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Complicated Attachments: A Pride and Prejudice Variation
Timing can make all the difference! The Militia and the Netherfield party arrived at the same time in Meryton. As events unfold, Jane first meets Mr. Wickham, while Lizzy encounters Mr. Bingley. Introductions to new acquaintances can lead to attachments that become complicated. Mr. Bingley is interested in Lizzy, but that is before he has a chance to spend time with her older sister. Wickham is enchanted and seriously pursuing the lovely Jane. And Darcy finds himself increasingly drawn to a woman he is adamant he will never marry, which an unlikely source has much to say about in Complicated Attachments: A Pride and Prejudice Variation by Denise O'Hara.
169 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 25, 2016
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July 10, 2016
This Pride and Prejudice variation is based on juxtaposing the characters a bit. Jane first meets and becomes attracted to Mr. Wickham, while Elizabeth is in Jane's usual position of garnering Mr. Bingley's interest.
Jane's sympathetic, unsuspicious nature perfectly suits Wickham's need to have his ego fed, and he tells her all kinds of whoppers in addition to the usual cheated-godchild-of-the-deceased-Mr.-Darcy sob story. Elizabeth and Bingley first encounter each other on one of the lanes leading to Meryton, and they immediately establish a mutually pleasing cameraderie. Upon meeting his sisters Caroline Bingley and Louisa Hurst at the assembly, Elizabeth recognizes their haughty airs, but she accepts their subsequent invitation to join them for tea at Netherfield. Unfortunately, she becomes quite ill after being caught in a rainstorm walking there, and a message is sent to Longbourn that results in Jane's arrival to tend to her sister. Jane is able to see for herself how disinterested and impolite the two ladies are regarding their sick guest, made even worse once Caroline recognizes Darcy's fascination with Elizabeth. But Darcy has totally bought into the haute ton's philosophy of marrying for status and wealth rather than love, so he does his best to convince himself that Elizabeth is just his best friend's girl.
From the above, you can already see how differently things unfold with Elizabeth and Jane each walking in the other's shoes. As the story goes on, Jane is unable to correlate Wickham's account of a dishonorable Mr. Darcy with the very warm, considerate manners she sees him display towards Elizabeth, and she takes a decidedly different approach to reconcile the disparity, leaving both men with warm feelings towards her.
Eventually, of course, the universe slips back into its proper alignment for Jane-and-Bingley and Elizabeth-and-Darcy, but it is interesting to read how each sister reacts in the other's situation and also how they extricate themselves from their respective pairings. Darcy does go through his customary denial of his feelings and running away, and he also offers a terrible first proposal. Georgiana has a larger role in bringing him and Elizabeth together.
While the writing is all right, there are some grammatical errors and some sentences seem awkward. I wouldn't call it too contemporary-sounding, but it doesn't resemble Regency prose, either. Characters mostly behave as they should, although Georgiana shows more spunk with her big brother than is usually depicted. Colonel Fitzwilliam, Lady Catherine, Anne de Bourgh, and Mr. Collins are all absent. Wickham and Caroline aren't successful at making as much trouble as they usually do, so the book lacks a strong antagonist. No, the conflict here is mostly man-versus-himself, and that would be Mr. Darcy, who is his own worst enemy.
My exact rating would be a strong 3.5, so I'm rounding it up to 4 stars.
Jane's sympathetic, unsuspicious nature perfectly suits Wickham's need to have his ego fed, and he tells her all kinds of whoppers in addition to the usual cheated-godchild-of-the-deceased-Mr.-Darcy sob story. Elizabeth and Bingley first encounter each other on one of the lanes leading to Meryton, and they immediately establish a mutually pleasing cameraderie. Upon meeting his sisters Caroline Bingley and Louisa Hurst at the assembly, Elizabeth recognizes their haughty airs, but she accepts their subsequent invitation to join them for tea at Netherfield. Unfortunately, she becomes quite ill after being caught in a rainstorm walking there, and a message is sent to Longbourn that results in Jane's arrival to tend to her sister. Jane is able to see for herself how disinterested and impolite the two ladies are regarding their sick guest, made even worse once Caroline recognizes Darcy's fascination with Elizabeth. But Darcy has totally bought into the haute ton's philosophy of marrying for status and wealth rather than love, so he does his best to convince himself that Elizabeth is just his best friend's girl.
