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Compulsively Mr. Darcy
For anyone obsessed with Pride & Prejudice, it's Darcy and Elizabeth like you've never see them before! This modern take introduces us to the wealthy philanthropist Fitzwilliam Darcy, a handsome and brooding bachelor who yearns for love but doubts any woman could handle his obsessive tendencies. Meanwhile, Dr. Elizabeth Bennet has her own intimacy issues that ensure her terrible luck with men. When the two meet up in the emergency room after Darcy's best friend, Charles Bingley, gets into an accident, Elizabeth thinks the two men are a couple. As Darcy and Elizabeth unravel their misconceptions about each other, they have to decide just how far they're willing to go to accept each other's quirky ways...
352 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2012
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May 22, 2012
This reads like bad fanfiction. Really, bad, fanfiction. In which the characterizations are basically thrown out the window and the author is using only the names, and the barest minimum of the plot to make the characters do what she wants with them. I couldn't, in good faith, recommend this to anyone, it's not even good vacation fluff fare. If you love Austen, run in the opposite direction.
It's not well written first off, and littered with terrible dialogue and inane ideas about women and romance. Gems like: "He flipped her over onto her back and, with a few thrusts, spilled his broth inside her." I mean, come on. That's not good writing, nor is is remotely sexy. If the entire purpose of your books is to get Darcy and Lizzy to have sex (which is what the purpose seems to be as there are as many sex scenes as a Harlequin book), it could be written in a way that isn't so ridiculously cheesy. The whole book reads like this! One can't even make the argument that it's how people talk. No, it's lazy writing. Which is only part of the reason it doesn't live up to it's inspiration
Elizabeth Bennett is one of the most interesting women in literature and what she shares with this woman, is nothing but name only. Lizzy Bennett, from the original, is spunky, intelligent, sassy. She says what she thinks, and is unconcerned with the fact her opinion is viewed as less worthy because she's female, and has no money. She's a modern woman for the Regency time she is set in. Which by all means, should make her easy to translate into modern times. The personality quirks that make up her character make up an excellent well rounded character in Pride and Prejudice, here, they come off as ridiculous, because it's all overdone. The cardinal rule of writing, show don't tell is broken over and over, leaving the reader with a shell of the girl she should be.
We're told she is smart because she is a doctor, but apparently all she knows about is being a doctor, she's stunted in all other forms of knowledge. She's modern because she's a hippie from Berkeley, which is so cliche, I don't even want to touch on it. She's stubborn and impulsive, which ends up translating into being dominant in bed - sometimes, and constantly misunderstanding Darcy. The latter is partly due to the fact that in the original, Darcy and Elizabeth are constantly misunderstanding each other, but it comes off as idiotic in an age where there are cell phones and emails and pretty much instant communication on multiple levels.
Since the big picture plot (Darcy getting with Elizabeth) is summed up a fifth of the way into the book, there is a great deal of book in which the author gets to explore what happens after Darcy and Elizabeth fall in love. Frankly, I hope her mind isn't the end all of it, because I'm depressed for one of my favorite fictional ladies. Basically, Lizzy Bennett turns into some half crazy sex fiend, giving up her identity and personality for Darcy and becoming a shadow of her former self (not that there was much of her former self to begin with). Since the two of them fell in love almost right off the bat, there is a bunch of contrived misunderstanding nonsense that sends her away, back to her parents house - where lo and behold, we find out she is pregnant and she is a hormonal monster for the rest of the book. Every bad cliche about pregnant women is put in.
I'm not even sure if I want to touch on the butchery that is done to Darcy's character. At first glance (as in the first ten pages or so) he seems pretty spot on, he's brooding and moody, ocd would fit him quite well, and of course he's a billionaire. But it goes downhill quickly. He's obsessive and highly possessive, particularly over the women in his lives to the point where it gets super creepy. There were a lot of moments that made me flat out uncomfortable because it bordered on abuse. While Darcy is a man who is hard to get along with, he is supposed to be the romantic hero of the books, rather than the guy you ought to run away from. Like, withholding sex until she says she is his? That's pretty gross, and not a good example of a healthy relationship. I don't believe Pride and Prejudice is nessecarily the best representation of healthy relationships, but I'd like to believe that once they got together, they would communicate and not treat each other like property. I don't believe Lizzy Bennett would have stood for that.
And to top it all off, I don't think this writer has any logical understanding of the geographical layout of Manhattan.
It's not well written first off, and littered with terrible dialogue and inane ideas about women and romance. Gems like: "He flipped her over onto her back and, with a few thrusts, spilled his broth inside her." I mean, come on. That's not good writing, nor is is remotely sexy. If the entire purpose of your books is to get Darcy and Lizzy to have sex (which is what the purpose seems to be as there are as many sex scenes as a Harlequin book), it could be written in a way that isn't so ridiculously cheesy. The whole book reads like this! One can't even make the argument that it's how people talk. No, it's lazy writing. Which is only part of the reason it doesn't live up to it's inspiration
Elizabeth Bennett is one of the most interesting women in literature and what she shares with this woman, is nothing but name only. Lizzy Bennett, from the original, is spunky, intelligent, sassy. She says what she thinks, and is unconcerned with the fact her opinion is viewed as less worthy because she's female, and has no money. She's a modern woman for the Regency time she is set in. Which by all means, should make her easy to translate into modern times. The personality quirks that make up her character make up an excellent well rounded character in Pride and Prejudice, here, they come off as ridiculous, because it's all overdone. The cardinal rule of writing, show don't tell is broken over and over, leaving the reader with a shell of the girl she should be.
We're told she is smart because she is a doctor, but apparently all she knows about is being a doctor, she's stunted in all other forms of knowledge. She's modern because she's a hippie from Berkeley, which is so cliche, I don't even want to touch on it. She's stubborn and impulsive, which ends up translating into being dominant in bed - sometimes, and constantly misunderstanding Darcy. The latter is partly due to the fact that in the original, Darcy and Elizabeth are constantly misunderstanding each other, but it comes off as idiotic in an age where there are cell phones and emails and pretty much instant communication on multiple levels.
Since the big picture plot (Darcy getting with Elizabeth) is summed up a fifth of the way into the book, there is a great deal of book in which the author gets to explore what happens after Darcy and Elizabeth fall in love. Frankly, I hope her mind isn't the end all of it, because I'm depressed for one of my favorite fictional ladies. Basically, Lizzy Bennett turns into some half crazy sex fiend, giving up her identity and personality for Darcy and becoming a shadow of her former self (not that there was much of her former self to begin with). Since the two of them fell in love almost right off the bat, there is a bunch of contrived misunderstanding nonsense that sends her away, back to her parents house - where lo and behold, we find out she is pregnant and she is a hormonal monster for the rest of the book. Every bad cliche about pregnant women is put in.
I'm not even sure if I want to touch on the butchery that is done to Darcy's character. At first glance (as in the first ten pages or so) he seems pretty spot on, he's brooding and moody, ocd would fit him quite well, and of course he's a billionaire. But it goes downhill quickly. He's obsessive and highly possessive, particularly over the women in his lives to the point where it gets super creepy. There were a lot of moments that made me flat out uncomfortable because it bordered on abuse. While Darcy is a man who is hard to get along with, he is supposed to be the romantic hero of the books, rather than the guy you ought to run away from. Like, withholding sex until she says she is his? That's pretty gross, and not a good example of a healthy relationship. I don't believe Pride and Prejudice is nessecarily the best representation of healthy relationships, but I'd like to believe that once they got together, they would communicate and not treat each other like property. I don't believe Lizzy Bennett would have stood for that.
And to top it all off, I don't think this writer has any logical understanding of the geographical layout of Manhattan.
January 21, 2013
I have a weakness for things inspired by Pride and Prejudice and I really enjoyed this book, it's like really good chick-lit influenced by P&P. The characters are certainly shaped along the same lines as in P&P. Lizzy makes snap judgements and Darcy isn't really proud, just very controlling, due to his mother's death, he has OCD as a result of this. There are nods to P&P throughout the book which are nice but it's not a modern update, in this book Lizzy has no illusions about how much she likes D, but she does mistake his interest in her, mainly because she believes he's part of a gay couple with Charles Bingley!
The secondary characters are good in this book, Mary particularly is great, and Lydia. Wickham is a sad old perve, which let's face it, he was, and he gets a nice comeuppance in this. Interesting portrayal of Anne de Bourgh, particularly liked her moustache, LOL.
