic narratives are so adroitly resolved that the reader comes away with a delightful sense of effortless and graceful ease. Indeed, her prose is so seamless, that it sometimes gives the impression of having come, fully formed, and with no need of any editing or revision, from its author's pen.But despite these many and undeniable virtues, even Ms. Heyer's most devoted readers will no doubt admit that her work is generally quite light-hearted, and there is rarely anything in it to spark deep reflection, or to ignite deep emotion. These are books meant to comfort and reaffirm, and they generally uphold a very conventional notion of love and romance, in which the heroine (or hero) finds the "right" mate, all difficulties are happily resolved, and the unworthy get their just deserts.Every rule must have its exception of course, and having just finished re-reading Venetia for the umpteenth time, it has suddenly occured to me that its status as my favorite Heyer novel is owing in large part to the fact that it does not entirely fit into the pattern described above. The story of innocent Yorkshire beauty Venetia Lanyon, and her love for her notorious neighbor, the rakish Lord Damerel, has all the outward trappings of the stereotypical "innocent beauty redeems worldy sinner" plotline, which has proved such a perennial favorite among more romantic readers. But unlike so many Heyer characters I could name, Venetia and Damerel are too complex to be reduced to "types," and are capable both of hurting and being hurt. The scene in which Venetia believes that Damerel no longer cares for her stands out as one of the most poignant in all of Heyer's work, and provided one of the few moments of true emotional connection that I have felt to her characters. I do not, of course, want to overstate the case. This is still Georgette Heyer, with all the witty dialogue, delightful narrative, and light-hearted fun that anyone could desire. But the deeper emotional undercurrents make Venetia arguably the author's most satisfying novel of all...
    • 4/5
      A good Heyer with more humor and less mystery than some. Otherwise notable chiefl;y for the large size of the heroine, if I recall.
    • 4/5
      I liked Venetia and Damerel and Heyer's usual cast of the good, the bad and the ugly, particularly the awesomely awful Mrs Scorrier and the unbelievably obtuse Edward. The final plot twist seemed ludicrous, but delivered Lambton to the page and so can be forgiven for being incredible.

      In this book, though, that double standard that is never discussed in Heyer's other books, or is brushed past or blinked at, is really discussed and it can't be blinked away. Boys will be boys: women have to wear it. I suppose I'll have to stop reading Heyer's for a bit. Good thing I've run out of my borrowed pile.
    • 4/5
      Of all of Heyer's books I've read so far, this was the one I had the most trouble with. Which is to say, by the end, I loved it and loved Venetia and Damerel's banter and relationship (That whole orgy banter! Be still my heart!) but as I was reading, it felt long in places. I had a harder time getting into it than with some of Heyer's other novels: it was a bit too much inside of Venetia's head somehow, and too traditionally 'Romance', especially in the beginning. But I still loved all the characters by the end, and was sad to get to the last page. (Especially Aurelia. Such an authentic voice there, I actually heard her voice very distinctly in my head.)
    • 5/5
      I started reading Georgette Heyer when I was a teenager, some thirty five years ago, when my mother gave me Friday's Child and told me she thought I would enjoy it. Since then I have read all the romances, a number of them countless times. They have long been the books I turn to when I'm feeling unwell, a bit fragile, or when it's cold and wet and I need a comfort read!

      Just recently I have started listening to audiobook versions of Heyer novels. I did not think that I would enjoy listening to book readings, but I have been acquiring audiobooks to give to my mother, who has lost her sight and have greatly enjoyed listening to them myself. This brings me to Venetia. I still have my first copy of Venetia, a 1971 paperback edition, now showing signs of multiple re-reads. I am currently listening to the unabridged audiobook read by Sian Phillips. (There is an abridged version available and as much as I appreciate the narrator, Richard Armitage, I am sure I would get annoyed listening to an abridged version of such a well-loved book.)