From the above, you can already see how differently things unfold with Elizabeth and Jane each walking in the other's shoes. As the story goes on, Jane is unable to correlate Wickham's account of a dishonorable Mr. Darcy with the very warm, considerate manners she sees him display towards Elizabeth, and she takes a decidedly different approach to reconcile the disparity, leaving both men with warm feelings towards her.
Eventually, of course, the universe slips back into its proper alignment for Jane-and-Bingley and Elizabeth-and-Darcy, but it is interesting to read how each sister reacts in the other's situation and also how they extricate themselves from their respective pairings. Darcy does go through his customary denial of his feelings and running away, and he also offers a terrible first proposal. Georgiana has a larger role in bringing him and Elizabeth together.
While the writing is all right, there are some grammatical errors and some sentences seem awkward. I wouldn't call it too contemporary-sounding, but it doesn't resemble Regency prose, either. Characters mostly behave as they should, although Georgiana shows more spunk with her big brother than is usually depicted. Colonel Fitzwilliam, Lady Catherine, Anne de Bourgh, and Mr. Collins are all absent. Wickham and Caroline aren't successful at making as much trouble as they usually do, so the book lacks a strong antagonist. No, the conflict here is mostly man-versus-himself, and that would be Mr. Darcy, who is his own worst enemy.
My exact rating would be a strong 3.5, so I'm rounding it up to 4 stars.
May 31, 2016
I received a complimentary copy of Complicated Attachments in exchange for an honest review. Anything you read here is solely my opinion based upon reading said book. This book is a Pride and Prejudice Variation. In this particular variation timing is everything. We all know how Jane Austen’s original story of Pride and Prejudice goes. In this story a whole new idea is explored. I’ve read a lot of variations and novellas, but this is a new and refreshing idea. The Militia and the Netherfield party arrived at the same time in Meryton. As the story beginnings to develop, Jane meets the charming Mr. Wickham, while Elizabeth bumps into the ever beloved Mr. Bingley. This is where the complications begin. Mr. Wickham is enchanted by Jane and would give up any and all schemes to have her. Mr. Bingley is interested in Elizabeth, but this is all before he meets the ever so lovely Jane. Elizabeth is invited to Netherfield and ends up sick. She ends up staying at Netherfield until she is well again. Jane comes to Netherfield to help nurse Elizabeth back to health. This gives Jane and Bingley time to talk and form an attachment. Elizabeth gives Bingley an out so he can pursue Jane because they are better suited to each other. Elizabeth also becomes attached to another. Jane learns a lot during her stay at Netherfield and isn’t sure what to do about it. Who will Jane choose? Will Elizabeth attachment come to anything? To find out more read Complicated Attachments by Denise O'Hara . I really reading this story it was really refreshing to read. I give it five stars and I encourage all JAFF fans to give this a read.
June 12, 2016
The story stayed consistent throughout. I didn't want to put it down. I didn't think I would like a variation of the real pride & prejudice books, but I was wrong. It really is a great book!
July 12, 2016
What if Mr. Bingley had met Elizabeth before seeing Jane? What if Mr. Wickham had tried to deceive Jane instead of Lydia? Certainly, everything would have been different for our dear characters! But do not worry, the most desired happy ending is not in danger in this sweet “Pride and Prejudice” variation.
The premise of this story is undoubtedly unique. All those who love Pride and Prejudice knows that Elizabeth could hardly be drawn to Mr. Bingley (he is too amiable and she likes arguing with Mr. Darcy too much), and that Jane is exactly the opposite of Lydia so it would be quite absurd to think that she could be the perfect “victim” for Wickham’s schemes. But I would say that the author managed to write a fun and believable story that, though it was not my favourite, did not fail to intrigue me.
The first half was pretty much similar to the original novel -with some exceptions as Elizabeth is the sister who catches a cold and stays at Netherfield, and Wickham tries to make Jane fall in love with him- and because of this, I was not involved that much. But as the story progressed, I felt that the plot was becoming more interesting and hence, I started to feel closer to the characters and found myself smiling at some cute scenes between Darcy and his sister Georgiana. She was probably my favourite among all the characters and her attempts at matchmaking were lovely! (I especially loved her when she played the part of a sort of “Fairy Godmother” to Elizabeth!)
