Following Miss Elizabeth Bennet's refusal of his proposal in Hunsford, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy returned to London greatly disturbed in mind; angry, hurt, confused, he could neither understand nor accept what had happened.
But during a stay on his uncle's estate, his aunt helped him to finally see the truth, and how much in error he had been throughout. This knowledge did little to heal his heart, and so he determined it best to get on with his life, and try to forget.
A chance meeting, however, set this plan aside, and he found himself once more under the power of her charms. But between him and his goal of winning her lay many miles of travel, the rescue of a family from infamy, knife-wielding footpads, and the recognition that his heart would never be his again.
This lovingly crafted companion to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice will give her fans a feeling of home-coming, and a chance to see this beloved story from a new perspective, all the while immersed in the endearing world of Regency England Austen so masterfully created.
Stan Hurd is a Ph.D. neurochemist who currently occupies himself writing, teaching fencing and Karate, and polishing samurai sword blades. He was introduced to Jane Austen's works late in life, but became immediately captivated by the unlabored beauty of her prose. Having read one of the many adaptations written to extend the story of "Pride and Prejudice", while he was delighted to be back in that world, he found the exclusively female perspective of the author was at times intrusive; since he could not let himself complain if he did not attempt it himself, he set out to write "Darcy's Tale".
Many of his friends are amazed that he should be writing a Regency romance; he takes a particular delight in that fact.
I laughed. I cried. And I will, like the other review stated, have to re-read these three volumes together. For me they are the companion to Pride and Prejudice.
As we know from the book descriptions, these volumes are from Mr. Darcy's point of view and it is a journey. I so much appreciate hearing/reading of Darcy's despair, his anger, his resentment and then his reasoning with himself as he thinks through what he actually said to Elizabeth in his proposal at Hunsford and her reactions to such. It is a process, not an overnight revelation. At one point he deems himself unworthy of ever marrying.
But a crisis with Lady Andover, his aunt, takes him to the second step in this path. Read that part very carefully - the author imparts words of wisdom for not only Darcy but also many of us in our relationships. The most important being - listen! I don't want to give away a lot of the details here but will tell you that I had tears in my eyes several times.
I don't have to tell you what happens, there are no surprises, but there are some treasures here in this retelling. Humor: Corporal Sands - loved, loved, loved how he interacted with Darcy and how Darcy kept making mental notes about his rank. I was smiling from ear to ear. Darcy's letter to Lady Catherine: chuckling out loud and clapping - understated sarcasm. Darcy's confrontations with Wickham - told in a more forceful interpretation than many others. I liked this story line - Wickham didn't walk away smug with his pockets full of Darcy's money.
I can only recommend that all lovers of P&P read this version of Darcy's Tale...and I have read the other ones. This took me about 12 hours but there were interruptions throughout. Definitely 5 stars.
(Note: Potential readers should be made aware that this is the third volume in the Darcy’s Tale series, and that it will be necessary to read Volume I and Volume II prior to reading this one.)
In the final installment of his praiseworthy and popular Darcy’s Tale trilogy, Stanley Hurd concludes retelling the story of Pride and Prejudice from the hero’s prospective, and this volume picks up with a wretched and dejected Darcy returning to London after receiving a mortifying and crushing rejection from Elizabeth Bennet. As we might guess, given Mr. Hurd’s thoughtful and reflective portrayal of Mr. Darcy – this Darcy doesn’t turn to drink to ease his sorrows, he doesn’t neglect himself or responsibilities, and he doesn’t burden Georgiana or anyone in his family with his troubles. Darcy keeps his anguish and despair to himself. And while his family may notice he is more quiet or ponderous of late, only his aunt, Lady Andover knows the cause. Throughout this series, I loved witnessing Darcy’s relationship with the most important people in his lives – Georgiana, Colonel “Edders” Fitzwilliam, his former teacher at Oxford Mr. Pender. I was happy to see Lady Andover added to the list, Darcy needs a maternal figure in his life.
