What do you think?
Rate this book
Jane Austen Heroes
Dear Mr. Darcy: A Retelling of Pride and Prejudice
In this imaginative retelling of Pride and Prejudice, Amanda Grange now tells the classic story through the eyes of its compelling romantic hero, Fitzwilliam Darcy—in a series of revealing letters that casts a sparkling new reflection on the manners and morals of the landed gentry in 19th-century England… Here, for the first time, are the letters written by the exceedingly proud and stubborn Mr. Darcy, covering the life-changing events that defined him—from the death of his father, to his control of his Derbyshire estate of Pemberley to his conflicted courtship with the lively, intelligent, and delightfully willful Elizabeth Bennet. Try as he may, he cannot deny his attraction to this woman with fine eyes, a playful spirit, a mind of her own… and an embarrassing family that is frankly, and utterly, beneath him. But it is Elizabeth who controls both their destinies, and whose surprises will change Darcy’s life yet again.
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2012
46 people are currently reading
1797 people want to read
About the author
Amanda Grange
41 books712 followersAmanda Grange was born in Yorkshire and spent her teenage years reading Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer whilst also finding time to study music at Nottingham University. She has had twenty-five novels published including six Jane Austen retellings, which look at events from the heroes' points of view. She has also had two books published under different names: Murder at Whitegates Manor (as Eleanor Tyler; a Regency cosy crime murder mystery) and The Rake (as Amy Watson; a very light and frothy Regency romance).
Woman said of Mr Darcy's Diary: "Lots of fun, this is the tale behind the alpha male," whilst The Washington Post called Mr Knightley's Diary "affectionate". The Historical Novels Review made Captain Wentworth's Diary an Editors' Choice, remarking, "Amanda Grange has hit upon a winning formula."
Austenblog declared that Colonel Brandon's Diary was "the best book yet in her series of heroes' diaries."
Amanda Grange now lives in Cheshire. Her profile photo was taken at the Jane Austen House Museum, Chawton. The museum is well worth a visit!
You can find out more by visiting her website at http://www.amandagrange.com You can also follow her on Twitter @hromanceuk and find her on Facebook
Woman said of Mr Darcy's Diary: "Lots of fun, this is the tale behind the alpha male," whilst The Washington Post called Mr Knightley's Diary "affectionate". The Historical Novels Review made Captain Wentworth's Diary an Editors' Choice, remarking, "Amanda Grange has hit upon a winning formula."
Austenblog declared that Colonel Brandon's Diary was "the best book yet in her series of heroes' diaries."
Amanda Grange now lives in Cheshire. Her profile photo was taken at the Jane Austen House Museum, Chawton. The museum is well worth a visit!
You can find out more by visiting her website at http://www.amandagrange.com You can also follow her on Twitter @hromanceuk and find her on Facebook
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 204 reviews
February 24, 2014
What can I say? This book was brilliant. This was a very interesting take on the classic novel, playing on the idea of Pride and Prejudice being completely written in letters. It is believed that Jane Austen originally wrote Pride and Prejudice in epistolary form and so this is a very original and brilliant concept to develop.
I have to admit that I was dubious about reading an entire novel in letters... I wondered how the story would flow and could be told through letters and letters only. But I had loved Ms. Grange’s Diary series which tells each of Jane Austen’s 6 major novels from the point of view of the hero and so I was definitely going to give this story a try! And I had no need to be worried about the letter format of the story for it was brilliant. It allowed the reader to be shown so many scenes from different perspectives as well the thoughts and feelings of so many different characters that we do not get to know that well in the original.
As I said, I found it really interesting seeing many of the events from the original told from another point of view. A few favourite examples of this for me would be....
Early on at Netherfield when Jane is ill, it was fun to see what the letter Darcy was writing to Georgiana in the drawing room actually said, as I always wondered what he was actually writing to her when Caroline asks him what he is doing so secretly in the corner and begs him to tell Georgiana how she longs to see her – and no, he wasn’t writing quite what Caroline wished him to!
Another example was the Netherfield Ball. I enjoyed all the different letters written after the ball; Elizabeth's view, Kitty's view, Mary's view, Charlotte’s view and Mr Darcy’s. The different accounts and seeing what was the focus of each account was very showing of the writer’s character (Kitty wrote mostly of the officers and the dancing for example!)
Another interesting section was Lydia’s elopement, seeing the letters from Kitty to Lydia about Wickham and all her secret and scandalous goings on, for we know that the news of the elopement when it happens is not such a shock to Kitty as it is to everyone else. And then during the discovery of the pair, seeing how the news of the scandal was spreading, for gossip really does travel fast! We also get to see Mr Gardiner’s perspective of his search of the pair, and then also Darcy's account - we never actually hear his account of the search in London.
Another fun event was the meeting at Pemberley, getting to see both Lizzy’s take on the unexpected meetings and subsequent interactions as well as Darcy’s and what was going through his mind.
There are many, many more which I could mention, but I do not want to spoil it all, just enough to whet your appetite!
I found it remarkable how the novel started before the time of the original, and in fact, the first 100 pages or so of the story are set before the start of Pride and Prejudice. It was not boring, however, for it gave interesting background to the story and it helped to set up events in the novel. Let me explain... we are shown things such as how Lady Catherine comes to needing a new rector, how Caroline Bingley becomes acquainted with (and besotted with) Mr. Darcy, why Netherfield Park becomes vacant in the first place, and much more. It really added great depth.
The story, in fact, began around the time of Old Mr Darcy’s death and shows how Darcy coped with this and the time directly afterwards. Darcy is written to by a variety of family members (such as a Mr Philip Darcy, his cousin, and another aunt, Aunt Adelaide.) It was nice to hear something of Darcy's family for it gives him depth and it made me feel as though I knew more about who he was much more quickly, as we know so little of him, really, until very late into the novel.
It's also nice to see into Elizabeth's past and the events leading up to the start of the novel. It gives a little more into her character, although she is well developed in the novel already. Her letters to Mrs Gardiner were always very lovely to read and I liked seeing more into the reasons for their strong relationship which we see later in the original story. But again, I am going to start to give away too much and so I shall stop!
As well as having many scenes from a completely different point of view, which often throws a completely different spin on the scene, the letters also show interesting insight into the thoughts and feelings of some characters we perhaps don’t get to know all that well in the original. There were also some interesting new characters which helped to add to the story. (Of course, seeing more into Darcy’s thoughts, and Elizabeth’s, was brilliant to read, but I shall focus on some different characters.)
Let’s begin with the scoundrel Wickham. I didn’t think it was possible to hate Wickham anymore than I did already, but clearly I was wrong, for while reading this story my dislike for him just grew and grew! You are really shown his true nature and all his roguish behaviour through letters he writes to his equally as bad friend Mr Parker, and also failed companion Mrs Younge. You see what is going through his mind during the attempted elopement with Georgiana and then the successful elopement with Lydia, and how both events came about. He really is abominable and if you like to hate Wickham, then read this.
As I always do, I love seeing more about Colonel Fitzwilliam. He is a great character and I always like to see him developed, which we see through his letters to Darcy. In these letters, I enjoyed the added comments about the war and insights into Colonel Fitzwilliam's adventures on the continent. I liked having some historical detail and all the talk of war I found fascinating.
Two of the Bennet sister’s who we don’t hear that much about are Mary and Kitty, however their characters are both explored in this story. In particular, we get to know Mary very well and she is such fun and responsible for a lot of the humour as you get to see the full extent of her moralising nature!
Anne de Bourgh and Georgiana Darcy are both further developed as well, and this is done through the strong friendship and the resulting letters between the two. I always imagined them as friends, and Anne does not seem such a weak character and it is her mother who is ‘playing up’ her illness.