I also liked that Elizabeth had the chance to get to know Darcy earlier, and their banter while at Netherfield and then at the ball hosted by Mr. Bingley were amusing and entertaining. It was nice to witness his reluctance to accept his feelings and her hopes of being loved by a man like him.
“Complicated Attachments” is a sweet variation that I would recommend if you want to read something light, where there is no angst (even Caroline Bingley is understanding and not at all haughty!) but mostly lovely scenes with Jane and Elizabeth, funny chats between Darcy and Bingley and a very wise Georgiana Darcy!
*I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review.
The premise of this story is undoubtedly unique. All those who love Pride and Prejudice knows that Elizabeth could hardly be drawn to Mr. Bingley (he is too amiable and she likes arguing with Mr. Darcy too much), and that Jane is exactly the opposite of Lydia so it would be quite absurd to think that she could be the perfect “victim” for Wickham’s schemes. But I would say that the author managed to write a fun and believable story that, though it was not my favourite, did not fail to intrigue me.
The first half was pretty much similar to the original novel -with some exceptions as Elizabeth is the sister who catches a cold and stays at Netherfield, and Wickham tries to make Jane fall in love with him- and because of this, I was not involved that much. But as the story progressed, I felt that the plot was becoming more interesting and hence, I started to feel closer to the characters and found myself smiling at some cute scenes between Darcy and his sister Georgiana. She was probably my favourite among all the characters and her attempts at matchmaking were lovely! (I especially loved her when she played the part of a sort of “Fairy Godmother” to Elizabeth!)
I also liked that Elizabeth had the chance to get to know Darcy earlier, and their banter while at Netherfield and then at the ball hosted by Mr. Bingley were amusing and entertaining. It was nice to witness his reluctance to accept his feelings and her hopes of being loved by a man like him.
“Complicated Attachments” is a sweet variation that I would recommend if you want to read something light, where there is no angst (even Caroline Bingley is understanding and not at all haughty!) but mostly lovely scenes with Jane and Elizabeth, funny chats between Darcy and Bingley and a very wise Georgiana Darcy!
*I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review.
October 17, 2016
I received a complimentary copy of this book for a review and it was SO GOOD! I loved the change in the story! I still hated Wickham, but oh my goodness the characters were fantastic and i feel like she wrote them just as they would have acted in this scenario (except Georgiana, she was brave and fantastic in this one) if you love pride and prejudice variations this is DEFINITLY one you should grab!!
June 12, 2016
Another amazing book from Denise O'Hara. She's made me fall in love with P and P all over again
September 24, 2016
3.5 stars
As others have said the author at first has Jane enchanted with Wickham, Elizabeth and Bingley meeting first and admiring each other and Elizabeth the one to fall ill at Netherfield.
I am going to add more later and I realize that many rate this book higher. Up until we read about Darcy's apology I would have rated this higher but I was cringing at the wording used by the author in this part of the book. For me the words did not ring true.
And going back to events: why was Darcy hanging around Netherfield for 3 weeks after Jane's and Bingley's wedding? During this time he had plenty of opportunity to call on Elizabeth if he was so contrite. Why didn't he? So 3 weeks after the wedding he and Elizabeth just happen to appear in the same place on an early morning walk? No saying that he had walked out every day hoping to meet her? He could have been sending flowers or calling as a way of apologizing but NOTHING?
And his words were so insulting but she just up and forgave him. I really would have liked to have read of some social events during which he put a new face on his actions. Having a way to show his repentance and improved behavior would have been more realistic for me. Elizabeth's attitude towards her sisters and her mother was so much more indulgent that in now accepting his offer she needs to see that he will accept her relationship towards her family. I need proof of his new demeanor in the end.
We do have a epilogue but I wanted more immediate changes in the here and now at the end of the story.
I may come back with other or changed remarks but this is my immediate reaction to this book. C'est la vie!