One of my favorite aspects of this story was the “Darcy hunts and confronts Wickham” sequence. (I know…isn’t that a bit strange?) I’ve read many different takes on Darcy’s actions and pursuit in London, but this is the first time I truly felt the arduousness and intensity of those scenes. Mr. Hurd’s Darcy is not only a thinking man, but also a man of action. Since Colonel Fitzwilliam is busy with Napoleon, Darcy assembles a small “squadron” of “rough-and-ready” men to help track and manhandle Wickham, (if necessarily). I loved everything about Darcy in these scenes – his decisive and careful planning, his concern and respect for the men in his employ, how he precisely prepares and thwarts all Wickham’s tricks, his skill with the sword, and how he earned respect and “promotions” from Corporal Sands (such a great original character!). Darcy exudes an abundance of manliness, strength, and authority through all the scenes! (Smelling salts and fans may be required while reading!)
Other elements of the story I enjoyed were the assembled traveling party and their holiday through different locales. It was fun to see such a unique gathering and witness their intermingling with one another. In addition, I also enjoyed seeing Darcy play matchmaker. Our Darcy is such a romantic! I loved seeing his involvement with both the romantic affairs of his valet, Perkins, and Miss Hartsbury, an original character who at one time energetically pursued Darcy. And of course, we must not forget, Darcy’s hope-filled and doubtful encounters with Elizabeth Bennet! Witnessing Darcy’s turbulent journey through indecision, unhappiness, dejection, and uncertainty made the final acceptance and successful proposal all the more joyous and profound.
My one quibble (if I were to be nit-picky and find the need to quibble about anything) would be wanting to see more of Lady Andover towards the end of this tale. I don’t think she attended the wedding and seeing her meet Elizabeth Bennet would have been a special treat! The same goes for Darcy’s former teacher, Mr. Pender.
The conclusion of Stanley Hurd’s thoughtful and thorough trilogy does in no way disappoint! An emotional, intellectual, objective, and believable portrayal of one of literature’s most iconic romantic heroes! This trilogy receives my highest recommendation for readers who want to see Pride and Prejudice from Mr. Darcy’s perspective.
A very satisfying read. I agree with Sheila M. that this is definitely a companion to the Firth's & Ehle’s Pride and Prejudice. I will definitely reread in the future.
This is the final part of the original P&P from Darcy's POV. While this is a wonderful retelling with beautiful prose and sentiments, I must admit that this was probably my least favorite book in the series. By this third book, I admit that, while this is a beautifully written story, it was starting to feel a little too stretched out and long and started to drag a bit. This is also the part of the story that covers the Lydia/Wickham elopement and I thought Wickham and his situation got way too much page time and I felt that much focus and attention given in that quarter was not enjoyable and started wearing on my poor nerves!haha Once we move past that ordeal, however, it improves and it was satisfying to see D&E finally reach their long sought HEA.
Overall, I loved this and highly recommend this series as it was a beautiful told story and very true to the beloved character Jane Austen created. I did wish that it would have been compacted a bit and a little more affordable by not having to purchase three books to enjoy one story, but it is certainly one of the better Austen inspired works out there!
If you like diaries, you’ll enjoy this series Reviewed in Canada on September 13, 2019 I accidentally came across this series earlier this week and just finished it. It’s not a direct first-person account, but it is from Darcy’s point of view. The first book runs close to canon and was a bit slow for me, but I persevered to book two which I found deeply moving at the end. Book three deals in more detail on how Darcy might have dealt with Wickham through to his marriage. Throughout the three volumes, there is correspondence between Darcy and Georgiana in which they share many personal thoughts. Overall, I found it all well written and was more interesting than some of the Darcy-related “diary” books I have read.
This is a fabulous series!!! It takes you through the entirety of P&P from Darcy’s POV, and I especially appreciated the parts that covered the time he spent away from Elizabeth. I also loved the inside look into his emotions. The only thing I didn’t love was the Miss Chesterton storyline in Volume II; it just seemed too OOC for Darcy, and I couldn’t make myself believe he would make those choices. But, on the whole, this is an absolutely wonderful series that I heartily recommend and very much enjoyed!
In this, the final volume of Stanley Michael Hurd’s Darcy’s Tale series, we take the inevitable journey from disappointment and bitterness to joy and fulfillment. The action begins shortly after Elizabeth has rejected Darcy’s proposals at Hunsford and ends—well, at the end, or perhaps for my taste a little after the end of the story.
