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Beauty and Mr. Darcy
Elizabeth Bennet knows that Fitzwilliam Darcy is a beast. At least, that's what George Wickham tells her, and she is inclined to believe him. Why, then, is it so hard not to find him interesting and attractive? Is she just another young lady intrigued by a rogue?
Jane Bennet was in love once and has never quite recovered. When the object of her affections returns to Meryton, she is thrilled, until she realizes that the same problem that has frightened off all of her other suitors might drive away the man she truly loves.
Mary Bennet's pedantic pronouncements irritate her sisters and repel the man she longs for. Is there any hope for a happy ending for her?
Kitty and Lydia Bennet's giggles and foolish ways make the matrons of Meryton shake their heads. Without real parental guidance, they long for attention, even if means risking their reputations and hope for the future.
Charlotte Lucas has long since given up the idea of finding a husband and having the children she longs for. When an unusual suitor arrives in Meryton, she has one last chance to avoid spinsterhood.
Beauty and Mr. Darcy is a Pride and Prejudice variation in which romance and humor abound! The Bennet sisters' fairy tales intertwine as they each find their very own happy ending, but there is no fantastical magic in this retelling. This is a full-length novel of about 130,000 words.
Jane Bennet was in love once and has never quite recovered. When the object of her affections returns to Meryton, she is thrilled, until she realizes that the same problem that has frightened off all of her other suitors might drive away the man she truly loves.
Mary Bennet's pedantic pronouncements irritate her sisters and repel the man she longs for. Is there any hope for a happy ending for her?
Kitty and Lydia Bennet's giggles and foolish ways make the matrons of Meryton shake their heads. Without real parental guidance, they long for attention, even if means risking their reputations and hope for the future.
Charlotte Lucas has long since given up the idea of finding a husband and having the children she longs for. When an unusual suitor arrives in Meryton, she has one last chance to avoid spinsterhood.
Beauty and Mr. Darcy is a Pride and Prejudice variation in which romance and humor abound! The Bennet sisters' fairy tales intertwine as they each find their very own happy ending, but there is no fantastical magic in this retelling. This is a full-length novel of about 130,000 words.
410 pages, Paperback
First published January 29, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
February 8, 2020
This is actually six books in one - there are several fairy tales incorporated here that match up with Pride and Prejudice heroines. (No magic.) Beauty and Mr. Darcy has parallels to Beauty and the Beast (Wickham makes a perfect Gaston), but there are additional plots with nods to The Frog Prince, Sleeping Beauty, The Little Sea-Maid, Cinderella, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, and Rapunzel. The stories run concurrently and, considering the relationships between the P&P characters, they naturally overlap at times.
I hesitate to say too much for fear of giving away spoilers - Elizabeth and Darcy's fairy tale is obvious from the book's title, but part of the fun is matching up Lydia, Mary, Charlotte Lucas, Anne de Bourgh, Kitty, and Jane to their respective storybook characters and seeing how they'll play out in a Regency romance. The point of view isn't limited to these young ladies, shifting at times to what other characters are thinking.
There are several non-spoiler plot points to mention that I found particularly interesting. The first is how Lydia especially craves fatherly attention from Mr. Bennet - who doesn't come off well here at all. He's beyond disinterested in his family, callously treating them as mere objects for his own amusement. (I really loved Lydia's unusual storyline.) Another is poor Mr. Bingley's almost comical cluelessness when it comes to picking up nuances of conversation around him. He just doesn't read people well at all. No wonder it's possible to convince him that Jane doesn't love him. And Darcy's road to self-awareness requires more than one major prod to his haughty, overconfident arse.
Since each story gets a detailed, full-book treatment (even though each weaves through others), this is a LONG book. Again, if you approach it as several books-in-one (which it is), it doesn't feel long. Like any good fairy tale, the content is squeaky clean.
This is an ambitious, non-traditional way to write a book, breaking a major literary rule. Rather than leading up to one central climactic moment, each "fairy tale" has its own. Ms. Courtney's storybook approach makes it work here, and I found myself charmed throughout.
Also worth a mention is that Ms. Courtney has a sequel to this (well, to be more precise, it would fall between the last chapter and the Epilogue) for a short story that's a sweet Georgiana-centered fairytale. It's available at her website: https://authorsarahcourtney.wordpress...
Her previous book, A Good Name, is equally impressive and has a completely different tone. I highly recommend them both!
I hesitate to say too much for fear of giving away spoilers - Elizabeth and Darcy's fairy tale is obvious from the book's title, but part of the fun is matching up Lydia, Mary, Charlotte Lucas, Anne de Bourgh, Kitty, and Jane to their respective storybook characters and seeing how they'll play out in a Regency romance. The point of view isn't limited to these young ladies, shifting at times to what other characters are thinking.
