Pertaining To I Will Repay

(Written by Baroness Orczy. Fourth book in the Scarlet Pimpernel series.) A decade before the French Revolution, Paul Deroulede killed the young Vicomte de Marny. It was an accident that happened during a fair fight; anyway, de Marny was asking for it. But the Vicomte's deranged father forces his daughter Juliette to swear an oath to God that she will repay Deroulede for his deed. Ten years later, now a beautiful young woman, Juliette receives a chance to fulfill her oath and avenge her brother's death. But should she really do it? Or does vengeance belong to God alone?

Pros: I'm a huge Scarlet Pimpernel fan, and a fan of Baroness Orczy's style of writing. Paul is really sweet (although a bit dim-witted at times), and Juliette tries her best to muddle her way through her problems. Sir Percy is, of course, perfect.

Cons: There's a misguided idea that Juliette's Catholic faith is somehow partly responsible for her feeling that she has to fulfill her oath at all costs. Now, I find that idea offensive. Juliette swore her oath at the prodding of her father when she was only fourteen and had virtually no idea what her oath would entail; the Catholic Church would not hold her to it. On the contrary! I'm quite certain the Church would wish her to give it up, particularly becaue what she swore to do was wrong. Very annoying. Also, Sir Percy wasn't in the book nearly enough.

My Rating: T (crimes commited by republicans, some anti-Catholic themes that almost border on anti-Christian themes; in fact, if I hadn't known of Sir Percy's faith in God, I would have said the book was anti-Christian)

Picture from Bookapex.com.