kellicrowe

Pemberley Manor by Kathryn Nelson: Absorbing

Pemberley Manor is a sequel to Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice.  It follows the couple from the wedding through their tumultuous first year.

Summary from the back of the book:

"With such different personalities, Darcy and Elizabeth surely need to work on their communication skills!  Unlike Jane and Bingley, both of whom are easygoing and friendly, the Darcys are definitely a case where opposites attract...Now that they are married, 

what will happen when their fundamentally different 

personalities reassert themselves?  Uncover the true feelings of one of the world's most 

famous couples during their first year of marriage."

The back of the book said it was "absorbing" and it was....even if it didn't feel exactly right in places.  

Language: A+

Plot: B

Characterization: B

Revisit vs. Rehash: A

Hooked: A

Nit picky things: B

Wonderful moments: A

Originality: A

Language: The language is lovely.  Amelioration, brusque, indefatigable:  words that require some digesting but not necessarily a dictionary...(when read in context..at least for me.)  When the language is vibrant and Austen-esc, I am completely drawn into the story and only require either good characterization or plot movement to be swept off my feet.  Lets just say, good thing the language was there at times.

A+

Characterization: This book really focuses on Darcy.  Or "Will" as Elizabeth settles into calling him.  Will.**  Not Darcy or Fitzwilliam.  Will.  It is almost right.  And that is how I felt about the character of Darcy in this book; he was almost right.  At times he felt very much like Colin Firth's Darcy in the A&E/BBC 1995 version of Pride and Prejudice with haughtiness and confidence.  At times he felt very much like Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights, haunted and with raw emotions. And at times....he wasn't all that recognizable.  But what he was....was someone I wanted to keep reading about.  

There are several well developed new characters.  And Caroline Bingly also gets a lot of story time allotted to her, which is delightful in a kinda "I can't believe she just said that" sort of way.  

Pemberley is almost a character itself in Pride and Prejudice.  In this book, even more so.  However, if there is a huge character change that Mrs. Nelson employs on anyone, it is in the way Pemberley is perceived by Darcy and the reader.  That was probably the thing that felt least like Jane Austin's story to me.

B

Plot: There is a little mystery and an total Jane Eyre vibe that I got from this book that really could have started, "one dark and stormy night..."  I think there is a lot of "will they or won't they" in a book that already has them married.  I didn't see some of the twists coming - which is very nice.  

I think Kathryn Nelson started with the very familiar from Pride and Prejudice and pulled me in with the language.  Then she slowly lead me away from the Darcy and Elizabeth that I have known..and the path was darker than I expected.  By the end...actually, by the end of chapter 38 (of 62 chapters) everything was very different.  But you know what?  I'm not mad about it.  I felt like she took me down a path and I went willingly.  

A-

Rehash or revisit: Anything that is repeated from Pride and Prejudice is done so spread out and in conversation.  It was a nice revisit in places and never a rehash of anything.

A

I was hooked by: Page1.  The language and description of the wedding pulled me right in.

A

Nit picky things: I thought the blurb on the back of the book was poorly written.  But as far as inside the book - I wasn't distracted by anything other than Elizabeth calling Fitzwilliam Darcy "Will."  Oh, and someone else refers to him affectionately as "Willie." Nuh - huh.  

B

Wonderful little moments: Caroline Bingly has a party.  That is all I am saying. 

A

Originality: Even though I was reminded of certain other classics as I read,

 it felt like a really fresh and thoughtful 

approach to the "happily ever after" we all expected.  It is a nice variation on a theme that, heaven forbid, you get tired of reading about. I recommend it for people who have enjoyed several follow up versions.

A+

If this book were a movie - I think it would be rated PG 13 due to implied marital passion & subject matter.  If I had a teenage daughter, I'd read it first.  There is a certain tumultuousness to their relationship that makes for good reading but isn't a great model.  

Overall - I liked the book a great deal.  If you have read several follow ups, then you may enjoy it even more because it has that whole "Jane Eyre mystery", "Heathcliff on the mores" kind of vibe to it in places.  Dude, it has to feel more familiar than Darcy as vampire or a zombie.  It isn't like Darcy was on the bow of a ship shouting "I'm the king of the world" or anything.  Although, there was one moment on a horse...

** I will say, every single time she called him Will, I couldn't help be think of the other great romance to span the ages..ok... decades: Troi and Commander Will Riker.  But maybe others who do not share these overlapping and clearly related passions of Pride and Prejudice and Star Trek will not have the same difficulty.

Homeschool Planning: Using what I have already

The photo: His name is Jumpy.

The rabbit.

Not the boy.

He is the closet thing we have to a pet right now.