There are several non-spoiler plot points to mention that I found particularly interesting. The first is how Lydia especially craves fatherly attention from Mr. Bennet - who doesn't come off well here at all. He's beyond disinterested in his family, callously treating them as mere objects for his own amusement. (I really loved Lydia's unusual storyline.) Another is poor Mr. Bingley's almost comical cluelessness when it comes to picking up nuances of conversation around him. He just doesn't read people well at all. No wonder it's possible to convince him that Jane doesn't love him. And Darcy's road to self-awareness requires more than one major prod to his haughty, overconfident arse.
Since each story gets a detailed, full-book treatment (even though each weaves through others), this is a LONG book. Again, if you approach it as several books-in-one (which it is), it doesn't feel long. Like any good fairy tale, the content is squeaky clean.
This is an ambitious, non-traditional way to write a book, breaking a major literary rule. Rather than leading up to one central climactic moment, each "fairy tale" has its own. Ms. Courtney's storybook approach makes it work here, and I found myself charmed throughout.
Also worth a mention is that Ms. Courtney has a sequel to this (well, to be more precise, it would fall between the last chapter and the Epilogue) for a short story that's a sweet Georgiana-centered fairytale. It's available at her website: https://authorsarahcourtney.wordpress...
Her previous book, A Good Name, is equally impressive and has a completely different tone. I highly recommend them both!
June 9, 2020
At 94% the story ends and the author informs the reader as to which fairy tale each couple's story is related and gives an explanation. I was happy to see that as some (which the author admits) are rather a stretch. Each character's section has a title which hints at or outright tells you which fairy tell may be indicated within that section.
The story has the most deviations for Mary, Kitty and Lydia. Indeed, Lydia makes great improvements in her education when she decides to take up reading the newspaper and books mentioned in conversation while she and Kitty are in Brighton
Wickham is a very busy "beast" although for part of the tale he makes sure that title has been assigned to Darcy as he bestows all his own traits on Darcy, warning first Elizabeth and then others, to beware of this evil man who is the talk of gossip in London.
Mary becomes the "hunter" when she sets her mind on a certain clergyman and tries to show how appropriate she might be as his wife. She discovers the error of that notion due to her own observations.
Anne surprises Darcy when he receives a letter from Lady Catherine claiming her daughter has "eloped". The letter doesn't exactly name the man but the description sends him on a chase inquiring along the way to Gretna Green as to whether a couple meeting their description has passed by. He does not find them there nor in London as he inquires with Mrs. Younge, etc.
Jane falls into a great depression...all due to Caroline's lies and forgeries over a five year period. In this story Jane and Bingley met when she was a young teen, newly out in society. He was still at university so could not commit to marriage but wanted her to wait for him. However...she didn't receive that message.
Charlotte takes her future in hand and even before she marries she makes the way she wants her relationship to go the way in which she begins...it will be his wife whose opinions are first in the way things should go.
I am not going to tell or hint at which fairy tale each echoes. Meredith did review this book and states such in her review on Austenesque Reviews and as I said the author lays it all out for the reader with hints and then outright explanations at the end.
Even without that I enjoyed some of the new twists to characters in this story. The ending, the epilogue, is rather a jump as we learn of the crowd of children visiting together at Pemberley along with all the parents/the couples we watched court and marry. Wickham's fate is also disclosed there.
The story has the most deviations for Mary, Kitty and Lydia. Indeed, Lydia makes great improvements in her education when she decides to take up reading the newspaper and books mentioned in conversation while she and Kitty are in Brighton
Wickham is a very busy "beast" although for part of the tale he makes sure that title has been assigned to Darcy as he bestows all his own traits on Darcy, warning first Elizabeth and then others, to beware of this evil man who is the talk of gossip in London.
Mary becomes the "hunter" when she sets her mind on a certain clergyman and tries to show how appropriate she might be as his wife. She discovers the error of that notion due to her own observations.
Anne surprises Darcy when he receives a letter from Lady Catherine claiming her daughter has "eloped". The letter doesn't exactly name the man but the description sends him on a chase inquiring along the way to Gretna Green as to whether a couple meeting their description has passed by. He does not find them there nor in London as he inquires with Mrs. Younge, etc.
Jane falls into a great depression...all due to Caroline's lies and forgeries over a five year period. In this story Jane and Bingley met when she was a young teen, newly out in society. He was still at university so could not commit to marriage but wanted her to wait for him. However...she didn't receive that message.