Only downside I found to this book was that there was a phone sex scene which I am not keen on, was in more detail than the actual sex scenes, I could have done without it. All in all though, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it.
The secondary characters are good in this book, Mary particularly is great, and Lydia. Wickham is a sad old perve, which let's face it, he was, and he gets a nice comeuppance in this. Interesting portrayal of Anne de Bourgh, particularly liked her moustache, LOL.
Only downside I found to this book was that there was a phone sex scene which I am not keen on, was in more detail than the actual sex scenes, I could have done without it. All in all though, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it.
November 30, 2012
If you, like me, ever woke up in cold sweat having a nightmare about an author raping your favorite story of all time please do yourself a favor and stay away from this dribble. The characters are card-board cut-outs with no link to their original namesakes besides, you guessed it, the names! Nothing remains of the greatest love story ever told. Darcy is proud for about two chapters of the book before he turns into a blubbering lovesick fool and Elizabeth is the kind of woman who throws everything she has been working on out the window to go help the poor unfortunate man she barely knows. All the mix-ups would never happen! All the characters would never react in the ways they do. The sex scenes are misplaced and unrealistic and come on, someone delivering their broth into their lover must be the most unsexy thing I have ever read. Also what the *bip* are Elinor Dashwood and Colonal Brandon doing in P&P? Was the author not content with raping one Austen story, so she had to throw them in too? All in all this reads as a bad parody of a love story and certainly not worthy of Miss Austen.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 19, 2015
4.5 stars
I read this due to Georgiana selecting this book as my “Some One Else Pick- August” selection on Goodreads. I had not heard of this book before having that choice made for me. I read the Sample and the professional reviews listed on Amazon which gave high praise to this story while the more personal reviews varied widely, from one wanting to post a double “0” to Meredith of Austenesque Reviews (along with others) giving this 5 stars. I then read this story twice: once before taking a vacation and then soon after due to wanting the details fresh in my mind before writing a review.
As others have mentioned in their reviews, this is a modern take-off of JA’s P&P and there are some persons from S&S also brought in for, basically, cameo roles. Will and Elizabeth are very different characters in this tale but one can see that the author drew on Jane Austen’s story and expanded on certain traits. Darcy was very much in control of his life in canon and we see this control translate into OCD here, when he, as a young lad of 12, learns that his mother died due to an infection from unsterilized instruments used by an OB/GYN Dr. Wickham while she gave birth to Georgiana (aka Gina). Thus his fear of germs and his obsessively repeated need to shower and to wash his hands, to have his personal sheets along during travels and to have his housekeeper, Mrs. Reynolds, phone ahead to arrange food preparation. He also keeps a penthouse for romantic encounters vs. a townhouse for his day-to-day life.
Other reviews have mentioned that Elizabeth’s behavior does not always seem consistent. She is an infectious disease medical doctor and meets Will while volunteering in a Vietnam hospital. She is in that country due to a desire to accompany Jane who is substituting as the director of the Gracechurch Orphanage and Adoption Agency for their Aunt Mai Gardiner. The way in which ODC meets and their first impressions of each other are, of course, complete misunderstandings. As you can read in the Sample or other reviews: Bingley, ADD (He does take Ritalin.), hops out of their car to persuade a bike driver to let him try and has an accident. Darcy demands an American doctor and they get Dr. Bennet who is serving a 30-hour shift and has skipped dinner. When she doesn’t “see” Bingley fast enough Darcy goes into Bingley’s area to demand better service and lifts the sheet over the damaged leg and the faints at the sight of blood. When Elizabeth in her mask and doctor’s garb awakened him with a tap of her clog he insults her while she calls him an arse and demands he leave.
Later Jane and Elizabeth, after Jane’s interviews of a potentially adoptive couple, consult about the “group” of people who showed up for that interview. With Darcy’s attention to Bingley’s care, with his questions about the adoption procedures and with Bingley’s cooing over a baby, they both agree that the men are a couple who are the real adoption candidates. Elizabeth has a track record of attracting and begin attracted to men who “bat for the other team”. That and “She’d always had a weakness for snotty, male, British accents.” When they all meet later at the Merry Bar Restaurant and are introduced he does not realize that she is the doctor he met (He thinks she is an escort.) while she plays on his OCD by repeatedly scratching her head and sides until Jane kicks her under the table. When he learns her name, he also realizes the she is the charming “water sprite” and “wood nymph” he has observed from his window. (Her last gay boyfriend, Dr. Hussein Ahmed, a plastic surgeon, has arranged for her to be the in-house doctor at the resort, Net Thi Phen, where Darcy and friends are staying.) (Hilarious scene with Bill Collins, an adoption investigator, as Elizabeth describes a condition known as “Billious Collinitis” to him.)
This book does not take long before the couple admits their love for each other and, in this, is different from canon. But the author is not done with the twists and surprises. We have Wickham, Aunt Catherine DeBourgh and her stepdaughter, Anne, with a few tricks up their sleeves, and with more than one appearance on stage. We have all the Bennet sisters and they play delightful roles, some just downright funny…enter Mary Bennet with her martial arts skills, her protectiveness for her family members and her computer know-how. And LYDIA comes through in the end with us believing she is the same gaga ditz over men but turning the tables on the readers and on the people who are secretly on guard around her. Even Caroline is (shaking my head here) under deep misapprehensions about a certain man. Oh, and Charlotte turns up in the role of Dr. Chau, Elizabeth’s good friend in Vietnam.
There are sex scenes and the use of profanity, i.e., f**k o**, pr**k, j***ing off, etc. I didn’t care for the phone sex scene but adored how totally obsessed Darcy was in his physical reactions to Elizabeth. Yes, it just a little bit of a double standard that the author has a 28-yr. old Elizabeth still a virgin while Darcy keeps a separate penthouse for his affairs and then he is so elated that she is “pure” for him. Yes, that can add to the romance but in modern day can also be off-putting for the enlightened female reader. I did not like the ending in that it seemed abrupt. I really wanted more here.
I did like that this Elizabeth was very accepting of Will’s OCD even in observing him using bleach on the counter after one of their “moments”. But both, in falling in love so quickly, have not learned to trust and do think that they are “good enough” for the other person. So when forces reveal hidden facts or words are spoken between them, they then think that their doubts have been realized and act precipitously.
I could go on and on – there is lots happening in this book. So, yes, do read this, even if you must skip over the ADULT scenes.
I read this due to Georgiana selecting this book as my “Some One Else Pick- August” selection on Goodreads. I had not heard of this book before having that choice made for me. I read the Sample and the professional reviews listed on Amazon which gave high praise to this story while the more personal reviews varied widely, from one wanting to post a double “0” to Meredith of Austenesque Reviews (along with others) giving this 5 stars. I then read this story twice: once before taking a vacation and then soon after due to wanting the details fresh in my mind before writing a review.
As others have mentioned in their reviews, this is a modern take-off of JA’s P&P and there are some persons from S&S also brought in for, basically, cameo roles. Will and Elizabeth are very different characters in this tale but one can see that the author drew on Jane Austen’s story and expanded on certain traits. Darcy was very much in control of his life in canon and we see this control translate into OCD here, when he, as a young lad of 12, learns that his mother died due to an infection from unsterilized instruments used by an OB/GYN Dr. Wickham while she gave birth to Georgiana (aka Gina). Thus his fear of germs and his obsessively repeated need to shower and to wash his hands, to have his personal sheets along during travels and to have his housekeeper, Mrs. Reynolds, phone ahead to arrange food preparation. He also keeps a penthouse for romantic encounters vs. a townhouse for his day-to-day life.
Other reviews have mentioned that Elizabeth’s behavior does not always seem consistent. She is an infectious disease medical doctor and meets Will while volunteering in a Vietnam hospital. She is in that country due to a desire to accompany Jane who is substituting as the director of the Gracechurch Orphanage and Adoption Agency for their Aunt Mai Gardiner. The way in which ODC meets and their first impressions of each other are, of course, complete misunderstandings. As you can read in the Sample or other reviews: Bingley, ADD (He does take Ritalin.), hops out of their car to persuade a bike driver to let him try and has an accident. Darcy demands an American doctor and they get Dr. Bennet who is serving a 30-hour shift and has skipped dinner. When she doesn’t “see” Bingley fast enough Darcy goes into Bingley’s area to demand better service and lifts the sheet over the damaged leg and the faints at the sight of blood. When Elizabeth in her mask and doctor’s garb awakened him with a tap of her clog he insults her while she calls him an arse and demands he leave.
