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Book Review: Darcy and Elizabeth: A Season of Courtship by Sharon Lathan

On a particularly melancholy afternoon, I picked up Darcy and Elizabeth: A Season of Courtship. I drew myself a warm bath and poured a glass of campaign. It was 2 in the afternoon...  While imbibing at that hour is hard to promote, it turned out there is "no enjoyment like reading" a Sharon Lathan novel and drinking champagne to turn the day right.*

The blurb from the back of the book:  Accepting a marriage proposal is merely the beginning...How did Lady Catherine restore Mr. Darcy's hope to prompt his second proposal? Did Caroline Bingley yield gracefully? Were the Bennets and Meryton citizens approving?

Readers of The Darcy Saga have shared in the romance, life and marital escapades of Mr. and Mrs. Darcy. Now the "prequel to the sequel" recounts the weeks between as the two new lovers prepare for happily ever after. 

Embark on the journey as Darcy and Elizabeth overcome the rocky past and discover the depth of their love. Delight in the budding passion and sweet romance. Enjoy the wedding planning and adventures during the initial weeks of their engagement.

Language: B+

Characterization: A

Plot: A

Rehash vs. Revisit: A+

Nit Picky Little Things: A

Wonderful Little Moments: A

Originality: A

The Moment I was Hooked: A

Language:  Without too many words of description, I always feel as if I can picture Sharon Lathan's chapters as if they were scenes from a movie. I am far too lazy to do all the figuring it out myself and far to easily bored to have every nuance of a room explained to me. I used to judge the language of books by the Austen like vocabulary. I have since learned to have an even greater appreciation for the Austen like scenes in this series. 

B+

Characterization:  While I generally feel like I know how Darcy and Elizabeth should act, Jane Austen leaves a lot of room for development of most of the supporting characters. I really enjoyed the relationships explored between Lizzy and Jane, Bingley and Darcy, Mr. Bennet and Darcy, and Caroline and everyone else. 

I greatly appreciate that shyness does not mean a lack of personality in the quieter characters such as Jane or Georgianna. And congeniality does not mean less intelligent with respect to Bingley. 

Also, Lathan alludes to several new characters who are featured later in the series, like Dr. Darcy.  They are so well crafted and woven into the story that you will find yourself positive that Jane Austen herself included them in her original work. (Much like the famous Darcy in the pond scene at Pemberley is now inseparable from Pride and Prejudice text in my mind.) 

A

Plot: For a plot where only so many things can happen based on Austen and Lathan's own Darcy and Elizabeth storyline, it is quite satisfying. I have read other accounts of their betrothal that swung wildly about in dramatic fashion. (Think "I love John! I hate John" which works for Emma adaptations but not quite for our Lizzy).  In a much more believable way, there are little moments, misunderstandings and great conversations where they learn more about the person they are going to marry. 

It is hard to talk about any of the books in the series independently. So I will say, I love a well told saga: Star Wars, Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Who, The Darcy Saga.  This is definitely my favorite series because it is as if this is the way it really happened and Sharon Lathan is telling us interesting bits over coffee. Or campaign. 

A

Rehash vs. Revisit: A brief revisit of the proposal moment. Everything else felt new and not at all a rehashing of things we already knew.

A+

Nit Picky Little Things: I always forget that Sharon Lathan was inspired by the 1995 Keira Knightly and Matthew Macfadyen Pride and Prejudice movie. So, as I read about the proposal scene, I was like.."Why on earth can she see his neck? What has become of  Colin Firth's  Mr. Darcy's cravat?!" Most people can hold onto this bit of information better than I can and will not, therefore, find this particular nit to pick.

A

Wonderful Little Moments: Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bennet's conversations, "If he had given it any thought, he might have suspected her tear ducts were dysfunctional," Georgianna and Darcy awaiting their guests in the dinning room, "Maybe there is a merchant selling character and decency."

A

Originality: I am sure there are many books that cover the betrothal days of Darcy and Elizabeth. This story with all the boxes it had to check to comply with what we know will happen still felt new and fresh.

A

The Moment I was Hooked: I became hooked on the series long ago. However, the moment my brow raised and my reading picked up pace was on page 3 when Lady Catherine de Bourgh came bustling into Darcy House upon leaving Elizabeth in Hertfordshire. 

A

If this book was a movie: The movie would be PG but because you read their thoughts and responses in a book, I would rate it PG-13. But not for 13 year olds. 

I went to put this book on the shelf and then pulled it back down and thought, "Well, just one more read through...."  

*Caroline Bingley quote and part of this kerfuffle.

Other books I have reviewed in this series by Sharon Lathan:

Book 1: Mr. and Mrs. Darcy; The Two Shall Become One   My review of it here.

Book 2: Loving Mr. Darcy: Journeys Beyond Pemberley  My review of it here.

Book 3: My Dearest Mr. Darcy: An Amazing Journey into Love Everlasting  My review of it here.

Book 4: In the Arms of Mr. Darcy  (book)   My review of it here.

            In the Arms of Mr. Darcy  (kindle version)  

A Darcy Christmas by Amanda Grange, Sharon Lathan and Carolyn Eberhart. My review of it here. 

 

Sharon Lathan's personal web site: www.sharonlathan.net

My obsession with reading Pride and Prejudice spin offs...

No, I haven't read The Help.

Or Twilight.

Or Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.

Or The Hunger Games.

Or anything not related to Pride and Prejudice....since 2009.  

O.k.  

2008.

I am that person who, inexplicably even to myself, has been completely and happily submerged  in a Darcy and Elizabeth bubble not even broken by the unfortunate zombie book incident.

(O.k, yes, I read the Harry Potter series to my kids and I have read many books on and for educating my children...but those were during the DAY time reading.  Day time reading is entirely different from what one reads in the evening.)

These are just the books I haven't reveiwed yet.  

Not the stack of 20 already on my shelf.

It is a compulsion.

And the actual wonderful thing about reading them is that they swirl around in my brain in a delightful slush and then I can't remember what happened when and where and I read them again.  (People don't talk up the good in having a bad memory enough.)

I hear it.

Crazy talk from someone who has always read everything.

At 12:20 am this morning, I grabbed my robe, pulled on my socks and shuffled into the living room.  On page 65 of Abigail Reynold's, By Force Of Instinct, I knew I might as well get up and read the remaining 200 pages on the sofa (instead of trying to silently turn pages without waking John David).  

And then I will talk about them with anyone who will listen.  And then I will talk about them for 5 minutes beyond when I can tell that person might be done listening.  And maybe as they walk away....

(Not quite that much.)

But what some may call compulsion and obsessiveness, I consider to be a thoroughness and loyalty.

Now, I must get back to my book.  

I really hope things work out between these two.....

 

 

 

Book Review: An Arranged Marriage by Jan Hahn

 I used to think that one of the best compliments I could give a book was to say I read the whole thing in one sitting because it was so good.  I read the first 3/4ths of An Arranged Marriage in one sitting and then purposefully slowed down to savor the last bit over several days because I didn't want it to end. I believe I have a new best compliment.

The blurb from the back of the book:  Immediately after Elizabeth Bennet refuses Mr. Darcy's proposal at Hunsford, her father dies, leaving Longbourn entailed away and little fortune to sustain his widow and daughters.

Six months later, the Bennet family receives a visitor with a most unusual offer that promises to save the family from financial and social ruin.  Elizabeth's sense of duty forces her to enter into an arranged marriage with a man she does not even like [Mr. Darcy].

Told from Elizabeth's point of view, An Arranged Marriage is a compelling twist on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.  Can Elizabeth overcome her feelings of anger, resentment, and suspicion toward her new husband and - the most bewildering sensation of all - a growing attraction for the last man in the wolrd she ever wished to marry?

Language: A+

Characterization: A

Plot: A

Rehash vs. Revisit: A+

Nit Picky Little Things: A

Wonderful Little Moments: A

Originality: A

The Moment I was Hooked: A+

Language:  Without using the exact words of Austen, (dither, quixotic, portend), Jan Hahn captured the tone of Austen.  Example: "The Inn was small, and if I term it rustic, I speak with generosity." 

A+

Characterization:  The story is told in Lizzy's words.  By enjoying this first person point of view, the reader is lured into her misunderstandings and becomes a partner in her turmoil.  While a quick reaction may be that Elizabeth Bennet, much like Austen herself, would never have married for less than love, a rather compelling case is made for her decision that fit well with her personality.

While most of the reviews on amazon.com are rather good, a few people claimed that Elizabeth acted childish in portions of the story.  I disagree.  I have read quite a few of these P&P follow up books over the past few years.  A collection of writers have used the idea that if Lizzy were forced into a relationship prior to or without her choosing, that she would go kicking and screaming.  I tend to agree with this assessment.  I didn't find her petulant, but confused a bit sardonic.   Ex: "How pleasant it would be if we could just sit there quietly for a while, but no, he would speak."

Mr. Darcy.  What can I say?  He is brooding, haughty, handsome and stares deeply at Lizzy.  And when he speaks he does not dissappoint.

Because I saw the BBC/A&E 1995 Colin Firth & Jennifer Ehle version of the movie  before ever reading the original Pride and Prejudice, the cast of that mini-series are the voices I hear when reading the lines of the characters to this day.  I completely could have believed anyone of those cast members speaking the words that Mrs. Hahn wrote.  It actually made me wish there was such a performance.

A

Plot: Because of her father's early death in this novel, Elizabeth's period of contrition and consideration for Darcy's letter post proposal in Hunsford is truncated by her mourning.  The reader gets to travel through these revelations with Elizabeth.  It added tension back into a story for me as a reader even though I could guess at how all would end. It was the same sort of suspense I felt in most of the fairly predictable Austen stories.  It isn't so much the end destination but the getting there that is the magic. 

It is a deeply romantic plot.  I am not sure what the appeal of people getting to know one another after marriage is to me.  On paper, it sounds highly unromantic even though it has been featured as a story line in many things before.  (In the movie Green Card, on my favorite plot line of Prince Richard and Cassie on Guiding Light.)  Just as Darcy and Elizabeth's romance defies the social class conventions of the early 1800's, so does this arranged marriage's future.   

A

Rehash vs. Revisit: Revisits only - which is the way I prefer.  A few lines were cleverly re-purposed. Overall, Mrs. Hahn assumes the reader is at least familiar with Pride and Prejudice.  

A+

Nit Picky Little Things: There are a lot of book covers to compete with in a book store, even among the Pride and Prejudice sequels.  While the picture was perfect, I did not care for the title font.  It made the book look personally (or cheaply) printed verses a mass publication.  And yes, I know that is a very nit picky thing to say coming from a person who can barely spell.

A

Wonderful Little Moments: "...her face falling like a pillow robbed of its feathers", the carriage ride, billiard lessons, Lizzy's affliction, "It is all your father's fault," not arguing with a saint, Darcy explaining the layout of rooms to Elizabeth.  

A

Originality: While the plot line isn't unique, even to Pride and Prejudice sequels, it was the best and most satisfying version I have read.  And when I say, not unique, it is not meant as uncomplimentary. Vampires stories, murder mysteries, fairy tales all follow plots that we have known before.  It is the handling of them that is what draws me in as a reader. Mrs. Hahn handled this one very much to my liking.

A

The Moment I was Hooked:  The first page drew me in with its humor and set the stage for the whole of the story.

A+

If this book was a movie - it would be rated PG-13.  For those looking for romance and a little heat without well described scenes of intimacy, this is the book for you.  

 

Pride and Prejudice Trivia Game

Him: "You started playing the Pride and Prejudice Trivia game without me?"

Me: "Oh, I only looked at a few cards!  I didn't know you wanted to play!  I can start over!"

        (She says enthusiastically)

Him: (Stares at me.)

Me: "Wait, you are kidding...."

Him: "Of course I am kidding."

Me: (walks away, not sure if I should be more disappointed about my own gullibility or the loss of the opponent)

 

The Pride and Prejudice Trivia Game is fun and cute and on sale for $15.99 at Amazon right now.

I think it makes a great gift for someone who loves Pride and Prejudice.

Do I see myself playing this game with friends - not really.

It is designed for a pretty small portion of the population.

(And yet - I bought it...)

The questions are directly from the book with a few about Jane Austen.

Who said what, sequences of events and facts.

 

 

I flipped through the cards quickly when I opened the box.

The tall stack on the left are the ones I got right.

Sample question from that stack: Who declared that Mr. Darcy is not to be laughed at?

The medium stack in the middle ate the ones I got wrong.

Sample question from that stack: How much money did Mrs. Bennet say Lydia Bennet could have for her wedding clothes?

(I think reading all the P&P spin offs made it harder to remember which facts are really from Austen herself and which ones have been added by other authors.For example, there wasn't a single question about the wet shirt / lake scene.  While I KNOW it wasn't in the text, I feel as though it was implied.)

And the small stack on the right, those are the Free Point cards.

Sample from that stack: free points

Ways to use this game: 

I will most likely place this game in my guest room for my guests to flip through.

I might put all the trivia cards in a glass bowl on the guest room dresser.  

You could pull out all the cards with people's names on them and use them for a game of charades.

My over all take - it is a novelty item that makes a nice gift.

I do not see someone really using this much - however, if you gave them a leather bound edition of Pride and Prejudice - it would probably fall into the same category.

 

 

To Have His Cake (and Eat It Too): Mr Darcy's Tale by P.O. Dixon

I really enjoyed the idea of To Have His Cake (and Eat It Too).  It reminded me a bit of Jane Erye...but with better lighting.  The "what if" plot led to continued friction and misunderstanding between Darcy and Elizabeth...with some heat thrown in. However, there were a few items in this book that have been deal breakers for me in other Pride and Prejudice spin offs.  Instead of being comfort food for my brain, it was a bit more of an interesting read. 

A portion of the blurb from the back of the book: "...The amorous, provocative, and at times tumultuous tale, illustrates Mr. Darcy as a wealthy young man of sense and education, as well as considerable worldly experience - not at all uncommon for Regency era gentlemen of his social standing.  He enjoys his lifestyle and has no particular desire to marry at all.

That is, until he renews his acquaintance with Miss Elizabeth Bennet - her own circumstances greatly diminished pursuant to the sudden and tragic death of her father..."

** You can sample the first 20% of this book on Smashwords.com. I have never used this option, but it sounds pretty great.**

Language: C

Characterization: C

Plot: B+

Rehash vs. Revisit: A

Nit Picky Little Things: A

Wonderful Little Moments: A

Originality: A+

The Moment I was Hooked: B

Language: The straight forward language along with the straight forward writing style made the book feel a bit...straight forward. I would have liked more transition in spots. I'm not one for lengthy explanations and a lot of description. In spite of that, there were a few lines I had to reread because the dramatic information was so simply and succinctly stated that I was not sure exactly what had just happened.  