The boy.

Not the rabbit:)

So I am using this week to do some long term planning for our homeschool year.

John David and I learned our lesson when we went to the Homeschool Expo just to "look around."

Looking around without a plan = we spend too much money.

(The same thing happens when I go into a scrapbook store too....hmmm.)

Here is what I do to asses what we already have:

I look through all our books - reference, picture books, early readers, my books from college.

* I look through them to see if there is anything in them we are going to study in science or history or art.

*Even though David is well beyond the picture book and early reader stage,

some of those books about sharks or the planet or Alexander the Great we bought him when he was 5 can be very helpful illustrations of what we are going to study this year.

* I also look for books that are about a certain time period we are going to study 

OR

were written in that time period.  

* I am always surprised, every year, at how much we already have that I can use.

I like to do some searches through my Family Fun Magazine and my Martha Stewart Kids Magazine.

* (Or both of the web sites).

* I always find plenty of crafts and science experiment ideas.

* Some of the crafts may be relevant to a history lesson: like making a Pilgrim hat.

Or it may be helpful because it is the type of craft that children would have made during that time: like making a corn husk doll.

* The science experiments are always fun.  

* This year we are going to study Earth Science.  

I keep a list of topics we will learn about and as I find things in the magazine or on line that relate - I jot down where to find them when it comes time to do the lesson.

* Also, I keep a list of items I will need for the crafts.

That way, I can hit the craft store once instead of running there each week to purchase items...or worse...putting off doing a lesson because I still need to buy a few things.

Most of what I do, I need very little supplies. If I am going to have to buy more than a few things for an experiment - it better be amazing!

* And I keep bins of lids, containers and random things that most people toss out or would recycle to use in our crafts, experiments or just to let the kids build things with.

(Packing foam blocks can be carved into totem poles, plastic caps can become wheels, a play-dough container holds paint as they mix it.  Think in terms of how you can recycle things for your own use. Kids are already great at this...have you ever seen a child pick up a wrapping paper tube?  In their mind it instantly becomes something.)

* By keeping this list of items you'll need - it will help you to remember to ask for your groceries in paper bags one week because you'll need those bags for costumes later on.

I look through our toys.

* Games that teach reading, math or other skills.

* Puzzles of the world, or other things that you may be reading about.

* Maybe you have astronaut figures and you'll study about the moon or the moon landing this year.

I spend some time thinking about each child and what they specifically need.

* I know my kids are all different, but I have to remind myself to personalize their education to meet their needs and interests.  I mean - that is one of the cool things about homeschooling - right?  

* Ex: I have just included Max (going into 1st) in David (6th) and Alex's (4th) science and history lessons. If he got something out of it - fine.  If not, that was ok too.  Well, this year that will not work.  Max will study Earth Science as well, but in a different context.  A much easier context.  

* I try to approach subjects through each child's learning style and utilizing their interests.  In history, David always draws his "notes" and ends up with a stick figure account of the lesson.  Alex does not like to draw as much.  I have already taught him how to take notes in outline form.  

I do some long term and short term planning now.

* I put some plans down for what we need to accomplish each quarter to stay on track.

I can not tell you enough how this keeps me focused on the big picture.

* I plan out about 4 weeks pretty specifically and the next 2 weeks lightly.  I never stay on the 6 weeks perfectly.  We always seem to get ahead in some areas and behind in others.  (Ex: I plan for the kids to do 2 math pages a day but fail to realize the 7 times tables might just bump us from that neat little plan.)  

* I do this for me mostly.  It is overwhelming to think about planning each day every day.  But to spend 2 hours planning the next 4-6 weeks...that is doable and saves me loads of future stress.  

Assess yourself.  What are you capable of?

* I am no help to anyone at 3:00 in the afternoon in learning something new.  So I never plan to teach the kids anything then.  That is when we make appointments or I sign them up for chess.  

* Protect your schedule.  Dude.  When I started homeschooling, I got invited to be a

part of so many groups and got like 4 Bible Study invites.  I could have filled up my day with things that were not teaching my kids.  And many of them were good things.  

Anyway.  That is what I doing this week.

If you have a tip for how you do your planning - I'd love to hear it.  You don't have to be a homeschooler, either.  

Mr. Darcy's Diary by Amanda Grange: Fantastic!

Mr. Darcy's Diary is a retelling of the original Pride and Prejudice.   It adds a little to the beginning and to the end of the story. 

Summary from the back of the book:

"The only place Darcy could share his innermost feelings was in the private pages of his diary...Torn between his sense of duty to his family name and his growing passion for Elizabeth Bennet, all he can do is struggle not to fall in love.  A skillful and graceful imagining of the hero's point of view in one of the most beloved and enduring love stories of all time."

