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The Bennet Wardrobe #5
The Exile: The Countess Visits Longbourn
“I have been shaped by the events of over forty years, from when I was but a maiden. The world is a nasty place full of awful persons, Mr. Wickham, and does not get any lighter through complaining or blaming. T’is only if you confront evil with resolution that you have any hopes of prevailing.” The Dowager Countess of Matlock (11th)
The Countess: An Enigma? A Mystery? Or a young girl all-grown-up?
Kitty Bennet, the fourth daughter of the Master and Mistress of Longbourn, had spent far too long as the shadow of her younger sister. The all-knowing Meryton chinwaggers suggested that young Miss Bennet needed education—and quickly—especially after the irregular circumstances that forced the wedding of Lydia Bennet and George Wickham.
How right they were…but the type of instruction Kitty Bennet received, and the where/when in which she matriculated, was far beyond their ken. For, they knew nothing of that remarkable piece of furniture that had been part of the lives of clan Bennet for over 120 years: The Bennet Wardrobe.
After spending 46 years in the future, the Dowager Countess of Matlock returned to Longbourn’s bookroom at that exact same moment as she left in 1811 to tend to many important pieces of Family business. However, she was now a woman of 63 years, some thirteen her father’s senior. Time can deal funny cards in the Universe created by Jane Austen and the Wardrobe.
Of course, the Countess is acting to set in motion forces that will shape the future of Britain—and the Five Families—throughout the 19th and 20th Centuries. In the process, Kitty Fitzwilliam will help her youngest sister find the love she craved with the unexpected hero who, as the Duke said, “saved us all.”
"The Countess Visits Longbourn" offers insights into the touching reunion between Kitty Fitzwilliam and her father, Thomas Bennet. Readers will also learn how the mysterious Founder’s Letters were set in motion along with the purpose behind the Bennet Family Trust. New characters, some ancestors of those introduced in Part One of The Exile, will come onto the stage to illuminate a deeper understanding of the shaping of the character of George Wickham—the Hero of Hougoumont Woods at the Battle of Waterloo.
"The Exile: The Countess Visits Longbourn" is the second part and conclusion of the Bennet Wardrobe Volume chronicling the life of Kitty Bennet in the Wardrobe’s Universe. This novel takes readers on a journey that stretches from the early-19th into the mid-20th Centuries. Novel is over 89,000 words in length.
The Bennet Wardrobe Series is best read in order. The current Volumes of the Bennet Wardrobe (in order) are:
"The Keeper: Mary Bennet’s Extraordinary Journey" (novel)
"Henry Fitzwilliam’s War" (e-book novella)"
"The Exile: Kitty Bennet and the Belle Époque" (novel)
"Lizzy Bennet Meets the Countess" (novella)
"The Exile: The Countess Visits Longbourn" (novel)
As Joana Starnes, author of The Falmouth Connection and many other powerful Pride and Prejudice variations, noted after reading The Countess Visits Longbourn:
"Who can resist the magic of time-travel? Pages of worldwide history rustle back and forth between Regency grand salons, Napoleonic battlefields and more recent conflicts as, guided by Don Jacobson’s masterful pen, the Bennet sisters grow as people and come into their own. ‘The Countess Visits Longbourn’ is a wonderful new installment, and we cannot fail to revel in the excellent writing and the abundance of detail as the mysteries of the Wardrobe continue to unfold.
The Countess: An Enigma? A Mystery? Or a young girl all-grown-up?
Kitty Bennet, the fourth daughter of the Master and Mistress of Longbourn, had spent far too long as the shadow of her younger sister. The all-knowing Meryton chinwaggers suggested that young Miss Bennet needed education—and quickly—especially after the irregular circumstances that forced the wedding of Lydia Bennet and George Wickham.
How right they were…but the type of instruction Kitty Bennet received, and the where/when in which she matriculated, was far beyond their ken. For, they knew nothing of that remarkable piece of furniture that had been part of the lives of clan Bennet for over 120 years: The Bennet Wardrobe.
After spending 46 years in the future, the Dowager Countess of Matlock returned to Longbourn’s bookroom at that exact same moment as she left in 1811 to tend to many important pieces of Family business. However, she was now a woman of 63 years, some thirteen her father’s senior. Time can deal funny cards in the Universe created by Jane Austen and the Wardrobe.
Of course, the Countess is acting to set in motion forces that will shape the future of Britain—and the Five Families—throughout the 19th and 20th Centuries. In the process, Kitty Fitzwilliam will help her youngest sister find the love she craved with the unexpected hero who, as the Duke said, “saved us all.”
"The Countess Visits Longbourn" offers insights into the touching reunion between Kitty Fitzwilliam and her father, Thomas Bennet. Readers will also learn how the mysterious Founder’s Letters were set in motion along with the purpose behind the Bennet Family Trust. New characters, some ancestors of those introduced in Part One of The Exile, will come onto the stage to illuminate a deeper understanding of the shaping of the character of George Wickham—the Hero of Hougoumont Woods at the Battle of Waterloo.
"The Exile: The Countess Visits Longbourn" is the second part and conclusion of the Bennet Wardrobe Volume chronicling the life of Kitty Bennet in the Wardrobe’s Universe. This novel takes readers on a journey that stretches from the early-19th into the mid-20th Centuries. Novel is over 89,000 words in length.
The Bennet Wardrobe Series is best read in order. The current Volumes of the Bennet Wardrobe (in order) are:
"The Keeper: Mary Bennet’s Extraordinary Journey" (novel)
"Henry Fitzwilliam’s War" (e-book novella)"
"The Exile: Kitty Bennet and the Belle Époque" (novel)
"Lizzy Bennet Meets the Countess" (novella)
"The Exile: The Countess Visits Longbourn" (novel)
As Joana Starnes, author of The Falmouth Connection and many other powerful Pride and Prejudice variations, noted after reading The Countess Visits Longbourn:
"Who can resist the magic of time-travel? Pages of worldwide history rustle back and forth between Regency grand salons, Napoleonic battlefields and more recent conflicts as, guided by Don Jacobson’s masterful pen, the Bennet sisters grow as people and come into their own. ‘The Countess Visits Longbourn’ is a wonderful new installment, and we cannot fail to revel in the excellent writing and the abundance of detail as the mysteries of the Wardrobe continue to unfold.