Also, the bluntness of language in several scenes made them feel more graphic than romantic.  I will refer back to this in the characterization section as one of my two issues.

C

Characterization: Ahhhhh: Darcy and Elizabeth sparring, misunderstanding each other and pride once again taking center stage.  That, I loved.

I enjoy reading how different authors interpret items from the Regency Era and Jane Austen's writing: the waltz, wedding bands, how Christmas is celebrated, the # of staff at Pemberley, Darcy's wealth and social status, the size of Pemberley, Darcy's extended family, if Darcy would remain in the room during the birth of his child, would Darcy curse, how religious is he, and so on.  

The nonnegotiable for me is the characterization of Darcy's honor and devotion to Elizabeth.  This is no great spoiler here, as it is alluded to on the back of the book where it says he has "worldly experience...not uncommon for a gentleman of the Regency era...", and you can find it on page 2: Darcy visits a brothel. After meeting Elizabeth.  

I gave the book The Private Dairy of Mr. Darcy a very harsh review for the same reason.  Perhaps, in all of the Pride and Prejudice follow ups you have read, a bit of reality will feel refreshing.  Maybe I am just a little too caught up in the fairy tale.  As I said, I like the idea of the story so much, I really really wanted to love all of the book.  I did not love the parts referring to the brothel even though Ms. Dixon makes a case for this being more than a disparagement later in the story.  It is not a thoughtless detail.

I, personally, want the fairy tale.  I stick my fingers in my ears and sing "LALALA" when I hear Colin Firth say "no such men like that exist" in interviews referencing Mr. Darcy and other Fitzwilliam and Mark Darcy-esc characters he has played.  (Perhaps not the exact quote..hard to be sure with one's fingers in one's ears.)

C

Plot:  Darcy, wanting to have Elizabeth close, offers her a position in his household as a companion for Georgiana.  This leads to great deal of humor and tension.   I think to create tension between characters that we already know with an ending that we have already heard, is pretty exciting. At the end, I was left wanting to know more about Lady Catherine, Mr. Collins, Caroline, Mr. Bingley and a few spurned women in Darcy's wake.  

There is a plot turn that, when coupled with the language used, felt very graphic and out of character for Darcy and Elizabeth.  I do not mind love scenes.  I am a fan of Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife and The Two Shall Become One.  It is the subject people e-mail me the most about. (In reference to the Pride and Prejudice books only...of course.)   Smashwords.com rates this book for 17 and above.

B+

Rehash vs. Revisit: Revisit, for sure.  I quite enjoyed the use of original lines in different circumstances.

A

Nit Picky Little Things: I think my two complaints are sufficient.

A

Wonderful Little Moments: : "It could be worse, I might be Mrs. Collins," horseback riding, seeing Pemberley for the first time (Ms. Dixon did create a wonderful version of this), Mary's character development, Georgiana's gift, Darcy and Elizabeth's arguments. 

A

Originality: Excellent - The idea of the story drew me in and left me wanting more.  It is quite hard to set your work apart in a sea of Pride and Prejudice follow ups and Ms. Dixon did just that.

A+

The Moment I was Hooked: The few lines preceding Chapter 1 made me sink into the book immediately. But then, the previously mentioned item on page 2, pushed me back out again.   So many dramatic plot details were revealed in the first chapters, my interest was drawn back....but not as quickly as my heart had been initially.

B

If this book was a movie - it would be rated R. 

And, there IS another book coming, so I will get to find out what happens to those characters I mentioned, in What He Would Not Do by P. O. Dixon.  This link is to an excerpt on Ms. Dixon's blog. (Although, you may not want to read the excerpt from book #2 before reading book #1.) 

(This image is from podixon.blogspot.com)

 

 

A Darcy Christmas by Grange, Lathan & Eberhart

Dear Spouses of those Perpetually Enamored with Darcy and Elizabeth,

Buy this book for her as a Christmas present and you will be a hero.  Or better yet, give it to her early because A Darcy Christmas is a delightful way to wrap one's self up warmly in holiday cheer.

 

Do you need more review? Really?

Because there are 3 short stories by 3 different authors within A Darcy Christmas, I will forgo my normal method of reviewing a novel.  Through the 3 stories: I smiled to myself, I laughed, I teared up and actually said out loud, "Oooooh - good choice!."  As a reader, those are the moments of emotion that connect me to the words.  In an effort to not deprive you of those same moments - I am going to mention the stories themselves very little.  Instead, I'd like to focus on the authors.

Christmas Present by Amanda Grange

I blame credit Amanda Grange for my Pride and Prejudice sequel addiction.  Mr. Darcy's Diary was the first spin off book that I read.  (Thank you Stacey for recommending it.)  Reading this book was the closet thing to getting to experience Pride Prejudice for the first time, all over again.  Grange's insight into Darcy's character and actions was truly exciting to read.  My review of Mr. Darcy's Diary can be found here.

When I saw her book, Mr. Darcy, Vampire on the shelf at Barnes and Noble, I found myself coming back to it again and again....just to peek and see what it was about.  (Another shopper was doing the same thing...we kept bumping into each other in front of the book shelf).  Not that I was going to read such a thing, of course.  Who was I kidding?  I bought it and read it and...shockingly, loved it.  Once again, her attention to Darcy's character made me start to wonder if Jane Austen really had a vampire in mind when she wrote P&P.  I had a few questions at the end of her book about the plot, but I didn't even really care because the characterization was so good.  My review of Mr. Darcy, Vampire can be found here.

In Christmas Present, some of my favorite moments were with the supporting characters.  Lady Catherine's line about fatigue is one of my new favorite lines in literature. I remember being on page 160 and flipping ahead to see how many pages were left in the story.  "Rats, only 10 pages more!"  It was as if I was checking my watch and dreading the short time left with my dear and accomplished friends.

AND there was a teaser in the last pages of the book for a new release by Amanda Grange: Wickham's Diary. I am super excited to see what she does with this one!  

Mr. Darcy's Christmas Carol by Carolyn Eberhart

I figured if there was to be a weak link in the book, it would be the newcomer.  As far as I know, this is Ms. Eberhart's first work.  Lets just say, I hope she writes much more because I was delighted to read her version of A Christmas Carol with Darcy in the primary role.  There were moments where it felt very much like Pride and Prejudice and moments where it felt very much like A Christmas Carol.  But mostly, it was wonderfully snug in between these two stories.  Ms. Eberhart created tension and suspense in two well know narratives by meshing them together.

Because this book is being so well received, there are many great reviews for it on the internet.  A lot of them reveal a good bit of the details about Mr. Darcy's Christmas Carol.  Don't read them.  It is far better to learn how she crafts the story and who plays what ghost by simply reading it.  (This is the one where I said out loud, "Oooooh good choice!")

And, I love it when an author treats us like smart readers.  Her nod to the publication dates in the time line of the story made me feel very clever.  And anyone that makes me feel clever gets extra gold stars.

And saving my favorite for last..

A Darcy Christmas by Sharon Lathan

Mrs. Lathan has written the following books in a series:

Mr. & Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy: Two Shall Become One (my review here)

Loving Mr. Darcy  (my review here)

My. Dearest Mr. Darcy  (my review here)

In the Arms of Mr. Darcy  (my review....wait for it.....here)

This series was inspired by the 2005  Keira Knightly version of Pride and Prejudice...(a movie I complained through out as if I were Caroline Bingley herself).  I honestly went from skeptic to genuine fan reading these books.  When I describe them to someone, I characterize Mrs. Lathan as having so many wonderful moments, both big and small, in her stories.  I also love the conversations between Darcy and Elizabeth.

Now, I feel like any time she mentions her current books she is working on (on the web site Austen Authors) I want to hand her a paper cup of water and tell her to get back to writing.  (You see the marathon metaphor there, right?  In my mind Lathan is running wearing a Regency period dress and a red white and blue head band......)

A Darcy Christmas takes the reader through 9 different Christmases.  If you have read the series, there will be references to what you already know.  I gobbled these instances up like little treats.  There are also hints and snippets of things to come that made me very happy to read.  If you have not read the series, I believe you can still enjoy this story.  There may be a few people here and there whose origin could feel unclear.  However, that should be temporary because you will want to read the series next.  

This is the short story that made me happily misty eyed.  (I don't do "sadly misty eyed" inducing books)

My husband saw me drawing out a family tree of the characters and relationships (both known from the series and newly revealed in this story) on legal paper and asked if I was making chart of the book.  I was like, "Um, of course not.  I mean, who does that....?"  Apparently, I do.  

(I do get asked a lot about the amorus scenes in books I review.  As with Mrs. Lathan's series, there is a bit of that.  However, as this is a short story, what may be a few pages in her novels becomes a few lines in A Darcy Christmas)

A+

The thing that ties all three stories together so well is the fact that the authors are such fans of Pride and Prejudice. Their thoughtfull characterization brings together 3 very different stories with varying realities quite nicely.  

So buy the book and wrap it up with brown paper and string.

It is sure to be one of her favorite things.

(I couldn't resist)

Your friend,

Kelli

 

Mr. Darcy Takes the Plunge by J. Marie Croft

 

If you appreciate alliterative allusions, find no punishment in puns, relish recalcitrant repartee and you can handle Mr. and Mrs. Bennet flirting with each other...then you will enjoy this Pride and Prejudice re-imagining: Mr. Darcy Takes the Plunge.  And if all of those are not your cup of tea...then skim through them because the plot is pretty good too.

Blurb from the back of the book:

A pun filled tale featuring Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice characters with some added or addled, missing or missish, modified or mortified, healthier, wealthier, or wiser.

Impeccable comportment is mandatory in Regency England, a society governed by strict rules of conduct. Perfectionist Fitzwilliam Darcy, heir to an august ancestral estate, is the epitome of an unimpeachable gentleman, at least until...

Our hero's immaculate image is somewhat tarnished when he and his traveling companions arrive, hot and sweaty, at Pemberley and decide to take a fateful plunge into a scummy pond.  An embarrassing encounter on the estate's lawn leaves a long-lasting impression on Jane and Elizabeth Bennet, who are new acquaintances of Georgiana and Anna Darcy....This romantic comedy is a lighthearted adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, featuring a softer, sweeter and sillier side of Austen's beloved characters.

(This is one of the best "back of the book blurbs" I have ever read because it really does set the appropriate expectation.  And really, knowing what to expect with Pride and Prejudice spin offs is the whole reason I write these reviews.  That and my poor memory.....)

Language: A

Characterization: B

Plot: B

Rehash vs. Revisit: A

Nit Picky Little Things: B

Wonderful Little Moments: A

Originality: A+

The Moment I was Hooked: A

 

Language: One of the reviews on the front of the book reads, "I laughed, I snorted, smiled and groaned..." And that is a good way to describe reading this book.

It did make me smile to think that the same Jane Austen who stood before her family and recited funny stories, would have enjoyed the clever word games that Mrs. Croft employed.  And I also considered that word games were entertainment during that time period.  (I am thinking of Scrooge's nephew and his friends in A Christmas Carol.  "Tight as...your uncle Scrooge's purse strings, a drum!"  A Christmas Carol was published about 30 years after Pride and Prejudice.)  

The word play is a bit like watching spinning plates.  At first, you are interested because, hey, they are spinning plates.  Then it goes on and you are less interested.  Then, a minute more, and your mind starts to drift.  Suddenly, you are pulled back because, look at that....those plates are still spinning!  That is what the paragraphs with the plays on words were like for me.  Interesting, my mind drifted and then....seriously, wow!  She is on her 8th pun using the word bird! 

A

Characterization: In a re-imagining, one has to suspend her disbelief of what she knows about Pride and Prejudice as fact.  Just as one can watch Bridget Jone's Diary and see certain character traits and themes that stand out as being particularly Jane Austenie, there is much there that is not.  The same is true for this book.  

I think it is easy to dismiss some of the changes in characterization as simply fun interpretations.  But what if Mr. and Mrs. Bennet did have a loving relationship?  What if they didn't need to worry about the entailment of Longbourn?  Would that have possibly contributed to their prosperity and raised their daughters to a higher level of society?  I found myself thinking about these things long after I finished reading the book.  

I believe that Mrs. Croft has written one of my favorite versions of Bingley.  

B

Plot: I consider this a "re-imagining"  I have several categories for Pride and Prejudice spin off books.

1. Re-tellings: Using the same plot as Jane Austen but telling the story from a different point of view or with additional details.  (Think Mr. Darcy's Diary, An Assembly Such As This)

2. Follow ups: Books that tell you what happened after that wedding kiss with Darcy and Elizabeth. (Mr. Darcy takes a Wife, Sharon Lathan's Mr. & Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy)

3. What ifs: Books that change a detail but keep most of the plot structures/characterizations in place. (Mr. Darcy, Vampire, The Other Mr. Darcy)

4. Re-imaginings: Multiple details changed to the extent, the story or the characters are very different. (Bridget Jones' Diary, Lost in Austin, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies)

(All links are to amazon.com.  All books in italics are books that I have reviewed.  Reviews can be found in the archives here.)

So many details of the plot and characterization details are changed in this book, it falls into the re-imagining category for me.  There are additional family members, improved social standings and some people, quite simply, are not dead.

The good news is that there is a delightful plot in addition to the word play.  It is fun and entertaining.  The bad news, for me, is that the word play does slow down the plot in places.  But then again, I am a carnivorous reader.  I blaze through a book, devouring the plot.  Upon rereading this book for the 2nd and 3rd times, I appreciated the language much more.  (This is why I always read a book 2 times before reviewing it.  Ok, except for the Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.  I. Just. Couldn't.)  

There is also a bit of a nod to the 1995 BBC/A&E Pride and Prejudice movie version in the significance of the pond.  And really, who doesn't enjoy a little bit more of the pond?

Is the plot what I really think happens for Darcy and Elizabeth?  No.  Was it clever and entertaining? Absolutely.

B

Rehash vs. Revisit: No rehashing.

A

Nit Picky Little Things: I did not care for the cover art on the book cover.  

B

Wonderful Little Moments: Darcy and Elizabeth's conversation about what makes a story romantic, Darcy's jealousy, Robert, the waltz, the discussion about the author of Sense and Sensibility.  One of my favorite word plays came from Mrs. Croft working no less than 8 Colin Firth movie titles into a few pages.  

A

Originality: Croft's language and plot are one of a kind.

A+

The Moment I was Hooked: On page 3, there is a line that reads, "...please allow me to introduce you to Miss Georgianna Darcy and her younger sister, Miss Anna."  I was like, what?  A younger sister? (She is just one of the many surprises.)  At that point, my curiosity was really peaked and I wanted to read more.