I loved this book!  It was the closest thing to reading Pride and Prejudice again for the first time. And who wouldn't want that?

Language: A

Plot: A

Characterization: A

Revisit vs. Rehash: A

Hooked: A

Nit picky things: A

Wonderful moments: A

Originality: A

Language: Amanda Grange uses a lot of the original text from Pride and Prejudice in this retelling.  I honestly, at times, can't tell where her words are ending and Jane Austen's are beginning.  It feels very seamless.  Some people may not like the style of using so many quotes from the original text - but I am not one of them.

A

Characterization: Really, Amada Grange is masterful at retellings.  (She has done quite a few of Jane Austen's works).  Every additional detail she gave to Darcy felt like a perfect fit.  Maybe it is because all the new information is nestled in between things we already know.  One cool thing about reading several retellings is that everyone has a theory on the moment Darcy falls in love with Elizabeth.  I liked Grange's explanation of Darcy's thoughts.  There is a build up of his feelings that make the explosion of his proposal completely understandable. 

A

Plot: This book begins a few months before Darcy and Elizabeth meet and ends a few months after their wedding.  It feels like a movie you have seen before that was shot with 2 cameras and suddenly you get to see footage from a 3rd.  The 3rd camera has captured a lot of things you had never seen before and sheds light on scenes you thought you already knew by heart.  (This analogy is supposed to make the 3rd camera sound like a good thing.)

I enjoyed reading this style of diary entries. Lots of short bits. 

I would read a chapter and then unload

the dishwasher or read a small amount while 

watching the kids play in the yard.  A great read when traveling.

A

Rehash or revisit: Well...there is a lot of revisiting because it is a retelling of the original story using a lot of excerpts.  As someone who can't stand to be told things I already know (in literature and in life:) I didn't mind this style of writing at all.  Instead of boring me, it felt comfortable.

A

I was hooked by: The very first entry in Darcy's journal is about Georgianna.  He writes: "I think I will send her to the coast for a holiday."  And we know what happens there.  I was hooked on page 1.

A

Nit picky things: Nothing bothered me.  Wow.  

A

Wonderful little moments: I enjoyed so much about this book.  Like I said before, it is the closest thrill I have had to reading the original for the first time again.  I also loved the next to the last line.  

A

Originality: While writing in diary format or using lots of excerpts from the original text may not seem

all that original, there was something very Jane Austen in her writing that most authors either miss or do

not even attempt.  So, as odd as it sounds, Amanda Granger's originality comes from just how well she 

writes like Jane Austen.  

A

If this book were a movie - it would be rated PG due to implied marital passion.

Amanda Grange is one of the best at retellings.  I have also read her Mr. Knightley's Diary (retelling of Emma) and found it also delightful.  This book is also available on Kindle.  I think that tells you something about its popularity.  

Her next book:

Is about vampires?  It comes out Sept. 09.  Ok.  So now there are 2 books depicting Darcy as a vampire and a zombie retelling of Pride and Prejudice?  Stupid Twilight.  Not everyone likes that kind of stuff.  

OK, I haven't read it..Twilight or the vampire/zombie books.  (And yet I still have an opinion.)  Really, Ms. Granger?  Really?

American Crafts cards

I was honored to have been asked by American Crafts to make a few cards featuring

their pens for their blog today!

Amercian Crafts is a great company. 

I have a cup full of their pens on my desk and a

verticle cropper hopper full of their paper. 

And flair.  A lot of flair:) Thanks AC for including me on  your blog!

Accommodations and my special needs kid

David.

Sculptor, artist.

Avid reader.

Protector of his middle brother.

Not so much with the youngest brother.

Working on getting his black belt.

And, by the way, he has Asperger's Syndrome.

I have been working on a proposal for the past few days for his karate school in reference to making accommodations for him during his black belt testing.  

I have letters from his Developmental Pediatrician 

and from a Special Needs Educator.  

I have written it all up and I am going to present it to his teacher tomorrow.  He will present it to the school owner on Monday.  I have been pretty wrapped up in thinking about it for days.

I really hate asking for accommodations.  I try to only ask 

if it is really, really necessary.  

I only ask if there is something that can be done that will: 

1. Dramatically improve David's chance to demonstrate his 

    abilities or 

2. If he will suffer from the lack of accommodation.  And by suffer, I mean like humiliation.

I don't want to be that crazy mommy who asks for everyone to do something different just so my child will feel the same.  He is different.  And that is totally ok.  