318 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 29, 2018
19 people are currently reading
42 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 - 18 of 18 reviews
February 10, 2018
Received an ARC from the author with no promise given or expectation of a review, favorable or otherwise
3.5 rounded up to 4 stars
I do enjoy this unusual universe Mr. Jacobson has created, but be warned that you have to be fully invested in the full series. I would not want to read this book without having already explored the previous volumes, especially The Exile: Kitty Bennet and the Belle Epoque. Helpfully, a copy of Gibbons' Rules of the Wardrobe and a Bennet Family Tree are included as preludes to this story, which serve to remind the reader of significant information. This volume fills in some empty holes from previous books with explanations that originate with Kitty Bennet.
There is some difficulty in following this because the passage of time in the non-Wardrobe world does not align with the personal history of Bennet characters who use it to time travel. Entering the Wardrobe catapults someone with Bennet blood into the future, and then back to the Wardrobe at the same moment of departure... but the time spent in the future may be minimal (Lizzy Bennet as a child in a previous book in this series) or it may be a lifetime (Kitty Bennet). Thus, we have Kitty Bennet, having entered the Wardrobe in Longbourn at age 17, finally returning to her girlhood home immediately after she left, but now she's age 64, 10 years older than her father. She isn't the same silly Regency teenager he was just arguing with five minutes earlier, but a sophisticated woman from more than 100 years in the future.
As a result of the above, it's an extremely complex plot to follow. I HAVE read all the previous volumes, and there were still times when I felt that I was just hanging onto the various threads of this story by my fingernails. It doesn't help that usually I am not particularly interested in historical detail, while Mr. Jacobson clearly revels in it. The Wardrobe plot device gives him license to explore all kinds of historical minutia. You'll find an incredible depth and breadth of trivia just reading through the many footnotes, but there is quite a bit included in the storyline, as well. I do love the inclusion of additional characters, both fictional and historical, who wander in and out of this story.
We start in 1932. Lady Kitty (don't-call-me-Catherine) Fitzwilliam is now a widow, as her dear love Henry Fitzwilliam passed away two years previously. She and her faithful companion, Jacques Robard (also widowed) are at the family Beach House in Deauville, France. She is also the current Keeper of the Wardrobe. Disturbed by the current political developments in Germany and, fully aware of all the Wardrobe secrets up to this era, Kitty recognizes that she must act now, while she is still spry enough, to set things in the past on their proper course.
Thus, she enters the Wardrobe, returning to 1811. There are all kinds of rules that protect the integrity of the timeline, so Mr. Bennet does not ask and Kitty does not reveal anything more than she deems necessary. But there ARE some tasks that are necessary for her to accomplish in order to create the timeline she knows exists. She delivers Founders Letters to her father with instructions regarding the dates they must be delivered, then heads to London to put some legal matters in motion to establish the Bennet Family Trust and to intervene in the life of Lydia Wickham. Fortuitously, George Wickham also stumbles into her sphere of influence.
The bulk of the story occurs during this time period. Kitty assumes the identity of Lady Robard, the Dowager Countess of Deauville, who has returned to England from Louisiana but cannot go to her husband's estate in France because of Napoleon. Highlights range from a marvelous masked Twelfth Night ball at Lady Kitty's Madras House to the stink and carnage surrounding Hougoumont near Waterloo after the decisive battle.
The final section of the book jumps ahead to 1944. Kitty is now 76 years old, still residing at Deauville. The Germans are advancing, and protecting the Wardrobe from those who would use it for evil is paramount.
Mr. Jacobson takes a historian's delight in heading off on little side roads to delve into the background or significance of this and that. While I personally find this less than fascinating, I know that others who love historical detail would enjoy it. Some of his metaphorical references are pretty obscure. He's clearly a bibliophile as well, since there are phrases borrowed from a wide range of literary and musical works (all of which are properly footnoted and identified).
The characters are very well drawn, both in physical appearance and in personality. While most of the time the point of view is limited to Kitty, there are chapters that follow other characters, most notably Lydia and Mr. Wickham. It is amazing the way all the various storylines are woven together, with details pertinent both to these three as well as to other Bennet family members whose stories are told in the other books in this series. This is an excellent continuation for readers who have enjoyed the previous books in the Bennet Wardrobe universe.
3.5 rounded up to 4 stars
I do enjoy this unusual universe Mr. Jacobson has created, but be warned that you have to be fully invested in the full series. I would not want to read this book without having already explored the previous volumes, especially The Exile: Kitty Bennet and the Belle Epoque. Helpfully, a copy of Gibbons' Rules of the Wardrobe and a Bennet Family Tree are included as preludes to this story, which serve to remind the reader of significant information. This volume fills in some empty holes from previous books with explanations that originate with Kitty Bennet.
There is some difficulty in following this because the passage of time in the non-Wardrobe world does not align with the personal history of Bennet characters who use it to time travel. Entering the Wardrobe catapults someone with Bennet blood into the future, and then back to the Wardrobe at the same moment of departure... but the time spent in the future may be minimal (Lizzy Bennet as a child in a previous book in this series) or it may be a lifetime (Kitty Bennet). Thus, we have Kitty Bennet, having entered the Wardrobe in Longbourn at age 17, finally returning to her girlhood home immediately after she left, but now she's age 64, 10 years older than her father. She isn't the same silly Regency teenager he was just arguing with five minutes earlier, but a sophisticated woman from more than 100 years in the future.
As a result of the above, it's an extremely complex plot to follow. I HAVE read all the previous volumes, and there were still times when I felt that I was just hanging onto the various threads of this story by my fingernails. It doesn't help that usually I am not particularly interested in historical detail, while Mr. Jacobson clearly revels in it. The Wardrobe plot device gives him license to explore all kinds of historical minutia. You'll find an incredible depth and breadth of trivia just reading through the many footnotes, but there is quite a bit included in the storyline, as well. I do love the inclusion of additional characters, both fictional and historical, who wander in and out of this story.