A

If this book were a movie, it would be rated PG 13 for language (a little bit of cussing) and for the bawdiness of some of the puns.  They become a bit more scandalous as the book proceeds.  (Missionary, pickle, plow)   

 

Mr. Darcy's Obsession by Abigail Reynolds

I read Mr. Darcy's Obsession in 1 sitting.  And when I finished it at 4 a.m, I turned back to page one and started to read it a second time.  Yes, it is that good.  

Abigail Reynolds has, yet again, remixed Pride and Prejudice with both familiar and new plot twists that made me race through the pages to see if Darcy and Elizabeth would end up together.  To add suspense, tension and romance to a story that has a well known ending is pretty remarkable.  And remark on it here, I shall.

Blurb from the back of the book:  

What if Elizabeth Bennet was more unsuitable for Mr. Darcy than ever...Mr. Darcy is determined to find a more suitable bride. But when he learns that Elizabeth is living in London in reduced circumstances, after her father's death robs her of her family home...                    

What if Mr. Darcy can't help himself from seeking her out....He just wants to make sure she's all right. But once he's seen her, he feels compelled to talk to her, and from there he's unable to fight the over-whelming desire to be near her, or the ever growing mutual attraction that is between them.                      

What if Mr. Darcy's intentions were shockingly dishonorable...As Darcy grapples with conflicting feelings, Elizabeth can surmise that like most men, he wants only one thing...

Language: A

Characterization: A

Plot: A+

Rehash vs. Revisit: A+

Nit Picky Little Things: A+

Wonderful Moments: A

Originality: A+

The Moment I was Hooked: A

 

Language: Lovely.

A

Characterization:  For me, the key to changing the plot of Pride and Prejudice without offending the fan is to maintain the characterization.   The main characters are very much the same as Jane Austen left them, and for that, I thank Mrs. Reynolds.  I find that I am protective of Darcy and Elizabeth and even Caroline Bingly.  When I find an author who is protective of them as well, I feel as though I can follow her down whatever garden path she would like to lead.

Darcy and Elizabeth are brilliantly written.  I didn't just read their conversations, I felt them.  The strain, the anxiety, the passion...sometimes all at once.  And I certainly think I will forever view a gloved hand differently.  

The plot and some of the characters are "earthier" and less romantically painted.  I was quite hard on The Private Life of Mr. Darcy for this. However, these additions to the plot work in this case because the characterizations were so well maintained.  I found it much  more acceptable. 

There were quite a few new characters that fit in very well, both heroes and villains. Charlie and Simms...oh, and Aunt Augusta are a few of my favorites.  

A

Plot:  You learn in the first pages that just before Darcy could propose at Rosings, Elizabeth was called away due to her father's failing health.  All of Mrs. Bennet's fears are realized as the Collins' take over the entailment of Longbourn.  Time has passed and Lizzy is now in London.  As I said before, this combination of familiar and completely new information was a wonderful way to begin the quick paced plot. There are tensions, pride, misunderstandings and relatives behaving horribly.  I really did read this book straight through from 11 p.m. until 4 a.m.  I just had to see how it would end.  Isn't that crazy?

It reminded me of Sense and Sensibility (and Vanity Fair) a bit in loosing the home to a relative, requiring the generosity of relatives and living in genteel poverty.  (Caroline's mercenary tactics and Charlotte's practicality seem prudent in this context.) 

There is one plot twist that I think will make some fans cringe a bit...however, stick with it and see if you feel better about it at the end.  I did and on the second reading, I was un-phased.

A+

Rehash vs. Revisit: Revisited conversations - but in a different context.  (Ex: "30 miles is an easy distance to travel", but the locations are different from the original book).  I found the repeating of a few lines here and there made the characters feel even more authentic.

A+

Nit Picky Little Things: None come to mind. I am that enamored with the book.

A+

Wonderful Moments: Any scene with Charlie in it, the gloves, the parks, "I wish it," carrying water, the other Aunt, Simms, "It sounded like Brighton."  And I love the cover art.  This is my new image of what Elizabeth Bennet looks like.

A

Originality:  Any author who can imagine these characters in modified plots is impressive to me.  (Without making it feel ridiculous...as if they were all improv performers in a scene and we, the audience, just started yelling out themes:  "Act it like you are all cowboys now.  Now Shakespearean theater.  Now in slow motion!" Entertaining - yes.  Excellent literature - no.)  The fact that Abigail Reynolds is among the few that have varied the plot numerous times, is impressive.  It makes me not only a fan of the book but of hers as well.

A+

The Moment I was Hooked: Page. 3.  I started to figure out where in the story we were at this point.

A 

If this book were a movie it would be rated R for references to particular behaviors. (Ok, I would rate it R, but I am sure the movie people would have it as PG 13).  It  would actually make a great movie with lush scenery and moments just ripe for romantic music to swell in the background.

Abigail Reynolds is a lifelong Jane Austen enthusiast and a physician. She began writing From Lambton to Longbourn in 2001 to spend more time with her favorite characters from Pride & Prejudice. Encouragement from fellow Austen fans convinced her to continue asking 'What if...?', which led to four other Pemberley Variations and her modern novel, Pemberley by the Sea. She lives with her husband and two teenage children in Madison, Wisconsin  (condensed from the back of the book)

Her web site: www.pemberleyvariations.com/

Disclaimer: I was asked by to review this book by the Sourcebooks and received a free advance copy of it.   However, a free book wouldn't cause me to loose sleep.  A really well written story would.  And it did.

In the Arms of Mr. Darcy by Sharon Lathan

Dear Mrs. Lathan, Please do not let this 4th delicious installment be your last. Your Friend, Kelli Crowe

No, I do not know Mrs. Lathan, but I would love to share a cup of tea with her and catch up on our mutual friends, the Darcys.  Her enthusiasm for all things Darcy and Regency completely won over this sceptic. 

Language: B+

Characterization: A

Plot: A

Revisit vs. Rehash: A

Nit Picky Little Things: A

Wonderful Little Moments: A++

Originality: A

The Moment I was Hooked: A

 

Language: Denuded, meretricious, insensate...I greatly enjoyed the language.

B+

Characterization: There is a listing of the Cast of Characters at the beginning of the novel - which I found helpful.  After 4 books, there are quite a few supporting players and family members that my pre-parenting brain might have been able to keep straight....but lets just say that after 3 boys, I appreciate any sort of Cliff notes offered.  

I think my favorite element of this book were the conversations between characters.  They are intimate, humours and revealing.  Darcy and Elizabeth have such great repartee.  And so much of the character's personalities and relationships are exposed through these wonderful moments.  There is an element of reality and Romanticism in the conversations.  A perfect combination.

There was one moment that Darcy seemed to act out of character in his natural, established protectiveness of Georgianna.  I didn't really understand the specific plot twist and the character's reaction to it. However...I did see that Sharon Lathan is writing another book, The Trouble with Mr. Darcy.  I have no idea if it is book #5 in this series.  (I can hope!)  Perhaps there are threads I am not meant to understand that will be revealed to me in later novels.  And I really want someone to read this book so I can discuss it!!  (My husband only has so much patience with hearing me ramble on about these things with the level of seriousness paralleled to a medical breakthrough.)

A

Plot: Ch. 3 The lush visual of Pemberley at Christmas (in Ch. 3) is like Regency England meets a Norman Rockwell Christmas.  The reader also gets to see Pemberley as a playground to visitors.  And true to Lathan form, just when I think all is well....well, it is not.

The story lines of Caroline Bingly and Kitty are two of my favorites in the book.  (Do not fret, the plot is still mostly about Darcy and Elizabeth.)  I adore Caroline in general.  (Why I always seem to pull for the villain in these stories is a thread I honestly don't want to pull too hard on, lest I become disappointed with my own unraveled introspection:)  But beyond Kitty's ill timed coughing, I never really gave her much thought. Lathan made me care about Kitty (and Mary, in her previous books).   

The plot, again, moves quickly and is driven quite a bit by dialogue.  The Darcys continue to travel.  I found myself actually googling Devil's Arse and Charles Cotton.  Mrs. Lathan did her homework in this area.  (I even looked back to make sure she really was from California and not England because of seemingly very accurate descriptions of places the Darcys visited.

A

Revisit vs. Rehash: No rehashing at all.   Excellent use of flashbacks to events that we did not previously know about as readers.  These flashbacks were very revealing to the character's motivations and actions.

A+

Nit Picky Little Things: Hmmm, none come to mind beyond the previously mentioned plot twist.  

A

Wonderful Little Moments:  Mr. Bennet meeting Alexander, "Are you the boss of the road?," the family tree, the backgammon games, Mrs. Smith, Lady Worrow (who's gregariousness reminded me of how my grandmother used to hold the attention of a room), learning Mrs. Gardener's and Mrs. Bennet's first names.

A++

Originality: The farther away from where Jane Austen left off that Lathan takes me, the more I appreciate her creativity.  This 4th book takes us through the Darcy's 2nd year of marriage.

A

The Moment I was Hooked: I was committed before I started reading.  I will say, Ch. 3's Christmas celebration made me think of visiting the Biltmore and the lushness of a huge home at Christmas time. I remember emotionally sinking down into the story at that point.

A

I started out as a sceptic of this series and was won over to be quite a fan.

Book 1: Mr. and Mrs. Darcy; The Two Shall Become One   My review of it here.

Book 2: Loving Mr. Darcy: Journeys Beyond Pemberley  My review of it here.

Book 3: My Dearest Mr. Darcy: An Amazing Journey into Love Everlasting  My review of it here.

Book 4: In the Arms of Mr. Darcy  (book)   My review of it (you just read).

            In the Arms of Mr. Darcy  (kindle version)  

Additional books:

A Darcy Christmas: A Holiday Tribute To Jane Austen       (released this month)                                    by Sharon Lathan, Amanda Grange and Carolyn Eberhart

Trouble with Mr. Darcy (due out April 1, 2011)  by Sharon Lathan

Sharon Lathan's personal web site: www.sharonlathan.net

 

If this book were a movie, it would be rated R due to how passionately those two do, indeed, become one.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this last book, In the Arms of Mr. Darcy, and was asked to review it. Truthfully, I want to like all Pride and Prejudice books.  And being asked to review one makes me want to like it a tiny bit more.  But only a tiny bit.  I try to find the entertainment in all that I read.  And usually, "my good opinion once lost, it is lost forever."  (There have been a few doozies I have reviewed and a few more to come.)  However, I try my best to remain as truthful as I can on each review.   If for no other reason, so that I can one day come back and re-read my review and say, "Aah, yes, that is what happened in that book!" and choose whether to re-read it again.  

My Dearest Mr. Darcy: An Amazing Journey into Love Everlasting by Sharon Lathan

Reading My Dearest Mr. Darcy was like being welcomed into the home of dear friends who I have come to know over a series of 3 books.  The fact that the home was Pemberley made it that much better.

Blurb from Amazon.com: "Darcy is more deeply in love with his wife than ever.  As the golden summer draws to a close and the Darcys look ahead to the end of their first year of marriage, Mr. Darcy could never have imagined his love could grow even deeper with the passage of time…

Lizzy is full of surprises…Elizabeth is unpredictable and lively, pulling Darcy out of his stern and serious demeanor with her teasing and temptation. Looking ahead and planning for celebrations and life events large and small, Lizzy can still catch Darcy unawares when he least expects it… But surprising events force the Darcys to weather absence and illness, and to discover whether they can find a way to build a bond of everlasting love and desire…"

Language: B

Characterization: A

Plot: B

Revisit vs. Rehash: B

Nit Picky Little Things: A

Wonderful Moments: A+

Originality: A

The Moment I was Hooked: B

 

Language: Pleasant and flowing.  I had to grab my dictionary a few times - but I like that.  (Just in case I ever get another chance at the SAT, I gotta stay sharp). 

B

Characterization: Elizabeth and Darcy are finishing their first year of marriage and are still learning to be husband and wife.   I like how Lathan injects moments of misunderstanding and pride into their mostly blissful relationship.  It adds tension into a story line where you already know the guy wins the girl. Even though I love the romantic notion of riding off into the sunset together, I kinda like the idea that they may, at some point, argue about where they parked the horse.  

Elizabeth's transition into becoming "Mrs. Dacy" to her new peers, her old friends from home, her staff and those who depend on her for their living is interesting to see both in books 2 and 3.  All does not go smoothly.  

Dr. George Darcy continues to play an important role in the story line as well as offer a lot of humor. He fits so well into narrative that I consider him one of Jane Austen's own that she just never mentioned. Lathan uses Dr. Darcy and Lady Underwood, etc, to reveal to the reader much information about medicine, social structure and politics during Regency England.  Who is Lady Underwood?  Just part of my favorite scene in the book.  

A

Plot: The book begins with journal entries by Dr. Darcy that reach back to his arrival during the middle of book 2.  However, it is interlaced so with new details and perspectives, that I couldn't find any bit that I would suggest to leave out.  The journal entries are followed by a series of letters from Jane, Mr. Bennet, Mary and Lydia.  It is interesting to start the book this way because letters do play an important role in Pride and Prejudice.  They are also a very important way that much of Jane Austen's personal life is revealed to us today.  (I believe it was Sense and Sensibility that was originally written as a series of letters back and forth between the sisters.)

However, when chapter 3 began, that is when I felt the like the story really got started.  The tone is set right away was romantic.  I think I awwww'd right out loud.  

Much of the story finds the Darcys traveling. Mrs. Lathan packed in so much detail about the local areas and the historic sites that they saw, I think I could use this book as a travel guide.  I don't know if the details are accurate, but as long as Mr. Darcy is reciting them to me, who cares?  

There are illnesses and separations.  All in all, the plot moves quickly and a lot of it is driven by dialogue. I like that.

B 

Revisit vs. Rehash: In my vocabulary - a revisit is reminding the reader of information already known to him but usually shedding light on it (such as a new point of view or details).  The beginning of the book is a revisit of past events via Dr. Darcy's journal entries.  While it isn't my favorite way to begin a book , it was a very effective way to give the reader a lot of information at one time.

B

Nit Picky Little Things: Just this one, little thing....Darcy and Elizabeth have a lot of amorous moments. A few paragraphs about it, and I thought, "Good for them."  A page of description and Darcy's copious praise of Elizabeth and I thought, "O.k, you guys get a room."  A couple of pages later and I was thinking..."You have a room and I am trapped in it with you."  However, this information may be the tipping point to get some people to read the books.  And I will say, I have read a few follow ups that have completely ignored this portion of the Darcys relationship and those books have been a snooze fest. Alright...so, um...never mind.

A

Wonderful Moments: As I have said in previous Sharon Lathan book reviews, I think one of Lathan's strong points is the ability to continue generating these wonderful moments; both big and small.  Darcy as a tour guide, "Anywhere but East," the pearls, swimming...I could go on but I don't want to give these scenes all away.  My big criticism of Lathan's first book, that it was inspired by the Kiera Knightly 2005 Pride and Prejudice movie, turns out to be an asset.  I believe Lathan writes as if she were continuing the movie - in a very visual way.  She doesn't just take you from big scene to big scene, but pays attention to the characters on the way there.  

A+

Originality: When most other Pride and Prejudice follow up authors are finishing their works and writing what happens to the characters down the road in an epilogue, Sharon Lathan is finishing off book 4 (available this month, October 2010.  I plan to review it later this week.)  Lathan's originality is in the detail and depth of her story.  I don't know where Darcy and Elizabeth are headed, but I want to be there for it.  

The Moment I Was Hooked: This is like asking, "When did you decide you liked Return of the Jedi?" If you are reading (or seeing) the third installment, you are pretty much on board.  I really sank into the story in Chapter 3.  The use of the flashback mixed with the new scene made me feel connected.  And warm. And fuzzy.  Like a big comforter.  (O.k, so I might need to work on my analogies before taking that 3rd swing at the SAT's).

B

I have read this series 4 times.  As someone who was very sceptical of the inspiration during the first book, I found myself unable to stop reading long enough to review these books individually.  I think that is really the best sort of recommendation.

If this book were a movie, it would be rated R for how often ardently Darcy and Elizabeth love each other.

In 2007, the third book in the series was released under the name: The Darcys at Years End.  (See picture below)  It is a massive, 500 pager.  (I have this version and that is why I used the blurb from Amazon.com instead of from the back of the book).  In 2010, the third book of the series was re-released as My Dearest Mr. Darcy: An Amazing Journey into Love Everlasting, which I have just reviewed.  

The last 150 pages were taken for the original 3rd book and added to the beginning fo the 4th book, In the Arms of Mr. Darcy.  The journal entries that ended the 3rd book were done away with and a few bits were re-edited.  

If you are borrowing this book from the library and you read the 2007 version, The Darcy's at Year's End, just know that you will see some of the same information repeated in book 4.  If you are buying the books, I suggest the re-released versions from 2010.  I really like the tweaking Lathan did.  And, the 500 pager is massive and hard to hold in the bath tub.

All of this I found through extensive research of standing in Barnes and Noble, comparing the two copies...while hoping my 3 boys didn't act too terribly much like puppies in the fiction section.  (Always underfoot and yet just out of reach).  The 2007 version can be found here.

 

Loving Mr. Darcy: Journeys Beyond Pemberley by Sharon Lathan

 

Reading Loving Mr. Darcy was like taking a nice long bubble bath that I did not want to end.  And read it in a bubble bath, I did.  My toes were quite prunie for the duration of the book, but my mind was most pleased.  

This book is the second in Sharon Lathan's series of four.  My review of the first, Mr. & Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy: The Two Shall Become One, can be found here.

Blurb from the back of the book: "...Darcy and Elizabeth leave the comfortable confines of their honeymoon months at Pemberley for the broader world of London and the areas of England.  Adventures are experienced, friends and relatives interact, fun is the focus, and extraordinary English Regency Era sights will be explored. But anchoring and weaving within is the revealing of a love and marriage in its purest embodiment as the young lovers deepen their sacred bond..."

Language: B+

Characterization: A

Plot: A

Revisit vs. Rehash: A

Nit Picky Things: A

Wonderful Moments: A+

Originality: A

The moment I was hooked: A

Language:  Delightful, pleasant and easy to read.  My favorite line of the whole book; "The door flew open with a bang into the wall and with a flurry of swirling skirts, in breezed Lady Catherine de Bourgh."  (So Darth Vader-esc that I could hear the Imperial March in my head.)

B+

Characterization: In my review of Mrs. Lathan's first book, Mr. & Mrs. Darcy: The Two Shall Become One, I was a bit harsh on the characterization.  However, upon finishing the first book and beginning the second, all expectations were shifted.  I stopped thinking, "I'm not sure if Darcy would really say or do that....Oh yeah, this is inspired by the 2005 movie."  I really just enjoyed sinking down into this story and visiting with these characters. 

Loving Mr. Darcy brings forth some wonderful characters already known and a few new ones as well.  I so enjoyed the moments with Lady Catherine and Caroline Bingly.  Lathan explored not only their actions but their motivation as well.  I found myself rooting for them, as well as cringing on their behalf.

 

I was surprised when I looked back at my notes and realized Dr. Geroge Darcy was introduced mid way through the book.  This character fit so well into the story and with the existing characters that he felt like he had always been a part of the cast.  Mrs. Lathan also explains the whereabouts of additional Darcy relatives.  I have an early copy of this book and it includes a family tree.  My visual brain appreciated that greatly.

A

Plot: The plot moves quickly and dialogue drives a lot of it.  That is really a quality of Jane Austen's writing that I enjoy.  Lathan's dramatic ending to several chapters kept me from putting down the book "to read just a little bit more" some evenings.  

Even though the description went on a bit in places, I had to marvel at what a fan of these characters and this time period the author truly is.  (It made my own obsession feel a bit more normal).

There are less references to the 2005 Keira Knightly version of the movie than in the first book.  But I found them less jarring because I knew what to expect this time around.

A

Rehash vs. Revisit:  There are a few moments of revisting past events, both known and unknown to the reader.  However, they are mostly dealt with in conversation as a bit of revelation to another character.  It felt natural.  (And much like when my husband revisits our personal stories.  His favorite is when he proposed and my first words were, "Is this real?"  I thought he was playing a joke on me.  Of course there is more to the story, but lets just say that we also retell our engagement story to each other.  Much to my chagrin.) 

A

Wonderful Little Moments: Any scene containing George Darcy, Darcy shopping, Jane's trouble sleeping, Darcy's interaction with Mrs. Bennet,  22 strides.  Wonderful little moments are really Sharon Lathan's strength.  All four of her books are full of them.

A+

Originality: For this second book in a series of four, I think her originality shines in the characters.  Both the introduction of new ones and the actions of those already existing.

A

 

If this book were a movie, it would be rated R for the martial felicity between Darcy and Elizabeth.

This version was released in paperback (July 10, 2008) by Sharon Lathan.  Other than the cover art and the title change, it appears to me to be the same book as the revised version.  I used this image from Amazon.com.  It is just an image, so if you really want to click and see inside the book click on this link.  

 

Mr. & Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy: The Two Shall Become One by Sharon Lathan

 

In defense of Sharon Lathan:  Wow, some of the book reviewers over at Amazon.com really do not like this book.  I'm going to respectfully disagree with them and tell you this book is quite entertaining.  

1. She states in the forward that this book is inspired by the 2005 Keira Knightly / Matthew Macfadyin movie.  This is not my favorite or the most accurate representation of Jane Austen's work.  (I griped through the whole movie, to be honest.  I think my quote was, "This movie is like driving through Chicago at 60 miles an hour and saying you've visited the city").   However, who am I to begrudge Ms. Lathan for how she came to love Darcy and Elizabeth?  It is a club big enough for us all.  

2. The title of the book is The Two Shall Become One.  And they do become one.  A lot.  And with gusto.  

3. I think those who love Pride and Prejudice all hope to read a follow up that sounds just like it was written by Jane Austen herself.  In fact, if there were a follow up uncovered to have been secretly written by Jane, people probably would have problems with that one as well.  There are a few that really have hit all the marks for me.  That is the exception...not the expectation.  I have to read them all.  Have to.  "Some of [them] I throw across the room in disgust...but even when I angrily throw the book at the wall, I retrieve it and continue to read, looking for something I can enjoy." (Quote from writer Regina Jeffers on reading follow ups to P&P which I whole hearted-ly embrace.)

Using the appropriate expectations and references, I quite liked the book.  I finished it and immediately ordered the next 2.

 

Blurb from the back of the book:

...Their courtship was tempestuous; misunderstandings and misgivings nearly tore them apart.  But now they've seen each other without prejudice, their trust, attraction, and delight in each other grows with each passing day.  Both are inexperienced and innocent, sharing moments of shyness and boldness as they discover the kinds of intimacies that a newlywed couple shares.

As their love story unfolds, they reveal their innermost secrets and feelings, embracing each other in a marriage filled with romance, passion, humor, and drama that will keep you spellbound.

 

 

 

Language: B

Characterization: B

Plot: B

Revisit vs. Rehash: A

Nit Picky Things: C

Wonderful Moments: A+

Originality: A

The moment I was hooked: A+

Language:  

 

Darcy and Elizabeth do not merely miss each other, they yearn. They are not just happy but thrilled.  They are not just in love but enraptured.  The language is romantic and plentiful.  (Lathan likes to describe things in detail.)  There are a few words that do not seem to fit, like "lamely."  

B

 

 

Characterization:   

Darcy is funny, thoughtful, sentimental and poetic at times.  It is as if once he let down his guard with Elizabeth, the transition from who he was to who he becomes with her is complete and instant.  I would have liked to see more of a transformation process for him.  While it did feel like we were playing a game of telephone at times (where the original message has gotten a bit distorted, i.e. the characters themselves),  I grew to like this version of Darcy.  You know, once I loosened up a bit.  He writes romantic letters to My Dear, Precious Elizabeth, is a fantastic gift giver and trains and breaks horses for pleasure.  What is not to like? (Maybe if he were moved to tears a little less often.  What is it about a haughty Darcy that works for me?)

Elizabeth felt far more recognizable to me.  An interesting mixture of confidence and trepidation about her new life.

This is the first book of now 4 in a series.  There are wonderful characters in the coming books.  I certainly wanted to read more once I finished the first.

B

 

Plot: Using flashbacks, Lathan was able to add tension to parts of the story we already know. Brilliant.  

 

I felt the story moved along really well, if at times slowed down a bit by paragraphs of description. But remembering that Lathan was inspired by a movie, I felt she was really trying to give the reader a visual.  I prefer dialog and plot movement to description.  But that is just me.  

 

There were moments where the plot reminded me of Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife by Linda Berdoll. Each author chose some similar plot twists.  (This is true when comparing Berdoll's 2 books to Lathan's first 2).  However, the characters do not always respond in similar ways: in propriety, public displays of affection, swimming, dancing, the waltz...)  It was quite interesting for me to be able to compare the two.  I will say, it was not interesting to my husband at all to listen to me compare the two.  And I can not do it here without ruining the story for each book.

 

(I am in no way saying I think either author borrowed from the other.  I think there are a limited number of things that could happen to Darcy and Elizabeth given the time period and the information we already know about them.)

 

There is a lot of marital affection.  And it is described in detail.  A lot of detail.  There were parts I skimmed because it was just a bit much.  I wanted Darcy and Elizabeth to have a fulfilling marriage but hearing them call each other "Lover" made me wince.  

 

Oh, yes, and as I have established, run into the ground and beat a dead horse with...this book was based on the 2005 movie.  So there are flashbacks and references to things that only happened in that movie.  Ex: There is a bust of Darcy instead of a portrait.  

 

 

B

 

 

Rehash or Revisit:  No rehashing, which is excellent.  A few moments are referred to in conversation among characters and usually in a humorous or clever way.  There are 2 extended flashbacks that give new information and fit in very nicely to the story.

A

Nit Picky Things: The description of the romantic scenes.  It really did go on for pages.  

C

Wonderful Little Moments:   So many!  Elizabeth falling asleep on Darcy's arm,  The Book, skating, Darcy and Elizabeth's conversation while dancing.  The book is filled with wonderful moments.

A+

Originality: The only one I have read so far inspired not by the book or the 1995 movie, but by (lets say it all together this time) the 2005 Keira Knightly movie.

A

The moment I was hooked:  The first line. "Thank goodness it is finally over, Fitzwilliam Darcy thought with a heavy sigh."  I loved it that we were thrown right in where we left off with Austen.

A+

So , yes, the I heart Darcy and Elizabeth Club is big enough for us all.  Even if we think that those who love the 2005 movie version have to sit in the cheap seats.  But as those of us who are devoted to the 1995 Colin Firth / Jennifer Ehle movie version look down our noses at them...just remember that there is a group doing the same to us.  They many even challenge us to locate the exact passage where Darcy emerges from the  pond in a wet, white shirt in Austen's work.  I'm sure I remember reading it....

This is the original cover of the book.  Some libraries may have this version.

If this book were a movie, it would be rated R for the abounding, ardent love scenes.

 

Really, it was inevitable...

I have had so many people send me this link:)

And really, when you think about it, it was inevitable for there to eventually be a Jane Austen / Fight Club moment.

Emma Thompson's 1995 Golden Globe acceptance speech,  given as she were Jane Austen.  

Just because I learned how to embed a video.

The book reviews start back on Monday.

The Private Diary of Mr. Darcy by Maya Slater

This book had all the makings of being fantastic.  It was like going to a wonderful performance where the costumes are amazing, the music is superb and the show entertaining.  And occasionally someone hits you in the back of the head with a ping pong paddle.  After a few hits to the head, you pretty much are mainly going to remember the ping pong paddle more than the show.  Reading this book was like that for me.  

In an effort to let you know exactly why I do not like this otherwise delightful book, I will let you in on a few plot items that could be seen as "spoilers."  Stop reading now if that is a problem.

From the back of the book: The Private Diary of Mr. Darcy is a captivating novel of love, pride and passion and, of course, prejudice. Off-stage events barely mentioned in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice are revealed, and many surprising new facts come to light, such as Mr. Darcy's proposal of marriage to another woman. Mr. Darcy writes of his daily life as a society gentleman in Georgian London and of his dangerous friendship with Lord Byron, and he tells the full story of his sister's infatuation with the dastardly Wickham. Most importantly, he describes how he gradually falls in love with Elizabeth Bennet, and, in the process, painfully gains self-knowledge.

Language: A

Characterization: D

Plot: C

Revisit vs. Rehash: A

Nit Picky Things: A

Wonderful Moments: B+

Originality: A

The moment I was hooked: A+

Language: A smattering of Latin words, spelling and phrasing that I assume are authentic to the time period (ex: "said he" instead of "he said"). Overall, the language was lovely.

A+

Characterization: Oh dear. Is it the characterization of Darcy and Bingly that I object to or is the plot that upsets me so?  That is kind of like asking why the chicken crossed the road.  It really doesn't matter so much because there the chicken is, big as day on the other side of the road.