And now to the new additions, starting with the Bingley’s; we all know Charles, Caroline and Louisa and that they have a background in trade, but we know nothing about their past and the rest of their family. We get to see their parents and the tone and style of the letters from their mother and father really highlights their background in trade, and his mother’s manner in trying to elevate them, through her sons and daughters, to a higher rank in society is clear. It really showed how unequal they are to Darcy and therefore how kind he is being to the Bingley's - and it illustrated how Bingley's attachment to Jane is not degrading, for really the Bingleys are below the Bennets. Caroline and Louisa also add to the humour throughout the story, particularly Caroline with her continual perusal of Darcy and how oblivious she is to Darcy’s utter annoyance with her and her foolish and embarrassing attempts to capture him in marriage!
Another interesting addition was Darcy cousin, Philip Darcy, who was possibly prouder than Fitzwilliam Darcy! The letters between the two cousins helped to show more about Darcy’s upbringing and his character.
Finally, the addition of the Sotherton family who are the owners of Netherfield Park and therefore let it out to Mr Bingley; in the family there are three sisters, all who help in developing the characters of the Bennet sisters. There are silly letters between Eleanor Sotherton, Kitty and Lydia, amusing letters between Lucy Sotherton and Mary Bennet (who are both as bad as each other with their continual moralising!) and meaningful letters between Susan Sotherton, Elizabeth and Charlotte Lucas.
So, as you can probably see, I really loved this book. I also found it amazing that a story can feel so sweet and romantic and yet it never actually has Darcy and Elizabeth directly interact with each other, for never do either write the other a letter (except the explanation letter, which is very different (and wasn't actually in this book anyway)) as all their interactions were always explained afterwards and in a letter to another person! Now that shows talent on Ms. Grange's part.
I found the format refreshing to read as well as being very clever and it worked brilliant for the story. I never imagined I would enjoy it so much! The letter style was absolutely fascinating and showed so much more insight into so many of the characters we already know and love as well as adding some very interesting new characters. The style never got tedious and the story always flowed and didn’t feel forced or stilted. Having different accounts of many scenes we known but from a variety of different perspectives was just brilliant. If you love Pride and Prejudice as much as I do, then I highly recommend that you read this story.
I have to admit that I was dubious about reading an entire novel in letters... I wondered how the story would flow and could be told through letters and letters only. But I had loved Ms. Grange’s Diary series which tells each of Jane Austen’s 6 major novels from the point of view of the hero and so I was definitely going to give this story a try! And I had no need to be worried about the letter format of the story for it was brilliant. It allowed the reader to be shown so many scenes from different perspectives as well the thoughts and feelings of so many different characters that we do not get to know that well in the original.
As I said, I found it really interesting seeing many of the events from the original told from another point of view. A few favourite examples of this for me would be....
Early on at Netherfield when Jane is ill, it was fun to see what the letter Darcy was writing to Georgiana in the drawing room actually said, as I always wondered what he was actually writing to her when Caroline asks him what he is doing so secretly in the corner and begs him to tell Georgiana how she longs to see her – and no, he wasn’t writing quite what Caroline wished him to!
Another example was the Netherfield Ball. I enjoyed all the different letters written after the ball; Elizabeth's view, Kitty's view, Mary's view, Charlotte’s view and Mr Darcy’s. The different accounts and seeing what was the focus of each account was very showing of the writer’s character (Kitty wrote mostly of the officers and the dancing for example!)
Another interesting section was Lydia’s elopement, seeing the letters from Kitty to Lydia about Wickham and all her secret and scandalous goings on, for we know that the news of the elopement when it happens is not such a shock to Kitty as it is to everyone else. And then during the discovery of the pair, seeing how the news of the scandal was spreading, for gossip really does travel fast! We also get to see Mr Gardiner’s perspective of his search of the pair, and then also Darcy's account - we never actually hear his account of the search in London.
Another fun event was the meeting at Pemberley, getting to see both Lizzy’s take on the unexpected meetings and subsequent interactions as well as Darcy’s and what was going through his mind.
There are many, many more which I could mention, but I do not want to spoil it all, just enough to whet your appetite!
I found it remarkable how the novel started before the time of the original, and in fact, the first 100 pages or so of the story are set before the start of Pride and Prejudice. It was not boring, however, for it gave interesting background to the story and it helped to set up events in the novel. Let me explain... we are shown things such as how Lady Catherine comes to needing a new rector, how Caroline Bingley becomes acquainted with (and besotted with) Mr. Darcy, why Netherfield Park becomes vacant in the first place, and much more. It really added great depth.
The story, in fact, began around the time of Old Mr Darcy’s death and shows how Darcy coped with this and the time directly afterwards. Darcy is written to by a variety of family members (such as a Mr Philip Darcy, his cousin, and another aunt, Aunt Adelaide.) It was nice to hear something of Darcy's family for it gives him depth and it made me feel as though I knew more about who he was much more quickly, as we know so little of him, really, until very late into the novel.
It's also nice to see into Elizabeth's past and the events leading up to the start of the novel. It gives a little more into her character, although she is well developed in the novel already. Her letters to Mrs Gardiner were always very lovely to read and I liked seeing more into the reasons for their strong relationship which we see later in the original story. But again, I am going to start to give away too much and so I shall stop!
As well as having many scenes from a completely different point of view, which often throws a completely different spin on the scene, the letters also show interesting insight into the thoughts and feelings of some characters we perhaps don’t get to know all that well in the original. There were also some interesting new characters which helped to add to the story. (Of course, seeing more into Darcy’s thoughts, and Elizabeth’s, was brilliant to read, but I shall focus on some different characters.)
Let’s begin with the scoundrel Wickham. I didn’t think it was possible to hate Wickham anymore than I did already, but clearly I was wrong, for while reading this story my dislike for him just grew and grew! You are really shown his true nature and all his roguish behaviour through letters he writes to his equally as bad friend Mr Parker, and also failed companion Mrs Younge. You see what is going through his mind during the attempted elopement with Georgiana and then the successful elopement with Lydia, and how both events came about. He really is abominable and if you like to hate Wickham, then read this.
As I always do, I love seeing more about Colonel Fitzwilliam. He is a great character and I always like to see him developed, which we see through his letters to Darcy. In these letters, I enjoyed the added comments about the war and insights into Colonel Fitzwilliam's adventures on the continent. I liked having some historical detail and all the talk of war I found fascinating.
Two of the Bennet sister’s who we don’t hear that much about are Mary and Kitty, however their characters are both explored in this story. In particular, we get to know Mary very well and she is such fun and responsible for a lot of the humour as you get to see the full extent of her moralising nature!
Anne de Bourgh and Georgiana Darcy are both further developed as well, and this is done through the strong friendship and the resulting letters between the two. I always imagined them as friends, and Anne does not seem such a weak character and it is her mother who is ‘playing up’ her illness.
And now to the new additions, starting with the Bingley’s; we all know Charles, Caroline and Louisa and that they have a background in trade, but we know nothing about their past and the rest of their family. We get to see their parents and the tone and style of the letters from their mother and father really highlights their background in trade, and his mother’s manner in trying to elevate them, through her sons and daughters, to a higher rank in society is clear. It really showed how unequal they are to Darcy and therefore how kind he is being to the Bingley's - and it illustrated how Bingley's attachment to Jane is not degrading, for really the Bingleys are below the Bennets. Caroline and Louisa also add to the humour throughout the story, particularly Caroline with her continual perusal of Darcy and how oblivious she is to Darcy’s utter annoyance with her and her foolish and embarrassing attempts to capture him in marriage!
Another interesting addition was Darcy cousin, Philip Darcy, who was possibly prouder than Fitzwilliam Darcy! The letters between the two cousins helped to show more about Darcy’s upbringing and his character.
Finally, the addition of the Sotherton family who are the owners of Netherfield Park and therefore let it out to Mr Bingley; in the family there are three sisters, all who help in developing the characters of the Bennet sisters. There are silly letters between Eleanor Sotherton, Kitty and Lydia, amusing letters between Lucy Sotherton and Mary Bennet (who are both as bad as each other with their continual moralising!) and meaningful letters between Susan Sotherton, Elizabeth and Charlotte Lucas.
So, as you can probably see, I really loved this book. I also found it amazing that a story can feel so sweet and romantic and yet it never actually has Darcy and Elizabeth directly interact with each other, for never do either write the other a letter (except the explanation letter, which is very different (and wasn't actually in this book anyway)) as all their interactions were always explained afterwards and in a letter to another person! Now that shows talent on Ms. Grange's part.
I found the format refreshing to read as well as being very clever and it worked brilliant for the story. I never imagined I would enjoy it so much! The letter style was absolutely fascinating and showed so much more insight into so many of the characters we already know and love as well as adding some very interesting new characters. The style never got tedious and the story always flowed and didn’t feel forced or stilted. Having different accounts of many scenes we known but from a variety of different perspectives was just brilliant. If you love Pride and Prejudice as much as I do, then I highly recommend that you read this story.
March 25, 2015
*3.5 stars
Decent account of Pride & Prejudice. I thought the "voices" stayed true to the characters, which, can sometimes be difficult to do. It was nice to get more of an "inner" working of what everyone was thinking or thought of one another. It was about a 400 page book, which, I think at times felt that way. Some letters I could have done without because after awhile some became tedious to read. I don't know if I would have liked to have sat down to read this for an afternoon. I'm glad I spaced it out a little because there are A LOT of letters to be read!
Decent account of Pride & Prejudice. I thought the "voices" stayed true to the characters, which, can sometimes be difficult to do. It was nice to get more of an "inner" working of what everyone was thinking or thought of one another. It was about a 400 page book, which, I think at times felt that way. Some letters I could have done without because after awhile some became tedious to read. I don't know if I would have liked to have sat down to read this for an afternoon. I'm glad I spaced it out a little because there are A LOT of letters to be read!
February 24, 2013
My dear Anne, I write this to you in the carriage on my way back to London from Netherfield Park.When I got to that line in the book, I had to just stop and stare at it for a moment. I'm sorry, what? I mean, didn't they use pens that you had to, you know, dip in ink to write? So Georgiana (that's who is writing, by the way) has her writing desk all set up in the carriage with an open pot of ink. I'm sure her penmanship is lovely. As is her dress, face, hands, the inside of the carriage.... open ink pot, you know. Grand.
I'll admit, I was skimming pretty heavily by the time I hit the line above. I got this book because I really enjoyed Grange's Darcy Diary but this... no. Just no. Two of my biggest issues with this book were how the letters were written and the random characters included. So many of the letters were quick little notes that were more like emails and not anything like letters of that time. I'm not going to be too critical of that because I know I wouldn't want to create pages and pages long of letters from different people - nor would I really want to read them. But some acknowledgement that the short note was NOT the entire missive would have made me feel better. (Though the letters closing because the dinner gong had rang or someone was being called still bothered me. Again, these aren't quick emails they would jot down and send off. Letters were big, time-consuming deals.)
As for the random characters included in the letters, I get that - the author has to have the cannon characters write someone to share their thoughts and feelings about happenings in a way that doesn't contradict cannon but still tells the reader what is going on. For instance, Elizabeth tells an OC about Mr. Darcy's first proposal. This allows the reader to know what happened but also not contradict the cannon of Elizabeth not telling Charlotte and telling Jane only later when they were back together (not via letter). But still, it felt wrong.
There were also some other random OCs that I didn't feel were necessary. Why the short, single letter from Mark Haydock to his mother that he was given the living at Kympton when the letter just before from Mr. Darcy gives the same information?
I am marking this book as DNF even though, technically, I did finish it. I just skimmed so darn much that I feel the DNF category is most appropriate. I still have Mr. Knightley's Diary and I'm hopeful that the diary style will make it a better read, but if I didn't already have that book, I certainly wouldn't be buying it now after reading this one.
June 13, 2022
A Nice Perspective
Reviewed in Canada on September 27, 2019
Quite a different perspective of Pride and Prejudice from the letters of the beloved characters. Well written. I felt a last letter from Darcy would have ended the book nicely, or a love letter from Darcy to Elizabeth would have been nice to read.
Reviewed in Canada on September 27, 2019
Quite a different perspective of Pride and Prejudice from the letters of the beloved characters. Well written. I felt a last letter from Darcy would have ended the book nicely, or a love letter from Darcy to Elizabeth would have been nice to read.
September 30, 2013
Caro Darcy, ti scrivo
Amanda Grange è partita dal presupposto che First Impressions, ovvero la prima stesura del famosissimo Pride and Prejudice fosse stato scritto da Jane Austen in forma epistolare. Il discorso non fa una piega, se si pensa che la Austen cominciò a scriverlo nel 1796 e nel 1797 il reverendo Austen, padre della nostra Jane, scrisse una lettera a Tomas Caldell, un editore di Londra, pregandolo di pubblicare il romanzo della figlia.
Appena pochi anni prima, nei suoi Juvenilia, la giovane Jane aveva utilizzato spesso questa tecnica narrativa, che tanto andava di moda nel '700; molte delle sue autrici preferite, come Fanny Burney, utilizzavano la forma epistolare per narrare le loro storie. Lady Susan, scritto nel fra il 1793 e il 1795, appena due anni prima, è in forma epistolare.
Il titolo ― First Impressions ― fu poi cambiato in seguito alla pubblicazione di un romanzo omonimo di Margaret Holford nel 1801. Per il resto pochissimo si sa di questa prima versione, tanto che Beth Pattillo è arrivata a ideare, nel suo romanzo Mr Darcy Broke My Heart (che abbiamo letto nel GdL di dicembre 2012) una sorta di setta massonica, The Formidables, che si tramanda da decenni i manoscritti di Jane Austen che non sono stati resi pubblici. E la storia del suo First Impressions era totalmente diversa da quella di Orgoglio e Pregiudizio.
Dear Mr Darcy di Amanda Grange è dunque una possibilità plausibile, tenendo conto che anche Elinor e Marianne, la prima versione di Sense and Sensibility, pare fosse scritto in forma epistolare.
Ma la Grange aveva dei grossi problemi da superare per la stesura di questo retelling. Innanzi tutto, doveva cercare di scrivere qualcosa di originale: troppo banale riscrivere la storia sotto forma di lettera anziché con i consueti dialoghi e le sequenze narrative di Jane Austen e troppo noioso sia per chi aveva già scritto il retelling dal punto di vista del protagonista maschile (Darcy's Diary), sia per chi, come noi Lizzies aveva già letto di tutto, di più.
E dunque la Grange inizia a narrare la storia di Darcy e di Lizzy partendo da quattro anni prima le vicende di Pride and Prejudice, tenendo presente che per Il Diario di Mr Darcy la Grange ha scelto di far iniziare gli eventi a settembre 1799 e farli concludere a fine 1800, mentre è generalmente accettato per convenzione che la storia narrata inPride and Prejudice inizi nel 1811 e termini a Natale 1812, in modo che risulti appena terminato a gennaio 1813, quando il libro viene pubblicato.
In Dear Mr Darcy vediamo Mr Darcy senior ancora vivo, che prega il figlio di trovare una moglie adatta a lui e leggiamo la prima visita a Pemberley di Caroline e Louisa Bingley (leggeremo del suo matrimonio con Mr Hurst all'interno della storia) e le loro contese per attrarre l'interesse dell'amico del fratello e diventare padrone di Pemberley.
Da Caroline Bingley a Mrs Bingley
Londra, 28 Luglio
Mama,
Louisa e io andremo a Pemberley! Pemberley! Una delle più raffinate tenute in Inghilterra. Come mi invidieranno i miei amici. Sono sicura che Miss Darcy sarà deliziosa quanto lo è suo fratello. Charles dice che è qualche anno più giovane di Mr Darcy, ma meglio così. Io e Louisa siamo certe che la ameremo alla follia. Suona il pianoforte e l’arpa, il che significa che avremo molte occasioni per suonare duetti con lei e per cantare mentre lei suona; e ovviamente anche noi suoneremo mentre lei canta. Che meraviglia sarà trascorrere l’estate nel Derbyshire! L’invito è solo per una settimana, ma voi non dovete aspettarci troppo presto di ritorno nello Yorkshire, dal momento che sono sicura che ci renderemo indispensabili a Mr Darcy e a sua sorella e così entrambi ci pregheranno di fermarci ancora.
A proposito, abbiamo fatto spese, come potrete immaginare, dal momento che siamo ben determinate ad apparire al meglio.. Pensate solo questo: l’anno prossimo in questo periodo potrei essere Mrs Darcy e voi verreste a farmi visita a Pemberley. Vi scriverò senz’altro spesso e vi farò sapere tutto al riguardo.
La vostra rispettosa figlia,
Caroline
Louisa Bingley a Mrs Bingley
Londra, 31 Luglio
Mama,
vorreste parlare seriamente a Caroline? Continua a dire che non devo attrarre l’attenzione di Mr Darcy, che non devo risvegliare il suo affetto quando andremo a Pemberley. Dice che è lei quella destinata a Mr Darcy, è una sua ferma convinzione, ma è assurdo: non lo ha neanche incontrato. Io sono la più grande e quella che ne ha più diritto, quindi non capisco perché dovrei tralasciare la possibilità di accaparrarmi Mr Darcy. Da ciò che dice Charles si tratta di un uomo molto ricco e avvenente. Caroline può continuare a dire che sono bell’e impegnata con Mr Hurst, ma Mr Hurst non si è ancora proposto ed è talmente pigro che potrebbe non riuscire a raccogliere le energie per farlo. Vi prego, Mama, scrivetele, e fatelo appena ricevete questa mia.
La vostra affezionata figlia
Louisa
Mrs Bingley a Caroline Bingley
Yorkshire, 2 Agosto
Mia cara ragazza,
Lo so che conquistare questo Mr Darcy è il tuo scopo, e c’è poco da meravigliarsi se è ricco e attraente come dici tu, ma se dovesse accadere che si invaghisca di Louisa, lascialo a lei. Saremo ugualmente ospiti a Pemberley.
La tua madre adorante.
Un altro problema da superare per Amanda Grange era quello di narrare tutti gli episodi del romanzo, anche quando i personaggi coinvolti erano presenti sulla 'scena', e dunque non era possibile che uno di essi scrivesse a un altro per raccontare vicende che aveva vissuto personalmente.
Ecco che la Grange inserisce Lady Adelaide e Maud Fitzwilliam, rispettivamente madre e sorella del colonnello, che si prendono cura di Georgiana alla morte del padre e che danno numerosi consigli al nostro protagonista; Philip Darcy, un cugino che abita in Cumbria, che mostra tutto l'orgoglio della famiglia Darcy nelle sue lettere; Mrs Bingley, con la sua numerosa famiglia nello Yorkshire ancora legata al commercio; ma soprattutto la famiglia Sotherton.
La Grange strizza l'occhio a Persuasione e contemporaneamente trova l'espediente ideale per una fitta corrispondenza che si instaura fra le signorine Bennet, Charlotte Lucas e le tre esponenti femminili di questa famiglia. I Sotherton sono i proprietari di Netherfield Park, che sono stati costretti, a causa della vita dedita al gioco e all'alcol del padre, ad affittare la casa (a Mr Bingley) e ad andare a Bath. Da qui le tre ragazze scriveranno alle loro amiche più care, regalandoci delle pagine divertentissime. E sì, perché le lettere fra Mary Bennet e Lucy Sotherton, le Donne Istruite, come si vogliono far chiamare, sono i siparietti più esilaranti dell'intero libro: un misto di petulanza, boria, ignoranza e creduloneria che Mr Collins al confronto sembra un principiante. E qui la Grange ne approfitta per fare l'occhiolino anche a Catherine Morland, sebbene l'eroina di Northanger Abbey fosse sicuramente molto meno stupida di Lucy e Mary riguardo ai romanzi gotici, che le due giovani scambiano per affidabili testi storici!
Addirittura Kitty e Lydia, nelle loro lettere a Elinor, la più piccola delle sorelle Sotherton, quella più vicina a loro non solo per età, ma anche per indole, arrivano a prendere in giro Mary e a correggerla quando scrive scrive sonatta con due t!
Infine Susan Sotherton, la più grande, amica di Jane, Lizzy e Charlotte, scrive a tutte e tre le giovani e diventa confidente di Elizabeth sia nel frangente della prima dichiarazione di Darcy, che nella sua lettera esplicativa. Sebbene queste lettere mi abbiano fatto storcere il naso ― dubito che Lizzy potesse mai rivelare a nessuno l'intero contenuto della dichiarazione e della lettera ― capisco che la Grange dovesse pur trovare un modo per farci conoscere e i fatti, e lo stato d'animo della nostra eroina, tenendo presente che aveva scelto di non inserire nel testo la lettera di Darcy. E chi meglio di un'amica lontana da Meryton, dunque, a cui era impossibile che scappasse una parola con altri, a meno che non volesse deliberatamente violare la promessa di massima segretezza fatta a Lizzy?
Vengono introdotti anche i due personaggi che saranno i futuri mariti di Kitty e Mary, secondo le volontà espresse da Jane Austen alle sue nipoti e a Cassandra. La Grange vi allude solamente: i loro nomi sono menzionati nelle lettere delle due giovani, riportando qualcosa che ciascuno di loro ha detto o ha fatto, ma si capisce già come andrà a finire.
I caratteri dei personaggi vengono mantenuti inalterati, fedeli a quelli di Jane Austen. Bellissime le lettere di George Wickham, indirizzate sia a Darcy ― con il quale mantiene toni diplomatici e adulatori, per cercare di ricavare quanto più può e mantenere celata la sua vera natura ― che con Belle (Mrs Younge) e il suo amico Matthew Parker, con i quali scrive liberamente, rivelando la sua doppiezza e il suo opportunismo, che lo fanno apparire quasi un Lady Susan con i pantaloni.
Un retelling da gustare lettera dopo lettera, personaggio dopo personaggio, per un'interpretazione originale ma fedele alla storia del nostro amatissimo Pride and Prejudice.
Potete leggere la recensione completa QUI
Amanda Grange è partita dal presupposto che First Impressions, ovvero la prima stesura del famosissimo Pride and Prejudice fosse stato scritto da Jane Austen in forma epistolare. Il discorso non fa una piega, se si pensa che la Austen cominciò a scriverlo nel 1796 e nel 1797 il reverendo Austen, padre della nostra Jane, scrisse una lettera a Tomas Caldell, un editore di Londra, pregandolo di pubblicare il romanzo della figlia.
Appena pochi anni prima, nei suoi Juvenilia, la giovane Jane aveva utilizzato spesso questa tecnica narrativa, che tanto andava di moda nel '700; molte delle sue autrici preferite, come Fanny Burney, utilizzavano la forma epistolare per narrare le loro storie. Lady Susan, scritto nel fra il 1793 e il 1795, appena due anni prima, è in forma epistolare.
Il titolo ― First Impressions ― fu poi cambiato in seguito alla pubblicazione di un romanzo omonimo di Margaret Holford nel 1801. Per il resto pochissimo si sa di questa prima versione, tanto che Beth Pattillo è arrivata a ideare, nel suo romanzo Mr Darcy Broke My Heart (che abbiamo letto nel GdL di dicembre 2012) una sorta di setta massonica, The Formidables, che si tramanda da decenni i manoscritti di Jane Austen che non sono stati resi pubblici. E la storia del suo First Impressions era totalmente diversa da quella di Orgoglio e Pregiudizio.
Dear Mr Darcy di Amanda Grange è dunque una possibilità plausibile, tenendo conto che anche Elinor e Marianne, la prima versione di Sense and Sensibility, pare fosse scritto in forma epistolare.
Ma la Grange aveva dei grossi problemi da superare per la stesura di questo retelling. Innanzi tutto, doveva cercare di scrivere qualcosa di originale: troppo banale riscrivere la storia sotto forma di lettera anziché con i consueti dialoghi e le sequenze narrative di Jane Austen e troppo noioso sia per chi aveva già scritto il retelling dal punto di vista del protagonista maschile (Darcy's Diary), sia per chi, come noi Lizzies aveva già letto di tutto, di più.
