What if Elizabeth Bennet had the ability to detect lies? You know those lies we all tell from time to time—some are innocent and some are whoppers! In this story, Elizabeth can see the grey murky air around the people who spin their web of lies. Let us explore the deception abounding in Pride and Prejudice. Mrs. Bennets’ boastfulness. Caroline’s false flattery. Collins’s sycophantic praises. Lady Catherine’s claims of an infant betrothal. Wickham! How would Elizabeth’s ‘gift’ change the story? This sweet, clean Pride and Prejudice variation begins on the night of the Meryton assembly.
The main difference with this variation is that ability to detect when someone is lying by Elizabeth. She learns she also can detect when love is in the air as she witnesses a different golden glow around Jane and Bingley. When Wickham tell his tales she is able to not only see a gray aura but as he talks about Georgiana sees that air turns even darker...so dark that she knows she must somehow protect her family and friends from this man.
Although Elizabeth knows that Darcy was not really speaking as he felt when he utters the insult at the Assembly she also begins to realize that the glow around him means something totally in opposition to that insult. So how do you think she might react if a proposal contains the insults we all know about from canon? Will she dismiss them, knowing that he speaks truth when he claims to love her despite her family, her lack of connections and lack of fortune?
Sir Lucas plays a supporting role in this tale, thankful for Darcy's tending to Wickham's dark presence in the area, Lucas decides to let Darcy know when Elizabeth leaves town. The Colonel has a larger part here also. He, as usual, learns all the details of how Darcy insulted E. and gives him advice and makes sure he prepares to make amends...not just a conversation about what he said wrong.
This was a pleasant story but it had no real angst, no surprises. I did enjoy it.
I tend to enjoy Pride and Prejudice variations with magic. This story has just a touch of it - enough to satisfy me, anyway. Elizabeth Bennet can see when someone is lying. Literally. If someone tries to fib around her, she sees a gray, smoke-like haze over him/her.
Consequently, when she hears Mr. Darcy insult her appearance at the Meryton assembly, she knows he isn't being truthful and doesn't take offense. And Mr. Wickham? He doesn't stand a chance.
That doesn't mean her relationship with Darcy goes smoothly - far from it. He still botches his initial marital proposal, and what makes it worse is the Elizabeth knows he means every insulting word about her inferiority and her disgraceful family.
I'm not sure why, but the author chooses to make Kitty more undisciplined than Lydia.
I also found a lot of repetition and dragging in a middle section with Elizabeth and Darcy both moping over their separation. Yes, I get it, they're miserable. No need to keep telling me all the reasons why they're miserable and all the things they should've done or said differently.
Aside from that hiccup in the middle and some non-Regency lapses, it's a lovely story. Content is clean.
Rating: Sweet, Clean: Angst Level: low-to-medium, depending on the stressors: Source: own: This review may contain *** spoilers *** As the book blurb states, Elizabeth Bennet had the ability to detect lies. As she grew up, no one in Meryton dared tell a lie around her. They didn’t know how she knew, just that she could always tell when someone was spinning a tall tale. Elizabeth, nor her family, ever explained how she always knew. Only her family knew that she saw grey murky air around people when they were telling a lie.
Elizabeth’s gift changed her opinion of Darcy [and his dreadful insult] right from their first encounter at the Meryton Assembly. Instead of being offended, she forgave him due to the murky air swirling about him as he said those horrid words. This changed everything. I love a story where Elizabeth has something special.
“It’s in those quiet little towns, at the edge of the world, that you will find the salt of the earth people who make you feel right at home.” –Aaron Lauritsen, 100 Days Drive: The Great North American Road Trip
Our Darcy had a lot to learn about the people of Meryton. He was confounded at every turn by the Bennet family, their neighbors, and their expectations. His visit to Hertfordshire to assist Bingley turned out differently than he expected. Meeting Elizabeth Bennet changed his life. He struggled with familial expectations and those of the ton. The family expected and encouraged him to marry his cousin Anne de Bourgh. The ton expected him to marry someone from the first circle. His uncle figured if he didn’t marry Anne, then his choice of a bride should have appropriate connections, and come with a fortune. To Darcy these women were dull, vapid, often grasping, and many were simply social climbers which he detested. Only one lady had ever caught his eye and heart. How could he offer for her?
Wickham: “Just because something isn’t a lie does not mean that it isn’t deceptive. A liar knows that he is a liar, but one who speaks mere portions of truth in order to deceive is a craftsman of destruction.” –Criss Jami
Our SBRB [scum-bag-rat-bastard] arrived with the militia and it was especially scary as Elizabeth watched Wickham spout his lies and half-truths about Darcy. The aura around Wickham was a virtual light show as it changed with what he was saying. His comments about the senior Darcy were different than the grey murky air that appeared when he commented about his godfather’s son. It was when Wickham mentioned Darcy’s younger sister that the mist turned black as night. It made Elizabeth shudder to think someone was that evil. She discussed it with her father and they concluded that Wickham needed to be watched and her sisters warned of the danger. Only one sister refused to believe the caveat and it was not the sister I would have thought.