I've been the crazy, over-reacting mommy.  She doesn't have credibility because she speaks from emotion instead of information.  She expects everyone to understand years of issues and dr.'s appointments and set backs.  And really, you can't catch someone up to where you are in a conversation. Or at all, really.  

I approach it as this: most people my child encounters wants what is best for him.  If additional information helps them understand him, then I give it.  If there is something they can do to make the interaction easier on both of them, I tell them.  

So, I don't like asking for accommodations.  Not because I don't like asking for help.  But because I have to always check myself to see if it is necessary.  Part of me sending David off into the world one day will be his learned ability to adjust when there are no accommodations made.

That isn't much of a blog post.  

Just kinda where my mind has been for a few days.

On my kids.  Right where it should be:)

 

PS. The accomodations are for his environment during testing.

Conversations from a marriage...

Me: I was thinking about growing my hair out longer again.

Him: I really liked it when we met.

Me: In college?  I was like...12?

Him: You were 19. (Gentle reminder I am not a prodigy.)

Me: But it was like long.  It was halfway down my back.

Him: I know, I liked it.

Me: I don't know if it would be appropriate for me to wear it like that now. (Meaning, I used to wear ribbons in it all the time when I pulled it back.)

Him: I know.  I don't think that look is as becoming on older wo.....

Then there was silence.

I thought...this is going to be so fun to watch him get out of.

Me: Older women?  Were you going to say I am "older women"?

(I really think of myself as an older girl.)

Him: NO.  I was NOT going to say that.  I was certainly not going to say that.

Me: What were you going to say?

Him: Something other than that.

This went on for about 5 more minutes.

It was fantastic.

The thing is, I think stuff like that is funny.

But 

I

milk

it

for

all

it

is

worth

anyway.

You'd think I'd be more charitable since I stick my foot in my mouth...pretty much any time I open it.

But

no.

:)

Darcy's Passions by Regina Jeffers: Well Done!

(This photo couldn't have been blurrier if I had been falling off a moving train.)

This book follows Jeffer's first work:  Darcy's Passions which is a retelling of the original Pride and Prejudice.  She does take the story line beyond Austen's original plot.  Even though it is just an OK book, I suggest reading it before this one to completely understand the story line according to Jeffers.  

Summary from the back of the book: 

"The day Fitzwilliam Darcy married Elizabeth Bennet, he thought his life complete at last.  Then the unthinkable happens, and now he has no memory of their love.  Can Elizabeth make Darcy love her again before the manipulative Cecelia McFarland succeeds in luring him away?  Plus, what of Elizabeth Donnelly's desire to marry Darcy?  Set against the backdrop of the British abolitionist movement, Darcy must prove himself once again worthy of Elizabeth's love.  Her superior perception and Darcy's humility are brought into question as each has his pride chastened by the other.  Travel back to Pemberly as the Darcy saga continues."

I have to gush, I really liked this book! I read it and then reread it in the same week.

Language: C-

Plot: A+

Characterization: A-

Revisit vs. Rehash: A+

Hooked: A+

Nit picky things: A

Wonderful moments: B

Originality: A

Language:  Jeffers tells you upfront, she does not try to use the language one would find in Regency England.  I wish she had tried.  I mean, it isn't Middle English or anything.  However, she gave fair warning and who am I to point fingers?  I stumble to communicate in fluent American. 

C-.

Characterization: Wonderful.  In Jeffer's first book, Darcy's Passions, she says she is inspired by:Austen, the BBC/A&E movie with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle, as well as the more recent movie featuring Kira Knightly and Matthew Macfadyen.  I saw The BBC version first and then I read the book.  So to me, Colin Firth is Darcy.  A classic hero with a fatal flaw.  Matthew Macfadyen was good but more vulnerable and sensitive in his portrayal of Darcy.  (As much as I want Darcy to change for Elizabeth...I just can't buy into the idea he changes everything.  Not all about his haughty nature was actually bad...according to me.  So yes, I am arguing for our hero, Darcy, to be less sensitive and still a little proud.)  There were moments in this book where I felt like Jeffers was using Macfadyen as her Darcy.  Just every now and then, he seems a little too sensitive.  Over all, I liked how she led Darcy from being almost a secondary character in P&P to the main character in this book.  

I enjoyed her versions of Elizabeth, Mrs. Reynolds, Georgianna, Col. Fitzwilliam, Kitty and Lady Catherine de Bourg.  Not mentioned characters were still there, but had a much smaller role.  She introduced several new faces that, by the end of the book, I had to remind myself had not always been a part of the story.

Over all: A-.