I have read many other follow up books to Pride and Prejudice.  Not only do the books I read suffer the comparison to Austen's original, but to all those that have followed, as well.  However, most of them maintain Darcy's impeccable character and devotion to Pemberley.  This felt like an earthier, less morally established Darcy. 

Almost all of the follow up books I have read give Darcy an amorous, physical past.  However, none of them has Darcy consummating anything with anyone once he meets Elizabeth.  The fact Darcy visits bordellos, has dalliances with house help and tarries a bit long at a few orgies thrown by his friend Lord Byron served as the ping pong paddle to the head for me throughout the book.  It really jarred me from the otherwise lovely story that Mrs. Slater crafted.

And then there is Bingly.  He too looks for comfort elsewhere after falling head over heals for Jane. Sure, there are explanations.  Sure they are trying to bury their torment. Sure an argument can be made for authenticity.  But perhaps it was a bit too much of trying to make Darcy and Bingly real guys during the Regency Period for my puritanical American sensibilities.  It felt disloyal to Elizabeth and Jane.

I do not want a Darcy who drinks too much, lacks self control, pleads with Mrs. Young for information and socializes with the scandalous Lord Byron.  I like for Darcy's devotion to Pemberley, his sister and to Elizabeth to direct his path.  

But maybe that is just me. 

Really, apart from that, the rest of the book is wonderful.

There is a good bit of humor in lines like, "I pretended to read, even remembering to turn the pages..."  

D

Plot: Ok, wait there is one more little thing.  On the back of the book it says there is a "full story of his [Darcy's] sister's infatuation with the dastardly Wickham."  The full story also upset those same sensibilities.  A lot.

The rest of the plot was great.  I enjoyed the references to literature of the time period as well as the political events.  (I really want to read Ann Radlciffe's The Mysteries of Uldolpho now.) 

The writing is excellent with great witty lines like, "I have not thought of her today - not once."

And yes, Darcy does propose to someone else (as the back of the book says).  It was an interesting twist that I liked. 

Just like at the end of the credits of a movie and then there is a bonus clip you weren't expecting, there is an editor's note on the last few pages.  It really does give the book a whole new perspective.   Not enough for me, but really a clever touch.

C

Rehash or Revisit: No rehashing.  In fact, you really need to have read Pride and Prejudice to follow this story line because quite a bit is left out.  I liked that writing choice because I didn't have to re-read scenes over and over that I already knew about.

A

Nit Picky Things: No little problems.  Just those two big ones.

A

Wonderful Little Moments: Darcy references the sermons he hears on Sundays.  The subject matter was usually relevant to him in some way.  I found myself looking forward to Sunday diary entries just to see what the next sermon title would be.  

The shorter, rushed entries (such as April 24th's) that made the diary feel authentic.  The valet, the explanation of the tight trousers.  

B+

Originality: Well, I will give it that.

A

The moment I was hooked: Page 1.  But I felt pushed right back out of the story early on by the previously mentioned issues.  However, this category is about getting hooked into the story, and it was indeed page 1.

A+

I always really want to like the books about Darcy and Elizabeth.  There is a feeling of kindredship with the author. (Not that I have written anything longer than a rambling blog post, but in that we both have a hightened interest level in things Jane Austen.)  I am pulling for the book.  But the Darcy characterization was a deal breaker for me.  Perhaps it will not be for others. If you don't mind, it, then I recommend the book.

If this book were a movie, it would be rated "R."

Book Review: Longbourn's Unexpected Matchmaker by Emma Hox: A delight!

Scroll to the bottom to see how you can win a copy of this book!

If Pride and Prejudice were a snow globe, Emma Hox has taken the story and given it a sturdy shake. From the first pages of Longbourn's Unexpected Matchmaker, we see the events slowly falling into place in a completely new way.  You know how it will end, but it is a delightfully new path that will get you there.

From the back of the book:  "Elizabeth Bennett, the second of five daughters to Mr. Thomas Bennett has caught the attention of the rich and handsome Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy almost from the moment he laid eyes on her, but when he purposefully misinterprets her family's expectation of her marrying well and slights her in a way unknown to those who have always loved Jane Austen’s acclaimed Pride and Prejudice, he must leave forever or make amends. Sulking in the library he determines to leave the place and give her up, but is waylaid by a member of the Meryton neighborhood who claims an intimate acquaintance with the Bennet family and offers up advice on how to win Elizabeth’s heart."

Language: B+

Characterization: A-

Plot: A

Revisit vs. Rehash: A

Nit Picky Things: A-

Wonderful Moments: A

Originality: A

The moment I was hooked: A+

Language:  Authentic enough that I could hear a British accent but I didn't need a thesaurus.

B+

Characterization: The key, for me, to making a re-telling or spin-off tale believable is to maintain the characterization.  If Mrs. Bennet is high strung, Elizabeth head strong and Mr. Darcy has enough Mr. Darcy-ness, then I am most pleased.  

I greatly enjoyed the expanded role that Mr. Bennet played in this book.  Questions I didn't even realize I had were answered in a way that I now have trouble telling Austin's Mr. Bennet from Hox's.  

Darcy felt a little more Matthew Macfadyen than Colin Firth in sentimentality.  (But perhaps I am the only romantic saying, "Be more haughty and less lovie-dovie.")  I had to keep reminding myself in the early chapters this is a re-telling.  And then I really sunk into the story and loved Mr. Darcy as the romantic pursuer. It was wonderful to have so much of the story about Darcy and Elizabeth being together instead of having them pulled apart.

The villains in this version were especially villainous.  I like for my heroes to be heroic, the maidens to be pure and the villains to be horrible.  I also enjoy silent movies from the 1930's.  I wonder if there is a connection?

A

Plot: For every person who has ever read Pride and Prejudice and said, "Would someone just say how they really feel, for crying out loud?"...You will like this plot.  From the first lines, Hox respectfully re-tells the story that veers very far away from visits to Rosings and chance meetings at Pemberley.  While I did miss the tension of these moments, I marveled at how just changing a few facts in the beginning of the story made those scenes unnecessary. 

Mr. Darcy's relationship with the "friend of the family" who guides him to understanding Elizabeth Bennet better, becomes a tool for allowing the reader to learn more about Darcy's past through my favorite form of text: dialogue.  

I found myself reading the last lines of the last paragraph on the last page and feeling exactly the same as when I finished Pride and Prejudice for the first time: A little annoyed that there weren't a few more pages.

A

Rehash or Revisit: Not really an issue as this is a re-telling.  I do believe Ms. Hox assumes you  have read Pride &Prejudice.  However, it is not a prerequisite for enjoying the story.

A

Nit Picky Things: I would have liked for the villains to have been included in the action just a bit more.  And more Mr. Collins.  Always, always more Mr. Collins. 

A-

Wonderful Little Moments: Elizabeth and Jane's conversations, the roses, the mysterious stranger in the library.

A

Originality: I have read 17 re-tellings/spin off books from Pride and Prejudice.  A lot of them feel similar. This one felt completely different from all of them.  In fact, I had to remind myself not to hold that against the book at points.

A

The moment I was hooked: Page 1.  Jane and Elizabeth sit upon their beds and discuss the bachelors who have recently let Nethfield.  Their warmth and words, while completely different from the original, felt absolutely believable.  

A+

At the end, most of my main characters were where I expected them to land.  And my Pride and Prejudice bubble, where my brain loves to live even as my body folds laundry and wipes up spills, stayed inflated just a little bit longer.  And for that, Mrs. Hox, I thank you.

If this book were a movie, it would be PG-13 because of the discussions about post married life. However, as one of those over protective mother types (I don't deny it and am thinking of having t-shirts made up) I would rank it in the R category.  

If you would like to win a copy of this book - just leave a comment. 

I'd love to know your favorite characters you associate yourself with from any mediums.

(Mine: Claire Huxtable, Carol Seaver, Elizabeth Bennet, Emma, Cathleen Kelly)

Or you could just say HI.

And you may enter as many times as you like.

I will post the randomly selected winner on Friday evening.

I will post an interview with the author, Emma Hox on Friday morning:)

 

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies Audio Book- a disappointment

I consider myself fairly lenient with any publication that keeps my Pride and Prejudice bubble inflated. Seth Grahame-Smith, while a interesting story teller, is not a Pride and Prejudice fan and it is evident throughout this book.  He has taken a wonderful story and turned it into a Mad-Libs that reads like it was filled in by middle school boys.  Many will find it funny and clever.  I, however, feel the deep need to go and re-read the original. And shower.

Excerpt from BookList (I down loaded it from i-Tunes - so I do not have the book to copy what was written as the teaser on the back): This may be the most wacky by-product of the busy Jane Austen fan-fiction industry—at least among the spin-offs and pastiches that have made it into print. In what’s described as an “expanded edition” of Pride and Prejudice, 85 percent of the original text has been preserved but fused with  “ultraviolent zombie mayhem.” For more than 50 years, we learn, England has been overrun by zombies, prompting people like the Bennets to send their daughters away to China for training in the art of deadly combat, and prompting others, like Lady Catherine de Bourgh, to employ armies of ninjas. Added to the familiar plot turns that bring Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy together is the fact that both are highly skilled killers, gleefully slaying zombies on the way to their happy ending.  --Mary Ellen Quinn

Language: A

Characterization: D-

Plot: B-

Revisit vs. Rehash: A

Hooked: A+

Nit Picky Things: A-

Wonderful Moments: A

Originality: A+

The moment I was hooked: D

Language:  SGS did a nice job of blending with Austen's language.  In his introduction on my i-Tunes audio version, he says that he pulled up the complete text of Austen's on-line and typed in red to add and alter the original.  Some pages were totally red and some just had a few red words.  His goal was to change something on every screen of text.

The reading by Katherine Kellgren was lovely.  

A

Characterization: The way I know that SGS is not an Austen fan is: 

1. He stated in his introduction that he had the book pitched to him and then went back and re-read what he "struggled through in high school."  

2. And more importantly, he changes so much of the character's personalities.  Many of the P&P spin offs take Darcy and Elizabeth and the supporting players on rather crazy rides.  The thing that lets the P&P fan go along with these varied plot lines is that the author is careful with the characterization of these "people" we know so well.  I will will remind you, I actually really enjoyed the Mr. Darcy, Vampire book. (My review of it is here.)  I have nothing against fantastical adaptations.  The loss of the true characterization is what makes it feel more like a mad libs than a retelling.

There is deficit of politeness and decorum.  Mr. Darcy wants to cut out Caroline's tongue for interrupting his letter writing and tells her so.  

Elizabeth is a very aggressive person.  I know, I know...that must go along with being a zombie slayer of the highest skill.  However, when slighted by Mr. Darcy at the dance, she considers killing him.

Col. Fitzwilliam is a gossip and disloyal to keeping a secret of Darcy's in a letter to Mr. Bennet.  

Not only is the politeness something that is alluring about the story, it is historically accurate.  What? Question historical accuracy in a zombie novel?  It is the anchors of truth in fiction that allow me to completely let go in other areas...say a zombie epidemic.  

Mr. Bennet and Mrs. Gardener are not faithful to their spouses (not with each other, thankfully).  It really has nothing to do with the plot, either.  Just casual slander.  

A professor of English Literature, Dr. Allen Grove, has an excerpt at the end of the recording.  It is interesting because he talks about all the reasons why this retelling works, historical references for taking existing literature and retooling it with modern motifs and how Jane Austen would probably have enjoyed it.  Hmmm.  A book she wrote and reworked over a large portion of her adult life?  Far be it for me to talk for Jane.  I think she would have found humor in the plot.  She liked humor and irony.  The tarnishing of her characters...well, character? I do  not think that daughter of a clergyman would find Mr. Bennet and Mrs. Gardeners' unfaithfulness funny. And even though Austen pokes at social decorum of her day, she personally abided by those rules.

D- 

Plot: I liked the plot.  I thought is was clever and it was what lured me in to download the book to begin with.  SGS came up with a convincing additional reason why Darcy wanted to separate Jane and Bingly that works quite well.

There were many times where dialog was replaced by narration. Some of the subtlety of Darcy's emotions were lost in this transition.  Instead of letting Caroline act desperately, it is a narrated fact.  

The necessity for marriage is minimized because the sisters Bennet can always get jobs as personal body guards using their ninja skills against zombies.  

B-

Rehash or Revisit: As this was a re-telling of the original Pride and Prejudice, there is no rehashing.

A

Nit Picky Things: I really didn't like the cover of the book.  That is why I downloaded it on i-Tunes.  

Wonderful Little Moments: Believe it or not, I did find some humor in the book.  Instead of appearing in a wet shirt from the lake (a nod to the 1995 A&E/BBC Pride and Prejudice movie) Darcy shows up gallantly shooting zombies from horseback when he and Elizabeth have their chance meeting at Pemberly.  

"Musket fishing" and "Make a defensive pentagram, girls" both made me want to laugh out loud when I heard them.  The cauliflower business was quite clever.  

A

Originality: Well done on this account.  

A+

The moment I was hooked: Wow, I don't know that I ever really looked forward to hearing the story until 3/4th of the way through when a lot of the plot remained true to Austen.  The opening, by SGS, was entertaining and simply made the disappointment of the actual text all that more felt. 

D

Normally, I read a book twice before I review it.  But I just couldn't bring myself to listen to this a second time.  Perhaps it would have given me a greater appreciation for Seth Grahame-Smith's writing.  Just as the cover of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies  shows what one can assume is Elizabeth's slashed face, SGS has slashed up characters I really like.  But maybe I am just being all Lady Catherine about this and Mr. Grahame-Smith hasn't truly "polluted the shades" as much as I think he has.

Apparently people do like this book as it has gotten great reviews.  I would like to hear someone who loved Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and also loved this retelling.  To me, it has the novelty effect of a Chia pet shaped like Sponge Bob.  But then again, Chia Pets have been around now for over 25 years...so clearly, there is a market for everything.   

If this were a movie, it would be rated "PG13."

Several course words for one born out of wedlock and urine were used freely.  There is infidelity.  

The Other Mr. Darcy by Monica Fairview: Fun and entertaining

If you are a Caroline Bingley fan (and really, who isn't?) or you just want to keep that Pride and Prejudice bubble inflated with anything remotely Jane Autstenie...then you will enjoy taking a turn around the room with this story.  If you are a P&P purist who will have a hard time seeing Elizabeth and Darcy relegated to barely supporting players...then this isn't the book for you.

Summary from the back of the book: "When Caroline Bingley collapses to the floor and sobs at Mr. Darcy's wedding, imagine her humiliation to discover that a stranger has witnessed her emotional display.  Miss Bingley, understandably, resents this unknown gentleman very much, even if he is Mr. Darcy's American cousin."