      I realized this afternoon, as I listened, that I always feel tears come to my eyes at exactly the same place in the narrative. Feeling weepy is not my usual reaction to reading Heyer. Indeed, off the top of my head, I think that the only other one of her books to have that effect on me is Sylvester, in which a scene towards the end of the book never fails to bring a lump to my throat. Venetia may not be great literature, but in my view it has quiet emotional power, great sweetness and an engaging narrative. It is a book that I have probably read upwards of a dozen times over the years. I am sure that I will read it (or listen to it) many more times in years to come. Venetia is one of Heyer's most likeable heroines and Damerel is one of her most attractive heroes. The minor characters are interesting and even Flurry the dog is beautifully realized! Venetia is definitely on my Top Five Heyer list. Today it's my absolute favourite, but I suspect that's only because it's the one that's engaging me right now!

      Update: 5 October 2011. I have just finished a re-read of this novel, as a buddy read with my friend Jemidar. This time I read it on kindle, to save my 1971 paperback edition from further wear and tear. It remains as special to me as ever, my pavlovian response of tearing up in the middle of chapter 15 quite unchanged.
    • 4/5
      This is the first Georgette Heyer novel that I've either read or listened to, although she has been recommended to me many times. I listened to an audio version, masterfully narrated by Richard Armitage; my only regret is that it was an abridged version. Overall, it was a nice bit of fluff, perfect for listening to while on a long drive. Generally, I don't care much for romances, but this was more like a witty Jane Austen romance instead of either gushy drivel or a bodice-ripper. Venetia is a sheltered young woman, shut away in a country home by her father after her mother's death. She (and everyone else) fears that she will end up a spinster as she has reached the ripe old age of 25 and is still not engaged; she has two suitors, but neither appeals to her independent spirit. But then the handsome local rake, Lord Damerel steps into her life . . . As I said, there were a lot of elements that reminded me of an Austen novel: Venetia's care for her lame younger brother; the arrival of her elder brother's pregnant wife and her mother, who plan to take over the estate; Venetia's witty exchanges with Damerel and her brother Aubrey; the bumbling suitors. The novel has many twists and turns as well--it's not written according to a formula, as are so many novels of this genre. It's not great literature, but its a good, fun read.
    • 5/5
      Sigh of happiness and content. But I would like to know whether Conway threw Mrs Scorrier out of his house and whether he stayed married to that drip.
    • 2/5
      Will I never learn? There should be an automatic warning on Amazon that pops up whenever I blindly deposit another Heyer romance in my shopping basket: 'You do not like Georgette Heyer. Please remove this item'. In fact, buying Venetia on Kindle was even worse than that, because I remembered - too late - that I had already borrowed the same novel from the library, and then returned the book unread because I couldn't get past this instructive, nauseating description of the Heyeroine: 'But Venetia had been born with a zest for life which was unknown to him, and a high courage that enabled her to look hazards in the face, and not shrink from encountering them.'And that, in a nutshell, is my first problem with Heyer: there is absolutely no subtlety, depth or insight in any of her Regency romances. The heroes and heroines are entirely straightforward and safe, and the plots are formulaic. There is absolutely no comparison with Austen, and this from a reader who only discovered the genius of Jane's writing last year! My excuse for buying Venetia is that one online review likened the eponymous Heyeroine to Jane Austen's Emma, a tenuous recommendation that nevertheless drew me in. However, the similarities are purely superficial: despite Venetia Lanyon's secluded upbringing (in Yorkshire - another lure), her independent status, and an older love interest who resides in a neighbouring estate, she is a mere pretender to Emma Woodhouse. Austen created timeless personalities in her own time, but Heyer seems so concerned with researching the Regency era that she forgets to craft believable - or even varied - characters. Venetia is twenty-five, stunningly beautiful (with 'large, brilliant eyes' and 'guinea-gold hair'), intelligent, charming and loved by all. Not even one pretend-flaw. Damerel, the 'Wicked Baron', is a watered-down Rochester, all swarthy features with a reputation that exceeds him. They meet, he kisses her 'ruthlessly', thinking her a servant girl, and a very tepid romance develops - slowly - over three hundred pages. He's not even allowed to be a proper rake, only a misunderstood Byronic hero transformed by the love of a good woman! Secondary characters are introduced to stretch out the story, take up a chapter or two, then vanish without a trace. Is there a sequel - what happens to Venetia's pregnant sister-in-law and her domineering mother? Does Conway ever return home? Will Edward marry Clara? Not a clue.He repeated very creditably: '"Idiotish"!' A laugh shook him. 