Later Jane and Elizabeth, after Jane’s interviews of a potentially adoptive couple, consult about the “group” of people who showed up for that interview. With Darcy’s attention to Bingley’s care, with his questions about the adoption procedures and with Bingley’s cooing over a baby, they both agree that the men are a couple who are the real adoption candidates. Elizabeth has a track record of attracting and begin attracted to men who “bat for the other team”. That and “She’d always had a weakness for snotty, male, British accents.” When they all meet later at the Merry Bar Restaurant and are introduced he does not realize that she is the doctor he met (He thinks she is an escort.) while she plays on his OCD by repeatedly scratching her head and sides until Jane kicks her under the table. When he learns her name, he also realizes the she is the charming “water sprite” and “wood nymph” he has observed from his window. (Her last gay boyfriend, Dr. Hussein Ahmed, a plastic surgeon, has arranged for her to be the in-house doctor at the resort, Net Thi Phen, where Darcy and friends are staying.) (Hilarious scene with Bill Collins, an adoption investigator, as Elizabeth describes a condition known as “Billious Collinitis” to him.)
This book does not take long before the couple admits their love for each other and, in this, is different from canon. But the author is not done with the twists and surprises. We have Wickham, Aunt Catherine DeBourgh and her stepdaughter, Anne, with a few tricks up their sleeves, and with more than one appearance on stage. We have all the Bennet sisters and they play delightful roles, some just downright funny…enter Mary Bennet with her martial arts skills, her protectiveness for her family members and her computer know-how. And LYDIA comes through in the end with us believing she is the same gaga ditz over men but turning the tables on the readers and on the people who are secretly on guard around her. Even Caroline is (shaking my head here) under deep misapprehensions about a certain man. Oh, and Charlotte turns up in the role of Dr. Chau, Elizabeth’s good friend in Vietnam.
There are sex scenes and the use of profanity, i.e., f**k o**, pr**k, j***ing off, etc. I didn’t care for the phone sex scene but adored how totally obsessed Darcy was in his physical reactions to Elizabeth. Yes, it just a little bit of a double standard that the author has a 28-yr. old Elizabeth still a virgin while Darcy keeps a separate penthouse for his affairs and then he is so elated that she is “pure” for him. Yes, that can add to the romance but in modern day can also be off-putting for the enlightened female reader. I did not like the ending in that it seemed abrupt. I really wanted more here.
I did like that this Elizabeth was very accepting of Will’s OCD even in observing him using bleach on the counter after one of their “moments”. But both, in falling in love so quickly, have not learned to trust and do think that they are “good enough” for the other person. So when forces reveal hidden facts or words are spoken between them, they then think that their doubts have been realized and act precipitously.
I could go on and on – there is lots happening in this book. So, yes, do read this, even if you must skip over the ADULT scenes.
October 13, 2018
The Viet Nam setting was fresh and well done. Amusing start that drags on too long, and then becomes farcical (but not always in a good way).
January 31, 2012
As is perhaps unsurprising, I find Jane Austen inspired fiction to be largely disappointing. I mean, what could ever hope to compare to her original work? Still, I do not give up hope and continue to add every single book written about her characters or her to my reading list.
Compulsively Mr. Darcy is, overall, pretty fun and takes a fairly unique view of the characters and the plot. The opening scenes really captivated me, although, I must admit, that that had more to do with the setting (Da Nang in Vietnam) than anything else. I went to Vietnam during college, so I've actually been to Da Nang. I recognize the descriptions of the traffic, the spiny fruit Bingley eats in the first chapter, and some of the social rules herein described. That part was awesome.
I also thought it was pretty cool how Darcy's perfection was reenvisioned as a sever compulsive disorder. That fits so well with our overly diagnosed and medicated modern lifestyle. Charles Bingley, too, suffers from a modern problem: ADHD.
While I was initially impressed by Elizabeth's career as a doctor, I quickly became disheartened. Despite the author's constant assertions that Elizabeth is highly intelligent and respected in her field, it's hard to see her as anything but a ditz. She is such a bonehead, both in her assumptions about people and situations, and in her way of speaking. What doctor would forget to wear a condom before being tested (and what OCD person for that matter)?
All of the characters of the novel are here, in one form or another, but they are all quite different, and there are some new folks as well. I would argue that Darcy is perhaps the least changed. The Jane of this book is much more Lizzy than Lizzy, which was actually kind of interesting to see. Wickham is here, but he doesn't get to be the big bad of the story, a change I found to be rather refreshing, especially since Lydia got to be slightly different for once. Oh, and, for some strange reason, there's a crossover, because a couple of characters from Sense and Sensibility make cameo appearances.
What I liked least was all the romance novel type sex going on. Normally, this wouldn't bother me. I mean, who doesn't want to live vicariously through fictional characters? However, these scenes were not doing it for me at all. I also didn't especially like that Elizabeth was a virgin at 28, while Darcy got to be a crazy party animal in the past. What the heck, double standard?!?! The one cool thing about their relationship was that Benneton (I'm guessing this is a pen name) completely changed up the timeline. However, their romance is definitely as cheesily romantic as this song.
One more awkward thing about this novel was that it did that confusing thing where it couldn't decide whether to retell a story or just happen to have characters of the same names as those in a book do the same things. That wasn't clear. In the book, there are numerous references to the BBC productions of P&P. This is highly odd, as it seems to imply that these people just happen to have the same names as the characters but not to have noticed. This is a bad thing to do in fiction; I would also like the writers for the recent Get Smart movie to make note of this.
So yeah, if you're a romance fan, you'll probably like this, and as Austen-inspired books go, it's not too bad. There are some clever, amusing things here and it is a quick read.
Compulsively Mr. Darcy is, overall, pretty fun and takes a fairly unique view of the characters and the plot. The opening scenes really captivated me, although, I must admit, that that had more to do with the setting (Da Nang in Vietnam) than anything else. I went to Vietnam during college, so I've actually been to Da Nang. I recognize the descriptions of the traffic, the spiny fruit Bingley eats in the first chapter, and some of the social rules herein described. That part was awesome.
I also thought it was pretty cool how Darcy's perfection was reenvisioned as a sever compulsive disorder. That fits so well with our overly diagnosed and medicated modern lifestyle. Charles Bingley, too, suffers from a modern problem: ADHD.
While I was initially impressed by Elizabeth's career as a doctor, I quickly became disheartened. Despite the author's constant assertions that Elizabeth is highly intelligent and respected in her field, it's hard to see her as anything but a ditz. She is such a bonehead, both in her assumptions about people and situations, and in her way of speaking. What doctor would forget to wear a condom before being tested (and what OCD person for that matter)?
All of the characters of the novel are here, in one form or another, but they are all quite different, and there are some new folks as well. I would argue that Darcy is perhaps the least changed. The Jane of this book is much more Lizzy than Lizzy, which was actually kind of interesting to see. Wickham is here, but he doesn't get to be the big bad of the story, a change I found to be rather refreshing, especially since Lydia got to be slightly different for once. Oh, and, for some strange reason, there's a crossover, because a couple of characters from Sense and Sensibility make cameo appearances.
What I liked least was all the romance novel type sex going on. Normally, this wouldn't bother me. I mean, who doesn't want to live vicariously through fictional characters? However, these scenes were not doing it for me at all. I also didn't especially like that Elizabeth was a virgin at 28, while Darcy got to be a crazy party animal in the past. What the heck, double standard?!?! The one cool thing about their relationship was that Benneton (I'm guessing this is a pen name) completely changed up the timeline. However, their romance is definitely as cheesily romantic as this song.
One more awkward thing about this novel was that it did that confusing thing where it couldn't decide whether to retell a story or just happen to have characters of the same names as those in a book do the same things. That wasn't clear. In the book, there are numerous references to the BBC productions of P&P. This is highly odd, as it seems to imply that these people just happen to have the same names as the characters but not to have noticed. This is a bad thing to do in fiction; I would also like the writers for the recent Get Smart movie to make note of this.
So yeah, if you're a romance fan, you'll probably like this, and as Austen-inspired books go, it's not too bad. There are some clever, amusing things here and it is a quick read.
