- Hardcover: 388 pages
- Publisher: Dutton Books (3 Feb 2005)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0525948600
- ISBN-13: 978-0525948605
- Product Dimensions: 22.6 x 15.6 x 3.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 2,804,177 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
The Secret History of the Pink Carnation
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Product Description
Review
'A dash of chick-lit with a historical twist - romance, mystery, and adventure. Pure fun!' MEG CABOT
--This text refers to an alternate
Hardcover
edition.
Product Description
Nothing goes right for Eloise. The one day she wears her new suede boots, it rains cats and dogs. When the tube stops short, she's always the one thrown into some stranger's lap. Plus, she's had more than her share of misfortune in the way of love. In fact, after she realizes romantic heroes are a thing of the past, she decides it's time for a fresh start. Eloise is also determined to finish her dissertation on that dashing pair of spies, the Scarlet Pimpernel and the Purple Gentian. But what she discovers is something the finest historians have missed: the secret history of the Pink Carnation - the most elusive spy of all time. As she works to unmask this obscure spy, Eloise stumbles across answers to all kinds of questions. How did the Pink Carnation save England from Napoleon? What became of the Scarlet Pimpernel and the Purple Gentian? And will Eloise Kelly escape her bad luck and find a living breathing hero of her own?
--This text refers to an alternate
Hardcover
edition.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I loved this book, firstly with the modern day story of Eloise, hot on the trail of uncovering secrets from the past and then the going back in time to the 'days of old' in Napoleonic times and the secret agents flitting between Paris and London.
Personally, I fell in love with the character, loved the story lines and couldn't put it down. If you like the sorts of 'Pride and Prejudice' with a bit of a detective twist and romance with the undertones of some comedy, then you'll love this book.
Personally, I fell in love with the character, loved the story lines and couldn't put it down. If you like the sorts of 'Pride and Prejudice' with a bit of a detective twist and romance with the undertones of some comedy, then you'll love this book.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
And from that point, Lauren Willig takes us via her modern day heroine into a Regency when Percy Blakney really existed as do her wonderful creations The Purple Gentian & The Pink Carnation.
I feel that the two previous reviewers (?) missed the point of this book.
It's a fun, frothy romp of a book. Suspend your disbelief, & enjoy a world where The Pink Carnation wreaks havoc upon Napoleon & his lackeys
I feel that the two previous reviewers (?) missed the point of this book.
It's a fun, frothy romp of a book. Suspend your disbelief, & enjoy a world where The Pink Carnation wreaks havoc upon Napoleon & his lackeys
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Warning: make sure that you have staked out enough of time to finish this novel before you begin this wonderful novel. It's another one of those unputdownables. Not because the books is tensely plotted, full of riveting twists and turns, but because it is one of those absolutely fun books that are a joy to read.
After a dating debacle with her latest boy friend, graduate student Eliose Kelly applies for a grant to go to England in order to do some research. Eliose is doing her doctoral thesis on British spies of the Regency period, spies like the Scarlet Pimpernel, the Purple Gentian and the Pink Carnation. And while everyone knows the identities of Scarlet Pimpernel and the Purple Gentian, the identity of the Pink Carnation has always been a mystery. And Eliose cannot find mention of him anywhere (not even the Public Records Office in Kew) except for in the tabloid-like newspapers. And so, quite desperate, she writes to the descendants of the Scarlet Pimpernel and the Purple Gentian, asking them for access to their records. She is rudely rebuffed by all except one: Mrs. Selwick-Alderly, a descendent of the Purple Gentian, invites her to tea, and obligingly enough gives her access to some letters in her possession. The letters are written by a young half-French lady, Aimee (Amy) Balcourt, a refugee of the French Revolution, who dreams of returning to France, and of helping her hero, the Purple Gentian, rout the despicable republicans who have taken over her country. Now, at lastin 1803, Amy's brother invites her to return home and to live with him. And for Amy, who has lived in rural Shropshire all these years dreaming of such an opportunity, it is a dream come true. And so, together with her favourite cousin and confidant, Jane, and a daunting chaperone, Miss Gwen, the three women cross the channel. Amy is sure that once she is in Paris, she will be able to quickly identify the English gentleman who is the Purple Gentian, and that he will gratefully accept her offer of help. But Amy is about to discover that dreams and reality are two different things, and that it might not be so easy to identify the Purple Gentian after all. And in the meantime, one must contend with that awful man, Richard Selwick, who, traitorously, seems to have no qualm about associating with the much despised republicans...
I shall always be thankful that Lauren Willig took up writing! "The Secret History of the Pink Carnation" was a delightful read -- witty, humorous and loads of fun. The book is split into two subplots, one that takes place in 1803 and focuses Amy, and the other one in modern times that focuses on Eliose. Both are well done and cleverly juxtaposed so that you're left desperately wanting to know more at once -- will Amy finally realise who the Purple Gentian is? And how will Eliose's relationship with Colin Selwick ever progress beyond sniping? Engaging and deeply engrossing, I enjoyed the book thoroughly from start to finish -- there were no false notes. And I'm avidly waiting for the next Pink Carnation installment, which will, I hope, feature quiet, efficient and intelligent Jane (my favourite character). And while I hate to sound like a gushing nitwit, thank you, again Lauren Willig, for this fabulous read!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Orczy will be turning in her grave!
This book, and a couple of its sequels, really annoyed me .If you have the nerve to try to imitate the Scarlet Pimpernel, you need to have a knowledge of the Reign of Terror, a... Read more
Published 4 months ago by East End Lady
Serious disappointment
I'd heard great things about this book, but it was a wash-out. I was hoping for a swashbuckler in the style of Dumas or Orczy, but instead, I got a rehashed Regency historical with... Read more
Published on 7 Jan 2007 by Liesel Knightley
Save your time and money
This book is full of word usage errors and also the story is not structure in any form that makes it believable. Read more
Published on 30 Mar 2006
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