Georgiana had much more of a role to play and ironically she has an old and dear relationship with Caroline. I didn't read of Caroline's reaction to Georgiana's playing cupid at the end, though. Why not?
As others have said the author at first has Jane enchanted with Wickham, Elizabeth and Bingley meeting first and admiring each other and Elizabeth the one to fall ill at Netherfield.
I am going to add more later and I realize that many rate this book higher. Up until we read about Darcy's apology I would have rated this higher but I was cringing at the wording used by the author in this part of the book. For me the words did not ring true.
And going back to events: why was Darcy hanging around Netherfield for 3 weeks after Jane's and Bingley's wedding? During this time he had plenty of opportunity to call on Elizabeth if he was so contrite. Why didn't he? So 3 weeks after the wedding he and Elizabeth just happen to appear in the same place on an early morning walk? No saying that he had walked out every day hoping to meet her? He could have been sending flowers or calling as a way of apologizing but NOTHING?
And his words were so insulting but she just up and forgave him. I really would have liked to have read of some social events during which he put a new face on his actions. Having a way to show his repentance and improved behavior would have been more realistic for me. Elizabeth's attitude towards her sisters and her mother was so much more indulgent that in now accepting his offer she needs to see that he will accept her relationship towards her family. I need proof of his new demeanor in the end.
We do have a epilogue but I wanted more immediate changes in the here and now at the end of the story.
I may come back with other or changed remarks but this is my immediate reaction to this book. C'est la vie!
Georgiana had much more of a role to play and ironically she has an old and dear relationship with Caroline. I didn't read of Caroline's reaction to Georgiana's playing cupid at the end, though. Why not?
May 29, 2016
I really enjoyed this different journey to HEA! Good editing, solid story.
May 29, 2016
I can totally see the story going this way if things were timed differently. Good story!
September 27, 2016
Mix up, match up, change up, different but the same
There are many excellent reviews out there that have gone into more detail than I need to. There is no need for me to restate the obvious. Yes, there are errors and too many that should have been caught by an additional proof before it was sent to publication. But, I will overlook that, for the moment and talk about the writing and the story.
In any time-travel book or movie, they always caution the characters to never change anything. If you change one thing, you could change it all and you don’t know what affect it will have on the future. So in this variation we have a juxtaposition of characters and they set in motion many changes that redirects what we remember from canon and takes our story on a very different route.
Bingley meets Elizabeth and is intrigued by her wit and good humor. Wickham meets Jane and is enamored with her beauty, innocence and genuine goodness. He is so convincing with his gentlemanly manners that she is enchanted by him. He has never met anyone like her and asks if he may call on her in order for them to become better acquainted.
At the Assembly Ball, Darcy noticed that Wickham had come to the area. Later, after his true character was revealed, Wickham was referred to as, ‘a wolf in sheep’s clothing.’ Elizabeth danced with an officer with the sniffles and the stage was set for the illness that overtook her when she was invited by the Bingley sisters to Netherfield. Jane came to Netherfield to nurse her sister and became better acquainted with the sisters, Mr. Darcy and finally Mr. Bingley.
After Bingley’s Netherfield Ball, Darcy deserted the area without a by-your-leave and Elizabeth was left crushed and desolate. After Bingley’s engagement to Jane, he notified Darcy that the Bennet women were traveling to London for wedding clothes, Darcy headed to Pemberley to avoid meeting them.
The author was most excellent in giving backstory and explanations either in dialogue or in discussions. I was intrigued with the way the author chose to deliver vital information. The transition from one scene to another was smooth, flowed well and was not disjointed. The language was delightful in spite of the errors. I love the interaction between ODC, at times the language enflamed Elizabeth’s anger and other times she nearly swooned from his passionate words. ODC still had to travel the distance into their HEA as they did in canon. However, their love story ran vastly different than the Jane and Bingley love story. But then, the trip was worth it.
This was a very different Darcy. There was a comment regarding him…that he ‘approached all matters in a cold and analytical way’…that aptly described our hero. This was the master of Pemberley, head of all the Darcy estates, houses, and properties. He was no one to mess with in a board room, meeting or negotiations. And yet, he could not understand or discount his feelings for Elizabeth Bennet. His struggle was the one we had to traverse, whereas Elizabeth acknowledged her feelings way before he did. It was worth it. Georgiana was charming and very different…she was awesome. Her relationship with Caroline was nothing like in canon. I almost didn’t recognize them.