March 13, 2012
What happens when you move Pride and Prejudice into the 21st Century, make Darcy a man with a boatload of issues including a compulsive disorder, and make Elizabeth an impulsive Berkley educated Doctor of Infectious disease?
Something utterly delightful and unexpected happens that's what!
The story begins with our main characters along with Jane and the other Bingleys arriving in S. Korea for the stated purpose of adopting a baby for the Hursts though Bingley brought Darcy to get him a much needed vacation away from his work. Bingley unfortunately is injured and happens to be treated by none other than Elizabeth. Darcy, in his controlling mode best, jumps all over Elizabeth for not putting Bingley first and this leads to Elizabeth jumping to conclusions and the beginning of a whirlwind relationship. Their relationship is parts sweet, passionate, humorous and irritating as they draw ever closer to one another.
The second third of the story moves to NYC and Elizabeth sees how the other half lives and must deal with Darcy in his true setting and more importantly his past.
The final part of the book is where the reader must buckle up for the fast and bumpy ride. There are foreshadows through the first parts of the book of villains up to trouble trying to break up Darcy and Elizabeth and trying to line their own pockets. It is not until this point that the villains really get active and everyone must pull together to foil them.
The characters are well written with that blend of flaw and lovableness that made me see them as more than just shadows of the original P&P gang.
The plot was definitely new and refreshing with only winks and nods to the mother story.
I appreciated the attention to settings, pace, and shifting in points of view that really kept my interest. Normally the idea of two people thoroughly misunderstanding each other when simple communication would have solved the problems would have driven me to fling the book aside, but I found the way the author teased out reasons and motives made me less infuriated with that behavior and more sympathetic than usual.
I must toss in some cautions here so readers know what to expect. This is contemporary so we have a steamy romance, adult issues, and language usage.
Well done contemporary take on the classic!
Something utterly delightful and unexpected happens that's what!
The story begins with our main characters along with Jane and the other Bingleys arriving in S. Korea for the stated purpose of adopting a baby for the Hursts though Bingley brought Darcy to get him a much needed vacation away from his work. Bingley unfortunately is injured and happens to be treated by none other than Elizabeth. Darcy, in his controlling mode best, jumps all over Elizabeth for not putting Bingley first and this leads to Elizabeth jumping to conclusions and the beginning of a whirlwind relationship. Their relationship is parts sweet, passionate, humorous and irritating as they draw ever closer to one another.
The second third of the story moves to NYC and Elizabeth sees how the other half lives and must deal with Darcy in his true setting and more importantly his past.
The final part of the book is where the reader must buckle up for the fast and bumpy ride. There are foreshadows through the first parts of the book of villains up to trouble trying to break up Darcy and Elizabeth and trying to line their own pockets. It is not until this point that the villains really get active and everyone must pull together to foil them.
The characters are well written with that blend of flaw and lovableness that made me see them as more than just shadows of the original P&P gang.
The plot was definitely new and refreshing with only winks and nods to the mother story.
I appreciated the attention to settings, pace, and shifting in points of view that really kept my interest. Normally the idea of two people thoroughly misunderstanding each other when simple communication would have solved the problems would have driven me to fling the book aside, but I found the way the author teased out reasons and motives made me less infuriated with that behavior and more sympathetic than usual.
I must toss in some cautions here so readers know what to expect. This is contemporary so we have a steamy romance, adult issues, and language usage.
Well done contemporary take on the classic!
June 8, 2012
I don't know quite what to say about this modern re-telling of Pride and Prejudice. I love a good P&P variation or adaptation. I wanted to love this one, at times I liked it, most other times it annoyed me. It did have the potential to be great. In this version Darcy has OCD and depression (handled well) and Elizabeth is a doctor specializing in infectious diseases. They meet in Vietnam where Bingley (who has ADHD) gets in an accident and ends up at the hospital Elizabeth is volunteering at keeping her sister Jane who is heading up an orphanage company. There are a series of misunderstandings of course--starting from Elizabeth first thinking Darcy and Bingley are a couple. Some of the supporting characters had good and different story lines but many of them, like Bingly and Jane there wasn't any depth or passion. It was the details that really bothered me. I liked how Elizabeth dealt with Darcy's issues--humor and patience, but found her to be too ditzy and clueless about life for a 28-year-old doctor. Some of the wording bugged me. There was an awful lot of "she screamed" and "he shouted" in their "arguments"--annoying--where they really screaming and shouting that much or just arguing in loud voices? Also at one point in a bedroom scene the author writes that "he spilled his broth into her..." Ewwww. Were they having sex or eating soup?!? At one point Darcy refers to the BBC production of P&P--that Elizabeth and Georgina made him watch and all I could think was--didn't it strike him as strange that the characters in that show and the movie adaptation they watched had the same names as him and everyone he knows? This book got a fair amount of good reviews here and on Amazon, but it just didn't grab me enough.
August 27, 2016
Another retelling of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Lizzy is Berkley educated doctor of infectious disease, and Darcy is a High Powered Business mogul from New York with OCD. They meet when Darcy accompanies the Bingley family to Vietnam where the Hurst's want to adopt a child. Jane is running the adoption agency, and Lizzy is working at a local hospital. Things get kinda funny when Lizzy assumes that the Hurst's are a front, and it is actually Darcy and Bingley who want to adopt the child together.
Liked the book a lot. I wanted to smack Lizzy upside the head a few times which is normal. Darcy was more of an endearing character in this version than he normally is. I thought what the author did with Anne and Catherine de Bourgh, and Wickham was really interesting. She brought Richard Fitzwilliam into the story more, and in my opinion that is always a good thing. A few other Austen characters also made cameo appearances.
Liked the book a lot. I wanted to smack Lizzy upside the head a few times which is normal. Darcy was more of an endearing character in this version than he normally is. I thought what the author did with Anne and Catherine de Bourgh, and Wickham was really interesting. She brought Richard Fitzwilliam into the story more, and in my opinion that is always a good thing. A few other Austen characters also made cameo appearances.
February 8, 2016
A fun and witty modern P&P with a very OCD Mr Darcy!!!
What can I say, I read this as part of a reading challenge in a JAFF TBR list group. I have been eyeing this book for awhile, and I'm glad to have finally read it. Ms Benneton wrote an exceptional modern P&P story adding in the element of multinational traditions from Vietnam, America, and England. I truly enjoyed this turn in P&P. The biggest element in Compulsively Mr Darcy is the psychological diagnosis of OCD that Mr Darcy suffers from, and the addition of ADHD that Mr Bingley suffers. I loved this aspect, and it totally fits if you really take a look at each gentleman in P&P.
In CMD, we are introduced to Mr & Mrs Hurst, Miss and Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy as they arrive in Vietnam. Mr Bingley's ADHD is in full force and he can not sit still therefore he leaves the rented car, as they sit in traffic, and gets injured. Even though Mr Darcy is hemophobic, he is the most responsible to take Mr Bingley to the hospital where there is supposed to be an American Doctor. This little side trip sets the pace for the introduction of Mr Darcy to Dr Elizabeth Bennet, and just like in the original, we get the insult but we also get other misunderstandings from Elizabeth's side that are humorous to even think of.
After that abysmal meeting, we find the Hurst/Bingley/Darcy group meeting with Jane because the Hursts are trying to adopt a Vietnamese baby from the orphanage that Jane is managing in her uncle and aunt Gardiner's place while her uncle recuperates in CA.
The antics and misunderstandings that then happen between these two groups sets up for a fun romp with the addition that an ex-boyfriend/gay friend of Elizabeth's requests that she act as a temporary doctor at the same resort that the Hursts/Bingleys/Darcy group is staying at. What she doesn't realize is that it is only a pretense for a favor he is yet to spring on her. Her staying at the resort allows for Elizabeth and Darcy the chance to get to know each other.
How will these misunderstandings resolve? How will these misunderstandings set the stage for what to come for Elizabeth and Darcy? I really enjoyed that this story focused on the relationship between ODC and that Bingley and Jane were a non-existent item initially. I often think that what Bingley and Jane have is too easy, so I'm glad that they weren't a side story to contend with. I really enjoyed what Bingley decided to do with his life for a time once he was back in New York, that he took a stand and wanted to do something meaning full with his life.
The only issue I had with this book, hence the 4 star rating, was that there were several storylines that I felt were never tied up. I think that Ms Benneton should have written an epilogue to tie up all loss ends. Otherwise I have no problem recommending this book to all my JAFFers, though there are some areas for mature audiences only.
