The Grand Sophy
Written by Georgette Heyer
Narrated by Sarah Woodward
4.5/5
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Currently unavailable
Currently unavailable
About this audiobook
Georgette Heyer
Georgette Heyer's novels have charmed and delighted millions of readers for decades. English Heritage has awarded Georgette Heyer one of their prestigious Blue Plaques, designating her Wimbledon home as the residence of an important figure in British history. She was born in Wimbledon in August 1902. She wrote her first novel, The Black Moth, at the age of seventeen to amuse her convalescent brother; it was published in 1921 and became an instant success. Heyer published 56 books over the next 53 years, until her death from lung cancer in 1974. Her last book, My Lord John, was published posthumously in 1975. A very private woman, she rarely reached out to the public to discuss her works or personal life. Her work included Regency romances, mysteries and historical fiction. Known as the Queen of Regency romance, Heyer was legendary for her research, historical accuracy and her extraordinary plots and characterizations. She was married to George Ronald Rougier, a barrister, and they had one son, Richard.
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Reviews for The Grand Sophy
1,167 ratings111 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Georgette Heyer did have a habit of writing some different and intriguing books. Sophy, from the title, is quite a unique young lady, especially for the times. She manages to turn everyone's life upside down and get away with some quite disgraceful behaviour for the times in which it is set. A very enjoyable piece but could see the ending coming from a long way off - but it still was a very fitting ending.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5When her father is ordered to South America on Diplomatic Business, Sophy Stanton-Lacy, is parked with his sister in Berkeley Square where she takes it upon herself to right the many wrongs she finds. Admittedly, this isn't really my cup of tea, but I thought I should give one Heyer a chance since she is so well thought of by many readers. It's an entertaining read, but Sophy irritates me a lot when she is bossy and decides that she knows better than anyone else. Of course, the story is made for her, so her schemes work out beautifully, so she's like an Emma that never learns humility. Hmm, not sure I like that. Decent way to spend my time, but am not picking up any more of Heyer's novels.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Heyer’s historical romances were the leader of her time and I think still of this time. Her heroines are decisive never missish, very much feminists of their time not afraid to be different though not flouting their society mores. The Grand Sophy is a perfect example of Heyer at her best, a strong female lead willing to follow the rules of society but with a nuance of feminism bound up with humor when our heroine steps out of her assigned role. First published almost seventy years ago it is still a delightful read.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I was never a fan of Regency books. Until I discovered Georgette Hayer's Regency books... This one is specially delightful, witty.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Quite an enjoyable read once I got into the book. Laughed aloud multiple times at the irony and humor in Heyer's characters and situations. Would definitely recommend.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This was an unexpected pleasure. While it was clear to me within a few chapters what the arc of the story would be (and the ending was no surprise), I really enjoyed the characters and Sophy's strong self-assurance in managing herself, her family, and her acquaintances. If you enjoy Masterpiece Theatre, you'll probably like this. If Regency-period romantic comedies grate on your nerves, then steer clear!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Another delightful novel by Georgette Heyer! When Sophia Stanton-Lacy makes arrives at the Ombersley residence to spend the season, her entrance was certainly "grand" and created a noticeable shift in the tone of the book. Suddenly the world Ombersley's world seemed to brighten and all sorts of mischief came into play. I loved Sophy's attitude and she was certainly fearless! Her antics kept Charles on his toes and much to my delight, frustrated his "dead bore" of a fiancee. As always, Heyer treats us to a lovely HEA with lots of humor and memorable characters to help make it happen along the way.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5What a fun read!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Quite enjoyable. I liked the 2 main characters and I liked that it stayed faithful to their personalities at the end and didn't get soppy. Not sure I'll rush to read more Heyer but it was an interesting dip.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Enjoyable but not very memorable. A bit trivial or flippant in comparison to the only other Heyer book I've read, the Civil Contract - I found that far superior. Still a nice read that I flew through and looked forward to returning to each time I read. Good characterisation in Charles and Miss Wraxton. Ending was a little bit abrupt - I wanted to see them all return to London to explain themselves to their parents.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5While I enjoyed listening to this Heyer, Sarah Woodward wasn't the perfect narrator. There were substantial pauses (between paragraphs??) that I found disconcerting enough to wonder if my app had crashed.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A family is very near succumbing to the norm and respectability until their cousin comes to visit and livens things up. This is a romance, pure and simple, but not a bodice-ripper romance. It is a play of manners of a sort, where everything which should happen, does. The dialog is lively and witty, descriptions of gowns and homes are yummy. My only beef is that there were no surprises, and Sophy is too perfect. However, it was an enjoyable read.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The unconventional and very independent Sophy stays with her aunt and uncle, and untangles varying problems in the lives of her cousins. This is a classic Georgette Heyer Regency romance, with cleverly interwoven plotlines, great characterisations, and gentle humour.