Charlotte takes her future in hand and even before she marries she makes the way she wants her relationship to go the way in which she begins...it will be his wife whose opinions are first in the way things should go.
I am not going to tell or hint at which fairy tale each echoes. Meredith did review this book and states such in her review on Austenesque Reviews and as I said the author lays it all out for the reader with hints and then outright explanations at the end.
Even without that I enjoyed some of the new twists to characters in this story. The ending, the epilogue, is rather a jump as we learn of the crowd of children visiting together at Pemberley along with all the parents/the couples we watched court and marry. Wickham's fate is also disclosed there.
August 17, 2022
My Rating: 4.5*
What a creative variation that takes Pride &Prejudice and weaves in (loosely) favourite fairy tales. Some I instantly figured out and others not so much. However, I enjoyed each 'fairy tale' as they slowly evolved.
"Each daughter was unique, with her own dreams and yearnings, but what each longed for most of all was life with a husband who would love, cherish and protect both her and their future family against the world." (quote from the book)
I always enjoy stories that develop characters who have little page time and say even less. Ms. Courtney has given voice to each of them and a few twists and turns to those whose lives we can't get enough of. Each of the 'daughters' have hard lessons to learn, some more than others, but what a rewarding feeling each has when they realize their value and what is truly important.
Jane: Known for her beauty and kindness, will she ever find true love? What was once lost is now found but evil sisters abound and Jane falls into a deep depression. Can she find her way out?
"...cursed with a mother whose vulgar and uncouth behavior would have injured a higher degree of beauty and sweetness than even Jane could claim." (quote from the book)
Elizabeth: Witty, impertinent and lovely, Elizabeth's vanity may be her undoing. Lies and misunderstandings feed her prejudice. Will the 'charming' Mr. Wickham succeed in poisoning her against the 'beastly' Mr. Darcy?
"...cursed with wit in a world that did not appreciate such a thing in a woman." (quote from the book)
Mary: Overlooked and under appreciated, she sets herself to deep study and prim behavior in order to catch the eye of a certain vicar. Fordyce Sermons may be her undoing.
"...cursed to be the plainest daughter in a family of beauties." (quote from the book)
Kitty: Being in the shadow of her boisterous and demanding younger sister, she hides her talent from her family and especially Lydia. All she wants is to see the ocean again and maybe find a man who would appreciate her and her love of it. I really loved her story as I am very partial to Kitty's character. I actually wanted more!
"...cursed to be thought of as little more than an echo of Lydia." (quote from the book)
Lydia: Spoiled by her mother and ignored by her father, Lydia seeks attention in the only way she knows how...flirting! Oh what a tangled and inventive mess she gets herself into. Can she find her way out? Will Brighton be the making of her or her ruin?
"...cursed with the most indolent, uncaring father of any of her acquaintance." (quote from the book)
Charlotte: Older, wiser and plainer than the Bennet sister's, will she ever find her 'prince charming'? Her quick thinking and clever advice had me cheering her on!
"...cursed to have only a modest portion and a plain face in a world where women were valued first for their dowries and second for their looks." (quote from the book)
Anne de Bourgh: Sickly, meek and hidden away from society, how was she to ever find happiness...for she is cursed with a controlling mother, Lady Catherine de Bourgh. A wily cousin may just have the solution she is looking for!
But in all good 'fairy tales' there must be evil villains. As we all know, there are several characters from Pride & Prejudice that fit that description. Some are more nastier than others and some get their just desserts. Some turn bitter and hopefully become wizened old maids, but that is left to our imaginations! Mine can be pretty inventive!
Then, of course, you need heroes to save the day for each of the lovely daughters. We definitely, know two heroes who eventually get their act together and ride to the rescue. But I will let you find out who the other heroes are that make their ladies' hearts beat faster.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this 'fairy tale' variation. Yes, it is long. The beginning was a bit slow for me and there are parts that were a bit repetitive at times. Then again, I wanted even more development for certain characters. But one thing I do know, I highly recommend this inventive variation for all lovers of Pride & Prejudice!
February 27, 2023
A really enjoyable variation
Wonderful mix of variations to the stories of most of the main characters of Pride and Prejudice. A few changes here and there change the direction of the lives of the Bennet sisters and their friends.
Wonderful mix of variations to the stories of most of the main characters of Pride and Prejudice. A few changes here and there change the direction of the lives of the Bennet sisters and their friends.
November 27, 2021
I enjoyed this book. Each romance was sweet. Low angst.