The Epilogue was delightful and completed several loose threads, but what happened to Caroline? Just a thought.
There are many excellent reviews out there that have gone into more detail than I need to. There is no need for me to restate the obvious. Yes, there are errors and too many that should have been caught by an additional proof before it was sent to publication. But, I will overlook that, for the moment and talk about the writing and the story.
In any time-travel book or movie, they always caution the characters to never change anything. If you change one thing, you could change it all and you don’t know what affect it will have on the future. So in this variation we have a juxtaposition of characters and they set in motion many changes that redirects what we remember from canon and takes our story on a very different route.
Bingley meets Elizabeth and is intrigued by her wit and good humor. Wickham meets Jane and is enamored with her beauty, innocence and genuine goodness. He is so convincing with his gentlemanly manners that she is enchanted by him. He has never met anyone like her and asks if he may call on her in order for them to become better acquainted.
At the Assembly Ball, Darcy noticed that Wickham had come to the area. Later, after his true character was revealed, Wickham was referred to as, ‘a wolf in sheep’s clothing.’ Elizabeth danced with an officer with the sniffles and the stage was set for the illness that overtook her when she was invited by the Bingley sisters to Netherfield. Jane came to Netherfield to nurse her sister and became better acquainted with the sisters, Mr. Darcy and finally Mr. Bingley.
After Bingley’s Netherfield Ball, Darcy deserted the area without a by-your-leave and Elizabeth was left crushed and desolate. After Bingley’s engagement to Jane, he notified Darcy that the Bennet women were traveling to London for wedding clothes, Darcy headed to Pemberley to avoid meeting them.
The author was most excellent in giving backstory and explanations either in dialogue or in discussions. I was intrigued with the way the author chose to deliver vital information. The transition from one scene to another was smooth, flowed well and was not disjointed. The language was delightful in spite of the errors. I love the interaction between ODC, at times the language enflamed Elizabeth’s anger and other times she nearly swooned from his passionate words. ODC still had to travel the distance into their HEA as they did in canon. However, their love story ran vastly different than the Jane and Bingley love story. But then, the trip was worth it.
This was a very different Darcy. There was a comment regarding him…that he ‘approached all matters in a cold and analytical way’…that aptly described our hero. This was the master of Pemberley, head of all the Darcy estates, houses, and properties. He was no one to mess with in a board room, meeting or negotiations. And yet, he could not understand or discount his feelings for Elizabeth Bennet. His struggle was the one we had to traverse, whereas Elizabeth acknowledged her feelings way before he did. It was worth it. Georgiana was charming and very different…she was awesome. Her relationship with Caroline was nothing like in canon. I almost didn’t recognize them.
The Epilogue was delightful and completed several loose threads, but what happened to Caroline? Just a thought.
June 18, 2016
I enjoyed this very much. It was well thought out and well written and very much in the spirit of Pride and Prejudice. The cast of characters was much as usual but the time line is slightly different, meaning first impressions are also slightly different, although everybody ends up with the 'right' person. I have not awarded the full amount of stars partly because not a huge amount actually happens in real terms but mainly because I felt the author missed an opportunity to make a decent story a truly excellent one - this is in the way Wickham is treated within the story. I felt that his reaction to meeting Jane could have been expanded to show his character improving, even reforming; instead, in the end he isn't even as bad as he is portrayed in the original. It almost felt as if the author had the outline of a novel plot change but lacked the ability to carry it to its conclusion.
May 23, 2022
Good story but …
This is my second reading.
This was a good story but had some inconsistencies that bothered me just a bit. The timing of things such as the invitations to the ball said it was 3 days hence ,but Mr. Bingley kept calling in the weeks leading up to the ball. I did like the story given those timing things.
This is my second reading.
This was a good story but had some inconsistencies that bothered me just a bit. The timing of things such as the invitations to the ball said it was 3 days hence ,but Mr. Bingley kept calling in the weeks leading up to the ball. I did like the story given those timing things.
