I Will Repay! by Baroness Emuska Orczy

Reviewed by Sarah
Avaliable here
Start Date: June 6
Finish Date: June 8
Star rating: 7 stars *******
"Movie" Rating: PG, mostly for mild language (Lud sir, but it is a demmed nuisance, what?) and mild sexual references

A curious, enigmatic smile suddenly illumined Sir Percy's earnest countenance.

"Save her? Do you attribute supernatural powers to me, then, or to The League of the Scarlet Pimpernel?"

"To you, I think," rejoined Déroulède seriously.


So the Baroness really likes to use her favorite plotline. In many ways, this was just The Scarlet Pimpernel all over again. Not an entirely bad thing--The Scarlet Pimpernel is a really good book. But I've already read it. If you're going to write it again, please at least improve upon it. And making Sir Percy into a minor character (admitedly a rather prominent minor character--he of course must always claim his share of attention) is NOT an improvement.

I'm making it sound as if I didn't enjoy the book--I did enjoy it, in an "I've already read this" kind of way. A fun piece of Sir Percy Blakney's story, but I wouldn't place this among the Best of the Series.

SPOILERS BEGIN HERE. PLEASE DON'T READ ON UNLESS YOU HAVE a) already read the book or b) don't intend to ever read the book or c)want to completely spoil your reading experience.

So, if you really want to know, here is how I'd outline the plot of both I Will Repay! and The Scarlet Pimpernel:

Guy Loves Girl.
Girl Loves Guy, but doesn't quite realize it.
For understandable, though not necessarily good, reasons, the girl betrays the guy to those French Revolutionaries, who will use the information to arrest the guy and take him to Madame La Guillotine.
Girl realizes her love and deeply regrets her betrayal. She goes to save the guy.
Guy forgives girl for betrayal and does what he can to save her.

Sir Percy Fixes Everything.