We start in 1932. Lady Kitty (don't-call-me-Catherine) Fitzwilliam is now a widow, as her dear love Henry Fitzwilliam passed away two years previously. She and her faithful companion, Jacques Robard (also widowed) are at the family Beach House in Deauville, France. She is also the current Keeper of the Wardrobe. Disturbed by the current political developments in Germany and, fully aware of all the Wardrobe secrets up to this era, Kitty recognizes that she must act now, while she is still spry enough, to set things in the past on their proper course.
Thus, she enters the Wardrobe, returning to 1811. There are all kinds of rules that protect the integrity of the timeline, so Mr. Bennet does not ask and Kitty does not reveal anything more than she deems necessary. But there ARE some tasks that are necessary for her to accomplish in order to create the timeline she knows exists. She delivers Founders Letters to her father with instructions regarding the dates they must be delivered, then heads to London to put some legal matters in motion to establish the Bennet Family Trust and to intervene in the life of Lydia Wickham. Fortuitously, George Wickham also stumbles into her sphere of influence.
The bulk of the story occurs during this time period. Kitty assumes the identity of Lady Robard, the Dowager Countess of Deauville, who has returned to England from Louisiana but cannot go to her husband's estate in France because of Napoleon. Highlights range from a marvelous masked Twelfth Night ball at Lady Kitty's Madras House to the stink and carnage surrounding Hougoumont near Waterloo after the decisive battle.
The final section of the book jumps ahead to 1944. Kitty is now 76 years old, still residing at Deauville. The Germans are advancing, and protecting the Wardrobe from those who would use it for evil is paramount.
Mr. Jacobson takes a historian's delight in heading off on little side roads to delve into the background or significance of this and that. While I personally find this less than fascinating, I know that others who love historical detail would enjoy it. Some of his metaphorical references are pretty obscure. He's clearly a bibliophile as well, since there are phrases borrowed from a wide range of literary and musical works (all of which are properly footnoted and identified).
The characters are very well drawn, both in physical appearance and in personality. While most of the time the point of view is limited to Kitty, there are chapters that follow other characters, most notably Lydia and Mr. Wickham. It is amazing the way all the various storylines are woven together, with details pertinent both to these three as well as to other Bennet family members whose stories are told in the other books in this series. This is an excellent continuation for readers who have enjoyed the previous books in the Bennet Wardrobe universe.
November 30, 2018
Audiobook Review
The Countess Visits Longbourn brings things full circle for the dowager countess who was last seen as a youthful, petulant girl in those parts who stepped into the magical wardrobe and was never seen again. She has lived a lifetime away from family, but in her autumn years, she has work left to be done and now she goes about it with a panache that speaks to the delightful grand dame she has become.
This was a re-read for me and I enjoyed experiencing it in audio format with the engaging Amanda Berry as the series narrator. Her bright clear tone and command of a variety of voices made it an entertaining listen.
The Exile: The Countess Visits Longbourn is the third novel-length installment in the Bennet Wardrobe series. It is part two to The Exile: Kitty Bennet and the Belle Epoque. Thus, it doesn't make a good standalone or out of order.
This second part of Kitty's story picks up in the twilight of her life. After the death of her beloved Henry, she has devoted her time to the study of the Wardrobe and its mysteries so that she can use her expertise to go back and help lay the ground work for all that comes before and after her. Kitty takes that step back to where it all began for her- Longbourn.
This is very much a 'bridge' or transitional story to set up for what is to come and establish the explanation for how events of the previous books came to be laid out the way they did. How did the rules get laid down? How did the letters, the funds, and the governing body for the Bennet Trust come to be? It is all here . While, out of necessity, because of what was being put in place, this book got off to a slower start. It laid a lot of series ground work. However, after that was in order, the storyline took off. Kitty, in the role of the Countess of Deauville, becomes the new delight of London Society. She takes this time to guide a soul-searching Wickham and a vivacious Lydia, plays at matchmaker for a certain sergeant and his lady, and puts on a dazzling, glamorous Twelfth Night Ball with a mischievous Harlequin to delight us all. What a lush spectacle that ball was and I was thoroughly entranced by the imagery.
As a side note, I was tickled as before to encounter familiar historical and fictional characters. My favorite encounter was with Bernard Cornwell's character Richard Sharpe. He was a great mentor for Wickham.
All in all, it was a nice appetite whetting story that leaves me intrigued for what is to come. I can't wait for the further adventures of Lydia and other Bennets who encounter the magical time traveling Wardrobe.
My thanks to the author for the opportunity to listen to this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Countess Visits Longbourn brings things full circle for the dowager countess who was last seen as a youthful, petulant girl in those parts who stepped into the magical wardrobe and was never seen again. She has lived a lifetime away from family, but in her autumn years, she has work left to be done and now she goes about it with a panache that speaks to the delightful grand dame she has become.
This was a re-read for me and I enjoyed experiencing it in audio format with the engaging Amanda Berry as the series narrator. Her bright clear tone and command of a variety of voices made it an entertaining listen.
The Exile: The Countess Visits Longbourn is the third novel-length installment in the Bennet Wardrobe series. It is part two to The Exile: Kitty Bennet and the Belle Epoque. Thus, it doesn't make a good standalone or out of order.
This second part of Kitty's story picks up in the twilight of her life. After the death of her beloved Henry, she has devoted her time to the study of the Wardrobe and its mysteries so that she can use her expertise to go back and help lay the ground work for all that comes before and after her. Kitty takes that step back to where it all began for her- Longbourn.
This is very much a 'bridge' or transitional story to set up for what is to come and establish the explanation for how events of the previous books came to be laid out the way they did. How did the rules get laid down? How did the letters, the funds, and the governing body for the Bennet Trust come to be? It is all here . While, out of necessity, because of what was being put in place, this book got off to a slower start. It laid a lot of series ground work. However, after that was in order, the storyline took off. Kitty, in the role of the Countess of Deauville, becomes the new delight of London Society. She takes this time to guide a soul-searching Wickham and a vivacious Lydia, plays at matchmaker for a certain sergeant and his lady, and puts on a dazzling, glamorous Twelfth Night Ball with a mischievous Harlequin to delight us all. What a lush spectacle that ball was and I was thoroughly entranced by the imagery.