Mr. Hurd continues to have a sharp ear for period language, with delightful words and phrases rolling off the page: gladsome; elation of spirit; all the haste that dignity would allow. I also relish the period spellings he uses: dropt; staid; etc. And there are even tantalizing moments throughout this series when an original author pushes through the derivative Austenesque one: describing a new character as “a gentleman as ancient and dry as the books that lined his chambers,” or (from the second volume) “to allow each other into their silences.” Much as I love Austenesque fiction, these moments make me hope that Mr. Hurd will soon venture out into stories of his own devising!
The action as seen from Darcy’s point of view is throughout plausible, but I found myself in the final analysis wishing for more—less revelation and more incremental, thoughtful struggle in the abandonment of his reasons why not to marry Elizabeth; less of a bifurcation of “reason vs. the heart” and more of a unification of the two, heart and mind equally convinced about the match. My fear is that this Darcy, when the inevitable stresses and disappointments of marriage occur, will retreat to his original opinion of Elizabeth’s unsuitability. In an odd way, especially in the third volume, the focus on Darcy’s inner self makes Elizabeth a little invisible; we have to take her charms and her character as given, we don’t see much of what is driving Darcy on to continue pursuing her.
Endings are always hard, and I felt that this book went on a little too long after the second proposal with the expressions of Darcy’s joy and fulfillment. I believe what I was missing here was the detachment of Jane Austen’s narrator. Despite the excellent period language, I felt the absence of that amused, skewering voice in this volume especially. Where is the “laughing at our neighbors, and being laughed at by them in our turn”? (I know, I’m mangling the quote.)
All in all, this three-volume series is a magnificent contribution to the Austenesque genre, and a feel quite guilty quibbling with any part of it. For those who emphasize the romance side of Jane Austen’s writing, it is probably as close to perfect as such novels come. For those who prefer the side that skewers people and their ways, it is still very satisfying. I bow down in homage to Mr. Hurd’s achievement.
Ok, to be honest I'm not sure this book should qualify as being read, but here it is anyway. I did compulsively read like a maniac, the part where dear Lizzie is finally ready to accept Darcy's love anyway, as well as the epilogue and the added walks to the grove behind the Bennett's house that, I thought, were a really nice added touch on Mr Hurd's part.
So yes, I am guilty of a lot of skimming - as I knew I would; after all I haven't made it a secret that all that ever interested me in these little tales was to get a glimpse into Darcy's head whenever he was interacting with Elizabeth.
His relationship with Bingley does get an honorable mention from me, but who are we kidding here, eh? My love for these two characters is all-consuming i'm afraid, so I'd gladly pay five bucks for the immenserable pleasure of reading only three or four chapters of SWOONS even if there's a whole lot of nothing scattered throughout.
Having said that, though, this third volume was much better than the second one; I didn't bother adding it to my list since I completely discarded the first 70% or so. I admit I wasn't all into Darcy's meddlings with London Society while Lizzie was busy mending her sister's heart after the mess the Netherfield's lot had left behind.
Would I recommend it? Absolutely. Some parts were a bit tedious and flat but my enjoyment far surpassed these few minor hiccups and I am really glad I found this author.
Long live the P&P fandom. Don't know what I would do without it.
Gosh, what to say. I read the three book series today so I am reviewing them as a whole. As usual, I don't want to give anything away so don't look for an in-depth review here. This is a Darcy POV book series with, in my opinion, little heart and zero passion. The most passionate scene with Darcy in it is with Wickham. In fact, the Wickham scenes were the highlight. The book faithfully adheres to the original and the scenes imagined are better than some but all the charm and love felt from the original P & P was lacking.
What a fantastic end to this trilogy. Stanley Michael Hurd has really outdone himself with this series. I cannot recommend his books enough. If you are a true Pride and Prejudice fan then his books are a must read.
And so to the concluding part of this Pride and Prejudice tale from Darcy's point of view. Following on from the Hunsford's proposal it takes Darcy's on a journey of self discovery and to the correct solution.
There were a few minor things I found a bit odd like Darcy growling like a bear at Lizzy and them kissing (how scandalous!!!). Unlike the original Pride and Prejudice novel, we actually get to see the conversation between Darcy and Lizzy when he proposes the second time and I must say it was too affectionate for me there (made me understand why Austen did not add dialogue there) but I feel like I am always bothered by super lovey-dovey language so that is probably just me. It was cute, but a bit too tooth rottenly sweet for me.
