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The Scarlet Pimpernel
The Scarlet Pimpernel ABISBOOK Arcturus.
304 pages, Paperback
Published August 1, 2025
About the author
Emmuska Orczy
840 books1,146 followersFull name: Emma ("Emmuska") Magdolna Rozália Mária Jozefa Borbála Orczy de Orczi was a Hungarian-British novelist, best remembered as the author of THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL (1905). Baroness Orczy's sequels to the novel were less successful. She was also an artist, and her works were exhibited at the Royal Academy, London. Her first venture into fiction was with crime stories. Among her most popular characters was The Old Man in the Corner, who was featured in a series of twelve British movies from 1924, starring Rolf Leslie.
Baroness Emmuska Orczy was born in Tarnaörs, Hungary, as the only daughter of Baron Felix Orczy, a noted composer and conductor, and his wife Emma. Her father was a friend of such composers as Wagner, Liszt, and Gounod. Orczy moved with her parents from Budapest to Brussels and then to London, learning to speak English at the age of fifteen. She was educated in convent schools in Brussels and Paris. In London she studied at the West London School of Art. Orczy married in 1894 Montague Barstow, whom she had met while studying at the Heatherby School of Art. Together they started to produce book and magazine illustrations and published an edition of Hungarian folktales.
Orczy's first detective stories appeared in magazines. As a writer she became famous in 1903 with the stage version of the Scarlet Pimpernel.
Baroness Emmuska Orczy was born in Tarnaörs, Hungary, as the only daughter of Baron Felix Orczy, a noted composer and conductor, and his wife Emma. Her father was a friend of such composers as Wagner, Liszt, and Gounod. Orczy moved with her parents from Budapest to Brussels and then to London, learning to speak English at the age of fifteen. She was educated in convent schools in Brussels and Paris. In London she studied at the West London School of Art. Orczy married in 1894 Montague Barstow, whom she had met while studying at the Heatherby School of Art. Together they started to produce book and magazine illustrations and published an edition of Hungarian folktales.
Orczy's first detective stories appeared in magazines. As a writer she became famous in 1903 with the stage version of the Scarlet Pimpernel.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 19, 2026
Even though this story is an early form of the classic superhero-in-disguise trope, it was still not what I expected. Almost the entirety of the novel focuses on the POV of Lady Marguerite Blakeney Sure, there are some action sequences here and there but mostly it felt like it was largely a vicarious adventure through Marguerite’s eyes. Sort of like a story within a story, for the most part.
But that’s not to say that was a bad thing. In fact, I think it had a more profound effect on me learning who the Scarlet Pimpernel was, his motives for doing what he does and the actual moves that he makes through Marguerite’s story. A lot of the motivation stems from Marguerite’s own inadvertent betrayals so it seems appropriate on that stance that the story be told through her perspective.
But doing it this way served another purpose for me. While I enjoy straight up plentiful physical action sequences in books, it was nice to keep it limited to the imagination, and not only from Marguerite’s viewpoint but from other characters who dispel rumors and stories of their own in the early parts of the book. It made for a fascinating read.
I loved the absolutely shocking twist at the end! I did not see that coming at all. I also liked that the majority of characters were gray area and not stereotypical caricatures, save for the main villain, Chauvelin, who was indeed quite evil. The worst thing about this book was the anti-semitism that happens during approximately the last quarter of the book. I know the intent was to convey the realities of that point in history, especially given the era which this novel was published, but still….
I’m rating this 4.25 stars. A highly recommended classic!
But that’s not to say that was a bad thing. In fact, I think it had a more profound effect on me learning who the Scarlet Pimpernel was, his motives for doing what he does and the actual moves that he makes through Marguerite’s story. A lot of the motivation stems from Marguerite’s own inadvertent betrayals so it seems appropriate on that stance that the story be told through her perspective.
But doing it this way served another purpose for me. While I enjoy straight up plentiful physical action sequences in books, it was nice to keep it limited to the imagination, and not only from Marguerite’s viewpoint but from other characters who dispel rumors and stories of their own in the early parts of the book. It made for a fascinating read.
I loved the absolutely shocking twist at the end! I did not see that coming at all. I also liked that the majority of characters were gray area and not stereotypical caricatures, save for the main villain, Chauvelin, who was indeed quite evil. The worst thing about this book was the anti-semitism that happens during approximately the last quarter of the book. I know the intent was to convey the realities of that point in history, especially given the era which this novel was published, but still….
I’m rating this 4.25 stars. A highly recommended classic!
April 18, 2026
4.5/5 - This was a very pleasant surprise of a read. First and foremost, it falls neatly within the world of Dumas and the Musketeers. Being set during the French Revolution, it echoes back to the Fronde and the English overthrow of their monarch during the Musketeers' second outing. Second, this story is full of twists, none more so than discovering the voice that truly carries you through this adventure. It's safe to say that I have joined the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel.
April 6, 2026
4.5⭐️
This was a reread and I enjoyed it as much as the first time. This work certainly was a forerunner to our modern superhero.
This was a reread and I enjoyed it as much as the first time. This work certainly was a forerunner to our modern superhero.
April 25, 2026
4/5
The first half was a little slow, but the suspense was good and it was exciting to figure out his identity. Overall, great book!
The first half was a little slow, but the suspense was good and it was exciting to figure out his identity. Overall, great book!
May 1, 2026
This was fun. I figured out who the Pimpernel was pretty quickly and guessed his disguises soon too. Still, this was entertaining and exciting. Such an original story
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews