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The Bennet Wardrobe #4
Lizzy Bennet Meets the Countess
The universe was shaken once again on Midsummer’s Day in 1801. The Bennet Wardrobe’s door to the future was opened in the bookroom at Longbourn. This time the most impertinent Bennet of them all, Elizabeth, tumbled through the gateway. Except she left not as the grown women with whom readers have become so familiar, but rather as a ten-year-old girl who had been playing a simple game of hide-and-seek.
Which Where/When was her destination? What needs could a young girl, only beginning to learn to make her way in the Regency, have that could be answered only by the Wardrobe? Or were the requirements of another Bennet, one who began as younger, but had aged into a beautiful, confident leader of Society, the prime movers behind Lizzy’s journey? Is the enigmatic Lady Kate the force that shaped the destiny of Lizzy and her younger sisters left back in Hertfordshire? How do the visions of the future brought home by young Lizzy help shape her world?
Answers to these and other questions raised in the Bennet Wardrobe Series can be found in Lizzy Bennet Meets the Countess. This is a medium-length novella (41,000 words) that considers a slice of time between the end of The Exile: Kitty Bennet and the Belle Époque in 1892 (Volume 2 of the Bennet Wardrobe) and the beginning of Henry Fitzwilliam’s War in 1915. And, after Lizzy is transported back to that bucolic summer day in 1801 proto-industrial Great Britain, Lizzy Bennet Meets the Countess will carry all readers forward to what may be considered the greatest writers’ workshop in history. T’was at the legendary Villa Diodati on the shores of Lake Geneva that Lord Byron gathered Mary Godwin (Frankenstein), John Polidori (The Vampyre) and Percy Bysshe Shelley for a vacation during the Year Without Summer. Oh, Fitzwilliam Darcy and his wife, Elizabeth, were there to act as catalysts that would transform vague ideas into timeless speculative fiction.
Which Where/When was her destination? What needs could a young girl, only beginning to learn to make her way in the Regency, have that could be answered only by the Wardrobe? Or were the requirements of another Bennet, one who began as younger, but had aged into a beautiful, confident leader of Society, the prime movers behind Lizzy’s journey? Is the enigmatic Lady Kate the force that shaped the destiny of Lizzy and her younger sisters left back in Hertfordshire? How do the visions of the future brought home by young Lizzy help shape her world?
Answers to these and other questions raised in the Bennet Wardrobe Series can be found in Lizzy Bennet Meets the Countess. This is a medium-length novella (41,000 words) that considers a slice of time between the end of The Exile: Kitty Bennet and the Belle Époque in 1892 (Volume 2 of the Bennet Wardrobe) and the beginning of Henry Fitzwilliam’s War in 1915. And, after Lizzy is transported back to that bucolic summer day in 1801 proto-industrial Great Britain, Lizzy Bennet Meets the Countess will carry all readers forward to what may be considered the greatest writers’ workshop in history. T’was at the legendary Villa Diodati on the shores of Lake Geneva that Lord Byron gathered Mary Godwin (Frankenstein), John Polidori (The Vampyre) and Percy Bysshe Shelley for a vacation during the Year Without Summer. Oh, Fitzwilliam Darcy and his wife, Elizabeth, were there to act as catalysts that would transform vague ideas into timeless speculative fiction.
157 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2017
23 people are currently reading
46 people want to read
About the author
Don Jacobson
22 books111 followersDon Jacobson has written professionally for forty years. His output has ranged from news and features to advertising, television, and radio. His work has been nominated for Emmys and other awards. He has previously published five books, all non-fiction.
He now exclusively writes Austenesque fiction. In 2016, he published The Keeper: Mary Bennet’s Extraordinary Journey which began the Bennet Wardrobe saga.
Subsequent books in the series include:
Henry Fitzwilliam's War (e-novelette) (2016)
The Exile: Kitty Bennet and the Belle Epoch (2017)
Lizzy Bennet Meets the Countess (2017)
The Exile: The countess Visits Longbourn (2018)
The Avenger: Thomas Bennet and a Father's Lament (2018)
The Pilgrim: Lydia Bennet and a Soldier's Portion (2019)
The Grail: The Saving of Elizabeth Darcy (2022)
His entry in the North and South Anthology...Falling for Mr. Thornton entitled Cinders and Smokewas released in November 2019.
In 2018, he also published Lessers and Betters a novel-length Pride and Prejudice variation which contains the paired novellas Of Fortune's Reversal and The Maid and The Footman. These two works examine the same event (the mysterious attack on Kitty Bennet in Hyde Park on Guy Fawkes Day 1815) from two different perspectives: that of the gentry and that of the servants.
Meryton Press published two of his books in 2020--In Plain Sight (June) and The Longbourn Quarantine (August). Meryton Press also agreed to republish his entire self-published catalog (The Bennet Wardrobe series and Lessers and Betters) throughout 2021.
Meryton Press has published new editions of all of the Bennet Wardrobe books.
Jacobson holds an advanced degree in History with a specialty in American Foreign Relations. As a college instructor, Don taught United States History, World History, the History of Western Civilization and Research Writing.
He is a member of the Jane Austen Society of North America. He is also a member of the Regency Romance writers' collective Austen Authors.
He lives in Las Vegas, NV with his wife and co-author, Pam ( Roadcookin': A long-haul driver's guide to healthy eating), a woman Ms. Austen would have been hard-pressed to categorize, and their rather assertive four-and-twenty pound cat, Bear. Besides thoroughly immersing himself in the JAFF world, Don also enjoys cooking (Poulet au vinaigre is a particular favorite), dining out, fine wine, and well-aged scotch whiskey (Glenmorangie 18-Year-Old single malt--the water of life).
His other passion is cycling. Most days from April through October will find him “putting in the miles”. He has ridden several “centuries” (100 mile days). Don is especially proud that he successfully completed the AIDS Ride—Midwest (500 miles from Minneapolis to Chicago) and the Make-A-Wish Miracle Ride (300 miles from Traverse City, MI to Brooklyn, MI).
He now exclusively writes Austenesque fiction. In 2016, he published The Keeper: Mary Bennet’s Extraordinary Journey which began the Bennet Wardrobe saga.
Subsequent books in the series include:
Henry Fitzwilliam's War (e-novelette) (2016)
The Exile: Kitty Bennet and the Belle Epoch (2017)
Lizzy Bennet Meets the Countess (2017)
The Exile: The countess Visits Longbourn (2018)
The Avenger: Thomas Bennet and a Father's Lament (2018)
The Pilgrim: Lydia Bennet and a Soldier's Portion (2019)
The Grail: The Saving of Elizabeth Darcy (2022)
His entry in the North and South Anthology...Falling for Mr. Thornton entitled Cinders and Smokewas released in November 2019.
