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.
ANit 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?