E dunque la Grange inizia a narrare la storia di Darcy e di Lizzy partendo da quattro anni prima le vicende di Pride and Prejudice, tenendo presente che per Il Diario di Mr Darcy la Grange ha scelto di far iniziare gli eventi a settembre 1799 e farli concludere a fine 1800, mentre è generalmente accettato per convenzione che la storia narrata inPride and Prejudice inizi nel 1811 e termini a Natale 1812, in modo che risulti appena terminato a gennaio 1813, quando il libro viene pubblicato.
In Dear Mr Darcy vediamo Mr Darcy senior ancora vivo, che prega il figlio di trovare una moglie adatta a lui e leggiamo la prima visita a Pemberley di Caroline e Louisa Bingley (leggeremo del suo matrimonio con Mr Hurst all'interno della storia) e le loro contese per attrarre l'interesse dell'amico del fratello e diventare padrone di Pemberley.
Da Caroline Bingley a Mrs Bingley
Londra, 28 Luglio
Mama,
Louisa e io andremo a Pemberley! Pemberley! Una delle più raffinate tenute in Inghilterra. Come mi invidieranno i miei amici. Sono sicura che Miss Darcy sarà deliziosa quanto lo è suo fratello. Charles dice che è qualche anno più giovane di Mr Darcy, ma meglio così. Io e Louisa siamo certe che la ameremo alla follia. Suona il pianoforte e l’arpa, il che significa che avremo molte occasioni per suonare duetti con lei e per cantare mentre lei suona; e ovviamente anche noi suoneremo mentre lei canta. Che meraviglia sarà trascorrere l’estate nel Derbyshire! L’invito è solo per una settimana, ma voi non dovete aspettarci troppo presto di ritorno nello Yorkshire, dal momento che sono sicura che ci renderemo indispensabili a Mr Darcy e a sua sorella e così entrambi ci pregheranno di fermarci ancora.
A proposito, abbiamo fatto spese, come potrete immaginare, dal momento che siamo ben determinate ad apparire al meglio.. Pensate solo questo: l’anno prossimo in questo periodo potrei essere Mrs Darcy e voi verreste a farmi visita a Pemberley. Vi scriverò senz’altro spesso e vi farò sapere tutto al riguardo.
La vostra rispettosa figlia,
Caroline
Louisa Bingley a Mrs Bingley
Londra, 31 Luglio
Mama,
vorreste parlare seriamente a Caroline? Continua a dire che non devo attrarre l’attenzione di Mr Darcy, che non devo risvegliare il suo affetto quando andremo a Pemberley. Dice che è lei quella destinata a Mr Darcy, è una sua ferma convinzione, ma è assurdo: non lo ha neanche incontrato. Io sono la più grande e quella che ne ha più diritto, quindi non capisco perché dovrei tralasciare la possibilità di accaparrarmi Mr Darcy. Da ciò che dice Charles si tratta di un uomo molto ricco e avvenente. Caroline può continuare a dire che sono bell’e impegnata con Mr Hurst, ma Mr Hurst non si è ancora proposto ed è talmente pigro che potrebbe non riuscire a raccogliere le energie per farlo. Vi prego, Mama, scrivetele, e fatelo appena ricevete questa mia.
La vostra affezionata figlia
Louisa
Mrs Bingley a Caroline Bingley
Yorkshire, 2 Agosto
Mia cara ragazza,
Lo so che conquistare questo Mr Darcy è il tuo scopo, e c’è poco da meravigliarsi se è ricco e attraente come dici tu, ma se dovesse accadere che si invaghisca di Louisa, lascialo a lei. Saremo ugualmente ospiti a Pemberley.
La tua madre adorante.
Un altro problema da superare per Amanda Grange era quello di narrare tutti gli episodi del romanzo, anche quando i personaggi coinvolti erano presenti sulla 'scena', e dunque non era possibile che uno di essi scrivesse a un altro per raccontare vicende che aveva vissuto personalmente.
Ecco che la Grange inserisce Lady Adelaide e Maud Fitzwilliam, rispettivamente madre e sorella del colonnello, che si prendono cura di Georgiana alla morte del padre e che danno numerosi consigli al nostro protagonista; Philip Darcy, un cugino che abita in Cumbria, che mostra tutto l'orgoglio della famiglia Darcy nelle sue lettere; Mrs Bingley, con la sua numerosa famiglia nello Yorkshire ancora legata al commercio; ma soprattutto la famiglia Sotherton.
La Grange strizza l'occhio a Persuasione e contemporaneamente trova l'espediente ideale per una fitta corrispondenza che si instaura fra le signorine Bennet, Charlotte Lucas e le tre esponenti femminili di questa famiglia. I Sotherton sono i proprietari di Netherfield Park, che sono stati costretti, a causa della vita dedita al gioco e all'alcol del padre, ad affittare la casa (a Mr Bingley) e ad andare a Bath. Da qui le tre ragazze scriveranno alle loro amiche più care, regalandoci delle pagine divertentissime. E sì, perché le lettere fra Mary Bennet e Lucy Sotherton, le Donne Istruite, come si vogliono far chiamare, sono i siparietti più esilaranti dell'intero libro: un misto di petulanza, boria, ignoranza e creduloneria che Mr Collins al confronto sembra un principiante. E qui la Grange ne approfitta per fare l'occhiolino anche a Catherine Morland, sebbene l'eroina di Northanger Abbey fosse sicuramente molto meno stupida di Lucy e Mary riguardo ai romanzi gotici, che le due giovani scambiano per affidabili testi storici!
Addirittura Kitty e Lydia, nelle loro lettere a Elinor, la più piccola delle sorelle Sotherton, quella più vicina a loro non solo per età, ma anche per indole, arrivano a prendere in giro Mary e a correggerla quando scrive scrive sonatta con due t!
Infine Susan Sotherton, la più grande, amica di Jane, Lizzy e Charlotte, scrive a tutte e tre le giovani e diventa confidente di Elizabeth sia nel frangente della prima dichiarazione di Darcy, che nella sua lettera esplicativa. Sebbene queste lettere mi abbiano fatto storcere il naso ― dubito che Lizzy potesse mai rivelare a nessuno l'intero contenuto della dichiarazione e della lettera ― capisco che la Grange dovesse pur trovare un modo per farci conoscere e i fatti, e lo stato d'animo della nostra eroina, tenendo presente che aveva scelto di non inserire nel testo la lettera di Darcy. E chi meglio di un'amica lontana da Meryton, dunque, a cui era impossibile che scappasse una parola con altri, a meno che non volesse deliberatamente violare la promessa di massima segretezza fatta a Lizzy?
Vengono introdotti anche i due personaggi che saranno i futuri mariti di Kitty e Mary, secondo le volontà espresse da Jane Austen alle sue nipoti e a Cassandra. La Grange vi allude solamente: i loro nomi sono menzionati nelle lettere delle due giovani, riportando qualcosa che ciascuno di loro ha detto o ha fatto, ma si capisce già come andrà a finire.
I caratteri dei personaggi vengono mantenuti inalterati, fedeli a quelli di Jane Austen. Bellissime le lettere di George Wickham, indirizzate sia a Darcy ― con il quale mantiene toni diplomatici e adulatori, per cercare di ricavare quanto più può e mantenere celata la sua vera natura ― che con Belle (Mrs Younge) e il suo amico Matthew Parker, con i quali scrive liberamente, rivelando la sua doppiezza e il suo opportunismo, che lo fanno apparire quasi un Lady Susan con i pantaloni.
Un retelling da gustare lettera dopo lettera, personaggio dopo personaggio, per un'interpretazione originale ma fedele alla storia del nostro amatissimo Pride and Prejudice.
Potete leggere la recensione completa QUI
March 31, 2016
This book just did not ring true to me. The 'modern' language did not help either. I kept thinking I don't think Mr. Darcy would write these intimate details in letters to anyone. And I gave the book up when Elizabeth wrote to her friend who wasn't a canon character to tell her about Mr. Darcy's proposal and her refusal(!!).