In 2018, he also published Lessers and Betters a novel-length Pride and Prejudice variation which contains the paired novellas Of Fortune's Reversal and The Maid and The Footman. These two works examine the same event (the mysterious attack on Kitty Bennet in Hyde Park on Guy Fawkes Day 1815) from two different perspectives: that of the gentry and that of the servants.
Meryton Press published two of his books in 2020--In Plain Sight (June) and The Longbourn Quarantine (August). Meryton Press also agreed to republish his entire self-published catalog (The Bennet Wardrobe series and Lessers and Betters) throughout 2021.
Meryton Press has published new editions of all of the Bennet Wardrobe books.
Jacobson holds an advanced degree in History with a specialty in American Foreign Relations. As a college instructor, Don taught United States History, World History, the History of Western Civilization and Research Writing.
He is a member of the Jane Austen Society of North America. He is also a member of the Regency Romance writers' collective Austen Authors.
He lives in Las Vegas, NV with his wife and co-author, Pam ( Roadcookin': A long-haul driver's guide to healthy eating), a woman Ms. Austen would have been hard-pressed to categorize, and their rather assertive four-and-twenty pound cat, Bear. Besides thoroughly immersing himself in the JAFF world, Don also enjoys cooking (Poulet au vinaigre is a particular favorite), dining out, fine wine, and well-aged scotch whiskey (Glenmorangie 18-Year-Old single malt--the water of life).
His other passion is cycling. Most days from April through October will find him “putting in the miles”. He has ridden several “centuries” (100 mile days). Don is especially proud that he successfully completed the AIDS Ride—Midwest (500 miles from Minneapolis to Chicago) and the Make-A-Wish Miracle Ride (300 miles from Traverse City, MI to Brooklyn, MI).
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
October 2, 2017
Another piece to the puzzle is unlocked in this highly imaginative tale of the Bennet Wardrobe. I recommend you start from the beginning with 'The Keeper', 'Henry Fitzwilliam's War' and 'Kitty Bennet and the Belle Epoque before reading this one. All of these novels/novellas build on each other, as they weave together the magic of the Bennet Wardrobe.
This window into Lizzy's adventure with the Wardrobe truly shows the reader, that regardless of age, it sends you where you are needed or where you need to be. The innocent, but precocious, Lizzy Bennet finds herself seeking a hiding place in the age old game of hide-and-seek. She determines that the Wardrobe in her father's library is just the place. Little does she know, that she will be thrust into a future so foreign that only dreams remain from her journey. Dreams that will have impact on others in the years yet to come.
I was again captured by this beautifully written tale of Lizzy as a child experiencing a world so unknown to her. Her sense of self and those she met added a more mystical realm of magic to the story. It also gave a small but very needed moment in time to another. Later, when married to Mr. Darcy and bereft of a loss so personal, your emotions pour forth. What I found so fascinating, were the nuggets of historical characters, history and myths of legends so seamlessly woven into this novella.
I again highly recommend this 'capsule in time' in the on-going saga of the Bennet Wardrobe.
This window into Lizzy's adventure with the Wardrobe truly shows the reader, that regardless of age, it sends you where you are needed or where you need to be. The innocent, but precocious, Lizzy Bennet finds herself seeking a hiding place in the age old game of hide-and-seek. She determines that the Wardrobe in her father's library is just the place. Little does she know, that she will be thrust into a future so foreign that only dreams remain from her journey. Dreams that will have impact on others in the years yet to come.
I was again captured by this beautifully written tale of Lizzy as a child experiencing a world so unknown to her. Her sense of self and those she met added a more mystical realm of magic to the story. It also gave a small but very needed moment in time to another. Later, when married to Mr. Darcy and bereft of a loss so personal, your emotions pour forth. What I found so fascinating, were the nuggets of historical characters, history and myths of legends so seamlessly woven into this novella.
I again highly recommend this 'capsule in time' in the on-going saga of the Bennet Wardrobe.
October 16, 2017
Love this inventive series!
September 30, 2017
3.5 rounded up to 4 stars
There are two separate stories here with incidents from two very different phases of Elizabeth Bennet's life.
The first is the title story, and Lizzy Bennet is only 10 years old. In a game of hide-and-seek with her sisters and friends, she innocently decides the magical wardrobe would be a great place to hide. The wardrobe whisks her from Longbourn in 1801 to Matlock House in London in the year 1907 as soon as she touches it. There she meets Jacques and Maggie Robard, to whom readers have been introduced in this author's The Exile: Kitty Bennet and the Belle Epoque. Eventually Lizzy is brought to France and spends time with Henry and Kate Fitzwilliam, the current Earl and Countess of Matlock. While she is never told her exact relationship to "Aunt Kate," Lizzy is an unusually insightful child and senses they have met before. The Countess, much as she cherishes this much-desired connection with her past, knows that Lizzy has a special destiny that can only be fulfilled if she returns to her own time quickly.
The second tale is after Elizabeth and Darcy have married. She has suffered a miscarriage and subsequent depression, which she has mostly recovered from. Vacationing in France, the couple encounters a British party composed of Lord Byron, Dr. John Polidori, Claire Clairmont (Byron's mistress), Percy Shelley and Mary Godwin (daughter of Mary Wollstonecraft). They all travel together to Switzerland on Lake Geneva at the Villa Diodati. This estate, shown on the book cover for Lizzy Bennet Meets the Countess: A Bennet Wardrobe Novella, is where Byron famously suggested that everyone write a horror story and share their efforts. Mary Godwin, probably the least likely of the five, came up with Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus, which won the contest handily. While Mr. and Mrs. Darcy do not participate, Elizabeth is shown to have fired Mary's imagination to create such a horrifying story. Unfortunately, Elizabeth also has a relapse of her paralyzing grief over her lost child.
Mr. Jacobson writes beautifully and elegantly. I love how little Lizzy is shown to be amazingly precocious, and also the relationship she immediately forges with Aunt Kate. In the second story, Elizabeth Darcy is more than a match for the egocentric Lord Byron. It's also clear how much Darcy dotes on her and wants to protect her. Elizabeth's relationship with Mary Godwin is developed nicely, too.
