| The Devil in Velvet | [] | (1951) |
| Author: Carr | Detective: -- | Type: HN |
Publisher's Blurb
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Comment 1 (Grobius)
The best of these; real swashbuckler; 'time-traveling' hero; an all-time classic (set in the year 1675). Carr at his very best in an early divergence from straight mystery novel. As with all his historical books, one can complain of 'travelogitis' but that adds interest in my opinion. The characters in this are more interesting and less stereotyped than the author's usual run (not that that ever really detracts from the plots). A masterpiece.
Here are a couple of quotations from the book, by Nick Fenton, an elderly Cambridge don obsessed with the Restoration perod who makes a deal with the Devil and is transposed into the body of one of his ancestors, and one of Carr's best heroes. They sum up the author's attitude very well.
"How strange," he reflected, "have been the minds of authors I have read, setting a character hundreds of years back in time! I think their learning is not wide enough. For they never allow the poor devil to have a good time. He must fret and fume because progress -- accursed progress and thrice-damned machinery -- have not come to wreck men's lives.
"He is infuriated by the lack of telephones and motorcars. I felt no need of them when I studied, in rural Somerset, for some dreary degree or other. Our author, through his hero, is appalled at the sanitation, the harsh laws, the power of King or Parliament. Yet in my heart, I confess these matters trouble me not at all."
And this: "He learned to eat the food, mainly meat with heavy rich sauces, which his young digestion enjoyed. Vegetables you could have in moderation, potatoes, eggs fish, and good cheese [sic]. Nobody, he noted in high pleasure, ever pestered you to eat vegetables for your health. Except for potatoes, he discarded them."
It should be noted, however, that he insists on having a sewer built and bathtubs installed in his house. He also acts brainlessly by blurting out historical details that haven't occurred yet (or been revealed); if you're going to go back in time, you must be a clever actor and watch your tongue.
As with all of his 'historicals' there is a lot of detail as to costumes, city 'topography', and furnishings, a bit boring unless you care about that stuff. The plot emphasis is normally very Romantic and escapist, which is fine. A personal note: While always sympathetic to the Royalist mentality emotionally (Cavaliers vs Roundheads), I believe rationally that Cromwell and his cause was in the right in a progressive political sense, otherwise England would have gone through a really bloody 'French Revolution' in the course of events had Parliament not been firmly established as opposed to absolute monarchical power. James II was rightly deposed for religious reasons (and political). 'Bonnie Prince Charlie', as a type of Divine-Righter, would have been a disastrous king as opposed to the boring Georges.
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Comment 2 (Stoke Moran)
THE DEVIL IN VELVET (1951; Band 5)
The author himself considered this to be his "single finest piece of historical fiction"—and he will find few who disagree, for it is compulsively readable, and despite its length (330 closely-printed pages), completely devoid of padding. Professor Nicholas Fenton sells his soul in order to travel back to 1675, where he inherits the body of the unpleasant Sir Nicholas Fenton (no relation), in an attempt to prevent the murder of Lydia Fenton by poisoning, and thereby undo the course of history (which leads him to blurt out things better left unsaid). This ingenious and tense situation is described with such skill and delicacy as to prove those who accuse Carr of writing artificial and mechanical puzzles wrong, for this is a remarkably human book, Carr's considerable talent shining as never before, especially in the characters of Fenton, Lydia, and her cousin Meg York. Restoration London is brought vividly to life, and with it such illustrious personages as Charles II, Nell Gwynn, and Lord Shaftesbury of the Green Ribbon Club, which soon establishes itself as a threat. With Fenton facing danger from four fronts, having to prevent Lady Fenton's murder, his murder at the head of the Cromwellites, the devil from gaining possession of his soul, and Sir Nick Fenton from gaining possession of his body, there is plenty of action and danger. This is perhaps Carr's most violent book, with swordplay in Dead Man's Lane, battles in Pall Mall, and a final thrilling duel at the Tower of London, all of which show the influence of Alexandre Dumas. If anything suffers, it is detection, for this is predominantly a novel of action. Yet Carr produces a genuinely surprising solution, as satisfying as that of The Crooked Hinge—and follows it up with an ending equally unsatisfactory.
SPOILER
By unsatisfactory ending, I do not mean the solution to the crime, but rather what happens to the characters: I do not like Meg (after all, what is she but Joyce Ellis'--or, rather, Lady Molly's (THE CROOKED HINGE)--cousin?). I finished the superb CURSE OF THE BRONZE LAMP this afternoon--superb in every respect but one: the (would-be) murderer, one of Carr's cads (after reading 60 or so Carrs, it is possible to spot the murderer by keeping an eye out for personable young men who aren't the hero!), doesn't get his comeuppance, rather
the girl.
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Comment 3 (The_Thin_Man)
To read this, you really have to try and ignore the fact that the killer's identity is apparent from VERY early on, and concentrate on the writing. It was one of Carr's personal favourites and includes many of his best tricks - some superb swashbuckling (the best, in fact, of all his "historical" novels), the fantastic characters, and the presence of the Devil himself. (This is a superb portrait of the Devil, which combines the evil petulance of a spoilt spiteful child with the crafty air of knowingness of a particularly shrewd old man.) The anti-religious figure here is Carr's best, a monster of self-righteous malice who damns "sin" while never having done anything "good" herself. One twist, involving the un-ginch-like Meg York, is superb (although both the solution to the murder and the final outcome of the novel are unsatisfactory.) The intrigue is Carr's second best (after "Captain Cut-Throat"), and if I had to choose between the two novels I'd choose "Captain", but it would be a close thing. This is an absolute must for all Carr, history AND mystery fans. |
Comment 4 ()
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