Language: B

Characterization: B

Plot: B

Revisit vs. Rehash: A

Hooked: A+

Nit Picky Things: A-

Wonderful Moments: A

Originality: B

The moment I was hooked: A+

Language: Well written in modern language.  

B

Characterization: Caroline is taken from a supporting character to the main one in this novel.  In some ways, Monica Fairview presents Caroline in a similar and misunderstood way that Austen first presents Fitzwilliam Darcy.  

Of all the Austen characters, Caroline is really the only minor one that I would care to read more about. (I remember seeing a follow up book about Jane Fairfax.  I barely wanted to read about her in Emma...a whole other book, really?) And it is so interesting to see how so many different authors have taken Caroline's character and made her darker, more conniving, have a total reversal of feelings or find true love.  But so far, this is the first book I have read that shows her as misunderstood due to her station in life, expectations and social constraints.

I quite enjoyed Robert Darcy's character.  He reminds me of a mixture of Fitzwilliam Darcy and Col. Fitzwilliam.

The problems: Col. Fitzwilliam, Darcy and Elizabeth all feel a little unfamiliar. Everyone calls Elizabeth Eliza.  Even her family.  It isn't totally wrong but it isn't right. (To my recollection, only Caroline called Elizabeth Eliza in Pride and Prejudice.  Her family called her Lizzy or Elizabeth.)  

Not totally wrong but not quite right is how Elizabeth, Darcy, Georgianna and Col. Fitzwilliam all felt in this book. Fortunately, they aren't in there a lot, so the discomfort is minor.

B

Plot: The plot reminded me of romantic comedies I have seen before.  And it reminded me a little bit of Pride and Prejudice. But I didn't seem to care.  The story moved along quickly.  The conversation was lively.  The situations were at times a little too complicated...but the humor kept me happy.

"As I said before, I do not think we move in exactly the same circles." (Caroline)

"I hope I do not move in circles at all," said Robert Darcy.

It isn't Shakespeare, or Austen, but it made me laugh.

Problem: I can overlook the character irregularities, but there was a scene where Fitzwilliam Darcy allowed Georgianna to be around Wickam.  No one seemed to think anything about it. Considering she couldn't even continue playing the piano upon hearing his name mentioned in P&P, it seems too weird for her to be around him in any situation.  

B

Rehash or Revisit: No rehashing.  

A

Nit Picky Things: Fitzwilliam calls Georgianna Georgie and she playfully calls him Fitz.  I like to see them as close siblings, but I also think propriety was not lost completely.  

A-

Wonderful Little Moments: Once again, we have a Darcy gentleman emerging, white shirt clad, from a body of water on the grounds of Pemberley.  A funny nod to the 1995 Pride and Prejudice BBC/A&E movie.

A

Originality: The best development of Carline Bingley's character I have read so far (out of about 11 or so follow up books). While I might have recognized the plot, it felt original in this context.

B

The moment I was hooked: The first page. The prologue really pulled me in.  

A+

If this were a movie, I think it would be rated PG. It is pretty clean.

Not the best follow up book - but certain the top of the middle.  And is it really fair to compare it to books that are all about Elizabeth and Darcy?   It was a fun read.  And I recommend fun.

 

An Assembly Such As This: A Novel of Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman by Pamela Aidan - Delightful!

This is actually a review of Pamela Aidan's Trilogy: 

An Assembly Such as This (on sale at Amazon for $4.63 right now!)

Duty and Desire

These Three Remain

These are all part of the Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman series.  This is my second favorite retelling of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.  My first favorite retelling is Mr. Darcy's Diary  (my review of it is here) which feels like getting to see the original work through an additional camera in each scene.  This series is like watching the deleted scenes of the original.  Most of what happens in these three books takes place when Darcy and Elizabeth are apart.  

Summary from the back of the book: "Setting the story vividly against the colorful historical and political background of the Regency, Aidan writes in a style comfortably at home with Austen but with a wit and humor very much her own. [book 2] When Darcy pays a visit to an old classmate in Oxford in an attempt to shake Elizabeth from his mind, he is set upon by husband hunting society ladies and ne'er-do-well friends from his university days, all with designs on him - some for good and some for ill. He and his sartorial genius of a valet, Fletcher, must match wits with them all..." 

Language: B+

Characterization: A+

Plot: A

Revisit vs. Rehash: A+

Hooked: A+

Nit Picky Things: A+

Wonderful Moments: A

Originality: A+

The moment I was hooked: A+

Language: Nicely written and I didn't need a dictionary.  

B+

Characterization: The characterization is wonderful.  The addition of several characters such as Fletcher the valet, Lord Brougham the chum from school and Mrs. Ansley as Georgiana's chaperon seem to fit in perfectly with the characters I had come know from the original.  Georgiana and Bingly have a more symbiotic relationship in these books with Darcy.  

The second book introduces a lot of new characters at once.  Both times I have read this series I have considered writing them down to keep them all straight.  I never did and regretted it later.  But maybe you can hold more in your brain than I can.  If you can, you really don't need to tell me.  Just know that before I had Max, I could remember stuff.  At least I think I could...

The character of Darcy is so wonderfully guarded and calculated and yet unhinged all at the same time. He is humbled at times without being humiliated.  I am always disappointed when an author tries to manipulate Darcy into a big mushy Hallmark card blurb who has an all out personality change vs. the aloof gentleman who grows to become the kind of man Elizabeth Bennet can love.  Aidan defiantly does the latter of the two.  And she gives Darcy plenty of reasons for his haughtiness.  

(Aside: When Colin Firth was playing Mark Darcy in Bridget Jone's Diary the director kept telling him to play the roll "more haughty!" When he asked about why, she said something to the effect of, "women love it."  I am mildly offended and yet totally see the director's point.  There is something lost that is very appealing if Darcy's aloofness disappears.  And if you are totally confused - Bridget Jones is an updated and looooose version of P&P.  Firth was cast as Mark Darcy because of his role as Fitzwilliam Darcy in the 1995 BBC/A&E mini series version of Pride and Prejudice.  What?  I watch the director's cut of movies on the DVD's.  THIS is the stuff readily available in my brain.  Not my kids' birthdays.)

A+

Plot: This book compared to the original Pride and Prejudice is like watching a swimming race.  One person is swimming freestyle and one person is swimming butterfly.  Their destination is the same...but the process of getting there sure looks different.  This trilogy has just enough of the basic story of Elizabeth and Darcy to make the plot feel comfortable.  And you know how it will end.  But the getting there is very different in book 2.  Book 2 would be almost unbelievable on its own. (As would The Empire Strikes Back or Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince for perspective's sake).

At the end of each book: there are some discussion points, ideas to enhance a book club experience and a Q&A with Pamela Aidan.  There were a few moments in book 2 where I thought certain plot choices were weird.  However, each time I read the Q&A at the end of the book, I totally appreciated what Aidan was doing.  She really thought out her plot and characters well.  

A

Rehash or Revisit: No rehashing.  Brilliant.  

A+

Nit Picky Things: None that stand out.  That is pretty good because loads of stuff bug me.

A+

Wonderful Little Moments: I really enjoyed the letters back and forth between Darcy and Georgiana (especially when they were lightly poking fun at Caroline Bingly).  The not so subtle reference to a book about a widow and her 3 daughters and their Sensibilities.  And Darcy holding on to those threads. You'll have to read the book to know what that is about, but really, it is lovely.  Romantic without being sticky sweet.

A

Originality: I have read several re-tellings and quite a few follow ups to Pride and Prejudice (about 10 versions) and this series has some political and historical references that I have never read in any other novel.  Whether they were accurate or not, I care little about, because I enjoyed them a great deal.

A+  

The moment I was hooked: The first page.  Aiden starts the action as Darcy descends from the carriage at the Assembly in Meryton.  I liked that she started with action verses explanation.

A+

If this were a movie, I think it would be rated PG13 due to some mystical stuff in book 2.

I really really enjoyed these books.  Totally in my top 3 Pride and Prejudice spin offs.  Mr. Darcy's Diary, Mr. Darcy Takes and Wife and this series.    

I am sending my copies to my friend Stacey Kingman.  I am super excited to see what she thinks of them. She is the one who recommended Mr. Darcy's Diary to me. 

If you have read these books - I'd love to hear what you thought of them in the comments!

Darcy and Elizabeth: Days and Nights at Pemberley by Linda Berdoll - Very Good

Darcy and Elizabeth is the sequel to Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife which is a sequel to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.  It is the final piece of my favorite follow up to P&P which makes this the last portion of a great Darcy and Elizabeth trilogy.  It is the Return of the Jedi in Austen.  

Summary from the back of the book: "...As the Darcys raise their babies, enjoy their conjugal felicity and manage the great estate of Pemberley, the beloved characters from Jane Austen's original are joined by Linda Berdoll's imaginative new creations for a compelling, sexy and epic story guaranteed to keep you turning the pages and gasping with delight."

My review of Linda Berdoll's first book, Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife, is here.  Seeing as how I do not like redundancy at all in literature, I suggest you read it first.  This review will not do justice to Berdoll's great language and characterization that I spoke about quite extensively in that review.  Go ahead. We'll wait.  

I found Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife to be a fantastic book.  Darcy and Elizabeth is very good.  Very Good following Fantastic feels like a let down.  But you have to read it anyway because, well, it is very good. And Berdoll starts you on a path, that for those who like it, want to continue on. 

Language: A

Characterization: A

Plot: B-

Revisit vs. Rehash: D

Hooked: A+

Nit Picky Things: A

Wonderful Moments: A

Originality: A

Language: Linda Berdoll's  writing style and language appeal to me greatly.  Her work feels like parts 2 and 3 to Austen's.

A

Characterization: Berdoll said she was inspired by the 1995 BBC / A&E Pride and Prejudice movie. (Which is the definitive movie version for me.)  The characters (new and old) felt like they would have blended well with that cast.

A

Plot: Ok, here is where things go from fantastic to just good.  Berdoll took 4 years to research and write her first book.  She wraps up the loose ends very well at the end of Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife. We find out what will happen to some of the main characters in the coming years.  Her second book, Darcy and Elizabeth, was on the shelves just 2 years later.  This book goes back and retells what happened to some of those same characters in more detail.  It not only retells you things you already learned at the end of the first book, it retells you events from Pride and Prejudice as well.  It really made for a stagnate plot at times.

Here is my theory: An editor told Berdoll that she had to remind the readers about these things.  I want to blame an editor because it is a big departure from the swift pace of things in her first book.  But really, if you think of this a trilogy, then who read the third book without reading the first two?  If someone leaned over to you during the opening of Return of the Jedi and said, "So who is this Luke guy again?"  You'd say get out of here!  (Or, "I am not the person you are looking for" with a smooth Jedi mind hand sweep.)

Like Jane Austen, Berdoll uses chance meetings and a small band of characters.  And like reading Austen, one might think that there are 20 people and a few background players in the whole of England.  But really, those 20 (and 2 in particular) are the ones you want to read about.

B-

Rehash or Revisit: Not to repeat myself, but I really can't stand rehash:)  I think that every sequel or trilogy series should start with a disclaimer: Read the first book first.  Read the second book second. Read them in order.  It will make more sense.  Trust us.  

D

Nit Picky Things: Just that one big one.

A

Wonderful Little Moments: Really, all over the place.  The humor is delightful. And the last line is great.  It made me smile the rest of the day just thinking about it.

A+

Originality: Berdoll is the best at letting us peak peak into Darcy and Elizabeth's future.  And she makes us want more.  

A

Redundancy aside, it is a very good book.  It is full of the same eyebrow raising marital passion, gallantry, manners and delicious vocabulary as Berdoll's first book.

If this book were a movie - It would absolutely be rated "R" due to marital passions and references to indiscretions.  

If you have read this book - I put some questions about it in the comments.  Let me know what you think:)

Next up: And Assembly Such as This by Pamela Aidan

Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife by Linda Berdoll: My favorite P&P follow up book

 

Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife  is a sequel to Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice.  It follows the couple from the  wedding through their first year. (With some courting flash backs).

Summary from the back of the book: "...And every woman will fall madly in love with Mr. Darcy - tall, dark and handsome, a nobleman and a heartthrob whose virility is matched only by his utter devotion to his wife.  Their passion is consuming and idyllic - essentially, they can't keep their hands off each other - through a sweeping tale of adventure and misadventure, human folly and numerous mysteries of parentage.  Hold onto your bonnets! This sexy, epic, hilarious, poignant and romantic sequel to Pride and Prejudice goes far beyond Jane Austen."    

This was the first sequel I ever read and my favorite.  To me, this is what really happens to Elizabeth and Darcy.  It has great language, plot and characterization...I usually am happy if I can get 2 of the 3.  It has been called "Jane Austen meets Dallas"...as if that is a bad thing.  It begins with a criticism from Charlotte Bronte: "Passions are perfectly unknown to [Jane Austen] her." Well, Mrs. Berdoll is very well informed about them. Consider yourself warned.

Language: A

Characterization: A

Plot: A+

Revisit vs. Rehash: A+

Hooked: A+

Nit picky things: A

Wonderful moments: A+

Originality: A

Language: I loved not only the language but the way Linda Berdoll wrote this book.  There is a lot of plot movement through dialogue  - which I enjoy because I experience the action with the characters.  

I also like the way she used long, flowing sentences and then short ones.  It makes the reading so much easier and more enjoyable for me.  Many times a paragraph ended with a 1 word sentence which felt reminiscent of Austen's sardonic flavor.  (Yes, I said it made the reading easier.  I don't mind working for a story, but I find it more enjoyable if the whole thing doesn't feel like work.)

There were plenty of words I didn't know.  Several people who reviewed this book at Amazon.com said Berdoll used words incorrectly.  Well, I am a clever girl and I didn't see it.  I do, however, give writers a bit of space on pushing words to the edges of their meanings.  Any that I looked up didn't strike me as incorrectly used.  

A

Characterization: Linda Berdoll said she was inspired by the

 1995 BBC/A&E Pride and Prejudice movie.(Which is the definitive movie version for me.)  Then she did 4 years of research before writing.  Her characters feel like the originals, to me, with more back story.  The heroes are heroic.  The villains are villainous.  And Mrs. Bennet is Mrs. Bennetie.  Happy thoughts indeed.

One thing that some readers may not like: By giving the characters more of a history (along with a more specific future) some Jane purists might find offense at the less than fairy tale morality attributed to several of the beloved characters.  I have to say, I am pretty conservative in nature and victorian (to a point) in wardrobe.  I wasn't offended because Berdoll never tries to give the characters new actions without consequences.  And really, Jane purists are not going to like this book anyway.

