A Civil Contract

A Civil Contract, by Georgette Heyer, is a one-of-a-kind book. It has amazing coincidences without ever seeming contrived. There is not a single character that merely serves the plot, nor one that is there only for comic relief. The story is realistic, but original. The writing is clear and descriptive, yet conveying a message as deep and as profound as those which come in more elaborate packages of prose. The dialogue feels real, and the characters’ emotions are complex.

Heyer writes of a situation that was common in the Regency timeperiod where she sets her story: a marriage of convenience. Adam Deveril is a viscount’s son who inherits a massive amount of debt. Jenny Chawley is the daughter of a millionare who now wants his daughter to gain a title to go with her fortune. Adam loves another woman, but marries Jenny for her money. Neither of them love each other, but since they have commited themselves till death do them part, they decide to make the best of it. The rest of the book is the story of their marriage, and their growing love-story, with its trials and its triumphs.

One thing that really stands out is Jenny’s character. Adam at first finds her repulsive in comparison to the woman he loves, but through simply trying to please him, and offering no reproaches, no matter how bad his behavior, she becomes an indispensible part of his life. The book can have many different messages: a contrast between selflessness and selfishness; a contrast of agape and eros; an example of the power of a good example; an example of the power of a dutiful wife; an example of patience; etcetera. But no matter which of these you pick, the story is also a joy to read. It is tender, humorous, page-turning, and happy-ending (though not in the way you might expect).

A Civil Contract may not be worthy of being called a classic—its prose is simple—but it is one of the examples that show that light literature can be entertainment and not just a waste of time.