What I liked: Darcy and Elizabeth become friends early. Wickham was revealed early. The Bennet family was slightly different in a good way. I especially felt for Mrs. Bennet.
What I didn’t like: Near the middle, I felt a conclusion and then the story just kept going. The middle began to drag a bit but then picked up for the conclusion. There was just a bit too much introspection. However, I highly recommend this delightful story. It made me smile. I loved it.
Lizzy can tell when someone is lying. But can she? With Mr. Collins her power doesn’t work...because he believes what he is saying. It would have been interesting if it had not worked on Wickham because he believed what he was saying.
Other than this rare power, the rest of the story was pretty bland.
Elizabeth can detect when people lie as there's like a mist or aura around them. Therefore, she know that he didn't mean what he said at the Meryton assembly, then everything can be easier... or not.
This is my second time reading this story! It's very romantic but with up's and downs between Darcy and Lizzie! Lizzie has a special gift, she can see Aura's, which spices up the story. Especially, when the inevitable meeting with Lt. Wickham comes about and Lizzie see's thru his lies! The second proposal of Darcy is really sweet! A good read!
In this Pride and Prejudice variation, Elizabeth knows that Darcy is lying at the Meryton Assembly when he makes his famous insult. Elizabeth has a special gift - she can see someone's aura (although that is not how the author refers to it). She finds that while people are lying, she can see a grey cloud around them. Having a truth detector comes in handy in dealing with people like her annoying cousin or Wickham. It also allows our dear couple to communicate clearly, which helps overcome obstacles and find their happily ever after.
A very interesting imagination. Elizabeth's gift helps her look through many lies harmless, evasive, ingratiating, malicious, greedy and see the real person. Except for his (usual) horrible proposal, this Darcy was sweet and kind and friendly. Imliked the way Wickham is handled and Lydia escaped being his scapegoat this time. It goes to show how a small change in one character changes the whole course.
In this Pride and Prejudice variation Elizabeth Bennet has the ability to detect lies. So how will this effect, if it does, the events at the Meryton Assembly, and the future interactions with the various characters. An entertaining story
Elizabeth Bennett has an ability to detect falsehoods by perceiving a grey cloud around someone who is lying. She perceives that Darcy's insult at the Meryton assembly isn't the truth, so doesn't hold that against him, and has a more open mind about him. Wickham is exposed as a liar immediately, leading to his eventual poor reputation in the town. Elizabeth's family and close friends know of her peculiar ability, and trust her judgement because of it.
Interesting premise, even though it's odd. I did like that Darcy admits his attraction to Elizabeth more readily, and that Elizabeth falls for Darcy a lot more quickly. But what's with Kitty Bennett? She has some pressing need to defy the entire family opinion and still think Wickham is ok, and it's weird. Darcy bungles his proposal to Elizabeth and no one will ever let him forget it. It's weird. Mr. Collins only stirs up trouble with Lady Catherine right before the wedding, even though he's known about Darcy's relationship with Elizabeth for months. It's weird.
There is so much borrowed directly from the text of P&P that I ended up skimming a lot over paragraphs that were practically verbatim. This seemed a little lame, and boring. The book is written in a very simplistic way, and there's never really any feeling of suspense or tension, it all feels very predictable.
The book is written well enough, and it's an interesting concept, but this is definitely not great literature. I recommend it with reservations.
A Certain Something took me quite a while to finish because, quite frankly, I was never overeager to get back amongst its pages. I was determined to finish it, but unfortunately, the premise of the story left me mostly bored. Saying that, however, I found myself curious enough to want to see exactly what Lizzy would 'see' next.
You only have to read the premise to know that Lizzy has a gift for seeing whether a person is lying or not. You can see that within the pages of Pride and Prejudice, she has plenty of scope to stretch her talented wings. I just found the whole thing a little too predictable I'm afraid. Of course, Wickham is unable to fool Lizzy with his lies, and Lady C's claims of a cradle alliance between Darcy and Anne deBourgh are shown up to be nothing more than her lady ships wishes rather than fact. I am sure most readers would have already thought this of this not very likeable character. Lizzy still overhears Darcy at the assembly but she can tell he is lying; and their relationship develops from there. Although that road is not entirely smooth.
I have awarded 3 1/2 stars because though the story was not my cup of tea, (though I am not entirely close minded about phenomena most humans have no knowledge of) the writing was excellent and the characters were much as we know then from canon.
I was quite disappointed with this book. The premise sounded really interesting but it didn't quite deliver. The plot was okay but writing style was too distracted and unpolished for me to enjoy it. The conversations were stilted and somewhat unnatural and generally didn't flow very well. Also, the amount of glaringly modern inaccuracies was tolerable in the beginning but by the end it's as if the author had forgotten she wasn't writing a contemporary novel. For example, why do all the males even the ones that don't know her refer to her as merely 'Elizabeth'? Since Georgiana and the Colonel don't even know her yet they should be calling her 'Miss Bennet'. It's really a shame because the premise is so unique.