March 10, 2022
A Bit too Sugary
Reviewed in Canada on May 13, 2020
A no angst sweeter than sugar read. The story wasn’t bad, but nothing of real significance made the book stand out. I didn’t especially enjoy this portrayal of Darcy, who was overly obtuse. There are grammatical and proofreading issues.
Reviewed in Canada on May 13, 2020
A no angst sweeter than sugar read. The story wasn’t bad, but nothing of real significance made the book stand out. I didn’t especially enjoy this portrayal of Darcy, who was overly obtuse. There are grammatical and proofreading issues.
June 5, 2016
It was well written and enjoyable read, though I found some couples hard to wrap my head around; but they were over before they really began. POV changes mostly between Darcy and Lizzy. The balance between dialog and description is perfect. Georgiana character is the only one that is OOC. she is still sweet and kind but with some backbone. It's definitelywell worth the read.
May 3, 2017
Another Great read by Denise O'Hara
Never disappointed. This book kept me captivated until the end. She keeps the characters just as interesting to read about as in the original. You fall in love with some and still hate others. Might be reading again because I enjoyed it so much.
Never disappointed. This book kept me captivated until the end. She keeps the characters just as interesting to read about as in the original. You fall in love with some and still hate others. Might be reading again because I enjoyed it so much.
June 14, 2016
This was such a great twist on the classic story!! I enjoyed reading how the relationships turned from complicated to romantic. It held my attention from the first to the last word.
November 16, 2017
In this Pride and Prejudice variation, Elizabeth meets Bingley before Jane does. Yet she finds Mr Darcy is a much better fit and she can see how much better Bingley gets along with Jane. In the meantime, Wickham also has a thing for Jane. Our dear couple does have its happily ever after but only after Darcy finds his way to love his dearest Elizabeth (as usual).
November 15, 2016
Not for the Austen fan that needs everything historically accurate. I loved how it started and was eager to see the story progress but it felt a bit ho-hum to me by the end. I think that JAFF fans who prefer everything to work out as "it should be" will like this one more than I did. Still it was a great idea to mix things up this way and I applaud the author's efforts.
Edit: Reread and I have to say that I bumped it up a star. I really liked the Wickham mix-up so much that it needed another star. Plus, short and fun read so that is positive when you need a quick fix.
Edit: Reread and I have to say that I bumped it up a star. I really liked the Wickham mix-up so much that it needed another star. Plus, short and fun read so that is positive when you need a quick fix.
July 16, 2016
Delightful!
By changing some of the timeline a lovely story developed that allowed our beloved couple a smoother road to a happy ending.
I loved the way Georgiana was depicted as a young but confident woman.
An entertaining and fulfilling read.
By changing some of the timeline a lovely story developed that allowed our beloved couple a smoother road to a happy ending.
I loved the way Georgiana was depicted as a young but confident woman.
An entertaining and fulfilling read.
October 3, 2020
Complicated Attachments.
It's a different variation, it kept me entertained, it's amazing how well behaved this Caroline is, she didn't give any problems, I also really liked Georgiana, I also liked the different ending for Lydia and maybe the best, we didn't have to put up with the fool Collins , nor the overbearing Lady Catherine. I recommend to any JAFF fan, it is short and entertaining.
It's a different variation, it kept me entertained, it's amazing how well behaved this Caroline is, she didn't give any problems, I also really liked Georgiana, I also liked the different ending for Lydia and maybe the best, we didn't have to put up with the fool Collins , nor the overbearing Lady Catherine. I recommend to any JAFF fan, it is short and entertaining.
October 7, 2016
This one wasn't my favorite. 2.5 stars rounded up to 3. Many of the characters felt inconsistent to canon, which didn't seem to be part of the variation as advertised, but maybe it was. Maybe the intention was to make a lot of small changes to the canon backstory before launching into the new version of the tale, but it sapped some of the fun of the variation for me. Georgiana was the secondary character that struck me the most, Just weird.
Jane held to her sweet nature for the most part, but having her fall hard for Mr. Wickham's charm made me lose respect for her. I did like to get to see her interacting with Bingley while Elizabeth was sick. That role reversal was fun...though, admittedly, the wit flowing between Elizabeth and Darcy was most of the fun of that section of the original, and it was almost entirely gone. Wickham was weird and inconsistent, too.