What can I say, I read this as part of a reading challenge in a JAFF TBR list group. I have been eyeing this book for awhile, and I'm glad to have finally read it. Ms Benneton wrote an exceptional modern P&P story adding in the element of multinational traditions from Vietnam, America, and England. I truly enjoyed this turn in P&P. The biggest element in Compulsively Mr Darcy is the psychological diagnosis of OCD that Mr Darcy suffers from, and the addition of ADHD that Mr Bingley suffers. I loved this aspect, and it totally fits if you really take a look at each gentleman in P&P.
In CMD, we are introduced to Mr & Mrs Hurst, Miss and Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy as they arrive in Vietnam. Mr Bingley's ADHD is in full force and he can not sit still therefore he leaves the rented car, as they sit in traffic, and gets injured. Even though Mr Darcy is hemophobic, he is the most responsible to take Mr Bingley to the hospital where there is supposed to be an American Doctor. This little side trip sets the pace for the introduction of Mr Darcy to Dr Elizabeth Bennet, and just like in the original, we get the insult but we also get other misunderstandings from Elizabeth's side that are humorous to even think of.
After that abysmal meeting, we find the Hurst/Bingley/Darcy group meeting with Jane because the Hursts are trying to adopt a Vietnamese baby from the orphanage that Jane is managing in her uncle and aunt Gardiner's place while her uncle recuperates in CA.
The antics and misunderstandings that then happen between these two groups sets up for a fun romp with the addition that an ex-boyfriend/gay friend of Elizabeth's requests that she act as a temporary doctor at the same resort that the Hursts/Bingleys/Darcy group is staying at. What she doesn't realize is that it is only a pretense for a favor he is yet to spring on her. Her staying at the resort allows for Elizabeth and Darcy the chance to get to know each other.
How will these misunderstandings resolve? How will these misunderstandings set the stage for what to come for Elizabeth and Darcy? I really enjoyed that this story focused on the relationship between ODC and that Bingley and Jane were a non-existent item initially. I often think that what Bingley and Jane have is too easy, so I'm glad that they weren't a side story to contend with. I really enjoyed what Bingley decided to do with his life for a time once he was back in New York, that he took a stand and wanted to do something meaning full with his life.
The only issue I had with this book, hence the 4 star rating, was that there were several storylines that I felt were never tied up. I think that Ms Benneton should have written an epilogue to tie up all loss ends. Otherwise I have no problem recommending this book to all my JAFFers, though there are some areas for mature audiences only.
February 27, 2012
We've seen Darcy as a judge and Elizabeth as an attorney (The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy), Darcy as a politician's son and Elizabeth as a marine biologist (Pemberley By the Sea), and both of these iconic and beloved characters as rock stars (Fitzwilliam Darcy, Rock Star); but this is the first time we have ever seen a modern-day Fitzwilliam Darcy that suffers from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and a modern-day Elizabeth that is a volunteer infectious disease specialist in Vietnam! Sounds intriguing, doesn't it? In this absorbing and originative debut novel, author Nina Benneton brings the characters of Pride and Prejudice to two dimensions they have never been before: Southeast Asia and hospitals!
Readers will find this Darcy to be a bit less proud and haughty than normal, but because of his debilitating compulsive tendencies, his need to control his surroundings is heightened. And this modern-day Elizabeth may not have such an averse and prejudiced view of Darcy when she meets him, but just like her Regency counterpart, she makes quick snap judgments about him, which lead to some pretty hysterical misconceptions!
To continue reading, go to: http://janeaustenreviews.blogspot.com...
Readers will find this Darcy to be a bit less proud and haughty than normal, but because of his debilitating compulsive tendencies, his need to control his surroundings is heightened. And this modern-day Elizabeth may not have such an averse and prejudiced view of Darcy when she meets him, but just like her Regency counterpart, she makes quick snap judgments about him, which lead to some pretty hysterical misconceptions!
To continue reading, go to: http://janeaustenreviews.blogspot.com...
May 26, 2012
"For anyone obsessed with Pride & Prejudice, it's Darcy and Elizabeth like you've never see them before." That is because these two characters share their names with the originals and little else. The author took the names of all the characters from Pride & Prejudice, dumped their personalities and did whatever she wanted with them. Colonel Fitzwilliam turns into a jerk, Anne de Bourgh is a b****, etc. The situations are laughable and the sex scenes are anything but sexy. This is by far the worst Jane Austen "fanfic" I've ever read. Don't waste your time or money!
March 18, 2012
Ug. I should've known this wasn't going to be very good, but I couldn't resist. I'm a sucker for anything Pride and Prejudice. The first 30 pages or so were kind of charming--the updated plot a bit amusing--but then the rest kind of sucked. I can't believe I finished it. Must've been some sort of perverse curiosity.
Read
November 3, 2017Compulsively Mr. Darcy is a hilarious modern-day retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, in which Nina Benneton exaggerates the personality traits of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet that cause a string of misunderstandings. I didn’t want to put this book down, reading 300 pages in one day and only stopping because I had to go to work in the morning.
Benneton’s novel opens in Vietnam, where Dr. Elizabeth Bennet is an infectious disease specialist and Jane Bennet is helping run their uncle and aunt Gardiner’s orphanage. Charles Bingley is in Vietnam with his sister and her husband, who plan to adopt a baby from the orphanage, and he brings his friend Fitzwilliam Darcy along because he’s the responsible one. When Bingley’s ADHD leads to an accident that requires a trip to the hospital, Darcy butts heads with Elizabeth by demanding that Bingley be treated right away and insisting that the hospital is unhygienic.
Misunderstandings abound in Compulsively Mr. Darcy, and the more Elizabeth and Darcy get to know each other, the more I couldn’t stop laughing. Not only does Elizabeth think their relationship cannot progress because Darcy and Bingley are a couple, she also thinks Darcy is unemployed. Benneton’s Elizabeth is clueless when it comes to men and known for making big decisions without thinking them through. Meanwhile, Darcy struggles with obsessive compulsive disorder, and the lengths he goes to in order to keep his loved ones safe seem way over-the-top to anyone who doesn’t know why he needs to control the situation.
I loved Compulsively Mr. Darcy for a number of reasons. I liked how Benneton handled Elizabeth’s acceptance of Darcy’s OCD, never belittling the seriousness of the condition even while portraying it in a lighthearted manner. Benneton also uses Austen’s secondary characters in surprising ways, from Mary Bennet as a tree-hugging computer hacker to Anne de Bourgh as…well, you just have to see for yourself. Most of all, Benneton doesn’t follow Pride and Prejudice too closely, so I never knew what was going to happen next. Beware of a few graphic sex scenes, and prepare to laugh out loud!
Review posted on Diary of an Eccentric
I received a free copy of this book for review.
Benneton’s novel opens in Vietnam, where Dr. Elizabeth Bennet is an infectious disease specialist and Jane Bennet is helping run their uncle and aunt Gardiner’s orphanage. Charles Bingley is in Vietnam with his sister and her husband, who plan to adopt a baby from the orphanage, and he brings his friend Fitzwilliam Darcy along because he’s the responsible one. When Bingley’s ADHD leads to an accident that requires a trip to the hospital, Darcy butts heads with Elizabeth by demanding that Bingley be treated right away and insisting that the hospital is unhygienic.
Misunderstandings abound in Compulsively Mr. Darcy, and the more Elizabeth and Darcy get to know each other, the more I couldn’t stop laughing. Not only does Elizabeth think their relationship cannot progress because Darcy and Bingley are a couple, she also thinks Darcy is unemployed. Benneton’s Elizabeth is clueless when it comes to men and known for making big decisions without thinking them through. Meanwhile, Darcy struggles with obsessive compulsive disorder, and the lengths he goes to in order to keep his loved ones safe seem way over-the-top to anyone who doesn’t know why he needs to control the situation.
I loved Compulsively Mr. Darcy for a number of reasons. I liked how Benneton handled Elizabeth’s acceptance of Darcy’s OCD, never belittling the seriousness of the condition even while portraying it in a lighthearted manner. Benneton also uses Austen’s secondary characters in surprising ways, from Mary Bennet as a tree-hugging computer hacker to Anne de Bourgh as…well, you just have to see for yourself. Most of all, Benneton doesn’t follow Pride and Prejudice too closely, so I never knew what was going to happen next. Beware of a few graphic sex scenes, and prepare to laugh out loud!