Charming Tale Reviewed in Canada on January 16, 2020 A very different scenario. Elizabeth has the gift of being able to detect lies, which makes her encounters with the characters of Pride and Prejudice quite unlike the original, especially Wickham. Well-written and nicely done. Recommend
As you can see, this is a P&P variation.... So, in this P&P "what if?" we find Lizzy's character with the talent of detecting lies and deceptions. The author then proceeds to captivate the reader by exploring this idea and how the story would unfold if it were the case.
(OH!! How much I have loved this book!! I always imagined what it would have been like if Lizzy and Darcy didn't start their relationship with the left foot, but in good terms. I always thought it would be the perfect story and I wasn't wrong.)
Don't get me wrong, I love the original P&P, but the story in this one just unfolds in such a perfect way that it just makes me appreciate it a lot more. You could say this is a Disney version of P&P 🤣 while, Jane Austen's is the realistic version (and the original, of course).
In this book you do find similarities between all the characters and the original P&P, but you do get a better balances (in my opinion) on their behavior. You get to see a more well behave Mrs. Bennet (believe it or not). Also, I believe the author did a marvelous job by following the events in the original story, but changing certain aspects to match the new plot line.
I also have to clarify that even as the author adds Lizzy's gift to the story and many misunderstandings are prevented, you still have that lesson of not letting Pride and Prejudice cloud your judgement and behavior towards others, but you'll have to read the book to see what I mean.
In short words, I LOVED THIS BOOK. It was my first book by Cassandra B Leigh and I will definitely be reading more of her works (specially if they are P&P variations) 💚
Toodles and Blessings ⚘️
[Ps. The only downfall or disappointment I got from this book was the fact that it is not available in Paperback or Hardcover. I like collecting P&P books and was so excited to add this to my physical bookshelf, but I guess that having it on my Kindle will have to do 😔😭]
Have you ever wondered what would happen if Elizabeth Bennet knew when people were lying? Well, you're about to find out! Elizabeth knows that Darcy is lying and that he actually likes her. This is an interesting concept as it allows the story to take a slightly different path. The author also offers the chance to get to know characters from another perspective. The only reason I'm not giving 5 stars is I would have liked a little more of the 'new' story and a little less of the original plot. However, it was still a brilliant read and the author wonderfully captured some of our favourite characters.
A cute story, Elizabeth has supernatural powers that allow her to know when someone is lying. This leads to a quicker understand of not only Darcy but Wickham. When the proposal finally comes, Elizabeth shares her gift with Darcy. I liked the idea of the story and enjoyed seeing how ODC came together. I would like to see more of the after in stories. The possibilities of Elizabeth’s gift being used as he couple had children and over time would have made the story so much better, however the story ends.
I might kinda like the story but there are many places I doubt. No way Lady Catherine would have gotten to Longbourn before visiting hours the next day if Collins only found out about Mr Darcy the previous night, for example, if indeed Kent is 6h away as stated (which I also question). And I think Lizzy might worry about seeing that white light fade. Does she see it around Aunt and Uncle Gardiner? What about their kids? What about a red aura at times of anger? So almost a good story but too many holes to make me completely happy.
Elizabeth is able to perceive if people are lying. This changes her interactions with Darcy as she is wary of Wickham's slander and knows Darcy didn't mean the insult at the assembly. She finds herself falling in love but his familial scruples and excessive honesty still cause problems. This is an interesting premise and an entertaining sweet story but at some point it dragged a bit as Darcy and Elizabeth thought the same things over and over again.
The5th star was for the unexpected twist of Elizabeth had as a human lie detector, brilliantly fun so that she could avoid the foolishness of believing lies yet still stumble through all the stages of her and Darcy. It was masterfully crafted and a wonderful Colonel Fitzwilliam. Georgiana was delightful. More subtly and equally well-crafted was how Mrs. Bennet was written, showing a care for her daughters never really glimpsed in canon.
While this book was okay, I would not want to own it as I wouldn’t read it again. Not much of a plot. I thought Elizabeth’s “gift” could make an interesting story, but was disappointed as it was not that big of a focus IMO. I found myself skimming quite a bit to get past the redundant thoughts of our main characters. Could have been better.
This was a nice P & P variation. Just enough angst to keep it going. The twist was well done, not too silly as I feared it might be. Well written without the numerous typos often found in these fanfiction novels. Good pace. Darcy was fairly romantic and Elizabeth was pretty true to character.
The only complaint I have about this lovely variation is that it was over too soon. The author has brought a magical quality to Elizabeth and Darcy falling in love that is poignant in its expression. You will not regret buying this title and is one of the better written examples to come out of fan fiction. Thank you for this lovely story.
Elizabeth Bennett is abducted by Mr. Darcy. If she won't marry him voluntarily, than he knows how to proceed. But proceed without her he will not! I love how unpredictable this story begins. The forced elopement is on and if you are intrigued, keep turning the pages.!
This variation is low angst yet moves along nicely. While many variations dither foreword and back endlessly, this plot moves. All the characters are true to themselves and yet are not boring. This author offers a fine read.