Doubletake, Doublethink discusses the entry of romance novels into her life, particularly the figure of the Georgette Heyer man:
The Georgette Heyer Man (GHM for short) is a tall, loose-limbed, cynic with unruly hair and quite unremarkable features except for a smile that transforms his face. And yes, the eyes. Usually a queer light grey, very bored, but with a sparkle that comes out with the smile. He is well-travelled and well-read, and about ten years older than the heroine. He is, by turns, a rake, a social outcast, a diffident aristocrat, a jaded Corinthian, a reluctant saviour – it doesn’t matter. The problem with the GHM is that he’s poison for a girl who routinely falls in love with literary characters, and if he enters her life at the right moment he can very easily make sure that the girl’s teenage years are wasted in daydreams about older men with careless demeanours and sardonic voices.
My own GHM (besides most of the actual Heyer heroes – I’m a big fan) is Numair Salmalin, from Tamora Pierce’s Immortals series of young adult fantasy books. There, I’ll go and hide my head in shame now.
Who was yours?
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okay the GHM described in this passage is from The Black Sheep. What about Justin, or Marcus, or Richard? All the point de vice hearoes who did care how they looked but whose layers of exquisite clothing hid muscles of steel; whose bored expressions could suddenly turn keen?
No, no no! There’s more than one type of GHM. There’s a whole post in there…
To my eternal regret, I’ve never read TAmora Pierce. Will le Guin do? Ged?
Butbutbut!
Justin = rake, diffident aristocrat, jaded Corinthian
Marcus = diffident aristocrat (and reformed rake? maybe? Marcus from The Convenient Marriage is the one we’re talking about?)
Richard = jaded Corinthian
Ged is alright. I loved the Earthsea books, but never felt strongly for any particular character. Tamora Pierce’s Tortall books (The Song of the Lioness, The Immortals and the Protector of the Small series) are things I reread regularly.
what’s this ‘diffident’ aristocrat business?! it’s practically an oxymoron!
Like the blog. yet another kindred spirit!
(OH MY GOD. so it spreads. you know, I and doubletake are the proud initiators of the term ‘georgette heyer man’.I think we’re going to be famous. :) wikipedia, here we come.
i think what she meant was the general qualities of a GHM; it has a different meaning for everyone. for example,
Freddy in Cotillion: reluctant saviour
Justin: rake, jaded corinthian as you said
Sherry: reluctant saviour again, a bit of a rake..
and he doesn’t have to be IN a georgette heyer book.
and besides, she did say ‘usually’. :)