A

Plot: Yes, this IS the book with all the sex in it.  (Mr. &  Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy...actually has more of it and it is talked about for pages in a Harlequin Romance type of way.)  This book doesn't go on and on about it.  It just happens a lot.  But Berdoll tells the reader at the beginning what she is going for.  The back says hold onto you bonnets. They are married.  And you were warned.  In your face, Charlotte Bronte.

Berdoll utilizes all 465 pages to tell a big story.  A lot happens.  Several detailed side stories are created.  Austen has been criticized for being too coincidental and using such a small cast of characters. I say: so.  Berdoll utilizes these mechanisms to carefully weave these side stories into the main one.  

There was one night I read until 4 am because I just had to know what was going to happen next.  It felt believable, gratifying and heart wrenching at times.  Just what a big story should feel like.

The short chapters make it easy to read in small bits (which is great for me...I am almost always interrupted by someone needing something.)  Also, the chapters sometimes go forwards in time and sometimes go back.  Often they tell something you already know about from another character's point of view.  I wouldn't normally think that is a good thing - but it worked well for me.  Maybe it is because I have such a short attention span.

A+

Rehash or revisit: No rehashes of the original Pride and Prejudice.  Scenes are referred to that previously happened, but with new information.  I can not say the same for Berdoll's next book that feels like it is all a big rehash, Days and Nights at Pemberley.

A+

I was hooked by: I was hooked on the first page.  

A+

Nit picky things: Chapter 77 wasn't my favorite.  It belabored a point I accepted but simply didn't want to hear any more about.  

I really didn't get the poem and the character selection for who got the attention of the last paragraph. I understand it.  But really?  Is that the best way to end the book?  Unless you are planning another one. And she did publish a much lesser quality book, Days and Nights at Pemberley, 2 years later.  

A  

Wonderful little moments: The humor.  The writing style..I really like those one word sentences.  The timing of information.  The tasseled pillow.  The letter from Charlotte Lucas to Elizabeth.  Seriously, very very funny.

A+

Originality: I have yet to read any sequel that expands the story as much as this book does.  There are moments in other books that actually feel like watered down scenes from this one.  Complain as they do, it appears some other authors have read this book quite thoroughly.

A 

If it is ok for people to write about Zombies and Vampires within the Pride and Prejudice story, I just find it hard to see how so many people have trouble with the Darcy's having a passionate marriage.  (I do recognize that not everyone wants to read about it). If you are still not sure about this book - spend about 30 minutes at Barnes and Noble.  Scan the first 21 pages.  I think most of the issues surface within those pages that may be a turn off.  It is popular enough that our Barnes and Noble keeps it stocked.  And yes, it is just a few shoulder pads and a bit of hairspray short of being Dallas. Joan Collins as Lady Catherine deBourgh?  I am all anticipation.

I do my best to describe the book without spoiling it.  

Don't read the amazon.com reviews unless you 

want to know what is going to happen.  They are full 

of spoilers. If you have read this book and would like 

to discuss it at all, see the post below this one.

If this book were a movie - It absolutely would be a R due to references about marital passion and talk about indiscretions.  

Next week: Days and Nights at Pemberly by Linda Berdoll.

Discussion of Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife

If you have read the book, I'd love to know what you thought.

Leave a comment.

However...if you haven't read the book...don't read the comments.

It will spoil the story:)

I have 2 very good friends who didn't like it that much.

For me, it is my favorite sequel.

Mr. Darcy, Vampyre by Amanda Grange: an interesting "what if"

 

Mr. Darcy, Vampyre is a spin off to Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice.  It follows the couple from the wedding through part of their first year.

Summary from the back of the book: My hand is trembling as I write this letter. My nerves are in tatters and I am so altered that I believe you would not recognize me. The past two months have been a nightmarish whirl of strange and disturbing circumstances, and the future...  I am afraid. If anything happens to me, remember that I love you and that my spirit will always be with you, though we may never see each other again. The world is a cold and frightening place where nothing is as it seems.

Amanda Grange's Mr. Darcy's Diary is my favorite retelling of Pride and Prejudice.  So when I saw that she wrote a sequel, I was intrigued.  When I found that it was from a vampire perspective...I thought: pass.  I picked up the book and was hooked by reading the back cover.  However, for me, there are retellings, sequels and spin offs.  This falls into the category of a "what if" spin off much like Bridget Jones' Diary or Lost in Austen.

Language: A

Characterization: A

Plot: B

Revisit vs. Rehash: A+

Hooked: A+

Nit picky things: B-

Wonderful moments: B+

Originality: A

Language: Lovely.  Not Austen but the writing style is close enough.

A

Characterization: One of the strengths of Amanda Grange's writing in Mr. Darcy's Diary (and in all of her Diary retellings of Austen's work) is that she uses the original characterization and deepens it. She takes you through Darcy's feelings and experiences and explains them in a way that makes his actions seem almost unavoidable.  (An example: In Mr. Darcy's Diary, she lets the reader experience with Darcy the growing desire to know and be with Elizabeth.  His ranting proposal seems like a natural next step for him and the reader.)  In Mr. Darcy, Vampyre, Grange takes those same characteristics and desires of Darcy's and explains then with the fact he is a Vampire.  When you look at his reserve, haughtiness and desire through the lens of a vampire...it works.  And I am not a vampire reading kind of gal.   

A

Plot: As I mentioned, I put this into the category of "spin off."  A fanciful what if of circumstances.  The plot moves along quickly.  I read the book in 2 days.  I did feel a since of anxiety while I read it. Darcy and Elizabeth travel a lot and I kept waiting for all the little trips to be pulled together in meaning more than they were.  And I am not crazy about the ending choice.   But I am weird about endings.

As many questions as the story answered, it left many many more unanswered.  And yet, it was a very interesting read.  Grange makes a good case for Darcy being a Vampire.  Though, I'm not sure Darcy as a Vampire fits into the existing storyline that well.   I just had to suspend certain dis-beliefs and questions like, "Well, what happens to that character now?"  

Having said all that, I liked the book a lot.  I would suggest to check it out form the library or borrow it from a friend. It isn't a read it more than once kind of book for me.  (And I enjoy re-reading good books quite a bit.)

B

Rehash or revisit: No rehashes. Very little revisits, even.  Grange always assumes the reader has read Pride and Prejudice.  I like that.  

A+

I was hooked by: The back cover.  I mean, that was an intriguing letter.  AND, I was at Barnes & Noble 2 days in a row and there was always someone on the isle looking at this book....not wanting to admit that they would consider buying it.

A+

Nit picky things: I would have liked the end to have gone another way.  It felt like we were building toward something more than what we got.  That is probably a bigger deal than "nit picky." But I don't have a category for "slightly big deals that won't keep you from reading the book."

B-

Wonderful little moments: Elizabeth's letters to Jane.  Little touches like the fact the people of Paris put so much garlic on their food.  She included things like this without over explaining them.  She knows we are clever readers.  

B+

Originality: I know, Twilight.  But I haven't read Twilight.  

The Vampyre was written in 1891 by John William Polidori.  It is considered the "progenitor of the romantic vampire genre."  And, guess what, it was written about an English nobleman. 

Still, to apply this idea so well to one of the most beloved of couples in English literature (says all the authority that is me) is pretty clever.  It felt like an omage to both Polidori and Austen. 

A 

When I was in second grade, someone told me that vampire 

bats could suck the blood out of my 

toes and neck when I was asleep.  Having an unusually long neck and a vivid imagination, I proceeded to sleep beneath the safety of a bed sheet with only my face poking out for the next 15 years. Fortunately, I can now select how much bedding I need each night by things 

slightly more practical, like room temperature. 

(However, I still can never ever let my foot hang off the mattress...alligators under the bed, you know.)  

So I think that is why all the hullabaloo over Vampires never appealed to me.  And also 

why I felt a bit anxious while reading the book.  

It sounds like there are a lot of problems with the story.  There are.  But it was good.  Almost like a conversation where someone plays devil's advocate just to make things more interesting.  You all agree that no one thinks the scenario is at all real, but it sure makes for an intriguing chat.  

If this book were a movie - I think it would be a PG13 due to references about marital passion.

Don't confuse this book with Regina Jeffer's next release (Dec. 1 2009) Vampire Darcy's Desire: A Pride and Prejudice Adaptation.  

 

Mr. Darcy, Vampyre is a spin off to Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice.  It follows the couple from the wedding through part of their first year.

Summary from the back of the book: My hand is trembling as I write this letter. My nerves are in tatters and I am so altered that I believe you would not recognize me. The past two months have been a nightmarish whirl of strange and disturbing circumstances, and the future...  I am afraid. If anything happens to me, remember that I love you and that my spirit will always be with you, though we may never see each other again. The world is a cold and frightening place where nothing is as it seems.

Amanda Grange's Mr. Darcy's Diary is my favorite retelling of Pride and Prejudice.  So when I saw that she wrote a sequel, I was intrigued.  When I found that it was from a vampire perspective...I thought: pass.  I picked up the book and was hooked by reading the back cover.  However, for me, there are retellings, sequels and spin offs.  This falls into the category of a "what if" spin off much like Bridget Jones' Diary or Lost in Austen.

Language: A

Characterization: A

Plot: B

Revisit vs. Rehash: A+

Hooked: A+

Nit picky things: B-

Wonderful moments: B+

Originality: A

Language: Lovely.  Not Austen but the writing style is close enough.

A

Characterization: One of the strengths of Amanda Grange's writing in Mr. Darcy's Diary (and in all of her Diary retellings of Austen's work) is that she uses the original characterization and deepens it. She takes you through Darcy's feelings and experiences and explains them in a way that makes his actions seem almost unavoidable.  (An example: In Mr. Darcy's Diary, she lets the reader experience with Darcy the growing desire to know and be with Elizabeth.  His ranting proposal seems like a natural next step for him and the reader.)  In Mr. Darcy, Vampyre, Grange takes those same characteristics and desires of Darcy's and explains then with the fact he is a Vampire.  When you look at his reserve, haughtiness and desire through the lens of a vampire...it works.  And I am not a vampire reading kind of gal.   

A

Plot: As I mentioned, I put this into the category of "spin off."  A fanciful what if of circumstances.  The plot moves along quickly.  I read the book in 2 days.  I did feel a since of anxiety while I read it. Darcy and Elizabeth travel a lot and I kept waiting for all the little trips to be pulled together in meaning more than they were.  And I am not crazy about the ending choice.   But I am weird about endings.

As many questions as the story answered, it left many many more unanswered.  And yet, it was a very interesting read.  Grange makes a good case for Darcy being a Vampire.  Though, I'm not sure Darcy as a Vampire fits into the existing storyline that well.   I just had to suspend certain dis-beliefs and questions like, "Well, what happens to that character now?"  

Having said all that, I liked the book a lot.  I would suggest to check it out form the library or borrow it from a friend. It isn't a read it more than once kind of book for me.  (And I enjoy re-reading good books quite a bit.)

B

Rehash or revisit: No rehashes. Very little revisits, even.  Grange always assumes the reader has read Pride and Prejudice.  I like that.  

A+

I was hooked by: The back cover.  I mean, that was an intriguing letter.  AND, I was at Barnes & Noble 2 days in a row and there was always someone on the isle looking at this book....not wanting to admit that they would consider buying it.

A+

Nit picky things: I would have liked the end to have gone another way.  It felt like we were building toward something more than what we got.  That is probably a bigger deal than "nit picky." But I don't have a category for "slightly big deals that won't keep you from reading the book."

B-

Wonderful little moments: Elizabeth's letters to Jane.  Little touches like the fact the people of Paris put so much garlic on their food.  She included things like this without over explaining them.  She knows we are clever readers.  

B+

Originality: I know, Twilight.  But I haven't read Twilight.  

The Vampyre was written in 1891 by John William Polidori.  It is considered the "progenitor of the romantic vampire genre."  And, guess what, it was written about an English nobleman. 

Still, to apply this idea so well to one of the most beloved of couples in English literature (says all the authority that is me) is pretty clever.  It felt like an omage to both Polidori and Austen. 

A 

When I was in second grade, someone told me that vampire 

bats could suck the blood out of my 

toes and neck when I was asleep.  Having an unusually long neck and a vivid imagination, I proceeded to sleep beneath the safety of a bed sheet with only my face poking out for the next 15 years. Fortunately, I can now select how much bedding I need each night by things 

slightly more practical, like room temperature. 

(However, I still can never ever let my foot hang off the mattress...alligators under the bed, you know.)  

So I think that is why all the hullabaloo over Vampires never appealed to me.  And also 

why I felt a bit anxious while reading the book.  

It sounds like there are a lot of problems with the story.  There are.  But it was good.  Almost like a conversation where someone plays devil's advocate just to make things more interesting.  You all agree that no one thinks the scenario is at all real, but it sure makes for an intriguing chat.  

If this book were a movie - I think it would be a PG13 due to references about marital passion.

Don't confuse this book with Regina Jeffer's next release (Dec. 1 2009) Vampire Darcy's Desire: A Pride and Prejudice Adaptation.  

 

Mr. Darcy, Vampyre is a spin off to Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice.  It follows the couple from the wedding through part of their first year.

Summary from the back of the book: My hand is trembling as I write this letter. My nerves are in tatters and I am so altered that I believe you would not recognize me. The past two months have been a nightmarish whirl of strange and disturbing circumstances, and the future...  I am afraid. If anything happens to me, remember that I love you and that my spirit will always be with you, though we may never see each other again. The world is a cold and frightening place where nothing is as it seems.

Amanda Grange's Mr. Darcy's Diary is my favorite retelling of Pride and Prejudice.  So when I saw that she wrote a sequel, I was intrigued.  When I found that it was from a vampire perspective...I thought: pass.  I picked up the book and was hooked by reading the back cover.  However, for me, there are retellings, sequels and spin offs.  This falls into the category of a "what if" spin off much like Bridget Jones' Diary or Lost in Austen.

Language: A

Characterization: A

Plot: B

Revisit vs. Rehash: A+

Hooked: A+

Nit picky things: B-

Wonderful moments: B+

Originality: A

Language: Lovely.  Not Austen but the writing style is close enough.

A

Characterization: One of the strengths of Amanda Grange's writing in Mr. Darcy's Diary (and in all of her Diary retellings of Austen's work) is that she uses the original characterization and deepens it. She takes you through Darcy's feelings and experiences and explains them in a way that makes his actions seem almost unavoidable.  (An example: In Mr. Darcy's Diary, she lets the reader experience with Darcy the growing desire to know and be with Elizabeth.  His ranting proposal seems like a natural next step for him and the reader.)  In Mr. Darcy, Vampyre, Grange takes those same characteristics and desires of Darcy's and explains then with the fact he is a Vampire.  When you look at his reserve, haughtiness and desire through the lens of a vampire...it works.  And I am not a vampire reading kind of gal.   