'I thought I should never hear you say that again!''Do I say it a great deal?' she asked, and then, as he nodded: 'Oh dear, how very tiresome of me! I must take care!'My second gripe is with Heyer's excessive use of Regency slang, or 'flash talk', but not because I find her doublespeak hard to decipher - most of her expressions make sense in context (bar 'antidotes', which I think are old maids, and how 'eating Hull cheese' can possibly mean getting drunk). I am not 'stoopid', or illiterate, but Heyer's constant, indiscriminate swapping of plain English for Woosterish terms, irrespective of character or situation, drives me up the wall! Venetia and her scholarly brother Aubrey have been sequestered in remotest Yorkshire since they were born, and yet they bandy slang terms like the 'Pinkest' dandies in London. Historical detail is all very well, but some brave editor should have told Heyer to put down the 1811 Dictionary of Vulgar Tongue and step away. Without constant references to York and Thirsk, I never would have known that the Lanyon family are supposed to live in North Yorkshire, because they speak exactly like the haut ton in the fashionable south, and sound just as idiotic (or should that be 'idiotish'?) The only clever riposte in the whole story - 'More hair than wit' - actually comes from Shakespeare!Georgette Heyer had the best intentions - painstaking research, inoffensive characters, entertaining plots - and thousands of readers still love her Regency romances, but I cannot balance her fluffy, girls' own frolics with Austen's sharp eye and skilful narratives. I keep trying, for some reason, but have yet to find the Heyer novel that breaks the mold.
    • 5/5
      Venetia has spent her whole life buried in the country looking after her family's estate. Little disturbs the quiet of the neighborhood except the infrequent visits by the wicked Lord Damerel. During one visit his path crosses with Venetia. He steals a kiss and finds himself intrigued by the honesty and innocence of the noted beauty. Fate furthers their acquaintance when Venetia’s brother is injured and moved to Damerel’s estate to recover. Venetia is thrilled to discover a similar mind and to have a true friend for the first time. Damerel’s seductive nature is curtailed by his growing feelings for Venetia. When Damerel realizes how deeply he has fallen he decides that he must sacrifice their growing attraction to keep her safe from ruin by his notorious reputation. Venetia has to take matters into her own hands and devises a way to compromise herself so that they can be together.The set up for the story was too long and I almost put the book aside, but the intelligent and self-reliant heroine and the tender love story made the title well worth the read. One of the better Heyer titles.
    • 5/5
      I have been asked many times in the last few years if I have ever read anything by Georgette Heyer. The answer to that question was no. Georgette Heyer has come recommended highly by several different people. My awesome mom bought me the audio book, Venetia. I don't listen to audio books very much but I think I will in the future. I don't get to read as much as I'd like to because life and laundry get in the way. So, I would put on the CD whenever I was folding laundry or busy cleaning and listen to Venetia. I found myself wanting to clean more just so I could listen. Venetia is read by Richard Armitage. If you're not familiar with him, Richard Armitage has starred in North and South, BBC Robin Hood, and Spooks. He did and excellent job reading this book. He gave each character a distinct voice. He made listening to Venetia very pleasurable. I loved this story. As I mentioned before this is my first experience with Georgette Heyer. I will tell you right now, it won't be my last. Veneita is funny, romantic, mysterious and very entertaining. I found myself captivated by it. The main character Venetia has been kept in the quiet country her whole life. She has some unwanted suitors who plague her life. She goes from one day to the next without much excitement until she meets Lord Dameral. He turns her world upside down. Lord Dameral is a rake. He's also very charming, witty, and extremely handsome. Georgette Heyer definitely knows how to write a man to make all the ladies swoon. This story captivated me from beginning to end. I was sad when the book ended because I wanted more. I would definitely recommend this book to you. If you like regency romance I would put this book on your TBR list.
