Creativity by Georgette Heyer

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Georgette Heyer is an English writer best known for her historical novels. She has written a total of 32 Regency romance novels, 6 historical novels, 4 contemporary novels and 12 detective fiction.

Regency novels

Georgette Heyer's first novel, The Black Moth, published in 1921, came from a story she wrote at the age of nine for her younger brother Boris. The novel, in which the lord becomes a criminal, set the template for many of her future stories - historical settings, nobles, romantics and adventurers. The novel became popular and Heyer continued to write historical romance novels until The Charming Adventuress was published in 1941.

Real popularity came to the writer with Regency novels. Dangerous We alth, published in 1935, became a bestseller. In it, the author tells the story of a we althy heiress from the English countryside, whose sense of independence forces her to face the social norms of London. Ultimately, the heroine is forced to comply with them. Gradually, Heyer developed her own style, and light-hearted novels grew into works that reflect all the little things of the Regency era - cooking, style, social components. In total, between 1940 and 1974, she wrote 24 works in this genre. All Heyer Georgette books in order:

• 1940–1950 - The Spanish Bride, "Deadly Passion", "Education", "The Reluctant Widow", "The Foundling", "Arabella", "The Gorgeous Sophie".
• 1951-1960 - "Call of Hearts", "Cotillion", "Prisoner of Passion", "Price of Inheritance", "Twig Muslin", "Forbidden Desires", "Sylvester", "Unexpected Love", "Mysterious Heir".
• 1961-1972 - "The Price of Happiness", "The Perfect Man", "Colors of Lies", "Frederica", "Beyond Dreams", "The Power of Love", "Little Charity", "Worthy Lady".

Publishing her first novel Black Moth at the age of 17, Heyer has written more than 50 novels, most of which are about beautiful heroines and their rocky path to true love. The Devil's Child, published in 1932, became a bestseller. Georgette Heyer's other hits included "Secret Engagement", "Friday Baby" (1944), "The Great Sophie" (1950) and "Frederica" (1965).

Historical works

The work of Georgette Heyer in this genre, unlike its predecessors, is distinguished by historical details. She researched every available fact that is part of the plot of the novel. Heyer literally revived the historical past for her readers. She did not consider herself a great writer andhad ambivalent feelings towards the historical novel, considering the events of those years too "bloody". Historical Novels Heyer:

• 1931 - The Conqueror, a novel depicting the early years of the reign of William I.
• 1937 - An Infamous Army, a historical detail found by the author in the creation of the novel, attracted the attention of critics, and the work received recognition.

Her other history novels, The Great Roxhythe, Simon the Coldheart, Beauvallet, written before, have not reached this level. Heyer had wanted to write a trilogy about the House of Lancaster for many years. But she could not complete her idea, because she ran into impatient editors who asked to continue the series of romance novels. The only novel in the Lancaster trilogy, My Lord John, remained unfinished and was published after the writer's death in 1925.

Other works

Early in her career, Georgette Heyer experimented with other literary genres as well. This is how modern novels appeared, covering the events of the early 20th century - Instead of the Thorn, Helen, Pastel, Barren Corn. They were not as successful as Heyer's historical novels, and therefore went almost unnoticed.

Georgette's husband suggested the plot of a detective novel to her, and Heyer tried herself in this genre. She has published 12 detective novels in total, the latest being Detection Unlimited.

A writer's legacy

Biographerswriters explore her work. Son Georgette gave them free access to his mother's archives. There is a rather interesting list of her short stories, some of which are unknown to modern readers. A few years ago, three of them were published, which had not appeared in print since 1930. Heyer did not give a single interview during her work. And never, under any circumstances, advertised her books.

But by the time of her death in 1974, she was selling over a million copies a year in the UK. And now Georgette Heyer's books are in demand, more than 500 thousand books have been sold over the past five years. Historical romance novels sold like hot cakes.

Heyer wrote her novels for fifty years, which is remarkable, not a single episode is repeated in any of her works. Absolutely different characters, different appearance, different character. Perhaps one thing unites them, that they came from the pen of one author - Georgette Heyer.