A

Plot: As I mentioned, I put this into the category of "spin off."  A fanciful what if of circumstances.  The plot moves along quickly.  I read the book in 2 days.  I did feel a since of anxiety while I read it. Darcy and Elizabeth travel a lot and I kept waiting for all the little trips to be pulled together in meaning more than they were.  And I am not crazy about the ending choice.   But I am weird about endings.

As many questions as the story answered, it left many many more unanswered.  And yet, it was a very interesting read.  Grange makes a good case for Darcy being a Vampire.  Though, I'm not sure Darcy as a Vampire fits into the existing storyline that well.   I just had to suspend certain dis-beliefs and questions like, "Well, what happens to that character now?"  

Having said all that, I liked the book a lot.  I would suggest to check it out form the library or borrow it from a friend. It isn't a read it more than once kind of book for me.  (And I enjoy re-reading good books quite a bit.)

B

Rehash or revisit: No rehashes. Very little revisits, even.  Grange always assumes the reader has read Pride and Prejudice.  I like that.  

A+

I was hooked by: The back cover.  I mean, that was an intriguing letter.  AND, I was at Barnes & Noble 2 days in a row and there was always someone on the isle looking at this book....not wanting to admit that they would consider buying it.

A+

Nit picky things: I would have liked the end to have gone another way.  It felt like we were building toward something more than what we got.  That is probably a bigger deal than "nit picky." But I don't have a category for "slightly big deals that won't keep you from reading the book."

B-

Wonderful little moments: Elizabeth's letters to Jane.  Little touches like the fact the people of Paris put so much garlic on their food.  She included things like this without over explaining them.  She knows we are clever readers.  

B+

Originality: I know, Twilight.  But I haven't read Twilight.  

The Vampyre was written in 1891 by John William Polidori.  It is considered the "progenitor of the romantic vampire genre."  And, guess what, it was written about an English nobleman. 

Still, to apply this idea so well to one of the most beloved of couples in English literature (says all the authority that is me) is pretty clever.  It felt like an omage to both Polidori and Austen. 

A 

When I was in second grade, someone told me that vampire 

bats could suck the blood out of my 

toes and neck when I was asleep.  Having an unusually long neck and a vivid imagination, I proceeded to sleep beneath the safety of a bed sheet with only my face poking out for the next 15 years. Fortunately, I can now select how much bedding I need each night by things 

slightly more practical, like room temperature. 

(However, I still can never ever let my foot hang off the mattress...alligators under the bed, you know.)  

So I think that is why all the hullabaloo over Vampires never appealed to me.  And also 

why I felt a bit anxious while reading the book.  

It sounds like there are a lot of problems with the story.  There are.  But it was good.  Almost like a conversation where someone plays devil's advocate just to make things more interesting.  You all agree that no one thinks the scenario is at all real, but it sure makes for an intriguing chat.  

If this book were a movie - I think it would be a PG13 due to references about marital passion.

Don't confuse this book with Regina Jeffer's next release (Dec. 1 2009) Vampire Darcy's Desire: A Pride and Prejudice Adaptation.  

 

Mr. Darcy's Decision by Juliette Shapiro : delightful with big problems

Mr. Darcy's Decision is a sequel to Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice.  It follows the couple from the wedding through their first year.

Summary from the back of the book:

"...While the sharp-tongued duo of Lady Catherine de Bourgh and Caroline Bingly criticizes Elizabeth, the new Mrs. Darcy has a happier matter on her mind - the fact that she is carrying the next Darcy heir. But when the sudden and unexpected return of Elizabeth's sister Lydia brings alarming reports of seduction and blackmail that threaten the newlywed's life together, Mr. Darcy is forced to make the most difficult decision of his lifetime..."

This book had the potential of being great.  However, there are plot and character problems that keep it from even being good.  (I should point out that it is liked enough to be available in Kindle version and has gotten 4.5 stars out of 5 by a collected 52 reviewers at Amazon.com.)  I've never written a book - so I feel badly pointing fingers and saying a fellow Jane Austen enthusiast missed the mark.  And yet, here I go... 

Language: B-

Plot: D

Characterization: C

Revisit vs. Rehash: A

Hooked: C+

Nit picky things: B

Wonderful moments: A+

Originality: A

Language: It isn't so much the language, but the writing style that drew 

me in.  Long flowing sentences full of imagery and information really made the book delightful to read initially.  However, I would read about 7 pages and then put it down.  I was always happy to pick it back up again.  But I found until I got to Ch. 7, I really didn't just settle down comfortably into the story.  At Ch. 7, the dialog picks up dramatically. The problem: those long, flowing sentences are exhausting to read after a while.  Plenty of other P&P follow up writes use them, but they break them up with shorter sentences.  Shorter sentences are easy to read. It reminded me of reading Shakespeare.  I love it but it is 

exhausting for me to read a lot in one 

sitting.  It feels more like work than pleasure reading.  And I, as it turns out, 

can be a lazy reader at times.  But mostly, with 3 kids, I am a distracted reader.  

(Hey Typepad...what is with the weird spacing here?  I look like a distracted typist now.)

However, I will say, her writing is worth the effort.  I have line after line of witty dialog underlined because it made me smile when I read it.  I often wished I had someone else in the room reading it too so I could laugh and share the humor with them.  (Being the lone female in a house of 4 guys...yeah, I'm reading these books solo.)

B-

Characterization: It starts off well enough.  I felt like Darcy and Elizabeth were 

recognizable.  Darcy makes 2 decisions that are really out of character with the Darcy I know from Pride and Prejudice, any of the movies or any of the other follow up books I have read.   I have read and bought into some ideas about Darcy that diverge greatly from Jane Austen's original work.  However, each time the author has left me breadcrumbs to follow to get from point A (Austen) to point B (the follow up writer).  I didn't get those breadcrumbs.  There was explanation - but very little and after the fact. 

Mr and Mrs. Bennet, Caroline Bingly and Lady Catherine de Bourgh are all wonderfully portrayed.  It felt like the actors from the BBC/A&E 1995 Pride and Prejudice movie were speaking the lines. 

C

Plot: First, the good part: Shapiro gives the plot a twist involving Wickham that I have 

only seen in Lost In Austen, the mini series. It is clever and interesting. 

Now the bad (which it is hard to be specific without ruining to book):

1. A big relationship issue is reversed.  I can buy that.  EXCEPT the reader doesn't get to experience it. The reader hears about the conflict and resolution as told after the fact in a few paragraphs from one character to another.  It would be hard enough to stomach this change if we got to live through it with the characters involved.  But to not experience it means instead of being led from point A to point B, I go from point A to point unicorn.  

2. With 60 pages left (out of 206), it felt as if Shapiro was rushing to neatly tie up every story line with a cute bow.  People fall into love and marriage quickly.  You can see it coming because if there is an unmarried male and unmarried female in the same room, they are in love by the end of the paragraph. Ok, that might be a bit of hyperbole.  Two paragraphs:)  Other story lines and people find quick and unbelievable resolutions.  Once again, I was reminded of Shakespeare, at then end of a comedy where every mistake and relationship is set right within a few scenes.  I like that in Shakespeare.  But this wasn't a Shakespearean comedy.

3. The Gardeners live at Pemberley.  You learn this on p.6, so I think it is ok to tell you.  Does that seem normal for people who's livelihood is tied to London?  I think one of the things most follow up books have in common is that Elizabeth and Darcy value their privacy.

D

Rehash or revisit: Any mention of the original events and conversations in Pride and Prejudice were done in small doses and spread throughout the book.  A very nice revisit.

A

I was hooked by: Not until Chapter 7.  I read the book 5 months ago and then again last week.  I had the same mark on Ch. 7 as the place where I started looking forward to reading each evening.  (That was 44 pages into the book.)

C+

Nit picky things: I didn't like how she left the story with Elizabeth and Darcy.  I know this is nit picky... but I just didn't care for the final lines about them at all.  I think it was intended to be a version of "they lived happily ever after," but it didn't feel like that to me.

B

Wonderful little moments: There is line after line after line in this book that I highlighted because I felt is was written with such wit and imagery.  All the wonderful little moments added up made this book have so much potential!  

A+

Originality: Whether I liked it or not, there was originality.  The new lines Shapiro 

created for Mrs. Bennet were fantastic.

A

If this book were a movie - I think it would be rated (a mild) PG 13 due to references to marital passion. 

All of the wonderful moments and the great potential with the minor characters couldn't overcome the problems in the plot and with Darcy's character.  Perhaps about 40 more pages could have explained things better.  But as a reader, I felt like I was riding a Tilt A Whirl with some jarring directional changes.  Do I recommend this book?  No.  There are far better follow ups out there.  Would I read something else written by Juliette Shapiro, totally.  She has a clear ability to transport a reader through her writing.  And, if you buy into the star rating system over at Amazon.com, a lot of people like her plot just fine.  

Mr. Darcy's Decision is a sequel to Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice.  It follows the couple from the wedding through their first year.

Summary from the back of the book:

"...While the sharp-tongued duo of Lady Catherine de Bourgh and Caroline Bingly criticizes Elizabeth, the new Mrs. Darcy has a happier matter on her mind - the fact that she is carrying the next Darcy heir. But when the sudden and unexpected return of Elizabeth's sister Lydia brings alarming reports of seduction and blackmail that threaten the newlywed's life together, Mr. Darcy is forced to make the most difficult decision of his lifetime..."

This book had the potential of being great.  However, there are plot and character problems that keep it from even being good.  (I should point out that it is liked enough to be available in Kindle version and has gotten 4.5 stars out of 5 by a collected 52 reviewers at Amazon.com.)  I've never written a book - so I feel badly pointing fingers and saying a fellow Jane Austen enthusiast missed the mark.  And yet, here I go... 

Language: B-

Plot: D

Characterization: C

Revisit vs. Rehash: A

Hooked: C+

Nit picky things: B

Wonderful moments: A+

Originality: A

Language: It isn't so much the language, but the writing style that drew 

me in.  Long flowing sentences full of imagery and information really made the book delightful to read initially.  However, I would read about 7 pages and then put it down.  I was always happy to pick it back up again.  But I found until I got to Ch. 7, I really didn't just settle down comfortably into the story.  At Ch. 7, the dialog picks up dramatically. The problem: those long, flowing sentences are exhausting to read after a while.  Plenty of other P&P follow up writes use them, but they break them up with shorter sentences.  Shorter sentences are easy to read. It reminded me of reading Shakespeare.  I love it but it is 

exhausting for me to read a lot in one 

sitting.  It feels more like work than pleasure reading.  And I, as it turns out, 

can be a lazy reader at times.  But mostly, with 3 kids, I am a distracted reader.  

(Hey Typepad...what is with the weird spacing here?  I look like a distracted typist now.)

However, I will say, her writing is worth the effort.  I have line after line of witty dialog underlined because it made me smile when I read it.  I often wished I had someone else in the room reading it too so I could laugh and share the humor with them.  (Being the lone female in a house of 4 guys...yeah, I'm reading these books solo.)

B-

Characterization: It starts off well enough.  I felt like Darcy and Elizabeth were 

recognizable.  Darcy makes 2 decisions that are really out of character with the Darcy I know from Pride and Prejudice, any of the movies or any of the other follow up books I have read.   I have read and bought into some ideas about Darcy that diverge greatly from Jane Austen's original work.  However, each time the author has left me breadcrumbs to follow to get from point A (Austen) to point B (the follow up writer).  I didn't get those breadcrumbs.  There was explanation - but very little and after the fact. 

Mr and Mrs. Bennet, Caroline Bingly and Lady Catherine de Bourgh are all wonderfully portrayed.  It felt like the actors from the BBC/A&E 1995 Pride and Prejudice movie were speaking the lines. 

C

Plot: First, the good part: Shapiro gives the plot a twist involving Wickham that I have 

only seen in Lost In Austen, the mini series. It is clever and interesting. 

Now the bad (which it is hard to be specific without ruining to book):

1. A big relationship issue is reversed.  I can buy that.  EXCEPT the reader doesn't get to experience it. The reader hears about the conflict and resolution as told after the fact in a few paragraphs from one character to another.  It would be hard enough to stomach this change if we got to live through it with the characters involved.  But to not experience it means instead of being led from point A to point B, I go from point A to point unicorn.  

2. With 60 pages left (out of 206), it felt as if Shapiro was rushing to neatly tie up every story line with a cute bow.  People fall into love and marriage quickly.  You can see it coming because if there is an unmarried male and unmarried female in the same room, they are in love by the end of the paragraph. Ok, that might be a bit of hyperbole.  Two paragraphs:)  Other story lines and people find quick and unbelievable resolutions.  Once again, I was reminded of Shakespeare, at then end of a comedy where every mistake and relationship is set right within a few scenes.  I like that in Shakespeare.  But this wasn't a Shakespearean comedy.

3. The Gardeners live at Pemberley.  You learn this on p.6, so I think it is ok to tell you.  Does that seem normal for people who's livelihood is tied to London?  I think one of the things most follow up books have in common is that Elizabeth and Darcy value their privacy.

D

Rehash or revisit: Any mention of the original events and conversations in Pride and Prejudice were done in small doses and spread throughout the book.  A very nice revisit.

A

I was hooked by: Not until Chapter 7.  I read the book 5 months ago and then again last week.  I had the same mark on Ch. 7 as the place where I started looking forward to reading each evening.  (That was 44 pages into the book.)

C+

Nit picky things: I didn't like how she left the story with Elizabeth and Darcy.  I know this is nit picky... but I just didn't care for the final lines about them at all.  I think it was intended to be a version of "they lived happily ever after," but it didn't feel like that to me.

B

Wonderful little moments: There is line after line after line in this book that I highlighted because I felt is was written with such wit and imagery.  All the wonderful little moments added up made this book have so much potential!  

A+

Originality: Whether I liked it or not, there was originality.  The new lines Shapiro 

created for Mrs. Bennet were fantastic.

A

If this book were a movie - I think it would be rated (a mild) PG 13 due to references to marital passion. 

All of the wonderful moments and the great potential with the minor characters couldn't overcome the problems in the plot and with Darcy's character.  Perhaps about 40 more pages could have explained things better.  But as a reader, I felt like I was riding a Tilt A Whirl with some jarring directional changes.  Do I recommend this book?  No.  There are far better follow ups out there.  Would I read something else written by Juliette Shapiro, totally.  She has a clear ability to transport a reader through her writing.  And, if you buy into the star rating system over at Amazon.com, a lot of people like her plot just fine.  

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.

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?

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:)

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!