    • 4/5
      This was a fun reread! (I've had Venetia sitting on my shelves since my childhood when my mother got a copy as a book club offering in 1958!)Venetia is a frothy romance by the woman who invented the modern Regency genre. It has all the right elements: a charming, intelligent and beautiful heroine, a darkly handsome rake of a hero, a terribly stuffy proper suitor, a dunce of an older brother; a wonderfully awful in-law, and a plot that is barely there. The book is all about banter and no one does this better than Heyer. Venetia, who by Regency standards is almost over-the-hill at aged 25, is running the family estate while her blockhead of a brother is serving in the Nalopeonic wars. She and her crippled younger brother Aubrey (a genius) are doing very well. She has two suitors, a really boring officious neighbor who refuses to accept the fact that she will not marry him, and a 17-year old who fancies himself another Lord Byron and who also cannot accept the fact that Venetia considers him a rather irritating teenager. She is quite content until, one day when she is out picking blackberries on her neighbor's estate, her skirt gets caught in the brambles and she is discovered by the estate's owner, the long absent Lord Damerel.He is a figure of the finest fashion! In his mid thirties, he is tall, dark, handsome with only slight lines of dissipation around his eyes. He cows her dog, frees her skirt, and kisses her "ruthlessly" as a reward for rescuing her. Venetia, far from being overwhelmed by his magnificence or frightened by his reputation, instantly scolds him for his bad manners and answers his sardonic poetic question with a line of poetry of her own. Damerel realizes she is not a mere village maiden, but a high born lady and when she thinks back on it she is more than a little curious and interested in the wicked lord.They are thrown into each other's company when Aubrey has a fall from his horse near the Priory estates and has to stay in Dameral's manor house for ten days. (Think Jane at Netherfield...). Since Venetia visits her brother each day, it is not long before she and Dameral develop an easy friendship. They both have good brains and enjoy wordplay. Their friendship develops into true love BUTHe is a rake and unsuited to marry a girl as "green and good" as Venetia. How Venetia wins her man and finds her happily-ever-after is a wonderful romp.
    • 4/5
      The only fault I have to find with this audiobook is that it is an abridged edition of the original work. Otherwise, it is a very well done production and Richard Armitage is an excellent narrator.
    • 4/5
      Ventia falls for a rake, and everyone is rather sensible about it, leading to much fun.
    • 5/5
      I have been reading books recently by authors of the last century who are well-loved in genres I am not too familiar with. Dorothy Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham, and now Georgette Heyer. I have to say I can see why people love these authors. I am quite impressed with Heyer's writing. Setting and language are superb, characterization is extremely well done and the characters are absorbing and memorable. Plotting is tight, pacing good. Even the romance had just the right touches. I cared about the characters and was delighted with the ending.Glad I finally rambled over to take a look.
    • 5/5
      Loved it! A little difficult to get past the language in the beginning as Heyer uses SO much Regency slang. She does give plenty of context though so after awhile the language becomes second nature. Just like reading Shakespeare or Chaucer.Venetia's determination, self confidence and wit are typical of Heyer's heroines but Venetia is neither spoiled nor headstrong. Nor is she very young. Heyer manages to portray Venetia as even-tempered and agreeable without making her boring. She is a mature woman who manages her love life as skillfully as she manages her household. Poor Lord Damerel doesn't stand a chance.