The situations the author creates here are very interesting, and I've read enough of his books now that I'm fully invested in his "Bennet wardrobe universe." I do suspect it may be difficult to read this as a stand-alone, even with the extensive explanation of the rules by which the wardrobe performs its magic for the Five Families.
I do find some distracting historical references sprinkled about. I understand the author's desire to put his characters in the context of the times into which they're thrown, but some are tangents rather than integral to the plot. Unfortunately, if a reader is not familiar with these references, it disrupts the reading experience to go to the footnotes and it leads to a sense of being "left out" if the explanation isn't read immediately. For example, two boys in the first story, Maxie and Tommy, consider themselves like Mowgli and Bagheera after attending Lord Baden-Powell's camp for boys. I recognized the names, but I wonder how many won't know that these are characters from Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book. And I'd never heard of Baden-Powell at all. Those who love a lot of historical deets may eat this stuff up, but I admit I'm NOT a history buff. There are 65 footnotes in all. Some are important, while others are unnecessary for the primary story.
Overall, if you've already read and enjoyed other books in Mr. Jacobson's Bennet Wardrobe series, you will certainly enjoy this one.
There are two separate stories here with incidents from two very different phases of Elizabeth Bennet's life.
The first is the title story, and Lizzy Bennet is only 10 years old. In a game of hide-and-seek with her sisters and friends, she innocently decides the magical wardrobe would be a great place to hide. The wardrobe whisks her from Longbourn in 1801 to Matlock House in London in the year 1907 as soon as she touches it. There she meets Jacques and Maggie Robard, to whom readers have been introduced in this author's The Exile: Kitty Bennet and the Belle Epoque. Eventually Lizzy is brought to France and spends time with Henry and Kate Fitzwilliam, the current Earl and Countess of Matlock. While she is never told her exact relationship to "Aunt Kate," Lizzy is an unusually insightful child and senses they have met before. The Countess, much as she cherishes this much-desired connection with her past, knows that Lizzy has a special destiny that can only be fulfilled if she returns to her own time quickly.
The second tale is after Elizabeth and Darcy have married. She has suffered a miscarriage and subsequent depression, which she has mostly recovered from. Vacationing in France, the couple encounters a British party composed of Lord Byron, Dr. John Polidori, Claire Clairmont (Byron's mistress), Percy Shelley and Mary Godwin (daughter of Mary Wollstonecraft). They all travel together to Switzerland on Lake Geneva at the Villa Diodati. This estate, shown on the book cover for Lizzy Bennet Meets the Countess: A Bennet Wardrobe Novella, is where Byron famously suggested that everyone write a horror story and share their efforts. Mary Godwin, probably the least likely of the five, came up with Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus, which won the contest handily. While Mr. and Mrs. Darcy do not participate, Elizabeth is shown to have fired Mary's imagination to create such a horrifying story. Unfortunately, Elizabeth also has a relapse of her paralyzing grief over her lost child.
Mr. Jacobson writes beautifully and elegantly. I love how little Lizzy is shown to be amazingly precocious, and also the relationship she immediately forges with Aunt Kate. In the second story, Elizabeth Darcy is more than a match for the egocentric Lord Byron. It's also clear how much Darcy dotes on her and wants to protect her. Elizabeth's relationship with Mary Godwin is developed nicely, too.
The situations the author creates here are very interesting, and I've read enough of his books now that I'm fully invested in his "Bennet wardrobe universe." I do suspect it may be difficult to read this as a stand-alone, even with the extensive explanation of the rules by which the wardrobe performs its magic for the Five Families.
I do find some distracting historical references sprinkled about. I understand the author's desire to put his characters in the context of the times into which they're thrown, but some are tangents rather than integral to the plot. Unfortunately, if a reader is not familiar with these references, it disrupts the reading experience to go to the footnotes and it leads to a sense of being "left out" if the explanation isn't read immediately. For example, two boys in the first story, Maxie and Tommy, consider themselves like Mowgli and Bagheera after attending Lord Baden-Powell's camp for boys. I recognized the names, but I wonder how many won't know that these are characters from Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book. And I'd never heard of Baden-Powell at all. Those who love a lot of historical deets may eat this stuff up, but I admit I'm NOT a history buff. There are 65 footnotes in all. Some are important, while others are unnecessary for the primary story.
Overall, if you've already read and enjoyed other books in Mr. Jacobson's Bennet Wardrobe series, you will certainly enjoy this one.
August 5, 2018
I had the delicious pleasure of continuing my audio voyage through the Bennet Wardrobe series narrated by the delightful Amanda Berry with a couple novellas tucked in between the two halves of The Exile part of the Bennet Wardrobe story.
I glanced back through my first impression of this book when I read it in electronic version and discovered that my thoughts and reactions to the story itself were unaltered. I'm going to provide a 'cut and paste' of the original review and add my thoughts on the narration work.
A delightful interlude in the Bennet Wardrobe series with Elizabeth Bennet, in her youth and as mature woman, being the central figure.
Lizzy Bennet Meets the Countess falls between The two parts of The Exile and does not make for a good place to begin the series nor should it be read before The Exile: Kitty Bennet and the Belle Epoque.
This is a pair of novellas highlighting Lizzy Bennet at two different times in her life.
The first tells the story of precocious ten year old Lizzy getting a time travel experience through the wardrobe. The focus is Lizzy and yet the story is a heartwarming follow-up (yes, the one I wished for after reading The Exile vol. one- wish granted) with Kitty (or rather Lady Kate as she is known in her modern times), Henry, Maggie, Jacques and their children on summer holiday. I loved this peek-in on their lives and felt the bittersweet tang of Kitty being with her older sister, but not being able to act as more as a distant aunt. I will say, I found this version of a ten year old girl, educated or not, had the mature thinking and processing that rivaled a Mensa child. I let it go and went with it because I was enjoying the story.
The second story takes the reader into Lizzy's married years with Darcy. Sadly, they have lost a child and Lizzy's grief is overwhelming so Darcy takes her on a trip to the Continent. The pair encounter Byron, Pollidori, Shelley, and Goddard in their famous meeting by Lake Geneva that generated such fantastic classic literature. Lizzy is despondent, but in her despair, she fuels the creative mind of the woman who would write Frankenstein. It's a sad, poignant tale with gothic overtones that I found diverting as I love the old classic Frankenstein and it was a reminder that I never have encountered Pollidori's The Vampyre yet.