I re-read this every few years and thoroughly enjoy it every time. Sophy is one of the best of Heyer's creations and the plotting is brilliant.
Definitely recommended. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Overall an entertaining historical romance with a exuberant heroine up to all kinds of antics. It had lots of enjoyable action but there was a couple times such as the beginning when it got heavy with describing everything. Sophy is sent to live with her aunts family and brings a whirlwind of activity interfering in everyone's romance.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Pure unadulterated fun! Sophy is a great character and I loved this book where she fixes everyone's problems with her can-do attitude. Throughout I couldn't help but think this would make such a great play. The dialog and the scenes are all very theatrical in the best way and the action is fast-paced yet realistic. Very entertaining novel and I'll definitely be reading more Georgette Heyer, she's such a pleasant way to spend an afternoon.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Oh dear. I seem to have gone on a Georgette Heyer bender.
So anyway, Sophy is really great. Charles is...okay. The evil Jewish moneylender is--well--let's just say unfortunate.
I really liked that Sophy didn't have to get her comeuppance--that she could be a totally competent badass manager without having to be taken down a peg. - Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5A cute, bubbly tale of a charmed girl who 'fixes' things in other people's lives. Sophy is charming and modern--in that she's not constrained by what is considered 'proper' for a young lady of that time--that it's entertaining to watch how she handles things and to have the satisfaction of everything being put to rights by the end. At the same time, the girl annoyed me: I thought her insufferably sure of herself and incredibly pig-headed, and was frustrated to feel that she was forgiven (by the reader and by the other characters) for all these sins just because she is young, charming and lively. Even when she finds love, it doesn't feel like she's all that touched by it--she's forever a bit aloof, looking down at the world for her amusement.It's a light, entertaining, romping read, but for all that, has little depth or weight. I wonder if Georgette Heyer's writing is all like this... I can imagine she herself must've been a lady with a great sense of humor and an ability to detach herself from the scene.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This was a very funny book and normally I would say it was a joy too read but I'd forgotten what an antisemite Georgette Heyer was. That antisemitism comes out in in full force in this book. If it weren't for that I might have rated this book higher. I read this book many years ago and didn't think too hard about the antisemitism but this time it hit me like an iron bar.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Although nowadays Charles and Sophy probably would be seen as a dysfunctional couple (!) this is still a favorite.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5[The Grand Sophy] by [Georgette Heyer] is perhaps my favorite female character in her repertoire. Sophia is a 5' 9" buxom gal of 20 with chestnut brown hair and no fear of anything, and capable of anything. She is a fixer-upper--if she sees someone in trouble, she starts to work on their situation to improve it. Whether it is her cousin Hubert's indebtedness to a moneylender, or Celcilia's ill-suited engagement, Sophy has a solution for everyone. Even her sour cousin Charles, engaged to repressive Eugenia can be fixed through her machinations. This was my second time reading it and I see her manipulations much more clearly this time around. I gave it 5 stars because I really can't see how a Regency romance could be any better!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This is the first book to which I have listened in 2013 and I can see why my friend likes this book so much. Sophy is a great character. The actions which could be written so as to appear silly are not that way at all. I kept comparing the various sensibilities of the times to some of the Victorian novels I have read lately and having to remind myself this was the Regent era. I think the story could have been easily transported into the Victorian or Edwardian era as well. i was only sad that they had only the abridged version and would definitely like to listen to the unabridged version.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Hah! This isn't my favourite Georgette Heyer novel, but I think it might have made me laugh the most so far. God, what a cast of characters, and how ridiculous they all are -- Sophy is fantastic, with her matchmaking and her provoking ways and her complete disregard for propriety. I loved the relationship between her and Charles -- the last few chapters made me positively hoot with laughter.I'm sure that people who would never like this genre won't be convinced by this, but I think I'm being brought to get over my original feelings by Heyer's work. It's well written, well paced, and hilariously funny: Sophy's matchmaking rather pokes fun at the genre, I think: she seems to consider people's lives as though they're in a novel and figures out what they would/could do if they were fictional. I half-wanted her to carry everything off, and half-wanted everything to end in a magnificent tangle that would teach her a lesson.As with Mary Stewart's work, I wrinkled my nose a little at the potential for cousin-marrying and all that sort of thing, but given the setting, it makes perfect sense.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5I'm finally cleaning up my currently-reading shelf and this one has been sitting there for too long. As much as I'd love to finish this one, I only have it via Kindle and I own a Nook. (I don't like reading on my giant iPad, so chances are it'll just be a wasted two bucks.)
