The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy

The Scarlet Pimpernel.  Blake and I read this at the same time and we enjoyed it.  It is not anything spectacular or entertaining, but a classic book.  Baroness Emmuska Orczy is a very talented woman.  She is best known for her Scarlet Pimpernel series, but she also had some paintings accepted by the Royal Academy in London.  It was not until I finished reading this book and went to start this review that I learned there are ten books all based off of The Scarlet Pimpernel.  This is the most famous of her writings.

The Scarlet Pimpernel is set in Paris, 1972 when the citizens of France were beheading all royalists and their families.  The Scarlet Pimpernel is our unknown hero who helps to smuggle out the rich to safety in England.  Agent Chauvelin sets out to find and kill the Scarlet Pimpernel and seeks out the help of Lady Blakeney.  She is a born frenchman but married Lord Blakeney, an englishman.  She does not agree with the way things are going in France and her brother has become involved with the Scarlet Pimpernel.  In order to keep him alive, she is blackmailed by Chaevelin to help determine who the Scarlet Pimpernel is.

Lady Blakeney does not have much of a relationship with her husband since she carelessly was involved with getting a royal family killed in France.  Her husband does not trust her and therefore can not forgive her for what she has done.  It is not until later that Lady Blakeney comes to the realization that her husband is actually the Scarlet Pimpernel.  This knowledge is not really hidden from you since you suspect this towards the beginning of the book.  Well, at this time the Scarlet Pimpernel is heading to France to rescue her brother and others in need of rescuing not knowing that Lady Blakeney has given Chauvelin the information he needed to figure out who our Scarlet Pimpernel is.

We follow Lady Blakeney the rest of the story as she flews to France to warn her husband, but ironically enough, she never speaks to him until the end of the book.  She actually does very little other than hiding the entire time and watching from a distance.  At some point she is caught by Chauvelin and could have easily been ransomed or held captive in order to lure the Scarlet Pimpernel to turn himself in.  Luckily for them, the Scarlet Pimpernel is crafty and able to escape and get everyone safely to England while renewing his love with Lady Blakeney.

Like I said, an enjoyable book, but nothing too fancy or crazy romantic.  Just an enjoyable read that focuses on loyalty, trust, and honesty.  I do wish to read some of the other books based off of The Scarlet Pimpernel to see how Baroness Orczy continues her story.