Audio format has the ability to make me feel more and that was the case with this version of Lizzy Bennet Meets the Countess. The first story was sweet and had a cuteness that left me smiling. Amanda Berry captured the sisters and the others so well. The second story hit me emotionally with Lizzy and Darcy's loss and their travels to help heal. I found the setting fascinating and the famous literary people there equally so, but it was the pathos of the Darcys' situation that remained the draw for me. Again, Ms. Berry was something else and carried the book from very good to even better.
So, this was a fast listen of these two stories and engaging for a fan of the series leading up to the second part of Kitty's story. The stories were very different in tone. I was drawn to the first one by my fixation on Kitty and Henry, but I thought they were both well worth the read. Again, I gently urge Austenesque lovers to give this fabulous and unique time travel series a try.
I glanced back through my first impression of this book when I read it in electronic version and discovered that my thoughts and reactions to the story itself were unaltered. I'm going to provide a 'cut and paste' of the original review and add my thoughts on the narration work.
A delightful interlude in the Bennet Wardrobe series with Elizabeth Bennet, in her youth and as mature woman, being the central figure.
Lizzy Bennet Meets the Countess falls between The two parts of The Exile and does not make for a good place to begin the series nor should it be read before The Exile: Kitty Bennet and the Belle Epoque.
This is a pair of novellas highlighting Lizzy Bennet at two different times in her life.
The first tells the story of precocious ten year old Lizzy getting a time travel experience through the wardrobe. The focus is Lizzy and yet the story is a heartwarming follow-up (yes, the one I wished for after reading The Exile vol. one- wish granted) with Kitty (or rather Lady Kate as she is known in her modern times), Henry, Maggie, Jacques and their children on summer holiday. I loved this peek-in on their lives and felt the bittersweet tang of Kitty being with her older sister, but not being able to act as more as a distant aunt. I will say, I found this version of a ten year old girl, educated or not, had the mature thinking and processing that rivaled a Mensa child. I let it go and went with it because I was enjoying the story.
The second story takes the reader into Lizzy's married years with Darcy. Sadly, they have lost a child and Lizzy's grief is overwhelming so Darcy takes her on a trip to the Continent. The pair encounter Byron, Pollidori, Shelley, and Goddard in their famous meeting by Lake Geneva that generated such fantastic classic literature. Lizzy is despondent, but in her despair, she fuels the creative mind of the woman who would write Frankenstein. It's a sad, poignant tale with gothic overtones that I found diverting as I love the old classic Frankenstein and it was a reminder that I never have encountered Pollidori's The Vampyre yet.
Audio format has the ability to make me feel more and that was the case with this version of Lizzy Bennet Meets the Countess. The first story was sweet and had a cuteness that left me smiling. Amanda Berry captured the sisters and the others so well. The second story hit me emotionally with Lizzy and Darcy's loss and their travels to help heal. I found the setting fascinating and the famous literary people there equally so, but it was the pathos of the Darcys' situation that remained the draw for me. Again, Ms. Berry was something else and carried the book from very good to even better.
So, this was a fast listen of these two stories and engaging for a fan of the series leading up to the second part of Kitty's story. The stories were very different in tone. I was drawn to the first one by my fixation on Kitty and Henry, but I thought they were both well worth the read. Again, I gently urge Austenesque lovers to give this fabulous and unique time travel series a try.
October 4, 2017
A dazzling kaleidoscopic tapestry of all the major events spanning two centuries. The Wardrobe series weaves the rich Bennet Family history through a series of impossible “coincidences,” leaving the reader to gasp in appreciation for the masterful hand that finally formed all the connections. Each new offering brings the full narrative into sharper focus, and in Lizzy Bennet Meets the Countess , Jacobsen tightens the details of his complex universe and draws his artistry nearer its pinnacle.
April 21, 2019
Precocious Young Lizzy Wanders Into the Future!
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Note: Lizzy Bennet Meets the Countess is the fourth installment in The Bennet Wardrobe series, and it is recommended that readers read The Keeper: Mary Bennet’s Extraordinary Adventure, Henry Fitzwilliam’s War, and The Exile: Kitty Bennet and the Belle Époque prior to reading the Lizzy Bennet Meets the Countess.
For those who are unfamiliar with The Bennet Wardrobe series, it is an inventive and engaging series filled with time-traveling Bennets, who are able to travel forward in time – thanks to the magical properties of a specially-crafted wardrobe that has been in the family since the late 1700s. In the first few books of the series there is a focus on Mary, Kitty, and Lydia Bennet and what happens to them post Pride and Prejudice. However, this two-part novella focuses more on Elizabeth and features two significant times in her life.
The first part of this novella, “Through the Looking Glass” illustrates what happens when Lizzy makes accidental use of The Bennet Wardrobe during a game of hide-and-seek (can you blame her, it is a perfect hiding spot!) The Wardrobe brings ten-year-old Lizzy to the year 1907 (talk about a startling change!), and Lizzy makes the acquaintance of Jacques and Maggie Robard from The Exile, and encounters several relations that would be hers and her family’s descendants – including someone very near and dear to her. I loved seeing Lizzy’s adventures in the future, I’m so glad she got to use the the Wardrobe (Finally! I’ve been waiting!) And I thought Don Jacobson wonderfully captured what Lizzy would be like at such a young age and what her thoughts would be of all the modern inventions and changes she witnesses. Young Lizzy was delightfully precocious, inquisitive, and unsurprisingly wise beyond her years.
The second part of this novella, “Finding Prometheus” takes place in 1816 when Darcy and Elizabeth are in the midst of their travels across Europe. After a chance encounter with Lord Byron and his traveling companions, the Darcys end up accepting Byron’s invitation to spend some time with them in Lake Geneva at the Villa Diodati. What I loved most about this part of the story was Elizabeth’s blossoming friendship with Mary Godwin (Percy Shelley’s future wife), and witnessing Elizabeth’s emotions as she continues to heal from a heartbreaking event a few months back. In addition, I appreciated how this portion of the story tied into real history, as this gathering of literary greats really did take place in Lake Geneva in 1816, and Mary Godwin really did began writing what would eventually become her full-fledged novel, Frankenstein; or the Modern Prometheus during this time. What an interesting encounter for all involved!
I loved how this two part novella paid tribute to two diverse classic works of literature – Alice in Wonderland and Frankenstein! And I enjoyed how the themes of each – whether they be absurdities and exploration or questions about life and science – were creatively woven together into the fabric of this tale. In addition, I greatly appreciated how the events of this story tied into the history of the Bennet family and the other novels of this series. My only quibble would be that I still have some unanswered questions about Lizzy’s experience/understanding of the Bennet Wardrobe. (Maybe I need to reread parts of The Keeper for my answers…) Lastly, I love that Mr. Jacobson included a Preface and an excerpt from The Keeper: Mary Bennet’s Extraordinary Adventure to help set up the events of this tale. However, I do think a list of dramatis personae to easily reference would be a wonderful addition to these books as more characters are introduced in each tale.
