The Scarlet Pimpernel is perhaps the prototypical swashbuckling novel written in the English language. The writing is clearly from a different era, but I had no troubles with it. Characterization- eh. Everyone French is evil. Everyone English is good. Everyone female is cowardly. Everyone with a title is heroic.

Also, it started as a stage play, and the book has the particular tics of a play converted to a novel. A few locations, none of which is very interesting. Travel between locations is essentially instant. A small number of characters, that are very broadly drawn.

If your leader was famous as a master of disguise, how long would you really keep getting surprised when he turns up... in disguise? I mean, really. Sure, the disguise might fool you... but there's no excuse for being shocked at the very idea that he was wearing a disguise, when it's the third time it happened in a week.

Also, the heroine is frequently (and at great length) described as being the most beautiful woman in England, and the most clever and witty woman in Europe. *cough*Mary Sue*cough*. She's an total idiot. So apparently Europian women were once so stupid as to need frequent reminders to continue breathing.

Overall, the book gets a "Meh."

A particular brief exchange from the book did bring to mind some philosophy. At one point, Our Frequently Sniveling Heroine is with the Assistant Hero, and they know that across town is the Evil Bad Guy, who was written to provoke audiences to throw fruit. If he's not strangling puppies, it's only because he's too busy eating babies. The following exchange happens:

"Then Chauvelin is still in Dover?" [Chauvelin is the EBG.]

"Undoubtedly. Shall I go waylay him and run my sword through him? That were indeed the quickest way out of the dilemma."

"Nay! Sir Andrew, do not jest! Alas! I have often since last night caught myself wishing for that fiend's death. But what you suggest is impossible! The laws of this country do not permit of murder! It is only in our beautiful France that the wholesale slaughters is done lawfully, in the name of Liberty and of brotherly love."

The point being, I disagree with the sentiment given. The heros are already engaging in widespread violations of law, what with the whole sneaking around France and rescuing people that are standing trial for crimes. So it's not the law that concerns our frequently-idiotic heroine, it's the principle of killing. This is probably not a surprise to read coming from a member of the military, but I do belive that killing is the correct thing to do to some people. Most especially to people that intend to harm others, as the Evil Bad Guy has done and cheerfully admits that he will do again.

Interestingly, I don't support the death penalty, a position that some people think inconsistant with my professional responsibilities that include stabbing my fellow humans with a bayonet until they become ex-humans. But I have two problems with the death penalty at law.

First, it's no deterrent. People that commit crimes that are punished by execution, do not expect to get caught, so no level of punishment is a factor in their calculations.

Second, application of the criminal justice system in the US (and everywhere else I've ever head of) is quite haphazard. I do not wish to have the innocent killed and the guilty go free.

Wow, did this book review go off-track!

Posted by: Boviate at 09:01 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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