Other than that it was absolutely spectacular. It was super dramatic which I was totally here for. I thought the idea of thug Dirks Darcy was kinda funny, and I enjoyed it. I loved Corporal Sanders changing his rank every five seconds until settling with Major and Darcy being all smug that he outranks his cousin. He was a great addition to the cast of characters.
I LOVED the scene when he's fishing with Mr. Gardiner, and Mr. Gardiner just casually mentions Lizzy is at the house with Georgiana and Darcy is like... ummm... gotta go say hi real quick and just SPRINTS to the house. Iconic. I never considered what that scene would have looked like before but now it's one of my favorite scenes.
The Lady Catherine confrontation scene was AMAZING; I was really looking forward to see how the author would write that scene and he did not disappoint. The other retellings I read usually would just have Lady Catherine repeating their entire conversation word for word which was really boring and annoying; there is not way she remembered EVERY word she had with Lizzy and wouldn't embellish. This was just perfect, and the best part was Darcy's reaction and the way he was basically trying to calm his aunt while trying not to seem too excited by everything his aunt was saying (and encouraging her to tell him more by being like "oh no! Then what did she say... "). How well this scene is written is pretty much like a litmus test for me on the rest of the book; although it is at the end of the novel, it does serve as a good indicator as to whether I enjoyed the book and why.
Again, I think the author does a really good job explaining his actions throughout the series. In this book, it was really cool to see his thoughts perspective when he saw Lizzy at Pemberely, learned about Wickham running away with Lydia, and returns to Longbourn. While his actions made sense in the original book, this gives it more depth and it was satisfying to read and interesting to see how he may have perceived Lizzy in those instances. I feel like this book was definitely the funnier one out of the three.
I was very satisfied with this series and am contemplating "losing" these so I don't have to return them to my sister... I am moving anyways... things happen.
I will say again that this author has a firm grasp of the tone present in Jane Austen's original P&P, and particularly that of Mr. Darcy. This third book in the series, covering the time following the disastrous proposal at Hunsford until the wedding at the end, has wonderful behind the scenes scenarios, particularly about Wickham and Lydia's scandal and Darcy's efforts to overcome it. There is a lot of development of that story, and some slight variation, but it all flows naturally and feels right.
Again, the Darcy in this version is an intellectual, and strongly ruled by logic and order in his mind. However, there is a very gradual dawning of the idea that his heart should also be trusted to rule some of his decisions, and that the great tumult of his emotions is not something to try to suppress. This is a passionate Darcy, and when he does finally succeed with Elizabeth, the author provides us with a delightful overflow of sweet words, an outpouring of passion and affection, all the more important because this is a side of Darcy we rarely see. Almost like breathing a sigh of relief, we're witness to the extreme happiness he feels when something finally works in his favor.
I hope this author will continue to create more JAFF. He has a natural talent for getting inside this story and staying true to the characters, with all their quirks and flaws, as well as their engaging qualities. The book is well written and well edited. I recommend it highly.
Not my first or even second Darcy POV although definitely one of the better written. The explanations for Darcy’s actions were definitely better developed and I’ve never felt sorrier for him. 💔 But did it have to be so much longer than the original book. Obviously I was aware it was three books and I enjoyed book one immensely. The last two books didn’t hold my attention. I realize Darcy had to do something all the months and he knew other people outside the Bingleys, but I could have done with less detail. Also there were just a few things Darcy did that I thought were out of characters. Side note: I really enjoyed his correspondence with Georgiana. Overall not bad and if you’re patient and are looking for new adventures, well then this is probably for you.
literally what the fuck this has no right to be so emotional <3
edit: alright, fine. I had no patience for the other two volumes because I'm impatient for the pining so I skipped to the third one, and although it went on way too long and I did skim that massive middle section with Wickham, Darcy's inner voice was so earnest and lovely and everything I wanted that this gets 5 stars with no arguments.
The final part of the trilogy and Elizabeth and Darcy reach their HEA. Stanley Michael Hurd writes very well using language and even spellings that were prevalent in Jane Austen's time. I have thoroughly enjoyed revisiting this trilogy and will read them again without a doubt. I heartily recommend them to any fan of P&P variations/continuations. These obviously being the former.
This is my favorite. I have read the last part together with Pride & Prejudice and I love how he maintains the story line given by Jane Austen. The way of writting the language... It is just beautiful.
I didn't like the Epilogue tough... lack of power for such a nice book.