    • 3/5
      For sheer fun, you can't beat Georgette Heyer — but that isn't all she can do. Though this is hailed as a "sprightly" Regency romance (which it is), it contains a lot of social commentary and even oblique criticism of the established mores of the time. And yet with all that, the novel is no thinly disguised tirade against the historical roles of men and women. Its characters are at the forefront, and it is only in the context of their lives that Heyer explores the social underpinnings of their world.But first for the fluff. Venetia Lanyon has lived an isolated though not unhappy life in the country, managing her brother Conway's estate at Undershaw after their father's death and taking care of her youngest brother, Aubrey, who is lame. Though very beautiful, Venetia has never had a London season, and at twenty-five she is approaching the realm of spinsterhood (yeah, yeah, I know — remember this is Regency England!). Her only suitors are Edward Yardley, a most worthy (but officious) neighbor, and young Oswald Denny, who is bent on being a dark, brooding Byronic hero. Venetia is just coming to a decision about the direction of her life when she unexpectedly encounters the "Wicked Baron," Lord Damerel, whose name is a byword of corruption in the surrounding country. In some ways Damerel has an echo of Rochester in him; he has the whole dark-and-terrible past thing going on, he is rude to outsiders, he consorts with Venetia as a friend first, etc. But despite this, I didn't find him particularly compelling. Heyer doesn't do much analysis of Damerel's personality and influences, preferring rather to focus on her heroine. But we miss out by not getting to see things from his perspective. In Sylvester, Heyer delves into both sides of the story and it really helps to make the title character more likable. Damerel especially could have used this treatment, with the sins of his past looming over the present action of the novel. While we do get to see him acting honorably, his former actions are such that a little more introspection and repentance wouldn't be out of order. One of the heavier themes in this lighthearted story is the double standard for men and women during that period. One of the older married women in the story, Mrs Denny, counsels Venetia explicitly about how the husbands and brothers can go off and have affairs with "the muslin crowd" without it touching their hearts, which always remain faithful to their wives and sisters. Mrs. Denny acknowledges that it is strange to her that the men can carry on these affairs without any apparent emotional turmoil (unlike women), but she seems content with the state of things. And of course, she says, the women who indulge in such affairs are perfect pariahs, not to be associated with. Thank heavens there is no ambiguity there! Extramarital affairs are wrong and I don't think anyone can indulge in them without emotional and relational repercussions. I'm not advocating a state of things in which women can sleep around with no consequences just like the men. The real problem is that in this period it is acceptable to everybody for men to do this. The women in their lives think it's normal and just swallow it. It's a cynical, ugly thing and Heyer, far from skipping over it in quest of fluffy fun, actually spends a fair amount of time working out these implications in the lives of the characters. And yet I wasn't wholly satisfied with the ending... there is much joking about all the Paphians Damerel is going to keep alongside his wife, all the orgies they will have, etc. Maybe I'm just straitlaced, but I don't find that amusing — and I doubt Venetia would either if Damerel did indulge in extramarital affairs. I just felt it was treated too lightly. You know it's bad when you start sympathizing with the stuffier characters in a novel! Perhaps it is for this reason that I found Venetia herself a bit hard to like as the story went on. Oh, of course I didn't want her to marry Edward Yardley or the ridiculous Oswald, and yes, I wanted her to get together with Damerel. But it seemed that she throws everything else out the window when it comes to Damerel. She contemplates ways to ruin herself socially so that she will be on his level; nothing else matters but for her to marry him, even though he is a rake and there is no real evidence of reform. I don't *think* he will be unfaithful to her, but there's that element of doubt, isn't there? But they are good friends; it isn't just about her beauty and their physical attraction. Perhaps I simply didn't allow myself to be convinced. I found Aubrey's condition fascinating in its depiction of the psychology of deformity. Aubrey is a well-written character, and I sympathized with his struggles with his physical issues and how they affect his relationships with other people. This hasn't changed since Regency England; I'm sure a person in a wheelchair or with some other noticeable disability would find much in common with Aubrey's acidic hatred toward anyone who gawks or averts their shocked eyes. This tension becomes a plot point and strong motivation for the characters later in the story.As always, Heyer uses wonderfully authentic Regency sayings in both her characters' dialogue and her narrative (such as "we shall deal extremely" meaning we will get along well; "without a feather to fly with" meaning without any money; "doing it too brown" meaning trying to fool someone and failing, etc.). I should start introducing these phrases into my own conversation, though no doubt they lose some of their zest if they aren't delivered in a perfect British accent. Ah well. I think what it comes down to is that I would have enjoyed this story more if I felt I could trust the the protagonists. As it was, moral behavior seems important only because of what society would say, not because it was a core part of the characters (as with Austen's Fanny Price or Elizabeth Bennett). And that's why I can't rate this one more highly. A fun romp, to be sure, but lacking that foundational empathy I wanted to feel for the characters.