In Lizzy Bennet Meets the Countess, Don Jacobson takes readers on another captivating adventure with the The Bennet Wardrobe that continues to augment the complex and fascinating history he is building for the Bennet family. I recommend this series to readers who love imaginative stories about time-travel and the idea of Jane Austen’s beloved characters encountering other literary characters and historical figures!
Austenesque Reviews
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Note: Lizzy Bennet Meets the Countess is the fourth installment in The Bennet Wardrobe series, and it is recommended that readers read The Keeper: Mary Bennet’s Extraordinary Adventure, Henry Fitzwilliam’s War, and The Exile: Kitty Bennet and the Belle Époque prior to reading the Lizzy Bennet Meets the Countess.
For those who are unfamiliar with The Bennet Wardrobe series, it is an inventive and engaging series filled with time-traveling Bennets, who are able to travel forward in time – thanks to the magical properties of a specially-crafted wardrobe that has been in the family since the late 1700s. In the first few books of the series there is a focus on Mary, Kitty, and Lydia Bennet and what happens to them post Pride and Prejudice. However, this two-part novella focuses more on Elizabeth and features two significant times in her life.
The first part of this novella, “Through the Looking Glass” illustrates what happens when Lizzy makes accidental use of The Bennet Wardrobe during a game of hide-and-seek (can you blame her, it is a perfect hiding spot!) The Wardrobe brings ten-year-old Lizzy to the year 1907 (talk about a startling change!), and Lizzy makes the acquaintance of Jacques and Maggie Robard from The Exile, and encounters several relations that would be hers and her family’s descendants – including someone very near and dear to her. I loved seeing Lizzy’s adventures in the future, I’m so glad she got to use the the Wardrobe (Finally! I’ve been waiting!) And I thought Don Jacobson wonderfully captured what Lizzy would be like at such a young age and what her thoughts would be of all the modern inventions and changes she witnesses. Young Lizzy was delightfully precocious, inquisitive, and unsurprisingly wise beyond her years.
The second part of this novella, “Finding Prometheus” takes place in 1816 when Darcy and Elizabeth are in the midst of their travels across Europe. After a chance encounter with Lord Byron and his traveling companions, the Darcys end up accepting Byron’s invitation to spend some time with them in Lake Geneva at the Villa Diodati. What I loved most about this part of the story was Elizabeth’s blossoming friendship with Mary Godwin (Percy Shelley’s future wife), and witnessing Elizabeth’s emotions as she continues to heal from a heartbreaking event a few months back. In addition, I appreciated how this portion of the story tied into real history, as this gathering of literary greats really did take place in Lake Geneva in 1816, and Mary Godwin really did began writing what would eventually become her full-fledged novel, Frankenstein; or the Modern Prometheus during this time. What an interesting encounter for all involved!
I loved how this two part novella paid tribute to two diverse classic works of literature – Alice in Wonderland and Frankenstein! And I enjoyed how the themes of each – whether they be absurdities and exploration or questions about life and science – were creatively woven together into the fabric of this tale. In addition, I greatly appreciated how the events of this story tied into the history of the Bennet family and the other novels of this series. My only quibble would be that I still have some unanswered questions about Lizzy’s experience/understanding of the Bennet Wardrobe. (Maybe I need to reread parts of The Keeper for my answers…) Lastly, I love that Mr. Jacobson included a Preface and an excerpt from The Keeper: Mary Bennet’s Extraordinary Adventure to help set up the events of this tale. However, I do think a list of dramatis personae to easily reference would be a wonderful addition to these books as more characters are introduced in each tale.
In Lizzy Bennet Meets the Countess, Don Jacobson takes readers on another captivating adventure with the The Bennet Wardrobe that continues to augment the complex and fascinating history he is building for the Bennet family. I recommend this series to readers who love imaginative stories about time-travel and the idea of Jane Austen’s beloved characters encountering other literary characters and historical figures!
Austenesque Reviews
November 9, 2021
Another piece to the puzzle is unlocked in this highly imaginative tale of the Bennet Wardrobe. I recommend you start from the beginning with 'The Keeper', 'Henry Fitzwilliam's War' and 'Kitty Bennet and the Belle Epoque before reading this one. All of these novels/novellas build on each other, as they weave together the magic of the Bennet Wardrobe. They all have been re-edited and re-published under the Meryton Press banner. I have received an updated Kindle version, however, I do own the original paperback.
This window into Lizzy's adventure with the Wardrobe truly shows the reader, that regardless of age, it sends you where you are needed or where you need to be. The innocent, but precocious, Lizzy Bennet finds herself seeking a hiding place in the age old game of hide-and-seek. She determines that the Wardrobe in her father's library is just the place. Little does she know, that she will be thrust into a future so foreign that only dreams remain from her journey. Dreams that will have impact on others in the years yet to come.
"Good day, sir. I am afraid you have me at a disadvantage as I am unaware of my location and the time of day. As there is nobody else in the room to properly introduce us, I imagine that I must be forward." (quote from the book)
I was again captured by this beautifully written tale of Lizzy as a child experiencing a world so unknown to her. Her sense of self and those she met added a more mystical realm of magic to the story. It also gave a small but very needed moment in time to another. Later, when married to Mr. Darcy and bereft of a loss so personal, your emotions pour forth. What I found so fascinating, were the nuggets of historical characters, history and myths of legends so seamlessly woven into this novella.
I again highly recommend this 'capsule in time' in the on-going saga of the Bennet Wardrobe.
This window into Lizzy's adventure with the Wardrobe truly shows the reader, that regardless of age, it sends you where you are needed or where you need to be. The innocent, but precocious, Lizzy Bennet finds herself seeking a hiding place in the age old game of hide-and-seek. She determines that the Wardrobe in her father's library is just the place. Little does she know, that she will be thrust into a future so foreign that only dreams remain from her journey. Dreams that will have impact on others in the years yet to come.