Plot: The plot idea is what drew me to the book to begin with: Darcy has lost his memory.  My husband and have talked about this a lot: would we have still fallen in love with each other if the environment of meeting in college had been different?  It is interesting to think about.  If you lost your memory of your adult life - when you woke up...would you be pleased or disappointed with what people told you about yourself?  (Just so you know, we like talking about it because we are so very different.  Our personal interests would never have thrown us together.  Fortunately for us, we were set up on a blind date.)  Once I read that this was what the book was about - I had it in my cart at Amazon and ordered within 2 minutes.

There is a wonderful will they/won't they tension in Pride and Prejudice that Austen creates.  We are pretty sure that they will...but there is so much at stake and so much doubt and so many obstacles...it is quite a page turner for a novel that is kinda obviously going to end happily.  It takes a great plot idea to give the reader some of that experience again...and I believe Regina Jeffers delivers.  The plot and the characterization made me forget that the language wasn't authentic.

The main story is well developed with several side stories as well.  I like a book that you can't just retell to someone else in a few sentences.  There is too much going on.

(I believe that is another book that is a  retelling of Darcy and Elizabeth's meeting on a boat inPemberley's Promise and in London that follows the idea of "if they met under different circumstances, etc. would they still fall in love?".  Assumed Engagement , which I haven't read, creates a memory loss for Darcy within the original P&P story and changes it from there.  There is a reason why I can tell you about them and yet I haven't read them....the plot ideas just didn't grab me like this one did. 

Plot: A++

Rehash or revisit: I can't stand for a part 2 or part 3 book to just retell (or rehash) what happened in previous books.  Jeffers avoids this quite well.  She resists nicely even telling you about some plot items she added at the end of her previous book (which is why I suggest reading Darcy's Passions first even though it is just ok.)  She has a great device she uses to revisit scenes from the past that feels more like plot movement than trying to catch people up with what is going on. The revisit instead of a rehash gets an A+.

I was hooked by: Chapter 1, page 1.  A+.

Nit picky things: Overuse of the word chuckled and hissed.  And dreams.  I get the connection with the title and dreams.  I think the beauty in a metaphor or imagery is the subtlety of it.  To keep referring to the word dream was kinda like telling a joke and then saying "get it?"  And even after everyone laughed, said they got it...you still explain it.  Overall, there were not that many little things that broke my concentration in enjoying the book.  Nit picky items: A.

Wonderful little moments:  I love that the characters quote literature as part of their conversations.  (It is believably done and reminds me just how often I work in a quote from The Office or Friends into my daily conversations.....some how, though, quoting Shakespeare seems a little more high brow.)  There were moments that reminded me of other works was well.  There are 2 instances that felt very much like a nod to The Importance of Being Ernest (my favorite play and...look at that, another Colin Firth movie).  

I also enjoyed the mild humor in Darcy and Elizabeth's conversation about their courtship and love and how it would make a great novel.  That was well done.  B

Originality: There are some events that remind me of other P&P follow ups.  Definitely.  However, there is only so mush a writer can do with the constraints placed on them by the original text.  And the massive amount of expectations from all the Jane Austen fans.  There is enough originality in this for someone who has already read 5 or 6 Pride and Prejudice books (like myself) to enjoy.  A

If this book were a movie - it would be rated R due to marital passion.

Just FYI.

Regina Jeffes' next book: 

It is due out in September of this year (09).  It is my understanding it is the same plot as Darcy's Dreams but told from Elizabeth's perspective. Hmmm.  It is a good story but I find myself wondering if it will be new enough information.  I felt like I could understand Elizabeth's point of view fairly well already.  Listen to me complaining.  I know I'll read it anyway:)

The limitations of my own imagination.

This is FOR SALE!

I drive past it every day.

I'm not sure how one of our neighbors acquired a military transport type vehicle...but something about it really appeals to me.

I find myself creating some alternate reality where I come up with ways it would be useful to me.

1. I can certainly get ALL of my recycle in the back of it in 1 trip.

2. Camping. (Music in the front, tent in the back)

3. A nice cross between the suburban I now drive and an RV...we can totally do some trips with this.

4. Helping people move.

5. Picking up pine straw.

6. Ok, ok...helping people move.  

7. Plenty of room for all the kids karate gear in the back...and their school

8. We could SO be in the Christmas parade with it!

It is camouflaged and a truck...so the boys would love it.

It may be hard to merge into traffic...but I'm thinking people may yield to military vehicles.

It is a nice tribute to JD's military service.

Really...I think about it every day.

And then today I realized

it 

is 

probably 

not 

an 

automatic.

And I was bummed.

Because even in my alternate universe where I might own a military transport vehicle....I still can't drive a stick shift.