February 11, 2021
Huh, lookie there. My second Pride and Prejudice variation
Positives: I really enjoy what Courtney did with all the characters, giving almost all of them arcs and the like. I also sort of find it extremely satisfying to see how the instant-love (not really insta-love but hear me out here) worked SO well with the period of regency England (it's regency, right?) and general fairytaleness. Who knew how well fairy tales and the Bennet sisters could work out?
Negatives: I thought the ending dragged on for a bit. And also, I didn't really find some of the romantic stuff to be suuuuper accurate for the period, but ah well. Could be me and my lack of historical know how. But still.....
Opinion: This was both cheesy and super fun! Especially equating the fairy tales to each other and the like. I didn't care for the revamping of Elizabeth and Jane and their respective romances, honestly, (except for a small part concerning assertion), but for literally everyone, it was GREAT and so well done!
Content: Very clean...has to be since this is set in Jane Austen-era England. Kisses, yes. And discussions of scandals.
Positives: I really enjoy what Courtney did with all the characters, giving almost all of them arcs and the like. I also sort of find it extremely satisfying to see how the instant-love (not really insta-love but hear me out here) worked SO well with the period of regency England (it's regency, right?) and general fairytaleness. Who knew how well fairy tales and the Bennet sisters could work out?
Negatives: I thought the ending dragged on for a bit. And also, I didn't really find some of the romantic stuff to be suuuuper accurate for the period, but ah well. Could be me and my lack of historical know how. But still.....
Opinion: This was both cheesy and super fun! Especially equating the fairy tales to each other and the like. I didn't care for the revamping of Elizabeth and Jane and their respective romances, honestly, (except for a small part concerning assertion), but for literally everyone, it was GREAT and so well done!
Content: Very clean...has to be since this is set in Jane Austen-era England. Kisses, yes. And discussions of scandals.
April 29, 2020
Great book!
Would have liked to have had more Darcy but loved all the other characters and their own stories! It was great too see Mary, Kitty , Lydia, Charlotte and even Mr. Collins have their own happy endings!
Would have liked to have had more Darcy but loved all the other characters and their own stories! It was great too see Mary, Kitty , Lydia, Charlotte and even Mr. Collins have their own happy endings!
December 18, 2020
Certainly Different
Reviewed in Canada on February 5, 2020
Pleasant fairy tale-like read surrounding the main characters of Pride and Prejudice. Each has their own story, which does make the tale jump around quite a bit, and doesn’t completely focus on ODC, but overall well done.
Reviewed in Canada on February 5, 2020
Pleasant fairy tale-like read surrounding the main characters of Pride and Prejudice. Each has their own story, which does make the tale jump around quite a bit, and doesn’t completely focus on ODC, but overall well done.
February 17, 2020
Fun Austenation. Not too angsty, with all concerned getting a happy eanding and most of villains redeemed and an enjoyable (but not too forced) fairy tale theme.
August 28, 2020
Avid Reader
It seems that all of the Bennet ladies married decent men. After Bingley figured out what Caroline had done, he married Jane and banished her and the Hurst family from his home. Charlotte married Collins after she cleaned him up. Theirs was a love match. Plus, he ignored Lady Catherine in favor of Charlotte. Elizabeth went to live with Jane and Bingley. Caroline and the Hurst family were forgiven, but Jane planned to get rid of them once and for all, which she did! She also got rid of her mother by moving away and buying an estate near Darcy.
It seems that all of the Bennet ladies married decent men. After Bingley figured out what Caroline had done, he married Jane and banished her and the Hurst family from his home. Charlotte married Collins after she cleaned him up. Theirs was a love match. Plus, he ignored Lady Catherine in favor of Charlotte. Elizabeth went to live with Jane and Bingley. Caroline and the Hurst family were forgiven, but Jane planned to get rid of them once and for all, which she did! She also got rid of her mother by moving away and buying an estate near Darcy.
May 26, 2022
What a great story with so many fairy tale tales weaved together with many happily ever afters!
July 21, 2020
Happily Ever Afters for All Pride and Prejudice Heroines!
Source: Review Copy from Author
In Sarah Courtney’s second release, Beauty and Mr. Darcy, she ambitiously takes on spotlighting nearly all the principal unmarried female characters of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and illustrating their individual journeys to happiness and love. All five Bennet sisters plus Charlotte Lucas and Anne de Bourgh receive heroine treatment in this episodic Pride and Prejudice variation. In addition, as might be inferred from the title, each heroine’s story is lightly imbued with classic fairy tales, such as: Sleeping Beauty, The Frog Prince, The Little Sea-Maid, Rapunzel, and Beauty and the Beast. The parallels and references to these fairy tales are light and clever, whether it be a shared circumstance or a shared personality trait.
What a creative idea! I love fairy tales, and I enjoy seeing Pride and Prejudice blended with other stories! I loved Sarah Courtney’s first release – A Good Name – and I was so happy to see her bring the same ingenuity and uniqueness to Beauty and Mr. Darcy. I thoroughly enjoyed all the fairy-tale touches and details she added to her narrative – how she introduced each character as being cursed with something and how each chapter started with a telling epigraph. I loved how even though the stories weren’t exactly matching or closely following a specific fairy-tale, they were being told through a fairy-tale lens.
Another element I loved about Beauty and Mr. Darcy was the multiple story-lines. I love that many secondary characters were featured in this collection, and I loved how they were featured. The fairy-tale tie-ins for Charlotte, Jane, and Anne were some of my fairy tale choices in this story. They were fitting choices and the parallels just worked perfectly. And I loved the idea of the Darcy-Elizabeth-Wickham relationship correlating with the Beast-Belle-Gaston dynamic. Wickham is such a Gaston!
Mary, Kitty, and Lydia receive some lovely treatment in this collection. Readers who like to see development and improvement with these characters will be very pleased to see their growth and new awareness. It was a surprising conclusion to come to, but I think Kitty’s and Lydia’s stories were my favorite overall. I loved how Kitty started to think for herself, follow her own inclinations, and that she had a passion for the sea! And I loved that Lydia developed an interest in something other than fashion and flirting, and learned some hard consequences about her forward and heedless behavior. I was so happy to see that these two characters crossed paths with some new handsome and honorable acquaintances. These two storylines were not just the most rewarding and gratifying, but maybe also the exciting.
It is indeed a very ambitious endeavor to weave together seven different storylines and develop romances with seven different couples. And I think Sarah Courtney did a most admirable job with her organization and execution. But I did feel there were one or two minor drawbacks. Because of all the characters introduce it created a bit of a lengthy exposition/introduction of conflicts. In addition, even though Ms. Courtney created some terrific and compelling storylines full of creativity, Darcy’s and Elizabeth’s story sadly was not on that list for me. Perhaps it is because their story felt a little low-angst, or maybe because it wasn’t as new and gripping as the other storylines? It might just be my personal preference, but I wouldn’t have minded a little more emotion and tension to their storyline and a little more paralleling with Beauty and the Beast.
Beauty and Mr. Darcy is a charming collection of tales that show Jane Austen’s characters breaking free from their curses, finding their own path, and coming to the rescue of others. A delightful and engaging choice for readers who love Pride and Prejudice, fairytales, and spotlights on secondary characters!
Austenesque Reviews
Source: Review Copy from Author
In Sarah Courtney’s second release, Beauty and Mr. Darcy, she ambitiously takes on spotlighting nearly all the principal unmarried female characters of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and illustrating their individual journeys to happiness and love. All five Bennet sisters plus Charlotte Lucas and Anne de Bourgh receive heroine treatment in this episodic Pride and Prejudice variation. In addition, as might be inferred from the title, each heroine’s story is lightly imbued with classic fairy tales, such as: Sleeping Beauty, The Frog Prince, The Little Sea-Maid, Rapunzel, and Beauty and the Beast. The parallels and references to these fairy tales are light and clever, whether it be a shared circumstance or a shared personality trait.
What a creative idea! I love fairy tales, and I enjoy seeing Pride and Prejudice blended with other stories! I loved Sarah Courtney’s first release – A Good Name – and I was so happy to see her bring the same ingenuity and uniqueness to Beauty and Mr. Darcy. I thoroughly enjoyed all the fairy-tale touches and details she added to her narrative – how she introduced each character as being cursed with something and how each chapter started with a telling epigraph. I loved how even though the stories weren’t exactly matching or closely following a specific fairy-tale, they were being told through a fairy-tale lens.
Another element I loved about Beauty and Mr. Darcy was the multiple story-lines. I love that many secondary characters were featured in this collection, and I loved how they were featured. The fairy-tale tie-ins for Charlotte, Jane, and Anne were some of my fairy tale choices in this story. They were fitting choices and the parallels just worked perfectly. And I loved the idea of the Darcy-Elizabeth-Wickham relationship correlating with the Beast-Belle-Gaston dynamic. Wickham is such a Gaston!
Mary, Kitty, and Lydia receive some lovely treatment in this collection. Readers who like to see development and improvement with these characters will be very pleased to see their growth and new awareness. It was a surprising conclusion to come to, but I think Kitty’s and Lydia’s stories were my favorite overall. I loved how Kitty started to think for herself, follow her own inclinations, and that she had a passion for the sea! And I loved that Lydia developed an interest in something other than fashion and flirting, and learned some hard consequences about her forward and heedless behavior. I was so happy to see that these two characters crossed paths with some new handsome and honorable acquaintances. These two storylines were not just the most rewarding and gratifying, but maybe also the exciting.