As a side note, I was tickled as before to encounter familiar historical and fictional characters. My favorite encounter was with Bernard Cornwell's character Richard Sharpe. He was a great mentor for Wickham.
All in all, it was a nice appetite whetting story that leaves me intrigued for what is to come. I can't wait for the further adventures of Lydia and other Bennets who encounter the magical time traveling Wardrobe.
My thanks to the author for the opportunity to listen to this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 25, 2021
Love it even more the second time around!
"What oddities we Bennets face when we skate upon these strands that only the Wardrobe can weave as they stretch through the indescribable ether." (quote from the book)
Sometimes a book/series comes along that captures and fires the imagination. This is such a one for me. The Bennet Wardrobe saga has slowly but evocatively wrapped its tendrils around me. Each book is a new piece in the puzzle that is the Wardrobe. Each has been woven together to build and expand an alternate universe for each of the characters that intertwine and connect. Another large piece of the puzzle is unveiled, as the threads of each story before it come together.
Since the death of her husband, The Countess, Kitty, has been busy researching everything and anything in regard to the Wardrobe. Delving deep into the Bennet Family Trust archives, Kitty hopes to determine it's higher purpose.
She sets herself on a mission that will bring her full circle. She returns to Longbourn 1811 on the same day she left it 46 years ago but only moments for her father. This was a heartbreaking but poignant reunion for both that brought tears to my eyes.
"Gasping, she looked at the man who would be her instrument, who would remove the barriers between the past and the future." (quote from the book)
Through fate or happenstance, Wickham encounters the Countess during her return. This provides him with a further opportunity that sets the wheels of his conscience in motion. It also provides the Countess the chance to help her sister, Lydia, and gives her further insight into her own role going forward.
"Oh my Lady, do you believe it is not too late for me? Do you think I can save myself and bring credit to my family and my husband: to prove that I am not some mindless bit of fluff, a worthless chit, a woman without morals?" (quote from the book)
For me, the writing, characters and concept are larger than life and beautifully conveyed. This book seamlessly weaves, historical fact, fiction and visual splendor into one evocative journey...Kitty Bennet's, The Countess.
I highly recommend this saga to all, but do start from the beginning of the series in order to understand and appreciate the complexity of The Wardrobe. And be prepared for a mesmerizing trip through the ages!
"What oddities we Bennets face when we skate upon these strands that only the Wardrobe can weave as they stretch through the indescribable ether." (quote from the book)
Sometimes a book/series comes along that captures and fires the imagination. This is such a one for me. The Bennet Wardrobe saga has slowly but evocatively wrapped its tendrils around me. Each book is a new piece in the puzzle that is the Wardrobe. Each has been woven together to build and expand an alternate universe for each of the characters that intertwine and connect. Another large piece of the puzzle is unveiled, as the threads of each story before it come together.
Since the death of her husband, The Countess, Kitty, has been busy researching everything and anything in regard to the Wardrobe. Delving deep into the Bennet Family Trust archives, Kitty hopes to determine it's higher purpose.
She sets herself on a mission that will bring her full circle. She returns to Longbourn 1811 on the same day she left it 46 years ago but only moments for her father. This was a heartbreaking but poignant reunion for both that brought tears to my eyes.
"Gasping, she looked at the man who would be her instrument, who would remove the barriers between the past and the future." (quote from the book)
Through fate or happenstance, Wickham encounters the Countess during her return. This provides him with a further opportunity that sets the wheels of his conscience in motion. It also provides the Countess the chance to help her sister, Lydia, and gives her further insight into her own role going forward.
"Oh my Lady, do you believe it is not too late for me? Do you think I can save myself and bring credit to my family and my husband: to prove that I am not some mindless bit of fluff, a worthless chit, a woman without morals?" (quote from the book)
For me, the writing, characters and concept are larger than life and beautifully conveyed. This book seamlessly weaves, historical fact, fiction and visual splendor into one evocative journey...Kitty Bennet's, The Countess.
I highly recommend this saga to all, but do start from the beginning of the series in order to understand and appreciate the complexity of The Wardrobe. And be prepared for a mesmerizing trip through the ages!
Read
February 28, 2018Review and giveaway coming tomorrow to Just Jane 1813...
August 26, 2023
Interesting and unexpected
This time around the traveling is to the past and the future. Another side of well-known characters is discovered, and some new ones are introduced. The continuation of the series does not disappoint. I can't wait for the next book to be released.
This time around the traveling is to the past and the future. Another side of well-known characters is discovered, and some new ones are introduced. The continuation of the series does not disappoint. I can't wait for the next book to be released.
November 30, 2018
After the beginning of the colorful, sometimes dark, but always adventure-lined journey for Kitty Bennet once she stepped into the magical time-traveling world of the Bennet Wardrobe, I was eager to get the conclusion to her fascinating story of the young woman who came into her own and became The Countess.
The Exile: The Countess Visits Longbourn is the third novel-length installment in the Bennet Wardrobe series. It is part two to The Exile: Kitty Bennet and the Belle Epoque. All that to say, you need to read it in order for the story to make sense.
This second part of Kitty's story picks up in the twilight of her life. After the death of her beloved Henry, she has devoted her time to the study of the Wardrobe and its mysteries so that she can use her expertise to go back and help lay the ground work for all that comes before and after her. Kitty takes that step back to where it all began for her- Longbourn.
This is very much a 'bridge' or transitional story to set up for what is to come and establish the explanation for how events of the previous books came to be laid out the way they did. How did the rules get laid down? How did the letters, the funds, and the governing body for the Bennet Trust come to be? It is all here . But, what is also here is the story of a strong woman in her waning years getting the pleasure of returning to her past to enjoy family and even heal a few pieces in her heart. Kitty is the catalyst for so much and it was exciting to see this Bennet daughter shine. She works to give her father what he needs to set things in motion for the future, but is also the agent who takes on Wickham and Lydia's guidance. And, then, in the end, she stands strong against a great enemy doing her duty to the Wardrobe and protecting all others. Yes, a tissue might have been required.