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Heyer is a delightful comic writer and can be gorgeously visual. The image she paints of Sophy rolling up at her relatives front door in a fashion not at all expected is giant.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Even though I recommend this for Jane Austen fans, I must say Georgette Heyer and Jane Austen shouldn't be compared.
Georgette Heyer's novels are simply entertaining, with none of the serious social commentaries that Jane Austen supplied, though her writing style I think is as much sophisticated (and oh-so-English) as Austen's.
The Grand Sophy is my favorite Heyer so far, because it's the one that entertained me the most, particularly Sophy and Charles's chemistry. These two were made for each other. At first I didn't suspect that Charles was the hero in the story, because how could I think that Sophy's cousin would be her future husband? But after I got over that little bump, I thoroughly enjoyed Sophy's and Charles's antics. After all, they did practice marrying first cousins back then, and one of the most romantic real-life marriages for me was Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's.
It's a first-rate Heyer (at least for me, since I've only read 9 of her romances so far, and I intend to read all). I recommend all romance readers to read at least this Georgette Heyer. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Another light, frothy, Heyer Regency romance. This time, we have "dear little Sophia" -- one of the cleverist of Heyer's many heroines, who has an unquenchable desire to help those she likes and to set everything to rights. Nothing much gets in Sophie's way as she manipulates, aids, inches, nudges, and shoves those around her into situations to make them ultimately happy. Sophie is fairly shameless, but she's not perfect, and she's just so human that I find this book is one I can read again and again. She makes me laugh.
The worst I can say about this book -- written in 1950 and set in the early 1800s -- is there are touches of Antisemitism in one section of the book. They are accurate to the period. They are also short and particular, but could upset the sensibilities of those sensitive or concerned about issues of prejudice. However, one can't change history and I thought they were just an example of "stuff we don't do anymore". They don't detract from the book in my opinion if viewed as a product of the research and the time period.
Great rainy afternoon reading, sniffly with a cold reading, or I hate to fly so distract me reading. - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5THANK YOU to the Goodreads friends who recommended this book!
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I am not familiar with the Regency Romance genre so I thought I'd try one and this is so highly recommended. Not bad, but it did go on for too long, rehashing the same character traits and plot devices. I guess this genre is just not my cuppa.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5My first novel by Heyer, and I wasn't disappointed. It is highly entertaining in the Victorian - Austenian way.Head-strong, unconventional Sophy is left by his father at her Aunt's House so that she introduces her to society and to start thinking of finding her a suitable husband. But Sophy has other plans which change all the lives of her dear cousins. Love or gambling problems are nothing to her, she moves soothingly around and gives comfort to those in need without thinking of herself.But won't she find happiness for herself surprisingly with the person she might have least thought of?Told in an almost casual way, with the apparent pose of the true Victorian times, I followed Sophy's cunning manoeuvrings to get her objectives with a half smile plastered on my face. Even though I knew what would happen after having read 20 pages it was a pleasure to read how she managed it in the end!I found the narrative easy, refreshing and perfect for a light read for those who love Austen and Victorian novels.Enjoy!
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Classic Georgette Heyer Regency romp. Cousin Sophy, with a continental upbringing, comes to stay with her London cousins, finds them all in a sad tangle, which only she can set to rights. Great fun, though the moneylender character is dreadfully politically incorrect... There's also a hint of an upper class version of Cold Comfort Farm here too. No surprises but it's enjoyable to follow our hero and heroine on their journey to find out they are made for each other!