I just love Stan Hurd's stuff. I'm also amazed that a man wanted to take P&P on. I like his tone and voice as Darcy. It just works. Bravo, Mr. Hurd, as always!
https://austendiaries.blogspot.com/20... Type: P&P Parallel (true to the original plot, told from a different perspective) Perspective: Darcy Romance Level: Austen-esque Recommend: Yes, 4 stars
Darcy's Tale is a three volume series. The third, The Way Home, the events from Darcy's return to London from Rosings Park, the suprize meeting at Pemberley, the findind of Wickham and return to Longborne. It fills in the blanks and elaborates what would have happened to Darcy. We hear just how embarassed he is over the proposal gone wrong. He takes a side trip to the home of Colonel Fitzwilliam and his parents with Darcy's aunt helping him see the flaws in his proposal. As he returts to Pemberley, he meets Elizabeth and attempts to redeem himself from his past flaws. He schemes to force Wickham to marry Lydia and then returns to Netherfield to reunite Bingley with Jane.
I Liked: * Darcy's relationship with his aunt, Lady Andover. It shows his angst and confusion well. * Darcy's very detailed plan to trap Wickham. * His conversation with Lady Catherine about the engagement rumor and hope it "taught him to hope." * The post engagement conversations with Elizabeth. The original book has a few and this elaborated on them well. I didn't like: * The plan to trap Wickham was perhaps too fantastical (but I did enjoy it). * The transformed Darcy is almost too perfect: tall, dark, handsome, strong, attentive and so on.
I can't recall if I'd ever got up at 6 a.m. to finish a book before, but such was the case yesterday morning. I can't recall the last time a book/series kept me enthralled for a couple of days, either. Such a delicious summery treat!
Admittedly, I haven't read much Jane Austen fanfiction, but these books were everything I could've asked for!
"Pride and Prejudice" from Darcy's perspective - all I've wanted. The feel of it is authentic, and the characters are perfectly "in character". It closely follows the canon, and fills in the missed-and-missing details. Added dialogue sounds perfectly natural - in fact, I could hear the BBC-version's Elizabeth's voice in all of her new witticisms!
And Darcy is precious. His falling in and fighting against the love for Elizabeth felt believable and convincing. His actions made sense and led to the canon events logically. And his rapports with the characters from his side of the story were delightful - especially his friendship with Bingley and Colonel Fitzwilliam! I've enjoyed the new characters, as well (shout-out to Lady Andover).
I have finished the three part series of Darcy’s Tale by Stanley Michael Hurd. I found quite well done. I am usually always looking for books that are variations of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and this one was very good. It is the entirety of Pride and Prejudice told from Mr. Darcy’s point of view. It is set up in a three volume set to reflect the publishing of the original Pride and Prejudice being released in three parts. The aspect of this trilogy that I find particularly interesting is the appendix. In the appendix, Mr. Hurd writes a series of letters that take place throughout the story. The letters are alluded to and some placed within the actual story, but the entirety of the letters is at the end and make for very enjoyable reading. Through this trilogy, you also get a great sense of Georgiana Darcy which I also like as well. I feel that she is one of the most interesting characters in the Pride and Prejudice world and was glad to see her developed in such a way.
A great ending to the trilogy of Pride and Prejudice written from Darcy's perspective. You can sense that the author is male as there is much detail about conversations that only men would hold related to the military, government, farming, estate management and hunting. It was wonderful to see Darcy's attitude towards Lizzys reproof change, make him a better man and more determined to set all straight including his involvement with Bingley. Darcy's feelings are opened for us all to understand and empathize with which made the reader appreciate the character of Darcy much more than the original!
This was seriously good. The whole series is seriously good. If you're a fan of Pride & Prejudice, and like reading stories based on Darcy's point of view, read this one. I've read several others, and this series was really the best of them all. It makes all of his actions in the original make sense, and you feel sympathetic toward him and his plight the whole time!
Please, read this.
5 stars. I'm so happy that this book ended the series exactly how I wanted it to.
Review for all three books. This was great insight into Darcy's thoughts (and written by a man so likely accurate). Vol 2 & 3 could have been combined into one without some of the filler material, but all in all, a great companion to the original text.
This was the final chapter of a very good series telling the story of Mr Darcy and Miss Elizabeth Bennett from Darcy's perspective. It is lovingly faithful to the original.