While, out of necessity, because of what was being put in place, this book got off to a slower start. It laid a lot of series ground work. However, after that was in order, the storyline took off. Kitty, in the role of the Countess of Deauville, becomes the new delight of London Society. She takes this time to guide a soul-searching Wickham and a vivacious Lydia, plays at matchmaker for a certain sergeant and his lady, and puts on a dazzling, glamorous Twelfth Night Ball. What a lush spectacle that ball was and I was thoroughly entranced by the imagery.
As a side note, I was tickled as before to encounter familiar historical and fictional characters. My favorite encounter was with Bernard Cornwell's character Richard Sharpe.
All in all, it was a nice appetite whetting story that leaves me intrigued for what is to come. I can't wait for the further adventures of Lydia and also her parents. I continue to entreat other Austenesque and Time Travel fans to pick up this series as I feel you will not be disappointed.
My thanks to the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Exile: The Countess Visits Longbourn is the third novel-length installment in the Bennet Wardrobe series. It is part two to The Exile: Kitty Bennet and the Belle Epoque. All that to say, you need to read it in order for the story to make sense.
This second part of Kitty's story picks up in the twilight of her life. After the death of her beloved Henry, she has devoted her time to the study of the Wardrobe and its mysteries so that she can use her expertise to go back and help lay the ground work for all that comes before and after her. Kitty takes that step back to where it all began for her- Longbourn.
This is very much a 'bridge' or transitional story to set up for what is to come and establish the explanation for how events of the previous books came to be laid out the way they did. How did the rules get laid down? How did the letters, the funds, and the governing body for the Bennet Trust come to be? It is all here . But, what is also here is the story of a strong woman in her waning years getting the pleasure of returning to her past to enjoy family and even heal a few pieces in her heart. Kitty is the catalyst for so much and it was exciting to see this Bennet daughter shine. She works to give her father what he needs to set things in motion for the future, but is also the agent who takes on Wickham and Lydia's guidance. And, then, in the end, she stands strong against a great enemy doing her duty to the Wardrobe and protecting all others. Yes, a tissue might have been required.
While, out of necessity, because of what was being put in place, this book got off to a slower start. It laid a lot of series ground work. However, after that was in order, the storyline took off. Kitty, in the role of the Countess of Deauville, becomes the new delight of London Society. She takes this time to guide a soul-searching Wickham and a vivacious Lydia, plays at matchmaker for a certain sergeant and his lady, and puts on a dazzling, glamorous Twelfth Night Ball. What a lush spectacle that ball was and I was thoroughly entranced by the imagery.
As a side note, I was tickled as before to encounter familiar historical and fictional characters. My favorite encounter was with Bernard Cornwell's character Richard Sharpe.
All in all, it was a nice appetite whetting story that leaves me intrigued for what is to come. I can't wait for the further adventures of Lydia and also her parents. I continue to entreat other Austenesque and Time Travel fans to pick up this series as I feel you will not be disappointed.
My thanks to the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 27, 2023
The Exile Returns to Longbourn
This was great! Thanks so much for continuing the Countess's story. As I was reading this story, I had to remember parts of the storylines about Mary, Edward, Henry, Kitty, and Lydia. I had almost forgotten about the evil that occurred in Kitty's life in the first book. Nice way to bring the story back to that part of her life. Wow!!
I look forward to the next part. How will they order their revenge? Will her sisters help or be clueless?
This was great! Thanks so much for continuing the Countess's story. As I was reading this story, I had to remember parts of the storylines about Mary, Edward, Henry, Kitty, and Lydia. I had almost forgotten about the evil that occurred in Kitty's life in the first book. Nice way to bring the story back to that part of her life. Wow!!
I look forward to the next part. How will they order their revenge? Will her sisters help or be clueless?
February 1, 2018
Another piece clicks into the puzzle as Don Jacobsen continues to unfold his saga. The reader should first be familiar with the "Kitty Bennet and the Belle Epoque" story to fully appreciate this installment. Our girl has grown to a wise woman of the world, and this is her swan song, the passing of the baton. Before she stands aside, she has something important to accomplish, and in doing so, she answers many mysteries for us.
Don Jacobson so artfully weaves the Bennet story through the pages of history and legend. The thoughtful reader will smile again and again at his genius in connecting the seemingly obscure and showing it to be significant. Highly recommend to lovers of Pride and Prejudice who also enjoy a titillating mystery!
Don Jacobson so artfully weaves the Bennet story through the pages of history and legend. The thoughtful reader will smile again and again at his genius in connecting the seemingly obscure and showing it to be significant. Highly recommend to lovers of Pride and Prejudice who also enjoy a titillating mystery!
July 17, 2020
As the one to bring about so many things that resulted in her ending up where she was, my first thought was that this was truly "wibbly wobbly timey wimey". For those who are not Doctor Who fans, you may not get the reference, but I feel this term sums up this series (and especially this book) in the simplest way possible. There is so much more to this book, but at its heart it is Kitty orchestrating the things that need to happen so her reality exists.
While not my favorite in the series, thus far, it is still very good and explains a number of things.
As always the narration is wonderful!
While not my favorite in the series, thus far, it is still very good and explains a number of things.
As always the narration is wonderful!
February 23, 2018
I love The Bennet Wardrobe Series and have been fascinated with it since reading the first book, The Keeper: Mary Bennet’s Extraordinary Journey. Don Jacobson is an exceptional writer and his interweaving of history, fictional characters, real-life people, and events is brilliant. He makes it all fit together seamlessly, not contrived nor forced, but realistically, as if his world was truth. It is, isn’t it?
I love that the Wardrobe takes its occupant to a place where he/she needs to go, to become the person that he/she is meant to be, to develop to their full potential. The person of Bennet blood does not have a choice of where to travel. The Wardrobe makes that decision for them.