Fixations

Kids with Asperger's Syndrome sometimes have fixations on certain subjects. 

David has had many.

He currently likes to catalogue his favorite TV shows by name, synopsis and interesting facts.

This one is for the Ed, Edd and Eddie cartoon.

Oh, and there are pages about the characters.

I chalked this up to an Asperger's thing.

Um...

Until I looked across the room at someone else's fixation.

Mine.

I printed out multiple lists of Jane Austen spin off books.

I cut them into strips, alphabetized them by author

and then discarded the duplicates.

Then I made a little book of them

so I can keep track of what I have read and make notes.

Hmmmm.

So maybe not an Apserger's things...but an Apple doesn't fall far from the tree thing?

And then I remembered that when I was in my Star Trek Voyager phase

(and really, who hasn't been there at some point)

I printed out all the episodes and marked them off as I watched them.

And then I purchased the episode guide.

And even attempted to list each time the variation of 

"I'm a Dr. not a _________"

quote was used.

It seems that David

Like his mother

really doesn't do things in moderation.

Fixation.

Passion.

Focus.

It is really just the way you look at it.

Darcy's Passions by Regina Jeffers : Nice

Darcy's Passions by Regina Jeffers is a retelling of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.  And then some.  

Summary from the back of the book: 

"Witty, romantic and insightful, Darcy's Passions captures the original style and sardonic humor ofJane Austen's Pride and Prejudice turning the entire story on its head.  Written from the perspective of Fitzwilliam Darcy, this novel tells his version of an improbable, even obsessive relationship with a most impossible woman - Elizabeth Bennet...."  

I thought this book was pleasant.  If you have never read a retelling of Pride and Prejudice, if you really enjoyed the Kira Knightly and Matthew Macfadyen movie version of Pride and Prejudice or if you plan to read Jeffer's next book: Darcys Dreams (which I highly recommend), you should read this book.  Maybe just check it out of the library instead of buying it.

Language: C-

Plot: B-

Characterization: B-

Revisit vs. Rehash: A+

Hooked: B

Nit picky things: A

Wonderful moments: A

Originality: B

Language:  Jeffers admits up front that she does not try to maintain the language found in Austen's original work.  Personally, I like to see the author at least give it a try.  Overall, the normalcy of the language doesn't detract from the story telling.  There were a few moments here and there when my concentration was broken by just how regular the phrases were. (EX: Maybe Bingly really would call something lame back then, but the current trendiness of the word makes it feel like a poor choice.)

C-

Characterization: Jeffers states in her opening (which is worth reading) that she was inspired by Austen, the 1996 BBC/A&E movie with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle, and the more recent 2005 movie featuring  Kira Knightly and Matthew Macfadyen.  Once the couple is engaged, there are still 155 pages left in the book.  I think a lot of fans will be very gratified by hearing more about the engagement, the marriage and the few months afterwards.  However, once Elizabeth said yes...it felt like there was a shift from a Colin Firth Mr. Darcy to a Matthew Macfadyen Mr. Darcy.  There is a lot of introspection and talking about feelings, vulnerability.  I mean, it was nice and you think how wonderful to get to hear this and then....good grief, this goes on for pages!  They talk about their relationship with each other and then with the other characters and then think about it.......They were proud and prejudiced.  Got it.

It felt like when the romantic male lead in a comedy says something sensitive and gets misty eyed.  It is touching.  If he crosses that line and starts blubbering like a little girl...you think....how much longer does this movie last?  

The good thing is that Jeffers does keep the plot moving as these emotions are all revisited.

Another thing to note is that the relationships between Bingly, Georgianna and Darcy are portrayed as closer and more symbiotic than you feel on the surface of Pride and Prejudice.  We know that Darcy has mentioned Elizabeth to his sister when they finally meet.  So this additional information fits.

 

I also like that not all the characters have a turn for the better as some versions would have you believe.  I would have liked to have heard from Mrs. Bennet more.  But that is because, unlike her relations, I never tire of hearing about her nerves.

B-

 

Plot: The plot follows Jane Austen's very closely with a few extra events tossed in.  I really enjoyed the plot for the majority of the book.  As I mentioned before, there are 155 pages after Darcy and Elizabeth become engaged.  Jeffers does an excellent job of keeping the plot moving in both of her books.  I appreciate that.  It keeps my attention. And that movement is aided by a lot of dialog - which I also enjoy.  I'd much rather feel as though I am experiencing things with the characters instead of being told about them by the author.