Review posted on Diary of an Eccentric
I received a free copy of this book for review.
June 14, 2012
I love P&P fan fic and will read just about anything (ok, except the one that has Bingley as Darcy's lover). I've read over 40 variations and sequels and this is the first one I haven't been able to finish. I stopped 33% of the way through after Darcy and Elizabeth declare their love for each other... already?! So why are there 180 more pages?
I'm not sure why the author decided to approach this as a P&P modernization... so much is changed and often oddly so, that this would have been better as a P&P *inspired* story and leave Darcy and Elizabeth out of it. All that is fabulous about P&P seems to be missing and while some character traits are well-modernized (Darcy with OCDC, Bingley with ADHD), on the whole the people in this story bear no resemblance to those we know and love.
And the premise just doesn't work for me. Elizabeth as a doctor in Vietnam while Jane is running her aunt and uncle Gardners orphanage? What's the point in the orphanage? Or even in setting it in Vietnam? There doesn't seem to be a strong reason for any of it and it's not written well enough to overcome these plot-twists.
I had to put this book down. I struggled though the first 100 pages and it just got to the point where I didn't care what happened to these characters enough to suffer through another 170+ pages.
I'm not sure why the author decided to approach this as a P&P modernization... so much is changed and often oddly so, that this would have been better as a P&P *inspired* story and leave Darcy and Elizabeth out of it. All that is fabulous about P&P seems to be missing and while some character traits are well-modernized (Darcy with OCDC, Bingley with ADHD), on the whole the people in this story bear no resemblance to those we know and love.
And the premise just doesn't work for me. Elizabeth as a doctor in Vietnam while Jane is running her aunt and uncle Gardners orphanage? What's the point in the orphanage? Or even in setting it in Vietnam? There doesn't seem to be a strong reason for any of it and it's not written well enough to overcome these plot-twists.
I had to put this book down. I struggled though the first 100 pages and it just got to the point where I didn't care what happened to these characters enough to suffer through another 170+ pages.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2012
Somehow both forced and desperate.... It was as though she tried to fit all of the details of Pride and Prejudice in, while simultaneously ignoring the major themes. For example (SPOILER ALERT) Darcy and Lizzy should NOT get together within the first third of the novel. Additionally, I'm sorry, but I will be horrendously bored by any romance where the hero and heroine have no REAL issues. It's like if you had a salad with lots of really good elements, but then the dressing was shit. I was excited by so many facets of this- the contrast of obsessive compulsive Darcy with Infection specialist Lizzy. Bingley with ADHD. But- it all comes up so lacking. And really- in my lighthearted romance I don't want to think about child pornography. Especially when it's so haphazardly thrown in in the last 30 pages.
You can't fold gems into crap and then expect the gems to carry it. Overall, calling a couple Darcy and Lizzy DOES NOT make them Darcy and Lizzy. And making thin allusions to greatness does not make you great.
You can't fold gems into crap and then expect the gems to carry it. Overall, calling a couple Darcy and Lizzy DOES NOT make them Darcy and Lizzy. And making thin allusions to greatness does not make you great.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 22, 2014
What can i say about this piece of literature. All I can honestly say is that this book actually made my life worse. I have never read a book with such unappealing characters with no substance. From my point of view this is the worst piece of literature I have ever read and I have read some bad novels e.g. fifty shades, twilight etc.
January 24, 2014
Pride and Prejudice is my favourite book and I've read more modern fanfictions/retellings/adaptions of the story than I can remember - good ones, bad ones, ones that make you laugh and ones that just. get. it. Sadly, Compulsively Mr. Darcy fits in none of those categories. It wasn't so bad that I stopped reading halfway, but at the same time it wasn't good enough for me to fly through the pages. And sadly the best parts of the book was actually Georgiana, Mary Bennett and other "sub" characters - although this isn't necessarily sad because I love those characters, but it's sad because Elizabeth and Darcy should have a compelling story on their own. Darcy's OCD was handled well and the Vietnam setting was quite interesting, but they lacked the fire I loved, and although the author conveyed the love they felt for each other, I felt that it was a bit, for lack of a better word, sappy and at times a bit too soap-opera-y because of the number of misunderstandings between the couple. There comes a point where the obstacles a couple faces become obstacles for the sake of adding pages to a book, rather than adding depth to a story. It's a bit like Jane's back story - was that really necessary if it isn't going to be explored further on? And no, two sentences at the end of the book isn't enough. Okay rant over. I did kind of sort of like the book (there are some redeemable points) so you're more than welcome to give it a try and others have found it quite enjoyable! Now I'm off to more P&P fanfiction.
December 18, 2017
12/18/17: Re-read this book. I forgot how much I enjoyed this story, especially Mary Bennet!
For those who wanted a little more of this story the author had written a few vignettes. It can be found at http://www.ninabenneton.com/bonus-fea.... It's a must read!!! I'm dying laughing out loud at the scenes!
Loved this modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice. I couldn't stop laughing out loud at times, it was witty and entertaining.
In this modern version, Fitzwilliam Darcy is a wealthy philanthropist who suffers from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and a modern-day Elizabeth is a volunteer infectious disease specialist in Vietnam.
Nina Benneton, does a marvelous job at re-telling this iconic story. She also provides some intense and beautifully tender romantic moments between Darcy and Elizabeth. I loved reading how she incorporated some of the lines from the original as well as how she integrated the Vietnamese culture and traditions in this re-telling.
There are also some of our favorite characters which have been well-crafted in there modern version such as Fitzwilliam and Mary. One of my favorite lines from the book was the thought process from Fitzwilliam after meeting Mary for the first time... "He couldn't believe this tiny thing was the ninja that had flattened him".
*There are a few intimate and romantic scenes in this novel, I’d recommend this book for Mature Audiences only.
For those who wanted a little more of this story the author had written a few vignettes. It can be found at http://www.ninabenneton.com/bonus-fea.... It's a must read!!! I'm dying laughing out loud at the scenes!
Loved this modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice. I couldn't stop laughing out loud at times, it was witty and entertaining.
In this modern version, Fitzwilliam Darcy is a wealthy philanthropist who suffers from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and a modern-day Elizabeth is a volunteer infectious disease specialist in Vietnam.
Nina Benneton, does a marvelous job at re-telling this iconic story. She also provides some intense and beautifully tender romantic moments between Darcy and Elizabeth. I loved reading how she incorporated some of the lines from the original as well as how she integrated the Vietnamese culture and traditions in this re-telling.
There are also some of our favorite characters which have been well-crafted in there modern version such as Fitzwilliam and Mary. One of my favorite lines from the book was the thought process from Fitzwilliam after meeting Mary for the first time... "He couldn't believe this tiny thing was the ninja that had flattened him".
*There are a few intimate and romantic scenes in this novel, I’d recommend this book for Mature Audiences only.
March 8, 2012
I'm a huge Jane Austen fan and Pride and Prejudice is one my favorites of hers. This new modern take on it is interesting. While based on P&P, it is very loosely based, making it different. There is an Asian twist, medical angle, and addition of neuroses to make this adaptation stand out. And the character roles for some members of he cast in this book are 180 degrees different from in the actual book.
While I enjoyed reading the book, I do think there were some parts of this book which were over the top. Dr.Elizabeth Bennett is a 28 year old virginal infectious diseases specialist. Fitzwilliam Darcy is a billionaire who has an intense distrust and like of doctors and hospitals due to some trauma related to his mother's death. While the story is updated with the addition of sex, I felt it was overdone in the second half of the book.
I must admit my favorite scene in the book is a sex scene involving the medical names of bacteria. But I would find that entertaining, being in the medical field. You'll have to read it yourself to see what I mean. And kudos to Ms.Benneton for such a daring debut. I'm hoping she'll write more books about the Bennett sisters. I'm hoping to read more about Richard and Mary especially.
While I enjoyed reading the book, I do think there were some parts of this book which were over the top. Dr.Elizabeth Bennett is a 28 year old virginal infectious diseases specialist. Fitzwilliam Darcy is a billionaire who has an intense distrust and like of doctors and hospitals due to some trauma related to his mother's death. While the story is updated with the addition of sex, I felt it was overdone in the second half of the book.
I must admit my favorite scene in the book is a sex scene involving the medical names of bacteria. But I would find that entertaining, being in the medical field. You'll have to read it yourself to see what I mean. And kudos to Ms.Benneton for such a daring debut. I'm hoping she'll write more books about the Bennett sisters. I'm hoping to read more about Richard and Mary especially.
