I Will Repay - Baroness Orczy

Published in an omnibus edition as "The Scarlet Pimpernel Omnibus" containing: "The Scarlet Pimpernel"; "I Will Repay"; "Eldorado"; "Sir Percy Hits Back". Omnibus published 1957 (1930). "I Will Repay" first published 1906.

The second novel in the Scarlet Pimpernel series, I Will Repay repositions the Scarlet Pimpernel as a supporting character, instead focussing on Paul Déroulède (a French lawyer) and Juliette Marny, whose brother was slain by Déroulède years earlier (in a fair duel) and has been sworn to revenge against the killer by her dying father. In order to aid her chances as revenge, Juliette manages to ingratiate herself into Déroulède's household, and while there finds herself beginning to fall for her host. Try as she might, however, Juliette cannot bring herself to simply ignore the oath she has taken...

This, like its predecessor, is a fairly melodramatic work, with this one even more so. Both Juliette and Déroulède in turn spend time wracked with emotion over their actions, or even over what the other person may or may not feel, at times over-thinking the situation with negative results when communicating a bit more clearly with one another could make everything simpler! Communication is key to any good relationship, people!

But, as with The Scarlet Pimpernel before it, I Will Repay is also an entertaining work. The setting of Revolutionary France is a great backdrop for overwrought melodramas, and Orczy makes sure to get as much as she can out of the life-or-death stakes of that time as she can. 

Despite a tendency of using unnecessarily big words and taking too long on introspection at the cost of action, I Will Repay is another enjoyable 'Pimpernel' book. Go into it with your eyes open about these faults, and you will find the enjoyable romantic drama buried within.

Dated fun.

Completed, with Elise, 26 August 2022.



(Elise Books)

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