My issues with the plot, as with the characterization, happen after the engagement when the Kira Knightly / Matthew Macfayden movie's influence feels like it kicks in.  There are 2 scenes that are referred to that I think happened exclusively in that movie version.  I have a great ability, as my husband will vouch for, to loose myself in books, movies and tv shows.  I had to stop watching ER when I was pregnant with my 1st son because I cried every time George Clooney lost a child.  (And lets face it, he lost a lot of them.  I can't believe people let him treat their kids with his record.)  I am always on the side of the author and want to loose myself in the story.  However, I don't care for being jolted out of that warm, dreaminess by things like the references to, what I consider to be, a lesser movie version.  Wow.  That sounded harsh. Like I said, if you like that movie, you will really enjoy this book.  

B-

Rehash or revisit: No rehashing or revisiting, as it is a retelling of the original Pride and Prejudice.  

A+

I was hooked by: I always review a book for that moment when I was hooked.  When I stopped making notes in the margin, underlining words and just let myself sink into the story.  I can usually tell because it is when I start looking forward to reading each evening. Chapter 3, which was only 29 pages in, was it.  Not the best, but far from the worst.  Considering there are 24 chapters and 385 pages, that is pretty good.

B

Nit picky things: The second half of the book had the word chuckled in it way too much. That is pretty nit picky of me....but it is the category. 

A

Wonderful little moments:  The letters back and forth between the brother and sister Darcy are entertaining and revealing.  I love their conversations about Caroline Bingly and her interrupting their letter writing.  

Also, reading the introduction by Jeffers about the names she selected for certain characters and her passion for Austen is very endearing.

A

Originality: By far, the most intimate in sharing of feelings of any of the retellings I have read. I don't think the story is turned on its head as the book jacket tells you (Lost In Austen can probably claim that title) but I don't really want a retelling to be turned on its head.  I want it to feel familiar enough so that I buy into the new portions of the story.  The originality is in the level of sharing and discussing feelings.  If you like that sort of thing:) 

There are a few plot twists that feel familiar if you have read other sequels.  But you forgive them because they fit so well into the plot and are well told.

B

If this book were a movie - it would be rated R due to marital passion.

Overall, I liked the book more than I didn't like the book.  I give it a B.  It is a must read before reading the sequel to it, Darcy's Dreams, which I really enjoyed.  Of the 3 retellings of Pride and Prejudice I have read, it ranks as #3.  In all fairness, though, it might have ranked higher had I read it earlier.  I did tend to pick on the same issue over and over again.  If you think that wouldn't bother you, then you will enjoy the book a great deal.  

Living in the fog of Pride and Prejudice

When my sister, who loves gorry horror movies, suggested I watch a 6 hour long 1996 BBC/A&E version of Pride and Pride and Prejudice...I thought "It must be very good."  It was.  Very, very good. As an English major...as a reader...I was surprised that I had never ever read any of Jane Austen's works before.  I immediately called up my friend Liz and said, "How have I gone through this much of my life without reading Pride and Prejudice before?"  Liz responded, "Read Austen's works slowly because she is quite dead.  There are only so many."

And then I discovered the world of Jane Austin spin offs.  

Books inspired by Pride and Prejudice and/or the movies with the same name.

(This photo doesn't include my DVD's and attests to the fact I do nothing in moderation)

There are so many!  By pacing myself, I can keep reading and rereading about Elizabeth and Darcy for years and never come out of that delightful fog of Regency England.

I am going to start posting reviews of some of the Pride and Prejudice follow up books I have read.

Mostly, this is to help me to keep them straight.

I am not an Austen expert...just a fan.

And yet my lack of information (in the expert field) does not create a lack of opinion.

I will post no spoilers (items that give away key plot turns) just an over all take on the book.

If you have read it too - please let me know what you think! 

 

However, I will talk about the plot of Pride and Prejudice as if you already know it....so know it or perhaps don't read the review.  It is a wonderful book and I wouldn't want to spoil any part of it for you. 

 

I will also refer to the 1996 BBC/A&E mini series with Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth and the more recent 2005 Kira Knightly and Matthew Macfayden movie of Pride and Prejudice.  I admit freely that I liked the BBC/A&E version better. 

If you disagree, feel free to let me know.

I always enjoy a well thought out discussion...even if I fail to present one myself at times.

If you have read any sequels or retellings - what were they?

Because, clearly, I am in need of reading material:)

Dude, those books were heavy!

List of Lists for Journaling

Because every blog post needs a photo...no matter how irrelevant.

Look at how well they all get along:)

This is what you came up with!