I found the style of writing only letters for the whole book distracting since you kept bouncing from one POV to the next very quickly, sometimes in just 2 pages. It wasn't a smooth read as I'd like.
I found the style of writing only letters for the whole book distracting since you kept bouncing from one POV to the next very quickly, sometimes in just 2 pages. It wasn't a smooth read as I'd like.
November 25, 2012
I couldn't finish it because the correspondence was not written to reflect how people of that era would have written. It could not get passed that.
December 7, 2018
This has been on my want to read list for a while, and finally, I was able to read it! Thankfully, it was not a disappointment. I loved the epistolary format, although ther are definitely disadvantages and i'm glad Jane Austen decided not to write the original in the same format. In this one, though, the author was true to the original stories and characters while adding a few extra characters.
February 14, 2014
Dès les premières pages de ce livre, qui réécrit Orgueil et Préjugés au travers de lettres que s'envoient les protagonistes, je me suis interrogée sur le style et les invraisemblances. Je me suis interrogée aussi sur le fait que, peut-être, je commençais à faire une overdose d'austeneries. Mais la suite de ma lecture m'a malheureusement conforté dans ma première impression et la découverte d'autres austeneries depuis que j'ai trouvé charmantes, a infirmé la thèse de l'overdose. Je dois donc dire en toute sincérité qu'en dépit des qualités de légèreté et de son côté divertissant, j'ai trouvé ce livre plutôt mauvais. J'ai lu pourtant de nombreuses chroniques positives de ce livre et même si je peux comprendre que parfois retrouver l'univers de Jane Austen soit suffisant, j'ai envie de vous dire: "Janéites, il est temps d'être plus exigeantes!".
Et comme parfois une démonstration vaut mieux qu'un long discours, je vous remets ici quelques extraits choisis et j'attends avec impatience vos avis.
Lettre de M. Darcy père, mourant, réputé pour sa bonté, à son fils. Toute première recommandation de la lettre: "N'oubliez jamais qui vous êtes, et gardez toujours une supériorité dans vos manières qui reflète celle de votre naissance. N'encouragez pas le commun des mortels à se montrer familier avec vous." Quand on sait qu'il a élevé le fils du régisseur comme son fils...
Mr Darcy, annonçant la mort de son père à son cousin: "j'ai traversé l'entrée en courant et l'escalier m'a paru interminable. Enfin, je suis arrivé devant sa porte et me suis arrêté un instant pour reprendre contenance." (L'auteur oublie parfois qu'elle a choisi d'écrire un roman épistolaire!
Lettre de Charles Bingley à sa sœur: "Oui, Caroline, je désignais bien le Darcy, Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy, de Pemberley (en italique). Dites-moi, faudra-t-il éternellement que nous écrivions son nom en italiques? Si c'est le cas, je vais devoir m'acheter de nouvelles plumes, parce que cela abîme la pointe." Ridicule!
Lettre de Mr Bingley père à son fils: "Maman, que je lui ai dit, ça ne sert à rien de lui donner toute cette éducation de Monsieur", mais elle tenait à vous envoyer à l'université, et je redoutais les conséquences".
Lettre de Mr Darcy à sa sœur: "Caroline me propose de tailler ma plume, mais comme vous le savez, j'aime le faire moi-même." No comment.
En tous cas, je dois le reconnaître, certaines phrases m'auront bien fait rire, mais je ne suis pas sûre que c'était là leur but premier!
http://janeausten.hautetfort.com/arch...
Et comme parfois une démonstration vaut mieux qu'un long discours, je vous remets ici quelques extraits choisis et j'attends avec impatience vos avis.
Lettre de M. Darcy père, mourant, réputé pour sa bonté, à son fils. Toute première recommandation de la lettre: "N'oubliez jamais qui vous êtes, et gardez toujours une supériorité dans vos manières qui reflète celle de votre naissance. N'encouragez pas le commun des mortels à se montrer familier avec vous." Quand on sait qu'il a élevé le fils du régisseur comme son fils...
Mr Darcy, annonçant la mort de son père à son cousin: "j'ai traversé l'entrée en courant et l'escalier m'a paru interminable. Enfin, je suis arrivé devant sa porte et me suis arrêté un instant pour reprendre contenance." (L'auteur oublie parfois qu'elle a choisi d'écrire un roman épistolaire!
Lettre de Charles Bingley à sa sœur: "Oui, Caroline, je désignais bien le Darcy, Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy, de Pemberley (en italique). Dites-moi, faudra-t-il éternellement que nous écrivions son nom en italiques? Si c'est le cas, je vais devoir m'acheter de nouvelles plumes, parce que cela abîme la pointe." Ridicule!
Lettre de Mr Bingley père à son fils: "Maman, que je lui ai dit, ça ne sert à rien de lui donner toute cette éducation de Monsieur", mais elle tenait à vous envoyer à l'université, et je redoutais les conséquences".
Lettre de Mr Darcy à sa sœur: "Caroline me propose de tailler ma plume, mais comme vous le savez, j'aime le faire moi-même." No comment.
En tous cas, je dois le reconnaître, certaines phrases m'auront bien fait rire, mais je ne suis pas sûre que c'était là leur but premier!
http://janeausten.hautetfort.com/arch...
August 3, 2013
I was nervous to read this because I love Pride and Prejudice so much. I'm always nervous when someone plays around with characters that I love. The author was very respectful with the characters and the storyline. The book is a series of letters written back and forth between the characters. I thought the letters were true to their personalities, but I also felt that they shared much more of their deeply personal feelings in those letters than they really would. One other thing - A few times the characters were writing their letters while writing in carriages. I'm not a historian, but I'm having trouble imagining this happening. It sounds messy, and I would think they would typically wait until they reached their destination to write their letters. A fun vacation read for Austen fans.
January 28, 2014
So silly and yet such an indulgent and delicious read when all you're breathing in is hot summer air at the beach... As far as an epistolary retelling of "Pride and Prejudice" goes, this is well done and well imagined. It almost gets four stars for allowing me the sheer mindless pleasure of escaping into a world that surely wasn't as romantic as we'd like to imagine it.
To my dismay though, Ms Grange doesn't manage her characters' writing styles consistently, and she had me roll my eyes at a few stylistic slip-ups here and there that just don't fit within the general flow. A few things also seemed very out of character, like Darcy going on and on about his violent love for Elizabeth in letters to his cousins. I just cannot imagine Darcy EVER filling page after page on this subject, he is much too stately and collected to pour out his heart and ramble on like 15 year old Lydia.
To my dismay though, Ms Grange doesn't manage her characters' writing styles consistently, and she had me roll my eyes at a few stylistic slip-ups here and there that just don't fit within the general flow. A few things also seemed very out of character, like Darcy going on and on about his violent love for Elizabeth in letters to his cousins. I just cannot imagine Darcy EVER filling page after page on this subject, he is much too stately and collected to pour out his heart and ramble on like 15 year old Lydia.
July 5, 2016
About once a year I get the Pride and Prejudice itch and I go in search of a good retelling (along with a reread of the original of course :D). I really liked how Amanda Grange approached this, telling it in epistolary form (all in letters) just like Jane Austen originally intended to write it. So, on the one hand I liked the wide variety of POVs in the story (surprisingly Mary's in particular!), but on the other, does anyone really want to read an entire letter written by Mr. Collins? Or Lady Catherine? Including those dragged the pace down for me. Also, I have a really hard time believing a gentleman like Mr. Darcy would write such gushy letters about his feelings as well as such detailed observations about a certain lady's fine eyes, figure, and apparel to some random Darcy cousin. But overall I liked this and definitely want to check out Amanda Grange's other works.
January 5, 2020
Loved this one. It was true to the original and a delight to read. The epistolary format was a wonderful way to explore deeper characterization of the beloved leads, as well as minor characters like Mary, Georgiana, and Anne. I loved the sweet letters between Georgiana and Anne, and Mary’s lofty letters to Lucy Sotherton were the most amusing of the bunch. The introduction of the Sotherton family as the owners of Netherfield and family friends to the Bennets was just what the novel needed for the narrative to flow naturally in this format.
