Venetia

Venetia (1958) Georgette Heyer

Set in England in 1818 (guessed from death of the queen)

The first meeting of the two is problematic–Damerel grabs Venetia and kisses her. He does stop when he resists, and it’s not like such things were uncommon, but… it’s distressing to modern sensibilities.

Aside from that, I quite liked it. Venetia is independent (for the time) and knows what she wants.

But it was not she who was foolish, as she immediately pointed out to him. He might say what he liked (a generous permission of which he showed no disposition to avail himself) but she knew very well what was likely to come of throwing an inexperienced girl into the arms of a notorious libertine. There was no need for Sir John to tell her that Damerel would make no improper advances to a lady in Venetia’s situation: very likely he would not – though there could be no guessing what a man with such a reputation might do – but, pray, had he considered how extremely likely it was that he would induce the poor innocent to fall in love with him, and then go off, leaving her with a broken heart?

She also is protective of her brother (who has a damaged hip) and that he maintains his independence and that people not treat his limp as something that makes him completely different from others–something that would make him unacceptable to proper society. That concern not just for his physical well-being, but for the way he is treated by people made me instantly fall in love with her.

When she learned that he had been reading Aubrey a lecture her eyes snapped with wrath, for reading lectures to Aubrey was a privilege she reserved exclusively to herself.

And Aubrey is definitely a teenage boy.

‘By Jupiter, I believe you’re right!’ exclaimed Aubrey, critically surveying his sister. ‘I suppose she is a remarkably handsome girl! People seem to think her so, at all events.’

‘And even you allow her to be tolerable! There can be no doubt!’

‘Thank you! I am very much obliged to you both!’ said Venetia, laughing.

Regardless of their first meeting, I enjoyed the book.

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Rating: 8/10

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