June 22, 2015
I really only read 51% of this book. It is one of three books I have ever put down without finishing. Perhaps I will come back to it someday, but it's just not worth the time right now.
I had high hopes for this one, I really did. Elizabeth was a doctor, helping the poor. Darcy is crazy OCD, which should be entertaining - only it really wasn't. As others have said in the comments, it's really not P&P, and she just uses the names. There have been other variations that I have read that make this work (like LL Diamond's Unwavering Trust). I don't know if it was just poor writing, or if the story itself just didn't do it for me. I had a hard time liking Darcy...I had a hard time liking Elizabeth. The misunderstandings were ridiculous. Elizabeth was so fixated on Darcy being gay at first it was uncomfortable. Then she's so fixated on him being poor. Her reasonings for thinking both make no sense.
I have read quite a few good variations lately, so maybe the bar was set high. Maybe I just had high hopes for this one, so it couldn't meet that expectation. What I do know, though, is I wouldn't recommend this to anyone...sorry :(
I had high hopes for this one, I really did. Elizabeth was a doctor, helping the poor. Darcy is crazy OCD, which should be entertaining - only it really wasn't. As others have said in the comments, it's really not P&P, and she just uses the names. There have been other variations that I have read that make this work (like LL Diamond's Unwavering Trust). I don't know if it was just poor writing, or if the story itself just didn't do it for me. I had a hard time liking Darcy...I had a hard time liking Elizabeth. The misunderstandings were ridiculous. Elizabeth was so fixated on Darcy being gay at first it was uncomfortable. Then she's so fixated on him being poor. Her reasonings for thinking both make no sense.
I have read quite a few good variations lately, so maybe the bar was set high. Maybe I just had high hopes for this one, so it couldn't meet that expectation. What I do know, though, is I wouldn't recommend this to anyone...sorry :(
September 6, 2014
My friends will razz me about yet a other bad book. But in my defense, I've read and enjoyed many P&P adaptations, both historic and modern. This is not one of them Compulsively Mr. Darcy is terrible. The cover and snappy summary on the back suckered me in.
The characters are poorly portrayed, with everyone being either wholly good, vain, stupid, bad, etc. Whether this is actual P2P Internet fanfiction is irrelevant. It has all the characteristics: someone else's characters put into a modern and clever (though it's not) setting, bad love scenes, too many thinly sketched characters (just about every one from Austen's original novel, and some with cutesy Vietnamese names like Chau Luc), and misunderstandings/miscommunications galore. Oiy.
Save your time and/or money. Read Bridget Jones or watch Lost in Austen if you're hankering for a modern P&P tale.
The characters are poorly portrayed, with everyone being either wholly good, vain, stupid, bad, etc. Whether this is actual P2P Internet fanfiction is irrelevant. It has all the characteristics: someone else's characters put into a modern and clever (though it's not) setting, bad love scenes, too many thinly sketched characters (just about every one from Austen's original novel, and some with cutesy Vietnamese names like Chau Luc), and misunderstandings/miscommunications galore. Oiy.
Save your time and/or money. Read Bridget Jones or watch Lost in Austen if you're hankering for a modern P&P tale.
March 10, 2023
I enjoyed this one. Interesting setting and I liked the way the author wrote the characters.
It’s well edited except the author uses illusive when she means elusive; twice.
I just read this again not realizing I had read it in November. In my defense; I had Covid in November.
I didn’t like it as much the second time. The second half drags with misunderstandings.
The first half is hilarious.
Also, I would buy this book if it were less expensive. Instead I’ve borrowed it from my library both times.
It’s well edited except the author uses illusive when she means elusive; twice.
I just read this again not realizing I had read it in November. In my defense; I had Covid in November.
I didn’t like it as much the second time. The second half drags with misunderstandings.
The first half is hilarious.
Also, I would buy this book if it were less expensive. Instead I’ve borrowed it from my library both times.
June 27, 2022
This started out really interesting with Mr. Darcy being Compulsive and OCD.
Elizabeth is a DR of Infectious diseases (which he doesn't want to Be near).
Funny and interesting for the first several chapters and then it went in many different directions. Whickam keepss showing up and messing with their happiness. Ann de Bourge is a real Pain in the butt.
Elizabeth is a DR of Infectious diseases (which he doesn't want to Be near).
Funny and interesting for the first several chapters and then it went in many different directions. Whickam keepss showing up and messing with their happiness. Ann de Bourge is a real Pain in the butt.
June 27, 2012
It is always the same old story between them. At first glance things never work properly between Darcy and Elizabeth. They never hit it off in fact, neither when he is a wealthy British philanthropist and she is an idealist American doctor volunteering in a poor country like Vietnam.
In Nina Benneton's story, Elizabeth can’t understand the reason for the reverence Darcy gets from all the people around him:
“It ‘s hard to be intimidated by a guy who faints at the sight of blood” , she thinks at first, after their awkward, catastrophic meeting in the emergency room of the hospital where she’s been asked to treat injured Charles Bingley, Darcy’s best friend .
Furthermore, why is this Darcy so hysterically worried for his friend? And why are the two men keenly supporting Mr and Mrs Hurst’s application for an adoption, when the married couple themselves don’t seem so truly interested ?
Elizabeth has her own suspicions. All funnily wrong, actually. Nonetheless, that is what gives start to an amusing series of misconceptions, misunderstandings and misadventures which will lead the reader, fatally as well as predictably, to the highly longed for rewarding happy ending.
A new modern romance inspired to Pride and Prejudice from Sourcebooks publishers: light, amusing, fast paced, sexy and romantic at the same time. Elizabeth and Darcy are caught in a spicy love affair. So beware of some adult content and get ready to live very hot moments.
Nina Benneton has depicted a new Jane Bennet and different Charles Bingley, and hasn't neglected cousin Fitzwilliam, Mr Collins, George Wickham, Lady Catherine de Bourgh , Anne or Georgiana. However, she does not simply follow their steps and relationships as in Pride and Prejudice but creates surprising twists and turns as well as quirky hilarious moments with them.
If you let me be totally honest, though I think it was fun and relaxing to read this modernization of Pride and Prejudice, I also have to recognize that there is very little Miss Austen in it and even less of her well-mannered world - as you might have already inferred from what I’ve written above.
I must confess: I’ve stopped looking for Jane Austen reading Austen-inspired fan-fiction, that’s the only way you can enjoy it fully. If you insist in the quest for her voice, wit and world in modern retellings or sequels, you may face constant frustration. Of course, some sequels, prequels, spin-offs or modernizations are better than others but, you know, Austen is unique, inimitable, unbeatable.
In conclusion, I’d recommend Compulsively Mr Darcy mainly to adult readers in search for a spicy, irreverent, light and delightful story to enjoy in these summer holidays. But first, an invitation to ... forget prim and proper dashing Darcy and start dreaming of a complex and sensitive hero who is gorgeous, hot but definitely contemporary.
(Check this out at my blog, My Jane Austen Book Club http://thesecretunderstandingofthehea...)
In Nina Benneton's story, Elizabeth can’t understand the reason for the reverence Darcy gets from all the people around him:
“It ‘s hard to be intimidated by a guy who faints at the sight of blood” , she thinks at first, after their awkward, catastrophic meeting in the emergency room of the hospital where she’s been asked to treat injured Charles Bingley, Darcy’s best friend .
Furthermore, why is this Darcy so hysterically worried for his friend? And why are the two men keenly supporting Mr and Mrs Hurst’s application for an adoption, when the married couple themselves don’t seem so truly interested ?
Elizabeth has her own suspicions. All funnily wrong, actually. Nonetheless, that is what gives start to an amusing series of misconceptions, misunderstandings and misadventures which will lead the reader, fatally as well as predictably, to the highly longed for rewarding happy ending.
A new modern romance inspired to Pride and Prejudice from Sourcebooks publishers: light, amusing, fast paced, sexy and romantic at the same time. Elizabeth and Darcy are caught in a spicy love affair. So beware of some adult content and get ready to live very hot moments.
Nina Benneton has depicted a new Jane Bennet and different Charles Bingley, and hasn't neglected cousin Fitzwilliam, Mr Collins, George Wickham, Lady Catherine de Bourgh , Anne or Georgiana. However, she does not simply follow their steps and relationships as in Pride and Prejudice but creates surprising twists and turns as well as quirky hilarious moments with them.