Reading this makes me want to reread the other Austen novels and Grange’s diary series for each of the heroes. Great fun for people who can’t get enough of Darcy and Elizabeth!
Reading this makes me want to reread the other Austen novels and Grange’s diary series for each of the heroes. Great fun for people who can’t get enough of Darcy and Elizabeth!
April 4, 2013
Don't see the point of yet another retelling, and the epistolary style leaves me disoriented. I'd rather read the original.
May 11, 2020
I was hesitant to read this book because I love Pride and Prejudice so much but this book might become one of my forever favorites. It's such an inventive way to tell the story and I think of it as a supplement to the original as opposed to a mere adaptation. It made me want to reread Jane Austen's words immediately. It felt so true to the characters and I loved the insight of Darcy, Bingley, and Georgiana's thoughts. A must read for all fans.
May 14, 2020
I very much enjoyed this retelling of pride and prejudice. With the exception of the character of Mary, I felt the author did justice to all of the characters and was true to the original. I don’t remember there being much detail about Mary but maybe it was more truer than I realized as I mostly remembering the movie:)
If you loved pride and prejudice I highly recommend this perspective. It adds much to the original story and is clean. I have read a couple renditions of the continuation of the saga but they were a bit risqué.
If you loved pride and prejudice I highly recommend this perspective. It adds much to the original story and is clean. I have read a couple renditions of the continuation of the saga but they were a bit risqué.
January 19, 2018
The whole story through letters!
A very original and interesting concept. I really enjoyed this version of my favorite book that gives a glimpse into the thoughts and feelings of the characters.
A very original and interesting concept. I really enjoyed this version of my favorite book that gives a glimpse into the thoughts and feelings of the characters.
July 27, 2017
Une lecture plaisante mais qui recèle quelques bizarreries...
April 25, 2018
Actual rating: 3.5
April 20, 2019
Good book. Love the "back stories" within P&P. But the letter form wasn't my favorite style of writing. But for a Jane Austen retelling I'll do it ;)
May 17, 2023
This fulfilled my nosy nature with fictional gossip. I loved the format of personal letters. Perfect after reading Pride and Prejudice to fill in everyone's personal thoughts and feelings.
Read
November 3, 2017When Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice was published in 1813, it was a version much revised from the original written in 1796-97. Like Sense and Sensibility, the first draft could very well have been an epistolary novel. In Dear Mr. Darcy, Amanda Grange imagines how Pride and Prejudice might have been told through letters between the various characters.
Grange introduces Fitzwilliam Darcy in a letter from his dying father, who instructs him in his responsibilities as the new master of Pemberley, tells him to wisely choose a wife, and encourages him to marry for love. Years pass, and the Bennet family is introduced just before Darcy’s friend, Mr. Bingley, moves into the neighboring Netherfield Park. Letters from Elizabeth show that Mrs. Bennet hopes the house will become home to a wealthy family with five eligible sons to marry the five Bennet girls and solve all her problems.
From here, the book follows the plot of Pride and Prejudice, with all the exposition and character development happening within the letters. Grange introduces a few new characters, including Philip Darcy, Fitzwilliam’s cousin to whom he pours out his troubles, and Susan Sotherton, a good friend of Elizabeth’s whose troubled family has to rent out Netherfield Park. Readers learn more about the Bingleys through letters to their mother, with the most entertaining letters being those between Mrs. Bingley and Caroline as Caroline tries so hard to get Darcy to see her as a potential wife. I also chuckled reading the letters between Mary Bennet and Susan’s sister, Lucy, as they strive to become Learned Women.
However, if Austen did originally write Pride and Prejudice as a series of letters, I’m glad she changed her mind because letters don’t do the interactions between Darcy and Elizabeth justice. One can gather they have strong feelings for one another, but merely retelling the best scenes in the original novel to characters who weren’t there means readers miss out on the awkward encounters and the playful banter as they happened.
Even so, Dear Mr. Darcy is an enjoyable retelling of one of my favorite novels. Grange does a great job composing letters in various voices and enabling readers to get to know the characters despite the limitations of the epistolary format. I enjoyed this novel more than Grange’s diaries of Austen’s heroes; the diaries were enjoyable, but letters enable readers to see into the minds of the other characters. Austen fans will enjoy spending a few hours with this book, especially if they’re curled up under a blanket with some hot cocoa!
Review posted on Diary of an Eccentric
Grange introduces Fitzwilliam Darcy in a letter from his dying father, who instructs him in his responsibilities as the new master of Pemberley, tells him to wisely choose a wife, and encourages him to marry for love. Years pass, and the Bennet family is introduced just before Darcy’s friend, Mr. Bingley, moves into the neighboring Netherfield Park. Letters from Elizabeth show that Mrs. Bennet hopes the house will become home to a wealthy family with five eligible sons to marry the five Bennet girls and solve all her problems.
From here, the book follows the plot of Pride and Prejudice, with all the exposition and character development happening within the letters. Grange introduces a few new characters, including Philip Darcy, Fitzwilliam’s cousin to whom he pours out his troubles, and Susan Sotherton, a good friend of Elizabeth’s whose troubled family has to rent out Netherfield Park. Readers learn more about the Bingleys through letters to their mother, with the most entertaining letters being those between Mrs. Bingley and Caroline as Caroline tries so hard to get Darcy to see her as a potential wife. I also chuckled reading the letters between Mary Bennet and Susan’s sister, Lucy, as they strive to become Learned Women.
However, if Austen did originally write Pride and Prejudice as a series of letters, I’m glad she changed her mind because letters don’t do the interactions between Darcy and Elizabeth justice. One can gather they have strong feelings for one another, but merely retelling the best scenes in the original novel to characters who weren’t there means readers miss out on the awkward encounters and the playful banter as they happened.
Even so, Dear Mr. Darcy is an enjoyable retelling of one of my favorite novels. Grange does a great job composing letters in various voices and enabling readers to get to know the characters despite the limitations of the epistolary format. I enjoyed this novel more than Grange’s diaries of Austen’s heroes; the diaries were enjoyable, but letters enable readers to see into the minds of the other characters. Austen fans will enjoy spending a few hours with this book, especially if they’re curled up under a blanket with some hot cocoa!
Review posted on Diary of an Eccentric
May 27, 2013
See official review: http://www.bookscompletemeunlimited.c...
I typically avoid any retelling of Pride and Prejudice like the plague, because I'm terrified that my favorite novel is going to be destroyed by an author that just isn't Jane Austen. However, I chose to pick this one up because it grabbed my attention in the bookstore and I'm incredibly glad I did so.
Amanda Grange is not Jane Austen, but her interpretation of what letters could have been written to and from the Bennet family, Mr. Darcy, and the other characters we grew to love is truly fascinating. The characters that she created to fill in the blanks left by Jane Austen were well thought out and fit perfectly into the overall story.
I truly enjoyed the way that she included the intended suitors for Mary and Kitty that Jane Austen had told her family about after the book was finished, it was a very nice touch to integrate them so well into her book. The other characters that the author created were all well done, especially the connections that the main characters had with these families and people. I had actually decided to read this book while watching the movie with Colin Firth, so I was completely enthralled with the way that Dear Mr. Darcy matched up with the movie as I was watching it, which only increased my interest in the book overall. I could see how the characters could have written such letters throughout the story. The way that Grange keeps many of the letters from the original novel, as well as weaving sentences and phrases from the work into the letters she creates helps give her retelling a stronger feeling of authenticity.
There are a few times where I confess to feeling as though the letters didn't exactly fit, or at least the style that they were written in or the length of them, but it never seemed to detract too much from the overall appeal of Grange's work. After finishing it, I would definitely recommend this retelling to anyone who enjoys looking at Jane Austen's characters and love stories from another perspective, as Amanda Grange has succeeded in doing so.