    • 4/5
      Not my favourite Heyer novel, but even so it still sparkles. Venetia is a great heroine, she's fun, knows her own mind and will not settle for second best, and is not afraid to risk everything to get it. Damerel is a typical Heyer hero in that he is not as black as his reputation. Venetia and Damerel's friendship feels very authentic, especially in comparison with the suffocating attentions of the well meaning, but boring, Edward and the histrionic Denny and Damerel's aunt's well meaning attempts to marry him off and restore his reputation.
    • 4/5
      Friends who knew I liked the Regency era turned me on to Georgette Heyer years ago. They started me with Frederica knowing that the man's perspective would appeal more. So now I have read more than 20 of her Regencies and have some perspective.Finding others who like Heyer, I had been urged to reread Venetia, since Frederica actually does remain my favorite. I can see how this appeals to womem fans of the regency. Yet there is so little regency here.So much is spent in the heads of our romantic couple about why they shouldn't be attracted to each other, that what is brilliant to me about regencies is missing. That which tells us of the world of the period. What we have in Venetia is a look at country life, not as encompassing as Austen, and a reflection on societal mores, again not as well done as Austen who lived during the period,Heyer never desired to be Jane Austen and her development of a vocabulary clearly illustrated that. With Heyer you get a consistent universe and that is very enriching. In Venetia you get a glimpse of that world of Heyers, a smaller subset, but when you are sure that the story has run its course, a plot twist arrives to lengthen it, then a second. Finally in the last twist, we are returned full circle to home. When looking back at this book, then that first half, the pacing of a plot twist earlier may have made the end more enjoyable. As it is, it comes to late and makes the last half of the book, which has the best of the action, irrelevant. A story that could have been better with technical detail.
    • 5/5
      I love just about everything Georgette Heyer's written in the Regency genre, but this book is one of the best of an excellent crop. Venetia is a delightful heroine, mature and intelligent while at the same time extremely naive about men and the ways of the world - so much so that she has absolutely no notion just how much danger her new next-door neighbor, the wicked Lord Dameral, could be to her. And yet it is her innocence which is her greatest protection where he is concerned.Dameral is a real treasure. From his bold advances to his sardonic smile to his wit to his complete social disregard...he alone is worth the book. Did I mention his habit of strewing rose leaves...well you will just have to read it to find out about that. As fortune would have it though, there are a host of other characters that add so much delight. The worthy suitor, the lively spinster, the firey younger brother, the brooding halfling, the nurse! You can't go wrong with this one.
    • 5/5
      Georgette Heyer is one of my favorite authors, and this is my favorite book by her. The characters are wonderful, the story interesting. I've read all the Heyers often, though not so much recently, but she is still my favorite comfort read.
    • 5/5
      Venetia - Georgette Heyer (9/10)I started this a while back when in a down moment as it has always been my favourite Georgette Heyer novel. I'm delighted to say that it still is as books don't always live up to our fond memories of them. Venetia and Damerel's autumn idyll, their bright wit and playfulness survive the years intact and I loved the book as much as ever.