Don Jacobson’s newest release in The Bennet Wardrobe series is the second part of book two, The Exile, with the continuation of Kitty Bennet’s story. Kitty is now Lady Kate Fitzwilliam, the Dowager Countess of Matlock, and is of an age, forty-six years more than when she first entered the Wardrobe. Kitty is at her beach house in Deauville, making plans to return to Longbourn. After much research, Kitty believes she has discovered the driving force behind the Wardrobe, and that discovery stretched her mind almost beyond what was sanely possible. ‘Without revealing her stunning conclusion’, she must make sure her father has sufficient knowledge to secure the Wardrobe and the future of the Five Families. She can scatter ‘a fistful of breadcrumbs’ without changing any events to come or destroying the purpose of the Wardrobe.
I loved reading about Kitty and her father. Per the Wardrobe rules, Kitty returns to the moment in time when she left. She is now sixty-three, but her father has not aged, thus he is younger than Kitty. It was fun to see her older than Mr. Bennet, yet at times still feeling like the girl of seventeen. How strange that must have been for them both. Lady Kate is now a strong, independent woman of means and influence. She sets some events in motion that give answers to a few things mentioned in earlier books, ah-ha moments. The inception of and the reasons for the Founder’s Letters were excellent and satisfying. There are so many neat things in this story of Kitty and her visit back to the point of her first departure. Those tasty morsels I will leave for the reader to glean themselves.
I loved learning more about Wickham and Lydia. I began to like him and that is quite unusual. Mr. Jacobson teased us well with this inclusion. Now I eagerly wait for Lydia’s book!
There are new characters, relatives of some from P&P and some that are introduced for the first time. There are minor characters from canon that are developed and grow into strong forces of nature, as the author envisions they could and will be.
At the front of each book, Mr. Jacobson gives a dramatis personae, a list of characters and from whence they came. The Gibbons’ Rules of the Wardrobe will follow this list. Next is the Bennets of Longbourn, and it is the family tree, past, present, and future. I enjoy going back and perusing these inclusions as I read each book in the series.
Toward the end of this Bennet history, Kitty travels back to the beach house in Deauville, where her future awaits. It is a touching, yet bittersweet grand finale to the story that is the life of Miss Kitty Bennet, the fourth daughter of Mr. Thomas Bennet of Longbourn. It leaves us a with a hint and hope for what awaits us in the next book.
I am amazed at the author’s ability to bring to life this universe that is the Bennet Wardrobe. He makes it a reality and keeps the telling of it, flowing smoothly and with ease. I highly recommend this series by Don Jacobson. His stories have depth and a style that move them into a league of their own. They are different from any in this genre I have read in the past. I am glad that I have had the opportunity to encounter this author and his books. Thank you, Don Jacobson.
I love that the Wardrobe takes its occupant to a place where he/she needs to go, to become the person that he/she is meant to be, to develop to their full potential. The person of Bennet blood does not have a choice of where to travel. The Wardrobe makes that decision for them.
Don Jacobson’s newest release in The Bennet Wardrobe series is the second part of book two, The Exile, with the continuation of Kitty Bennet’s story. Kitty is now Lady Kate Fitzwilliam, the Dowager Countess of Matlock, and is of an age, forty-six years more than when she first entered the Wardrobe. Kitty is at her beach house in Deauville, making plans to return to Longbourn. After much research, Kitty believes she has discovered the driving force behind the Wardrobe, and that discovery stretched her mind almost beyond what was sanely possible. ‘Without revealing her stunning conclusion’, she must make sure her father has sufficient knowledge to secure the Wardrobe and the future of the Five Families. She can scatter ‘a fistful of breadcrumbs’ without changing any events to come or destroying the purpose of the Wardrobe.
I loved reading about Kitty and her father. Per the Wardrobe rules, Kitty returns to the moment in time when she left. She is now sixty-three, but her father has not aged, thus he is younger than Kitty. It was fun to see her older than Mr. Bennet, yet at times still feeling like the girl of seventeen. How strange that must have been for them both. Lady Kate is now a strong, independent woman of means and influence. She sets some events in motion that give answers to a few things mentioned in earlier books, ah-ha moments. The inception of and the reasons for the Founder’s Letters were excellent and satisfying. There are so many neat things in this story of Kitty and her visit back to the point of her first departure. Those tasty morsels I will leave for the reader to glean themselves.
I loved learning more about Wickham and Lydia. I began to like him and that is quite unusual. Mr. Jacobson teased us well with this inclusion. Now I eagerly wait for Lydia’s book!
There are new characters, relatives of some from P&P and some that are introduced for the first time. There are minor characters from canon that are developed and grow into strong forces of nature, as the author envisions they could and will be.
At the front of each book, Mr. Jacobson gives a dramatis personae, a list of characters and from whence they came. The Gibbons’ Rules of the Wardrobe will follow this list. Next is the Bennets of Longbourn, and it is the family tree, past, present, and future. I enjoy going back and perusing these inclusions as I read each book in the series.
Toward the end of this Bennet history, Kitty travels back to the beach house in Deauville, where her future awaits. It is a touching, yet bittersweet grand finale to the story that is the life of Miss Kitty Bennet, the fourth daughter of Mr. Thomas Bennet of Longbourn. It leaves us a with a hint and hope for what awaits us in the next book.
I am amazed at the author’s ability to bring to life this universe that is the Bennet Wardrobe. He makes it a reality and keeps the telling of it, flowing smoothly and with ease. I highly recommend this series by Don Jacobson. His stories have depth and a style that move them into a league of their own. They are different from any in this genre I have read in the past. I am glad that I have had the opportunity to encounter this author and his books. Thank you, Don Jacobson.
July 23, 2018
Avid Reader
This is the fifth book in this series. I see the that I must go back and read Part 1 of Kitty's exile. I don't remember reading it. Mary's book I remember quite well because and her husband went in search of a cute for her cancer, taking them to the 20th century. Catherine truly shaped the future. How does Mr. Bennett know that she needs to be warned? How does Winters come to have Bennett eyes? Obviously, he cannot be allowed near the wardrobe! Such mystery! I can't wait for the next installment. I enjoyed the ending where Mr. Bennett takes Mrs. Bennett with him to see Kitty, but it's too late. Great book!