I typically avoid any retelling of Pride and Prejudice like the plague, because I'm terrified that my favorite novel is going to be destroyed by an author that just isn't Jane Austen. However, I chose to pick this one up because it grabbed my attention in the bookstore and I'm incredibly glad I did so.
Amanda Grange is not Jane Austen, but her interpretation of what letters could have been written to and from the Bennet family, Mr. Darcy, and the other characters we grew to love is truly fascinating. The characters that she created to fill in the blanks left by Jane Austen were well thought out and fit perfectly into the overall story.
I truly enjoyed the way that she included the intended suitors for Mary and Kitty that Jane Austen had told her family about after the book was finished, it was a very nice touch to integrate them so well into her book. The other characters that the author created were all well done, especially the connections that the main characters had with these families and people. I had actually decided to read this book while watching the movie with Colin Firth, so I was completely enthralled with the way that Dear Mr. Darcy matched up with the movie as I was watching it, which only increased my interest in the book overall. I could see how the characters could have written such letters throughout the story. The way that Grange keeps many of the letters from the original novel, as well as weaving sentences and phrases from the work into the letters she creates helps give her retelling a stronger feeling of authenticity.
There are a few times where I confess to feeling as though the letters didn't exactly fit, or at least the style that they were written in or the length of them, but it never seemed to detract too much from the overall appeal of Grange's work. After finishing it, I would definitely recommend this retelling to anyone who enjoys looking at Jane Austen's characters and love stories from another perspective, as Amanda Grange has succeeded in doing so.
February 9, 2013
Unlike Amanda Grange's previous books, this is a series of letters (rather than her usual diary format). I can't say I was too impressed. Many of the letters felt stilted and forced. She introduced a new character, Philip Darcy, and there didn't seem much of a point to having him as a character. She also never really explained how he fit in, and there isn't really talk of Darcy relations in the original P&P.
Here are the other problems in the book:
A Mr. Shackleton, who starts off an innocent flatterer and then changes personality into a risk-taker/inappropriate (for the time) toucher. This wasn't a Wickham-like character, either--just inconsistent.
Philip Darcy (as stated above)
A declaration from Anne de Bourgh that she loves Colonel Fitzwilliam, but with no set up and no resolution. There was no point in adding that bit.
The Sotherton family--while I didn't mind their addition to the story, they were basically a duplication of the Bennet family (a sister with sense, a sister who's silly, and a sister who is overbearing) with the addition of a drunk-turned-reformed brother.
Here are the few redeeming parts:
Meeting the Sothertons, who own Netherfield, and finding out why they're leasing out their estate.
Susan Sotherton, a combination of Jane/Lizzie, who is Lizzy's confidante. It seems that Lizzie is better friends with her than Charlotte (which I don't like, since it isn't true to the original). It was fun to have this extra voice who wrote to/received letters from both Lizzie and Charlotte).
Reading Darcy's letters as the Wickham thing went down and as he struggled with his feelings for Lizzie. Some of these did not truly feel sincere, though, so I wouldn't say I liked all of the letters.
Here are the other problems in the book:
A Mr. Shackleton, who starts off an innocent flatterer and then changes personality into a risk-taker/inappropriate (for the time) toucher. This wasn't a Wickham-like character, either--just inconsistent.
Philip Darcy (as stated above)
A declaration from Anne de Bourgh that she loves Colonel Fitzwilliam, but with no set up and no resolution. There was no point in adding that bit.
The Sotherton family--while I didn't mind their addition to the story, they were basically a duplication of the Bennet family (a sister with sense, a sister who's silly, and a sister who is overbearing) with the addition of a drunk-turned-reformed brother.
Here are the few redeeming parts:
Meeting the Sothertons, who own Netherfield, and finding out why they're leasing out their estate.
Susan Sotherton, a combination of Jane/Lizzie, who is Lizzy's confidante. It seems that Lizzie is better friends with her than Charlotte (which I don't like, since it isn't true to the original). It was fun to have this extra voice who wrote to/received letters from both Lizzie and Charlotte).
Reading Darcy's letters as the Wickham thing went down and as he struggled with his feelings for Lizzie. Some of these did not truly feel sincere, though, so I wouldn't say I liked all of the letters.
August 23, 2012
In a style similar to Jane Austen's Lady Susan and the first draft of Sense and Sensibility (Elinor and Marianne), bestselling Austenseque author, Amanda Grange's newest novel, Dear Mr. Darcy, retells Pride and Prejudice in epistolary form. Want to see what Darcy wrote to his cousins while living at Netherfield? Observe the Bennet sisters' correspondence with their friends, the Sotherton sisters? Witness the letters sent to and from Mr. and Mrs. Bingley and their children? Amanda Grange enables readers the opportunity to see all this and more in her illuminating and brilliantly executed Dear Mr. Darcy.
What I loved most about this retelling was the numerous and diverse list correspondents readers witness exchanging letters throughout the course of the novel. Besides Elizabeth and Darcy, readers observe the communications between Wickham and his cohorts, Mrs. Bennet and Mrs. Gardiner, Anne de Bourgh and Georgiana Darcy, and Mr. Darcy Senior and his son Fitzwilliam amongst many others. These characters help give a thorough illustration of everything that takes place in Pride and Prejudice by portraying the events through their varied and unique perspectives. After a major event, such as the Netherfield Ball or Lizzy's refusal of Mr. Collins, it was interesting (and amusing) to see the differing and detailed accounts recorded by several different characters.
To continue reading, go to: http://janeaustenreviews.blogspot.com...
What I loved most about this retelling was the numerous and diverse list correspondents readers witness exchanging letters throughout the course of the novel. Besides Elizabeth and Darcy, readers observe the communications between Wickham and his cohorts, Mrs. Bennet and Mrs. Gardiner, Anne de Bourgh and Georgiana Darcy, and Mr. Darcy Senior and his son Fitzwilliam amongst many others. These characters help give a thorough illustration of everything that takes place in Pride and Prejudice by portraying the events through their varied and unique perspectives. After a major event, such as the Netherfield Ball or Lizzy's refusal of Mr. Collins, it was interesting (and amusing) to see the differing and detailed accounts recorded by several different characters.
To continue reading, go to: http://janeaustenreviews.blogspot.com...
February 10, 2013
I totally loved it! If I had never read the original, I "might" have to say that this one is better. I enjoyed every letter and it was a totally different story line telling it with all the background 1st and then getting to where Mr. Darsy meats Elizabeth Bennet and proceeds from there. The characters are all the same, only a little more understandable. Mr. Bennet is just as humorous, and Mrs. Bennet still a drama queen.
It would be impossible to write such a story today. How would it go with Tweets and Texting, Facebook, email, skype, and even the landline phone being right up to the minute? LOL!
People today just do not write or communicate this way any longer. It is too bad.
It would be impossible to write such a story today. How would it go with Tweets and Texting, Facebook, email, skype, and even the landline phone being right up to the minute? LOL!
People today just do not write or communicate this way any longer. It is too bad.
August 6, 2013
I love Jane Austen and continue to buy and read most adaptations, modern or historical, with the exceptions of zombies and vampires. I've read Grange's books before and this one did not disappoint. As always she has a fresh way of telling a familiar story, this time in letter format. It was fun to see her fill in some of the "gaps" that we're not privy to in Austen's book and to imagine being a friend of Lizzy or Darcy or Georgian or Lydia or Mary or Mr. Collins and receiving the letters. I found it an enjoyable way to watch the story unfold while still remaining true to Austen's story.
December 10, 2012
I liked how this was done with letters and I felt like I really got to know the characters better! I could have skipped all of Lydia and Kitty's letters though, since I don't really like their characters. Seeing that side of Darcy and Bingley was very interesting. I never thought of Bingley as coming from trade.
June 17, 2022
In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to express how difficult it was to read this inauthentic attempt at the Georgian epistolary novel. I found the modernity of language and tone to be distracting and unpleasant.
September 3, 2012
I loved it! Amanda Grange knows how to retell Jane Austen's stories almost to the point where you believe Jane Austen is writing it herself...although quite impossible I know :) !
Displaying 1 - 30 of 204 reviews