List of Lists:

Things to do over summer break

Places I'd like to travel

Things you want to accomplish this year

Things you want to accomplish in your lifetime

The best movies

The worst movies

A list of my secrets

Best songs

Top 5 movies (books, themes, places to go, songs, tv shows)

Favorite foods

What would you buy with $10 ($100)

Name as many objects as you can that will float

Create a list of words you can make with only the letters of your name

Make a list of things that are 6 inches long

What would you do if you had a free day

List of things you can make weapons out of

Things you remember from last summer

List of things you do on a typical day

If you could hire someone to do 5 things for you

Reasons we appreciate our mom

The funniest things I have seen

A list of kids names you'd use when you are a Dad

Things you would do if your parents couldn't say no

My 5 favorite meals

Things I want to do on a camping trip

List of the funniest lines from the movies (books, TV shows)

Names of my future pets

If you ran a zoo, what animals would you have in it?

What would you do if you were an only child?

What would you eat if you could choose the menu for the day?

Top 12 (or the appropriate age of the kid) favorite things

List of most awesome moments

Things I want to make

Things I want to learn

What makes me happy

Books I want to read

My favorite places

My wish list

3 things that makes me smile

My favorite things about myself

My favorite things to play

My favorite things about Grandma (Grandpa, Brothers, etc)

Things you were never too embarrassed to do as a kid

My friends are

My favorite games are

5 things you would pack to take on a trip if you didn't know where you were going

If you could have dinner with 10 people (living or dead...or fictional) who would they be?

My favorite book characters

TV characters I wish could be my friends

My favorite places to go

My favorite snacks

5 jobs I would consider having when I grow up

Super powers I would have

Things your Mom (Dad) always say

Things I see

Things I smell

Things I learned in school last year

Things I want to learn about

10 fun, free things to do

The last 5 things I bought

Top 10 sites I want to see in the US

Funny things my brothers say

States I have visited

If you had a farm, what would you grow

Things that make a great birthday party

Things Dad (Mom) does during the day

Places you would time travel to

Things to do with an empty cerial box

Things that should be invented

Favorite animals

Favorite toys

Things I will never eat again

Things that would look cool made out of Legos

Things I wish I could cook

The best things ever invented

Things I love

Things I am thankful for

Ways I have seen God work in my life

Character traits that you admire

My favorite colors

Websites I like

Favorite video games

Favorite things about Christmas

My favorite historical figures

My most comfortable clothes

List of colors (and things that come to mind with each one)

If I ruled the world, I would...

A list of rainy day activities

Great ice cream flavors (real and made up)

Movies I'd like to see over and over again

Things that gross mom out

Things that gross me out

Cartoon characters in ABC order

Ways to flip a pancake

Games I have played

Top 10 breakfast foods

Favorite stuffed animals

If I had to put 10 things of mine in a treasure box, they would be

List of hairstyles

Favorite heros

I bet you didn't know this about me

The earliest things I can remember

Fun things I did with Mom (Dad)

How I can help Mom (or Dad)

My favorite memories from last year

If I was King

Summer Fun List

What is in the fridge

Things you can find in our car

Ways I'd spend money if I won a million dollars

Things I never ever want to forget

Jobs I have had

Schools I have attended

Places we have lived

Concerts I have been to

Animals I have owned

Family stories or sayings

Hobbies I have enjoyed

Sports I have played

Dreams I have had

Some things I need to work on

Summer camps I have been to

Amusement rides I like

Goals I have had

Schools I have attended

Words we use that aren't English

A list of what not to do

Things to do when you are bored

List of miracles

List of blessings

List of answered prayers

Favorite desserts

Favorite outfits

Several people recommended this book:

The Complete Book of Questions by Gary Poole

Thank you so much for all the ideas!

Especially my new friend, Amanda!

I laughed, I was moved and then I laughed some more reading all of these list ideas!

Each of these will probably help me think of more.

I think I may run out of summer before I run out of list!

Thank you Thank you Thank you!

The winner is:

Random number generator picked the winner:

Hi! I love list making. I sit and just make lists for fun. What a cool idea for scrapbooking! I need to scrap a book of lists. Hmmm...I have the urge to go start a list of lists I would like to scrap. Cool!

For your boys:
List of things that would look a lot better made of Legos
List of things they wish they could cook
List of places they would like to visit (money/time/etc. no object)
List of people they would like to meet (past or present or future)
List of things they would like to invent
List of the best things ever invented

This could be fun! In my homeschooling supplies somewhere I have a little book of lists for kids to make. It was intended to be an exercise in spelling and handwriting, I think. A kind of learning center activity.

Posted by: Samantha | June 30, 2009 at 12:53 PM

Just send me an e-mail with blog or winner in the subject line.

And I can get the box out to ya!

[email protected]

Thanks for the awesome list of lists!! 

I'll try to list the lists in a list on Fri. 

list.

:)