10. The Scarlet Pimpernel (Baroness Emma Orczy)
Pleasure: 9/10 Stars
Utility: 0/10 Stars
This book is the only one in the mystery genre where I saw the movie first but was still really surprised by the book. The central figure of this novel is the origin of such greats as Zorro and Batman; the clever, mysterious stranger who has made it his life goal to aid people in need.
Set during the French revolution of the 1790s, The Scarlet Pimpernel is a figure shrouded in mystery. The only known facts about him are that he is an Englishman and that he possesses an almost supernatural ability to evade capture. This man is the head of a small band of nineteen Englishmen who (for sheer sport) rescue aristocrats right under the noses of the French republican government from Madame Guillotine. The story, however, follows Marguerite St. Just nee Blakeney, a pillar of the French society who married an Englishman thought to be the greatest fool in England. The plot follows Marguerite's interactions with one M. Chauvelin, an accredited agent of the French republican government. Chauvelin obtains evidence that Marguerite's brother, an employee in the French government, is involved with the Scarlet Pimpernel's operations. He uses this evidence to blackmail Marguerite into finding out the identity of the bane of the republic. I won't ruin the ending for you. You should seriously read this one!
The style is easily readable and the pace moves quickly so you don't get bogged down in extended dialogues or philosophical meditations. I promise that if you read this one, it'll blow your mind! Pick it up today!
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