The Scarlet Pimpernel

By: Orczy, Emma

- This version of The Scarlet Pimpernel includes a biography of the author Emma Orczy at the end of the book
- This includes life before and after the release of the book

Armed with only his wits and his cunning, one man recklessly defies the French revolutionaries and rescues scores of innocent men, women, and children from the deadly guillotine. His friends and foes know him only as the Scarlet Pimpernel. But the ruthless French agent Chauvelin is sworn to discover his identity and to hunt him down.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1679224646
• ISBN13: 9781679224645
• Release Date: January 1
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 212 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

“It was the sound of a good, solid, absolutely British ‘D-a-m-n-!’”

I first saw several movie versions of “The Scarlet Pimpernel” and always wanted to see the Play. With the purchase of a Kindle and text-to-speech, I could not afford to pass up the book. I was amazed to see that the book started similarly to the movies, with the telling of the bloodlust of the French Revolution and how one man, for the sport of it, saved many from the guillotine, thwarting the authorities and tricking the sergeant at the city gate into letting him through. Then I was afraid the story was going to bog down as we dragged through a scene in an inn. I did not realize this was meant to introduce the major players in the soon-to-be mystery. The essence of the story was best said in the book: “Only between these two hearts there lay a strong, impassable barrier, built upon pride on both sides, which neither of them cared to be the first to demolish.” The story picks up after Marguerite realizes what she has done by giving away the pimpernel's identity and decides to make amends. Usually, I cannot stand flowery writing or long descriptions of feelings. But for some reason, this book was so well written that what would seem like extraneous information enhanced the tale. I also noticed it is told mostly from Lady Blakeney’s point of view. Once again, this is a case of the book being better than the movie. I was surprised to find the Pimpernel poem came from the book: They seek him here; they seek him there. Them Frenchies seek him everywhere. Is he in Heaven? Is he in Hell? That d-a-m-n-e-d elusive pimpernel