"Good day, sir. I am afraid you have me at a disadvantage as I am unaware of my location and the time of day. As there is nobody else in the room to properly introduce us, I imagine that I must be forward." (quote from the book)
I was again captured by this beautifully written tale of Lizzy as a child experiencing a world so unknown to her. Her sense of self and those she met added a more mystical realm of magic to the story. It also gave a small but very needed moment in time to another. Later, when married to Mr. Darcy and bereft of a loss so personal, your emotions pour forth. What I found so fascinating, were the nuggets of historical characters, history and myths of legends so seamlessly woven into this novella.
I again highly recommend this 'capsule in time' in the on-going saga of the Bennet Wardrobe.
April 2, 2018
A delightful interlude in the Bennet Wardrobe series with Elizabeth Bennet, in her youth and as mature woman, being the central figure.
Lizzy Bennet Meets the Countess falls between The two parts of The Exile and does not make for a good place to begin the series nor should it be read before The Exile: Kitty Bennet and the Belle Epoque.
This is a pair of novellas highlighting Lizzy Bennet at two different times in her life.
The first tells the story of precocious ten year old Lizzy getting a time travel experience through the wardrobe. The focus is Lizzy and yet the story is a heartwarming follow-up (yes, the one I wished for after reading The Exile vol. one- wish granted) with Kitty (or rather Lady Kate as she is known in her modern times), Henry, Maggie, Jacques and their children on summer holiday. I loved this peek-in on their lives and felt the bittersweet tang of Kitty being with her older sister, but not being able to act as more as a distant aunt. I will say, I found this version of a ten year old girl, educated or not, had the mature thinking and processing that rivaled a Mensa child. I let it go and went with it because I was enjoying the story.
The second story takes the reader into Lizzy's married years with Darcy. Sadly, they have lost a child and Lizzy's grief is overwhelming so Darcy takes her on a trip to the Continent. The pair encounter Byron, Pollidori, Shelley, and Goddard in their famous meeting by Lake Geneva that generated such fantastic classic literature. Lizzy is despondent, but in her despair, she fuels the creative mind of the woman who would write Frankenstein. It's a sad, poignant tale with gothic overtones that I found diverting as I love the old classic Frankenstein and it was a reminder that I never have encountered Pollidori's The Vampyre yet.
So, this was a fast read of these two stories and engaging for a fan of the series leading up to the second part of Kitty's story. The stories were very different in tone. I was drawn to the first one by my fixation on Kitty and Henry, but I thought they were both well worth the read. Again, I gently urge Austenesque lovers to give this fabulous and unique time travel series a try.
My thanks to the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Lizzy Bennet Meets the Countess falls between The two parts of The Exile and does not make for a good place to begin the series nor should it be read before The Exile: Kitty Bennet and the Belle Epoque.
This is a pair of novellas highlighting Lizzy Bennet at two different times in her life.
The first tells the story of precocious ten year old Lizzy getting a time travel experience through the wardrobe. The focus is Lizzy and yet the story is a heartwarming follow-up (yes, the one I wished for after reading The Exile vol. one- wish granted) with Kitty (or rather Lady Kate as she is known in her modern times), Henry, Maggie, Jacques and their children on summer holiday. I loved this peek-in on their lives and felt the bittersweet tang of Kitty being with her older sister, but not being able to act as more as a distant aunt. I will say, I found this version of a ten year old girl, educated or not, had the mature thinking and processing that rivaled a Mensa child. I let it go and went with it because I was enjoying the story.
The second story takes the reader into Lizzy's married years with Darcy. Sadly, they have lost a child and Lizzy's grief is overwhelming so Darcy takes her on a trip to the Continent. The pair encounter Byron, Pollidori, Shelley, and Goddard in their famous meeting by Lake Geneva that generated such fantastic classic literature. Lizzy is despondent, but in her despair, she fuels the creative mind of the woman who would write Frankenstein. It's a sad, poignant tale with gothic overtones that I found diverting as I love the old classic Frankenstein and it was a reminder that I never have encountered Pollidori's The Vampyre yet.
So, this was a fast read of these two stories and engaging for a fan of the series leading up to the second part of Kitty's story. The stories were very different in tone. I was drawn to the first one by my fixation on Kitty and Henry, but I thought they were both well worth the read. Again, I gently urge Austenesque lovers to give this fabulous and unique time travel series a try.
My thanks to the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 29, 2017
So many secrets! My heart went out to the Countess in that she is cast in dual roles but CANNOT reveal her "dual" identity to her "older" sister who shows up at age ten unexpectedly after deciding to use "The Wardrobe" as a hiding place during a game of hide-and-seek. Lizzy is very intelligent and soon puts together almost all the pieces. But she doesn't learn at this point just who the Countess is. However, she can't stay in the future world; too much depends on her meeting and marrying Fitzwilliam Darcy.
And then we meet her again as an adult who has miscarried and fallen into the consuming throes of post partum depression. The meeting with and then vacationing in the Alps with literary and society leaders, including Byron and his lover and his doctor, brings some relief for Elizabeth and a long lasting friendship allows her to be one of the first to know of how Frankenstein came to be written.
I must say one of the drawbacks in awarding this book 5 stars is the fact that there are so many characters mentioned that I would have appreciated a list of characters to be given in the introduction. My memory is not that good and with time travel, marrying, offspring, etc. I had to choose between staying with the flow of the story or stopping and looking at the family tree provided with a previous book. I chose to continue reading.
And then we meet her again as an adult who has miscarried and fallen into the consuming throes of post partum depression. The meeting with and then vacationing in the Alps with literary and society leaders, including Byron and his lover and his doctor, brings some relief for Elizabeth and a long lasting friendship allows her to be one of the first to know of how Frankenstein came to be written.
I must say one of the drawbacks in awarding this book 5 stars is the fact that there are so many characters mentioned that I would have appreciated a list of characters to be given in the introduction. My memory is not that good and with time travel, marrying, offspring, etc. I had to choose between staying with the flow of the story or stopping and looking at the family tree provided with a previous book. I chose to continue reading.
July 19, 2018
Avid Reader
I have just completed the fourth book in this series. Elizabeth and Mary Shelley suffered miscarriages, but Mary appears to understand how to keep from drowning in despair and depression. I loved the way Elizabeth sent Lord Byron running from the room.
I have just completed the fourth book in this series. Elizabeth and Mary Shelley suffered miscarriages, but Mary appears to understand how to keep from drowning in despair and depression. I loved the way Elizabeth sent Lord Byron running from the room.