It is indeed a very ambitious endeavor to weave together seven different storylines and develop romances with seven different couples. And I think Sarah Courtney did a most admirable job with her organization and execution. But I did feel there were one or two minor drawbacks. Because of all the characters introduce it created a bit of a lengthy exposition/introduction of conflicts. In addition, even though Ms. Courtney created some terrific and compelling storylines full of creativity, Darcy’s and Elizabeth’s story sadly was not on that list for me. Perhaps it is because their story felt a little low-angst, or maybe because it wasn’t as new and gripping as the other storylines? It might just be my personal preference, but I wouldn’t have minded a little more emotion and tension to their storyline and a little more paralleling with Beauty and the Beast.
Beauty and Mr. Darcy is a charming collection of tales that show Jane Austen’s characters breaking free from their curses, finding their own path, and coming to the rescue of others. A delightful and engaging choice for readers who love Pride and Prejudice, fairytales, and spotlights on secondary characters!
Austenesque Reviews
September 30, 2021
Confession time. I picked this book up without reading any reviews. I don't think I read the full blurb. I started reading it because it was popping up everywhere, and because of the author. I think I enjoyed it fully regardless of that ignorance, but when I got to the end of the story and read the author's notes I felt rather dense. But, I loved it anyway, so....
Without knowing ahead of time that the characters' stories were 'influenced by, or loosely based on' various fairy tales (the author acknowledges some are a stretch,) I really enjoyed each individual story for each character. I will be rereading this, and I highly recommend this to JAFF lovers.
Lydia's story was brilliant. Very angsty and heartbreaking at times. A lot of her improvement rested upon the better environment Col. and Mrs. Forster provided when in Brighton. That was less so in canon for sure. Lydia here and in canon had the longest way to go (social and mental experience) and her story arc was necessarily the most involved but it was delightfully complete. In many of these stories, I thought the author used themes right there in the original all along to illuminate the character's reasons for their actions. But I've seldom seen this approach in other JAFF.
Since the fairy tale thing was loosely based they all had somewhat of a 'beyond believability' factor. But that aspect was what I enjoyed the most. I loved Mary's, Charlotte's, Kitty's and Anne's stories. Charlotte and Mr Collins' story was done and set to the background so quickly, but I've never seen such a great treatment! Oh my, totally unique. Kitty's story was a favorite, too. Hers was quieter but I was routing for her every step of the way! I thought she might actually marry someone else back in Meryton. But her naval hero from Brighton was a better match for her age-wise. And what a guy!
I noticed that all of the Bennet girls lives and identities didn't come into their own until they left home, which is the case in real life for women. No fairy tale needed. Poor Jane had to go further away physically to get her full life.
I'm a big fan of Mary stories and this one did not disappoint. I loved that an important side character from canon became the instrument in Mary seeing where and why she was failing miserably at attracting the man she loved. What a great story.
Elizabeth and Darcy's tale wove around and through the entire book, although nearly each character is connected to other's tales of course. ODC had to go through some learning experiences and find truths and fight off one chief villain with a capital V. Our old friend, snake in the grass, Wickham. Oh god I hated him. Truly despicable, evil,...you name it. I didn't think he got as much as he so richly deserved, but when reading fiction I feel like I can be as vengeful as I wish.
One of my favorites this year, so far.
Without knowing ahead of time that the characters' stories were 'influenced by, or loosely based on' various fairy tales (the author acknowledges some are a stretch,) I really enjoyed each individual story for each character. I will be rereading this, and I highly recommend this to JAFF lovers.
Lydia's story was brilliant. Very angsty and heartbreaking at times. A lot of her improvement rested upon the better environment Col. and Mrs. Forster provided when in Brighton. That was less so in canon for sure. Lydia here and in canon had the longest way to go (social and mental experience) and her story arc was necessarily the most involved but it was delightfully complete. In many of these stories, I thought the author used themes right there in the original all along to illuminate the character's reasons for their actions. But I've seldom seen this approach in other JAFF.
Since the fairy tale thing was loosely based they all had somewhat of a 'beyond believability' factor. But that aspect was what I enjoyed the most. I loved Mary's, Charlotte's, Kitty's and Anne's stories. Charlotte and Mr Collins' story was done and set to the background so quickly, but I've never seen such a great treatment! Oh my, totally unique. Kitty's story was a favorite, too. Hers was quieter but I was routing for her every step of the way! I thought she might actually marry someone else back in Meryton. But her naval hero from Brighton was a better match for her age-wise. And what a guy!