This is the fifth book in this series. I see the that I must go back and read Part 1 of Kitty's exile. I don't remember reading it. Mary's book I remember quite well because and her husband went in search of a cute for her cancer, taking them to the 20th century. Catherine truly shaped the future. How does Mr. Bennett know that she needs to be warned? How does Winters come to have Bennett eyes? Obviously, he cannot be allowed near the wardrobe! Such mystery! I can't wait for the next installment. I enjoyed the ending where Mr. Bennett takes Mrs. Bennett with him to see Kitty, but it's too late. Great book!
September 5, 2018
Outlanarnideandpredjudice
This series has been a wonderful surprise. It is quite an original story putting the characters from P&P to work and further flesh out their personalities under fantastical circumstances. They are MAdE to live. I am looking forward to volume three.
This series has been a wonderful surprise. It is quite an original story putting the characters from P&P to work and further flesh out their personalities under fantastical circumstances. They are MAdE to live. I am looking forward to volume three.
October 12, 2021
Loved it
Now I am looking for the next the wardrp mmm e seeks is one you cannot put down excellent in its way of intertwining the Bennett lives with the BENNET HISTORY APPLAUSE TO the author excellent!!!!!!!!!!!!!..
Now I am looking for the next the wardrp mmm e seeks is one you cannot put down excellent in its way of intertwining the Bennett lives with the BENNET HISTORY APPLAUSE TO the author excellent!!!!!!!!!!!!!..
September 24, 2019
Kitty Bennet Realizes Her Purpose
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Note: The Exile: The Countess Visits Longbourn is the fifth installment in The Bennet Wardrobe series, and it is recommended that readers read The Keeper: Mary Bennet’s Extraordinary Adventure, Henry Fitzwilliam’s War, The Exile: Kitty Bennet and the Belle Époque, and Lizzy Bennet Meets the Countess prior to reading this book. This story does not work as a stand-alone.
The Bennet Wardrobe – for those not yet acquainted – is a specially-crafted wardrobe that has been in the Bennet family since the late 1700s. It has magical properties and a mysterious purpose it is trying to fulfill. Only those with Bennet blood can move forward in time, and unlike other time-travel devices – the time-travelers cannot choose to when (or where) they will travel. In this series, Don Jacobson intertwines the history of the Bennet family with historical events and figures and fictional characters created by other authors to create a complex and creative universe that fleshes out the personalities and purposes of several secondary characters from Pride and Prejudice.
In this installment readers learn more about Kitty Bennet or as she is later known – the Dowager Countess of Matlock. So far out of all the Bennets who have traveled through time, Kitty’s experiences seem to be the most impactful and surprising. By pure accident Kitty triggers the Wardrobe the day after her sisters marry Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy and is transported to the year 1886. Now, forty-six years later, Kitty, perhaps aware of the political climate of the current time period she is in, makes steps towards protecting and securing The Wardrobe and establishing the Bennet Family Trust. It was awe-inspiring to see Kitty so mature, graceful, and commanding. Kitty is a tower of strength, and witnessing firsthand her determined actions and mental acuity was one of my favorite aspects of this novel. The other was seeing her interactions with Mr. Bennet – the myriad of emotions each feel, the new awareness and comprehension, the irony of Kitty still feeling like a young girl around her father but in actuality being several years his senior.
Since there are three more works expected in this series, this installment felt like it is mostly comprised of middle matter. So much is already established and introduced in the first books of this series and while it might not be time yet for the climatic pinnacle or culminating events to begin, this book continues to set the stage and prepare for what is to come. In addition, unlike the other works in this series, this book centers upon someone returning to a previous time in which they lived rather than arrive in a brand new time and reality, which perhaps makes this book a little less exciting and eventful in comparison.
With abundant historic details that are expounded upon and craftily inserted, Mr. Jacobson once again illustrates his meticulous research and breadth of knowledge. I loved recognizing characters from other literary works, and even though there were some that I wasn’t familiar with, I know other may pick up on his references and appreciate the clever tie-ins. While I do appreciate and admire a well-constructed historical backdrop and context, I personally tend to favor stories that focus more on relationships and romantic developments. 🥰 I think readers who have a stronger preference for history context will enjoy this story more than I did.
The Bennet Wardrobe series is delving deeper into the complex purpose of Bennet Wardrobe and the interlocking timelines of the Bennet family and their descendants. And while sometimes it might feel a little complicated to follow, readers who are fascinated by time-travel and eager to explore an alternate universe with the Bennet family will find plenty to enjoy and be entertained by in this thoroughly unique and richly crafted series!
Austenesque Reviews
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Note: The Exile: The Countess Visits Longbourn is the fifth installment in The Bennet Wardrobe series, and it is recommended that readers read The Keeper: Mary Bennet’s Extraordinary Adventure, Henry Fitzwilliam’s War, The Exile: Kitty Bennet and the Belle Époque, and Lizzy Bennet Meets the Countess prior to reading this book. This story does not work as a stand-alone.
The Bennet Wardrobe – for those not yet acquainted – is a specially-crafted wardrobe that has been in the Bennet family since the late 1700s. It has magical properties and a mysterious purpose it is trying to fulfill. Only those with Bennet blood can move forward in time, and unlike other time-travel devices – the time-travelers cannot choose to when (or where) they will travel. In this series, Don Jacobson intertwines the history of the Bennet family with historical events and figures and fictional characters created by other authors to create a complex and creative universe that fleshes out the personalities and purposes of several secondary characters from Pride and Prejudice.
In this installment readers learn more about Kitty Bennet or as she is later known – the Dowager Countess of Matlock. So far out of all the Bennets who have traveled through time, Kitty’s experiences seem to be the most impactful and surprising. By pure accident Kitty triggers the Wardrobe the day after her sisters marry Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy and is transported to the year 1886. Now, forty-six years later, Kitty, perhaps aware of the political climate of the current time period she is in, makes steps towards protecting and securing The Wardrobe and establishing the Bennet Family Trust. It was awe-inspiring to see Kitty so mature, graceful, and commanding. Kitty is a tower of strength, and witnessing firsthand her determined actions and mental acuity was one of my favorite aspects of this novel. The other was seeing her interactions with Mr. Bennet – the myriad of emotions each feel, the new awareness and comprehension, the irony of Kitty still feeling like a young girl around her father but in actuality being several years his senior.