October 24, 2017
What a great adventure for 10 year old Lizzy Bennet to travel 100 years in the future to meet her relatives through the Bennet Wardrobe. I imagined curious Lizzy taking in all the sights as she travels not only on a boat but an automobile with those big brown eyes in a mysterious wonder. The way Don writes, it makes you feel that you are with her on her adventure. He shows her curious, observant nature as he writes her travel through the world 100 years in the future. She notices the changes in her surroundings, the clothing of the day and I got a big kick out of her looking for the perfect hat with the big flower on it.
When she wants to go home, she puts on her old clothes and does know that she has to go back through the Wardrobe because she misses her parents and siblings.
In her nightmares after she is married she sees parts of that travel and does remember that hat with the flower on it however, the past seems to torment her.
In her travels with Darcy, they meet Byron, Shelley and Mary Godwin and Mary becomes Lizzy's dear friend. Later Mary becomes Mary Shelley who eventually writes, "Frankenstein."
I would advise any one who would want to go on an adventure through the Bennet Wardrobe to make sure you read them in order and you will see how this family in all entwined. It is a remarkable series and it will keep you interested throughout the series .
Thank you for another great reading adventure.
When she wants to go home, she puts on her old clothes and does know that she has to go back through the Wardrobe because she misses her parents and siblings.
In her nightmares after she is married she sees parts of that travel and does remember that hat with the flower on it however, the past seems to torment her.
In her travels with Darcy, they meet Byron, Shelley and Mary Godwin and Mary becomes Lizzy's dear friend. Later Mary becomes Mary Shelley who eventually writes, "Frankenstein."
I would advise any one who would want to go on an adventure through the Bennet Wardrobe to make sure you read them in order and you will see how this family in all entwined. It is a remarkable series and it will keep you interested throughout the series .
Thank you for another great reading adventure.
July 9, 2020
First off, make sure you start at the beginning of the series so you understand everything. Secondly be sure to enjoy each story for the rich tapestry that it is. There are so many fun bits in this story, as you get several times and a glimpse into some interesting historic figures along the way. As always, it lures you into the world.
August 30, 2023
Surprising! Stunning!! Wonderful! Sad!
Another masterpiece by D. Jacobson which leads us through the magical and sometimes humorous Bennet Wardrobe. This time we follow young Elizabeth Bennet as she is transported through time to the roaring 20’s and 30’s England and Deauville. Most of the story are following Elizabeth, both as a child but also later when she is married to Darcy.
The couple visits Lake Geneva, where they meet some of the times greatest literary people; Percy Shelley, the woman who would become Mary Shelley and of course Lord Byron. This takes place in 1816, the year without a summer.
Amanda Berry (narrator of the audiobook) once more made my imagination run wild with how Elizabeth, Countess Kate, Maggie, Mr Robards and Henry Fitzwilliam should sound like as live characters. I can only compliment Mr Jacobson’s choice of narrator for yet another piece of his Bennet Wardrobe Series. I can’t wait to hear more of the Bennet girls adventures through the Bennet Wardrobe.
Another masterpiece by D. Jacobson which leads us through the magical and sometimes humorous Bennet Wardrobe. This time we follow young Elizabeth Bennet as she is transported through time to the roaring 20’s and 30’s England and Deauville. Most of the story are following Elizabeth, both as a child but also later when she is married to Darcy.
The couple visits Lake Geneva, where they meet some of the times greatest literary people; Percy Shelley, the woman who would become Mary Shelley and of course Lord Byron. This takes place in 1816, the year without a summer.
Amanda Berry (narrator of the audiobook) once more made my imagination run wild with how Elizabeth, Countess Kate, Maggie, Mr Robards and Henry Fitzwilliam should sound like as live characters. I can only compliment Mr Jacobson’s choice of narrator for yet another piece of his Bennet Wardrobe Series. I can’t wait to hear more of the Bennet girls adventures through the Bennet Wardrobe.
March 18, 2018
Imaginative and enthralling
This series get better with each new book. I really enjoyed this chapter of it, the characters and the story's development. The description of Lizzy's intelligence and capacity is endearing, and the manner in which her sister and father protect her from her accidental traveling is interesting, to say the least.
This series get better with each new book. I really enjoyed this chapter of it, the characters and the story's development. The description of Lizzy's intelligence and capacity is endearing, and the manner in which her sister and father protect her from her accidental traveling is interesting, to say the least.
October 30, 2022
3,5 Stars -
Review published at:
https://frompemberleytomilton.wordpre...
Lizzy Bennet Meets the Countess is the 4th book in the Bennet Wardrobe series and it serves as a light break between the 2 books that focus on Kitty’s story: The Exile: Kitty Bennet and the Belle Époque, book 3 in the series, and The Exile: The Countess Visits Longbourn.
This novella depicts another adventure lived by a Bennet family member, but it has a slightly different structure which I found very interesting. In Lizzy Bennet Meets the Countess we will have 2 different short stories in which the main protagonist is Elizabeth Bennet. That’s something we’ve never seen before in this series and that I really enjoyed.
The first story focuses on events that occurred when Elizabeth Bennet was only 10 years old, so its tone is much lighter and sweeter. It serves as a good connection between Kitty’s 2 stories because young Lizzy is transported into a future where her sister Kitty lives, and therefore, we will know what is happening with Kitty and her family.
After having read The Exile: Kitty Bennet and the Belle Époque, I was happy to see how events turned out for her. Even if Elizabeth was the main protagonist of this story, I believe her purpose was to give readers more information about Kitty, and that was something I truly liked. I did, however, had a few issues with Elizabeth’s character because I found her too mature and knowledgeable for a 10 year old. Even if back in the 1800’s children were not treated as today’s children are, her level of maturity, knowledge and manner of speaking didn’t sound very believable to me. I do believe, however, that most readers will be rendered by this adorable Elizabeth 😊
The second story shows us Elizabeth Darcy, so as you can imagine, it depicts a slightly older Elizabeth. In this tale Elizabeth is staying with her husband at Villa Diodati where they are accompanied by historical characters such as Mary Godwin and Percy Bysshe Shelley and Lord Byron. I must start by saying I loved the name of the villa 😉
I liked the fact that this story gave us more information about Elizabeth and Darcy’s story, that it delved on their relationship dynamics, and that it has as an introspective approach, but I couldn’t relate with Elizabeth’s suffering and trauma because she already had 2 children and was only 25 years old, so her reactions to having an abortion seemed a bit exaggerated to me. That may be a very personal view though, and many readers may relate to Elizabeth on this story.