I didn't care much for Darcy in this book, unfortunately. Some of the things he says to Elizabeth go over the line from unconscious arrogance to cruelty, and especially because he seems to be saying them partly to get a rise out of her and spark a debate. There's an attempt to make up for them afterward, but it doesn't redeem him in my eyes. It takes work to make his Hunsford proposal seem tame and almost romantic in comparison. And since Elizabeth was somewhat passive and sidelined by Jane's part in the story, I just didn't care that much about their romance.
Jane held to her sweet nature for the most part, but having her fall hard for Mr. Wickham's charm made me lose respect for her. I did like to get to see her interacting with Bingley while Elizabeth was sick. That role reversal was fun...though, admittedly, the wit flowing between Elizabeth and Darcy was most of the fun of that section of the original, and it was almost entirely gone. Wickham was weird and inconsistent, too.
I didn't care much for Darcy in this book, unfortunately. Some of the things he says to Elizabeth go over the line from unconscious arrogance to cruelty, and especially because he seems to be saying them partly to get a rise out of her and spark a debate. There's an attempt to make up for them afterward, but it doesn't redeem him in my eyes. It takes work to make his Hunsford proposal seem tame and almost romantic in comparison. And since Elizabeth was somewhat passive and sidelined by Jane's part in the story, I just didn't care that much about their romance.
February 24, 2022
interesting
A rather interesting and unusual twist in this variation inspired by author Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice by Denise O’Hara.
A rather interesting and unusual twist in this variation inspired by author Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice by Denise O’Hara.
July 31, 2017
This book is dreadful I was temporarily lulled into a delusional state of acceptance because the author created a unique and novel plot twist. In this book Lizzy meets Bingley whilst Jane is meeting the dashing redcoat George Wickham. At the Meryton Assembly Jane dances first with Wickham while Lizzy dances with Bingley. And Darcy flees when he sees Wickham – so he insults everyone equally. And Jane is the recipient of the 'Darcy done me wrong' story from Wickham but it is somewhat less inappropriate because Darcy was there and did react.
Then Lizzy is the Bennet sister who is invited to Netherfield and she walks in the rain [here's the thing, as I see it, Lizzy isn't Jane. If Mrs. Bennet said 'No carriage” then Lizzy would say “I guess I'm not going to be in the path of a man with 5000 a year and Mrs. Bennet would have had that carriage there pronto. It is inconceivable that Lizzy would have walked in a storm; had she set out she would have returned home.]
But she does and she falls ill and Jane comes to nurse her and Jane and Bingley fall in love and Lizzy and Darcy spend time together and Caro warns Jane about Wickham (Netherfield Ball redux) and eventually Jane asks Darcy and he tells her the WHOLE story. So now Darcy, Georgina, Col Fitzwilliam, Bingley, Caroline and Jane know about Georgie's secret... what's next an ad in the Times?
And there is a lovely bit of non editing here where Jane waits for Bingley to leave to see his steward then she talks to (I presume Darcy) but Bingley replies (neat trick) then several paragraphs later Bingley returns. (another neat trick)
Eventually Jane and Lizzy return home and Mr. Bennet tells them that his cousin will be visiting... and he never shows up in the text until the epilogue set more than a year from the Netherfield ball… so did he not come? Who writes a letter and says I will visit in longer than a year....
Fast forward to the Netherfield Ball... well to the planning where Lizzy makes the comment to jane “... would admire you if you attended in overalls and wellington boots” Wellingtons first appeared in 1817 http://historyofboots.blogspot.com/20... My our girls are fashion forward. WTF?
Then at the ball Darcy comes up to Lizzy and delivers what can only be described as a 'set down' he insults her family, her sister's behavior, her mother and her specifically by saying “ It is a pity you were not born to a lady”. When Mrs. Bennet married Mr. Bennet she was elevated by marriage to the gentry so this is beyond the pale. Then he asks her to dance with him … and she does and falls in love with him. Later during the chaos when Lydia and Kitty are teasing the officers Lydia says “Lord I am so fat...all that dancing has worn me out” …. the word is fagged not FAT. And it means she is tired ….
