Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Unknown Ajax (1959)

Unknown Ajax. Georgette Heyer. 1959. 384 pages. [Source: Library]

I really enjoyed reading The Unknown Ajax. This Heyer romance focuses on a set of cousins. Vincent and Claud, Anthea and Richmond, and Major Hugo Darrocott (the 'unknown ajax'). The book opens with a family waiting for the arrival of Major Hugo. Most have only recently learned of his existence, which is significant because it comes with the knowledge that he is now the next heir. How will his cousins receive him? Will The Unknown Ajax turn into a Quiet Gentleman? Fortunately it didn't!!!

I really liked all the characters in this one. I liked seeing each cousin come to form a relationship with Hugo. I liked seeing them all get to know one another. I liked Hugo's secret-keeping. I liked the way he played along with the others and let time reveal all.

The romance. I didn't find the romance giddy-making. I didn't hate it, but it didn't wow me. Anthea and Hugo had interesting scenes together, but, nothing WOW.

Unknown Ajax is another Heyer title that has a smuggling theme in it. I enjoyed this one, but I didn't love it.

© 2013 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

2 comments:

Kim said...

I just finished Unknown Ajax last week. I liked Hugo very much, also Anthea, but some of the family members were drawn more unsympathetically than usual. Heyer really threw herself into the Big Finale, didn't she? Almost more than I could track.

Jessica Snell said...

I'm with Kim, above, in that I loved Hugo and Anthea (esp. Hugo, he was just hilarious), but I found so many of the family members so unpleasant that I wished I could skip all the parts where they were talking!