Summing up, Lizzy Bennet Meets the Countess is a light story that Wardrobe fans will certainly like and that is the perfect liaison between Kitty’s two stories.I believe readers will be able to skip this novella and still enjoy the series, but it won’t be the same, so I recommend reading this one before moving forward to book 5.
Review published at:
https://frompemberleytomilton.wordpre...
Lizzy Bennet Meets the Countess is the 4th book in the Bennet Wardrobe series and it serves as a light break between the 2 books that focus on Kitty’s story: The Exile: Kitty Bennet and the Belle Époque, book 3 in the series, and The Exile: The Countess Visits Longbourn.
This novella depicts another adventure lived by a Bennet family member, but it has a slightly different structure which I found very interesting. In Lizzy Bennet Meets the Countess we will have 2 different short stories in which the main protagonist is Elizabeth Bennet. That’s something we’ve never seen before in this series and that I really enjoyed.
The first story focuses on events that occurred when Elizabeth Bennet was only 10 years old, so its tone is much lighter and sweeter. It serves as a good connection between Kitty’s 2 stories because young Lizzy is transported into a future where her sister Kitty lives, and therefore, we will know what is happening with Kitty and her family.
After having read The Exile: Kitty Bennet and the Belle Époque, I was happy to see how events turned out for her. Even if Elizabeth was the main protagonist of this story, I believe her purpose was to give readers more information about Kitty, and that was something I truly liked. I did, however, had a few issues with Elizabeth’s character because I found her too mature and knowledgeable for a 10 year old. Even if back in the 1800’s children were not treated as today’s children are, her level of maturity, knowledge and manner of speaking didn’t sound very believable to me. I do believe, however, that most readers will be rendered by this adorable Elizabeth 😊
The second story shows us Elizabeth Darcy, so as you can imagine, it depicts a slightly older Elizabeth. In this tale Elizabeth is staying with her husband at Villa Diodati where they are accompanied by historical characters such as Mary Godwin and Percy Bysshe Shelley and Lord Byron. I must start by saying I loved the name of the villa 😉
I liked the fact that this story gave us more information about Elizabeth and Darcy’s story, that it delved on their relationship dynamics, and that it has as an introspective approach, but I couldn’t relate with Elizabeth’s suffering and trauma because she already had 2 children and was only 25 years old, so her reactions to having an abortion seemed a bit exaggerated to me. That may be a very personal view though, and many readers may relate to Elizabeth on this story.
Summing up, Lizzy Bennet Meets the Countess is a light story that Wardrobe fans will certainly like and that is the perfect liaison between Kitty’s two stories.I believe readers will be able to skip this novella and still enjoy the series, but it won’t be the same, so I recommend reading this one before moving forward to book 5.
February 22, 2022
This book is an excellent explanation for why Bennet closed his library and only Lizzy was always welcome, and equally interesting with the add of Byron and Shelley, for those gatherings did come out with an amusing tale, and the tie in at the end - loved it. What I do have a hard time with is the attributed beyond-genius-level mental acumen attributed to Elizabeth when she had no formal schooling, she did not have masters, nor was she exposed to so many things, as the letter sent with her said it was time to start doing so. I fully understand some people always know where they are, that part actually is quite sensible for me. Past that one picadillo of mine, I had very much enjoyed reading these, and waited after 3 so that I could finish it once Book 8 The Grail had come out, and I am so glad that I did. Very much enjoyed this mid-series treat.
May 17, 2022
This is a two part story, in the first one 10 year old Lizzy stumbles through the wardrobe. But she is a smart kid and figures things out even if the adults in the future tries to smooths things over. It was a rather bittersweet story. She meets her sister, but does not know it. So it was more bittersweet for Kitty in that aspect.
And then it comes into the second story. Lizzy and Darcy meets Percy Shelley, Mary Godwin and Byron. Lizzy also starts remembering strange things from her childhood. And Mary Shelley writes her famous story.
I enjoyed these stories, and the more I listen the more I realised how messed up the Bennet family was. But then comes explanations and it all goes together.
Great narration. These are fun to listen to
And then it comes into the second story. Lizzy and Darcy meets Percy Shelley, Mary Godwin and Byron. Lizzy also starts remembering strange things from her childhood. And Mary Shelley writes her famous story.
I enjoyed these stories, and the more I listen the more I realised how messed up the Bennet family was. But then comes explanations and it all goes together.
Great narration. These are fun to listen to
October 22, 2020
Always with interesting characters appearing this novella was no exception! Love Lizzy as a child so intelligent and extraordinary and felt a sort of kinship with adult Lizzy after her loss...
September 1, 2021
Lizzy's fine eyes see the future
Don Jacobson winds another clever tale as Lizzy Bennet has her turn in the Bennet Wardrobe. Lizzy has her time travel experience as a young girl and her fine eyes fairly crackle with precocious intellect. The wonders of the future are engraved this time in a child's hazy mind. But have no fear, Wardrobe readers, Lizzy's memories of the future will influence the creative artistry of her generation just as other Bennet trips have done before.
Naturally, Lizzy and her Darcy find themselves in proximity to some of the great minds of their era and Jacobson has his usual historian's fun intertwining the Bennets with historical figures. (The characterization of Byron as a spoiled brat is priceless.) Lizzy's grown-up tale is a satisfying story and will not disappoint. But the early conversations with young Lizzy are worth the read all on their own. She is just the Lizzy she should be and I suspect many readers will love this story for the chance to spend time with the ten-year-old prodigy as much as anything else in the story. Highly recommend.
Don Jacobson winds another clever tale as Lizzy Bennet has her turn in the Bennet Wardrobe. Lizzy has her time travel experience as a young girl and her fine eyes fairly crackle with precocious intellect. The wonders of the future are engraved this time in a child's hazy mind. But have no fear, Wardrobe readers, Lizzy's memories of the future will influence the creative artistry of her generation just as other Bennet trips have done before.
Naturally, Lizzy and her Darcy find themselves in proximity to some of the great minds of their era and Jacobson has his usual historian's fun intertwining the Bennets with historical figures. (The characterization of Byron as a spoiled brat is priceless.) Lizzy's grown-up tale is a satisfying story and will not disappoint. But the early conversations with young Lizzy are worth the read all on their own. She is just the Lizzy she should be and I suspect many readers will love this story for the chance to spend time with the ten-year-old prodigy as much as anything else in the story. Highly recommend.
September 10, 2021
Ugh this was increfible
One issue I have to backtrack a d read the others I loved it I couldn't put it down ......
One issue I have to backtrack a d read the others I loved it I couldn't put it down ......
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