I noticed that all of the Bennet girls lives and identities didn't come into their own until they left home, which is the case in real life for women. No fairy tale needed. Poor Jane had to go further away physically to get her full life.
I'm a big fan of Mary stories and this one did not disappoint. I loved that an important side character from canon became the instrument in Mary seeing where and why she was failing miserably at attracting the man she loved. What a great story.
Elizabeth and Darcy's tale wove around and through the entire book, although nearly each character is connected to other's tales of course. ODC had to go through some learning experiences and find truths and fight off one chief villain with a capital V. Our old friend, snake in the grass, Wickham. Oh god I hated him. Truly despicable, evil,...you name it. I didn't think he got as much as he so richly deserved, but when reading fiction I feel like I can be as vengeful as I wish.
One of my favorites this year, so far.
dnf
July 29, 2022In this P&P variation we have the story of the Bennet daughters and Charlotte Lucas interwwined with their own fairy stories. I was enjoying the Charlotte and Collins story but when it looked like Mary Bennet was going to marry the local vicar I gave up. Just not a storyline I am interested at the moment reading, maybe sometime in the future but I doubt it. I really dislike stories where Mary marries the local vicar (she would make a terrible vicar's wife - she needs to expand her outlook) or the clerk, she deserves so much better.
May 24, 2020
The author takes the characters from Pride and Prejudice and weaves their stories as inspired by multiple fairy tales - Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, The Frog Prince, etc.
I enjoyed the full story, but rather liked the individual pieces better. When reflecting on the book, I loved the character development for Mr Collins, Kitty and Lydia. Elizabeth's story, which I believe was the mortar keeping the pieces together, was my least favorite.
Overall, it was a good read!
I enjoyed the full story, but rather liked the individual pieces better. When reflecting on the book, I loved the character development for Mr Collins, Kitty and Lydia. Elizabeth's story, which I believe was the mortar keeping the pieces together, was my least favorite.
Overall, it was a good read!
May 21, 2020
Brilliant
I really enjoyed this story I found it to be funny in places a real stories I liked the fact that Lydia changes in this story
I really enjoyed this story I found it to be funny in places a real stories I liked the fact that Lydia changes in this story
May 16, 2025
Content:
Profanity: None.
Violence: Mild. Character falls off a bridge and hurts back, another character gets a concussion, but most of the story revolves around threat not actual violence.
Sexual: High mild to low moderate. There is a lot of talk of 'ruining a woman' and women pregnant out of wedlock. A lot of the scenes have pretty frank discussions of promiscuity and how a lot of the richer nobles have women on the side or are lecherous, and one instance of talking of STDS (they aren't called that though). A fair bit of kissing happens, though not steamy. Newlywed scenes include saucy winks, chasing one another to the bedroom, etc.
Triggers: Deals with blackmail through most of the book. Insinuations of past rape and attempted rape as well. Nothing happens on screen, it's just subtly mentioned as a possibility if you're paying attention.
This really wasn't quite a 4, but it was so close I just rounded up.
This book was written in pretty much every POV of all the main characters of Pride and Prejudice. All the Bennet sisters and Charlotte get the most page time, but there are chapters from Bingley and Darcy as well. That's a lot of switches, and typically I DO NOT like that type of writing choice...but it really works well in this book. It gives it an episodic feel that was unique.
Happily Ever After is the theme of this book. All the sisters (including Charlotte and Anne) get their romance and happiness in this variation. Since each of the ladies' story is based loosely off a fairy tale, it was fun to read the little after note to figure out which fairy tale went with each of the women. It was clever! She did an excellent job of weaving easter egg-like features of fairy tales into each of the stories. I admit, they were subtle enough (and I was distracted by the story enough) that I only caught on to three of the fairy tales. Since one is in the title, I don't think I should really count that though!
As is common in JAFF and variations, Wickham and Miss Bingley are written as villains to the point of me getting bothered at the increase in drama. Caroline's manipulation and lies made her so punch-able. And Bingley and Jane's doormat status increased as well. Kick the woman out for the love of Pete!
Wickham was terrible, as usual, but a lot more...vocal about smearing Darcy's name in this, giving Darcy all the blame for his own deeds. It was appalling and I didn't enjoy that aspect at all, especially the end when Wickham is described as a predator of young girls, manipulating them into thinking themselves in love, then ruining their reputations either by word, or deed. Ew.
This was an engaging read, and I had fun, but I don't think I'd ever read it again (there are less than 3 JAFF books I'd actually read again). The increase in drama isn't something I enjoy personally.