If you let me be totally honest, though I think it was fun and relaxing to read this modernization of Pride and Prejudice, I also have to recognize that there is very little Miss Austen in it and even less of her well-mannered world - as you might have already inferred from what I’ve written above.
I must confess: I’ve stopped looking for Jane Austen reading Austen-inspired fan-fiction, that’s the only way you can enjoy it fully. If you insist in the quest for her voice, wit and world in modern retellings or sequels, you may face constant frustration. Of course, some sequels, prequels, spin-offs or modernizations are better than others but, you know, Austen is unique, inimitable, unbeatable.
In conclusion, I’d recommend Compulsively Mr Darcy mainly to adult readers in search for a spicy, irreverent, light and delightful story to enjoy in these summer holidays. But first, an invitation to ... forget prim and proper dashing Darcy and start dreaming of a complex and sensitive hero who is gorgeous, hot but definitely contemporary.
(Check this out at my blog, My Jane Austen Book Club http://thesecretunderstandingofthehea...)
February 9, 2012
By just looking at the cover, the reader can tell this is going to be a fun book. From her humorous one-liners and wit, to her portrayal of her characters, Nina Benneton offers a great diversion. With chapter titles such as “Two Men and a Baby,” “Escort Service,” and “What the Frick?” amongst others, I knew I was in for a real treat.
From the moment Darcy and Bingley enter the hospital in Vietnam, misunderstandings abound. It is during their first meeting, where Darcy’s need to control the situation and Bingley’s carefree attitude lead Elizabeth to believe they are a couple. While this book is lighthearted and fun, Benneton keeps her readers’ attention with new conflicts. Elizabeth needs to let go of her past relationships while Darcy must realize that someone can love him for himself, neuroses and all. As Elizabeth and Darcy work through their baggage, Wickham is working behind the scenes causing mischief. At one point, Benneton had my heart aching for the couple, yet the story never lost that lighthearted feel. Continuing in the pleasure of the novel is the fate that befalls Wickham, Lady Catherine and Anne.
In addition to the entertaining plot, Benneton captures key characteristics from Austen’s characters, while giving them a modern spin. The capricious Charles Bingley suffers from ADHD, while the fastidious Fitzwilliam Darcy is plagued with OCD, both of which fit the gentlemen. Working at an orphanage in Vietnam seems to be the perfect job for Jane, who still sees the world as good and agreeable. On the other hand, Elizabeth has a propensity to judge on first impressions and is rather impulsive as a result. How appropriate that Caroline Bingley is a socialite whose only interests are Hollywood, Mr. Darcy, and tabloids
While some do not like Austen or her characters to be tampered with, Benneton did an exceptional job in successfully transplanting them to Vietnam and the twenty-first century. . I do not know much about that country, but after reading Benneton’s story, I feel like I have been to Vietnam myself on a mini vacation. I now know the beauty of China Beach and Marble Mountain. While reading, I could picture myself in a crowded street wandering from shop to shop as cyclo drivers pass by. Also as interesting as its panoramic sites is the Vietnamese culture and its strictures on how men and women are to behave.
For readers who enjoy modern Pride and Prejudice variations, lighthearted reads, or want a vacation, this book should be on the top of their to-be-read list.
From the moment Darcy and Bingley enter the hospital in Vietnam, misunderstandings abound. It is during their first meeting, where Darcy’s need to control the situation and Bingley’s carefree attitude lead Elizabeth to believe they are a couple. While this book is lighthearted and fun, Benneton keeps her readers’ attention with new conflicts. Elizabeth needs to let go of her past relationships while Darcy must realize that someone can love him for himself, neuroses and all. As Elizabeth and Darcy work through their baggage, Wickham is working behind the scenes causing mischief. At one point, Benneton had my heart aching for the couple, yet the story never lost that lighthearted feel. Continuing in the pleasure of the novel is the fate that befalls Wickham, Lady Catherine and Anne.
In addition to the entertaining plot, Benneton captures key characteristics from Austen’s characters, while giving them a modern spin. The capricious Charles Bingley suffers from ADHD, while the fastidious Fitzwilliam Darcy is plagued with OCD, both of which fit the gentlemen. Working at an orphanage in Vietnam seems to be the perfect job for Jane, who still sees the world as good and agreeable. On the other hand, Elizabeth has a propensity to judge on first impressions and is rather impulsive as a result. How appropriate that Caroline Bingley is a socialite whose only interests are Hollywood, Mr. Darcy, and tabloids
While some do not like Austen or her characters to be tampered with, Benneton did an exceptional job in successfully transplanting them to Vietnam and the twenty-first century. . I do not know much about that country, but after reading Benneton’s story, I feel like I have been to Vietnam myself on a mini vacation. I now know the beauty of China Beach and Marble Mountain. While reading, I could picture myself in a crowded street wandering from shop to shop as cyclo drivers pass by. Also as interesting as its panoramic sites is the Vietnamese culture and its strictures on how men and women are to behave.
For readers who enjoy modern Pride and Prejudice variations, lighthearted reads, or want a vacation, this book should be on the top of their to-be-read list.
April 30, 2012
A thoroughly modern, magnificent re-rendering of a classic that would send Miss Austen into fits of laughter! This book sets Caroline
Bingley as a sort of Kardashianish bitch from NYC tabloid hell, and puts another spin entirely on the ever finicky Mr. Collins, for
instance.
Rife with social comedy and commentary in our age with all the famous Austen characters, but not all in predictable venues. There are
some surprises there. Great fun!There's sooo much to this book!
Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy are so well conceived you'll be beside yourself...perfectly set with chronic behaviors in modern
times. Loving that OCD on Darcy! LOL
I promise you, this is THE book to read right now!
You'll be wanting to read passages of it aloud to your friends.
From all I know about her, Jane Austen would absolutely approve.
Book groups should be making bee lines for this one...the discussions and good laughter will make for a fabulous meeting! Forget the tea and crumpets and bring on the martinis and sushi.
God only knows what you'll find happening to the familiar characters of Pride and Prejudice fame in this delightful Austen-inspired novel.
This is a wonderful book. A secret: The author says her secret ambition as a child was to become a priest. You'd never know it from
steamy Darcy and Lizzy scenes! Wonder if Miss Austen would blush or hide her face in a pillow laughing. :]
Please see my blog for an author interview: http://abookishlibraria.blogspot.com
I'm giving it a solid 5 stars.
Bingley as a sort of Kardashianish bitch from NYC tabloid hell, and puts another spin entirely on the ever finicky Mr. Collins, for
instance.
Rife with social comedy and commentary in our age with all the famous Austen characters, but not all in predictable venues. There are
some surprises there. Great fun!There's sooo much to this book!
Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy are so well conceived you'll be beside yourself...perfectly set with chronic behaviors in modern
times. Loving that OCD on Darcy! LOL
I promise you, this is THE book to read right now!
You'll be wanting to read passages of it aloud to your friends.
From all I know about her, Jane Austen would absolutely approve.
Book groups should be making bee lines for this one...the discussions and good laughter will make for a fabulous meeting! Forget the tea and crumpets and bring on the martinis and sushi.
God only knows what you'll find happening to the familiar characters of Pride and Prejudice fame in this delightful Austen-inspired novel.
This is a wonderful book. A secret: The author says her secret ambition as a child was to become a priest. You'd never know it from
steamy Darcy and Lizzy scenes! Wonder if Miss Austen would blush or hide her face in a pillow laughing. :]
Please see my blog for an author interview: http://abookishlibraria.blogspot.com
I'm giving it a solid 5 stars.
April 25, 2015
2.5 Stars. I would have given this book 4 stars if it had not had explicit sex scenes that I had to skip. This is something that should be included in the synopsis so the reader is not surprised. Had I been warned I would not have picked it up and the author would have been spared a 2 star review.
June 7, 2012
This. Is. The. Worst. Woosh. The only similarities between P&P and this book are character names. The essence of Austen is nowhere to be found. I chose it for escapism, but even then it was roundly disappointing. This book convinces me anything can get published.
August 10, 2014
SPOILER
I really liked this book, I like the twist of Darcy and Elizabeth being so in love first instead of Jane and Bingley. :) Very cute book.
I really liked this book, I like the twist of Darcy and Elizabeth being so in love first instead of Jane and Bingley. :) Very cute book.
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