Since there are three more works expected in this series, this installment felt like it is mostly comprised of middle matter. So much is already established and introduced in the first books of this series and while it might not be time yet for the climatic pinnacle or culminating events to begin, this book continues to set the stage and prepare for what is to come. In addition, unlike the other works in this series, this book centers upon someone returning to a previous time in which they lived rather than arrive in a brand new time and reality, which perhaps makes this book a little less exciting and eventful in comparison.
With abundant historic details that are expounded upon and craftily inserted, Mr. Jacobson once again illustrates his meticulous research and breadth of knowledge. I loved recognizing characters from other literary works, and even though there were some that I wasn’t familiar with, I know other may pick up on his references and appreciate the clever tie-ins. While I do appreciate and admire a well-constructed historical backdrop and context, I personally tend to favor stories that focus more on relationships and romantic developments. 🥰 I think readers who have a stronger preference for history context will enjoy this story more than I did.
The Bennet Wardrobe series is delving deeper into the complex purpose of Bennet Wardrobe and the interlocking timelines of the Bennet family and their descendants. And while sometimes it might feel a little complicated to follow, readers who are fascinated by time-travel and eager to explore an alternate universe with the Bennet family will find plenty to enjoy and be entertained by in this thoroughly unique and richly crafted series!
Austenesque Reviews
October 23, 2020
It’s very rare that I get to like Wickham and even campion him and Lydia in a variation as I did in this one. Do I still miss knowing more about Lizzy and Darcy in this wonderful wardrobe universe? YES! But oh my! What a life Kitty lived, so strong and courageous!!!
March 13, 2022
This will, undoubtedly if preemptively, be my favorite amongst the wardrobe series, as it is about who, in the end, was, unexpectedly, the strongest and most intelligent of all the Bennet women. I will love that for this story in particular. I also love the pieces which were sprinkled in for closure, for the small moments in which she gained it unexpectedly, for the love she worked around and with, for the cherishing of a family who had no chance to learn to love her as much as she loved them, and for the mission and understanding she undertook for their behalf. If one were to live their lives by Kitty's example in this story, one would not live a life far from all that is great and good, and with love in so many ways discovered, it could not but be fulfilling.
June 6, 2022
This one was more the book that pulled together things from the past and the future. Kitty Bennet is timelord. She shaped events. But at the same time the author does seem to have it in for her. Poor Kitty!!
We never saw Lizzy and Jane. Mary got her moment, Lydia will get hers, and Kitty is everywhere. Shaping the Bennet world.
A philosophical and psychological one. A slower one. Lots of thinking and talking. Not a lot happening, before the end.....yes he has it in for her.
Great narration.I have gotten used to the narrator as I have listened to many by now.
We never saw Lizzy and Jane. Mary got her moment, Lydia will get hers, and Kitty is everywhere. Shaping the Bennet world.
A philosophical and psychological one. A slower one. Lots of thinking and talking. Not a lot happening, before the end.....yes he has it in for her.
Great narration.I have gotten used to the narrator as I have listened to many by now.
August 30, 2023
Welcome back dear readers! It has been a while! Now I’m back and I’m pleased to announce that Don Jacobson has a new book written and published, the next in the line of the Wardrobe story.
This one takes place when Kitty or Lady Kate is 63 years old and returns to Longbourn after some odd fifty years away. Now she must assure that her father takes the appropriate steps to preserve her version of the future, secure who the Keeper of the Wardrobe will be and make sure that the remaining Bennet sister will find her way to happiness.
From peaceful Deauville to war torn Europe, we follow how steps are taken to protect the Bennet’s and the Wardrobe against the change of time, evil which will use it for their own purposes and even Bennet’s who aren’t ready for their time to learn.
I was very pleased with Don’s next piece of the puzzle which is the Wardrobe series, and small plot holes I had noticed in the earlier books was filled with the information you are given in this book, including how Lydia and Wickham became so very devoted to each other, and how the steps taken would lead Wickham to become a new man and Lydia to become the powerful and strong Countess of Matlock.
Much laughter and yet sadness was presented in this book, as many of the characters from earlier books had begun their next great adventure. A new sense of Lydia, as a grown up and sensible woman started to emerge, which I find to my liking, as it would be another character who Don would make me like for the first time. Furthermore old enemies appear as the book draws to a close, remember back to “The Exile” and then it will make sense.
I do suggest a handkerchief for the ending though, since I did cry a bit as it was tragic and yet sweet in its own way.
All in all another masterpiece to the puzzle which is the Wardrobe series. I can only congratulate Don on yet another wonderful book, and hope to see the next one fairly soon.
This one takes place when Kitty or Lady Kate is 63 years old and returns to Longbourn after some odd fifty years away. Now she must assure that her father takes the appropriate steps to preserve her version of the future, secure who the Keeper of the Wardrobe will be and make sure that the remaining Bennet sister will find her way to happiness.
From peaceful Deauville to war torn Europe, we follow how steps are taken to protect the Bennet’s and the Wardrobe against the change of time, evil which will use it for their own purposes and even Bennet’s who aren’t ready for their time to learn.
I was very pleased with Don’s next piece of the puzzle which is the Wardrobe series, and small plot holes I had noticed in the earlier books was filled with the information you are given in this book, including how Lydia and Wickham became so very devoted to each other, and how the steps taken would lead Wickham to become a new man and Lydia to become the powerful and strong Countess of Matlock.
Much laughter and yet sadness was presented in this book, as many of the characters from earlier books had begun their next great adventure. A new sense of Lydia, as a grown up and sensible woman started to emerge, which I find to my liking, as it would be another character who Don would make me like for the first time. Furthermore old enemies appear as the book draws to a close, remember back to “The Exile” and then it will make sense.
I do suggest a handkerchief for the ending though, since I did cry a bit as it was tragic and yet sweet in its own way.
All in all another masterpiece to the puzzle which is the Wardrobe series. I can only congratulate Don on yet another wonderful book, and hope to see the next one fairly soon.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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