In this universe nothing you can say will tear him away … so Bingley proposes to Jane and she accepts. Then the Bennets make their own dresses, Georgiana arrives and she is the Mary Sue of this book. Georgie isn't very shy, she is besties with Caroline Bingley and she immediately decides she is going to unite her brother & Lizzy. After the wedding of Jane and Bingley Lizzy finds Darcy swimming in Netherfield's pond he chases her and proposes [botched Hunsford style proposal] … and she refuses him. TWO days later... he re-proposes and she accepts.... because …. she has gotten over his insults. And they all live HEA
Then Lizzy is the Bennet sister who is invited to Netherfield and she walks in the rain [here's the thing, as I see it, Lizzy isn't Jane. If Mrs. Bennet said 'No carriage” then Lizzy would say “I guess I'm not going to be in the path of a man with 5000 a year and Mrs. Bennet would have had that carriage there pronto. It is inconceivable that Lizzy would have walked in a storm; had she set out she would have returned home.]
But she does and she falls ill and Jane comes to nurse her and Jane and Bingley fall in love and Lizzy and Darcy spend time together and Caro warns Jane about Wickham (Netherfield Ball redux) and eventually Jane asks Darcy and he tells her the WHOLE story. So now Darcy, Georgina, Col Fitzwilliam, Bingley, Caroline and Jane know about Georgie's secret... what's next an ad in the Times?
And there is a lovely bit of non editing here where Jane waits for Bingley to leave to see his steward then she talks to (I presume Darcy) but Bingley replies (neat trick) then several paragraphs later Bingley returns. (another neat trick)
Eventually Jane and Lizzy return home and Mr. Bennet tells them that his cousin will be visiting... and he never shows up in the text until the epilogue set more than a year from the Netherfield ball… so did he not come? Who writes a letter and says I will visit in longer than a year....
Fast forward to the Netherfield Ball... well to the planning where Lizzy makes the comment to jane “... would admire you if you attended in overalls and wellington boots” Wellingtons first appeared in 1817 http://historyofboots.blogspot.com/20... My our girls are fashion forward. WTF?
Then at the ball Darcy comes up to Lizzy and delivers what can only be described as a 'set down' he insults her family, her sister's behavior, her mother and her specifically by saying “ It is a pity you were not born to a lady”. When Mrs. Bennet married Mr. Bennet she was elevated by marriage to the gentry so this is beyond the pale. Then he asks her to dance with him … and she does and falls in love with him. Later during the chaos when Lydia and Kitty are teasing the officers Lydia says “Lord I am so fat...all that dancing has worn me out” …. the word is fagged not FAT. And it means she is tired ….
In this universe nothing you can say will tear him away … so Bingley proposes to Jane and she accepts. Then the Bennets make their own dresses, Georgiana arrives and she is the Mary Sue of this book. Georgie isn't very shy, she is besties with Caroline Bingley and she immediately decides she is going to unite her brother & Lizzy. After the wedding of Jane and Bingley Lizzy finds Darcy swimming in Netherfield's pond he chases her and proposes [botched Hunsford style proposal] … and she refuses him. TWO days later... he re-proposes and she accepts.... because …. she has gotten over his insults. And they all live HEA
August 10, 2016
Too American
Someone ought to be employed to proofread this author's books and remove all the Americanisms in it. Failing that, I recommend reading books by Georgette Heyer, to learn how they spoke in this era. Aside from that, the book was entertaining and true to the characters, apart from Georgians stating how much she liked Caroline Bingley. A bit more to the story would also not have gone amiss.
Someone ought to be employed to proofread this author's books and remove all the Americanisms in it. Failing that, I recommend reading books by Georgette Heyer, to learn how they spoke in this era. Aside from that, the book was entertaining and true to the characters, apart from Georgians stating how much she liked Caroline Bingley. A bit more to the story would also not have gone amiss.
November 2, 2016
This was a cute book, the characters were true to how Austen write them. My only complaint is that some of the key events were almost exactly like the movie adaptations (Colin Firth wet shirt /Matthew McFayden walk in the midst) that took away from the stories uniqueness.
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