Charlotte and Collins was actually one of my favorites in the book. Cute.
Profanity: None.
Violence: Mild. Character falls off a bridge and hurts back, another character gets a concussion, but most of the story revolves around threat not actual violence.
Sexual: High mild to low moderate. There is a lot of talk of 'ruining a woman' and women pregnant out of wedlock. A lot of the scenes have pretty frank discussions of promiscuity and how a lot of the richer nobles have women on the side or are lecherous, and one instance of talking of STDS (they aren't called that though). A fair bit of kissing happens, though not steamy. Newlywed scenes include saucy winks, chasing one another to the bedroom, etc.
Triggers: Deals with blackmail through most of the book. Insinuations of past rape and attempted rape as well. Nothing happens on screen, it's just subtly mentioned as a possibility if you're paying attention.
This really wasn't quite a 4, but it was so close I just rounded up.
This book was written in pretty much every POV of all the main characters of Pride and Prejudice. All the Bennet sisters and Charlotte get the most page time, but there are chapters from Bingley and Darcy as well. That's a lot of switches, and typically I DO NOT like that type of writing choice...but it really works well in this book. It gives it an episodic feel that was unique.
Happily Ever After is the theme of this book. All the sisters (including Charlotte and Anne) get their romance and happiness in this variation. Since each of the ladies' story is based loosely off a fairy tale, it was fun to read the little after note to figure out which fairy tale went with each of the women. It was clever! She did an excellent job of weaving easter egg-like features of fairy tales into each of the stories. I admit, they were subtle enough (and I was distracted by the story enough) that I only caught on to three of the fairy tales. Since one is in the title, I don't think I should really count that though!
As is common in JAFF and variations, Wickham and Miss Bingley are written as villains to the point of me getting bothered at the increase in drama. Caroline's manipulation and lies made her so punch-able. And Bingley and Jane's doormat status increased as well. Kick the woman out for the love of Pete!
Wickham was terrible, as usual, but a lot more...vocal about smearing Darcy's name in this, giving Darcy all the blame for his own deeds. It was appalling and I didn't enjoy that aspect at all, especially the end when Wickham is described as a predator of young girls, manipulating them into thinking themselves in love, then ruining their reputations either by word, or deed. Ew.
This was an engaging read, and I had fun, but I don't think I'd ever read it again (there are less than 3 JAFF books I'd actually read again). The increase in drama isn't something I enjoy personally.
Charlotte and Collins was actually one of my favorites in the book. Cute.
June 30, 2020
(In case you were wondering, this book contains mentions of depression and unwelcome advances)
I feel lied to. This was not, as advertised, much of a fairy tale retelling. Granted, I only read the first sentence of the summary, so it's partially my fault but still. I was in a mood for something a little different-believe it or not, that can happen after reading 22 modern Austen variations in a row-so I thought I'd give fairy tale Austen a shot, especially since the last Beauty and the Beast x Pride and Prejudice crossover worked out so well.
This is an ambitious project, seven heroines, seven fairy tales. It's a lot. In the acknowledgements, Courtney matches each girl to her fairy tale and admits "some of them are really stretches!" because she "thought it more important to write a good story than to match the fairy tale exactly." I have no problem with that; the whole point of a variation is that creative liberties will be taken. I get it, but this is a poor P&P variation and a sad excuse for a fairy tale...or seven. The characters are barely recognizable (Mr. Bennet was completely ruined), and the whole "fairy tale" aspect felt forced. Seriously, the most fairy tale-related content was the chapter openings in which references to Disney movies are made (ex. "in which a human girl wants to be where the mermaids are," "in which love is a tale as old as time," etc.) They're clever-ish, but not really a good reflection of the book as a whole.
The narrative is all over the place, jumping from story to story without any kind of flow or transition. It's jerky and kind of a pain to read. Colloquialisms are constantly slipping into the text, creating an awkward combination of faux-regency and contemporary, conversational diction. And as much as I appreciate the attempts to give Mary a happy ending, Lydia a redemptive arc, and Collins a spine, seven poorly written stories can be a bit taxing on one's nerves. Lizzy and Darcy's characterizations, in particular, was a weird attempt to mix of canon and Belle and the Beast that ended up becoming a banal mess.
It seems like I am, once again, the lone naysayer in the midst of a sea of 5 star reviews, but every story needs a villain, right? But in all seriousness, don't promise something if you can't deliver.
May 12, 2020
Clever and wonderful
This wonderful tale covers all of the principal characters in P&P, and gives them highly entertaining resolutions. The fairy tale references were lost on me, but the journey taken by everyone is well worth the time.
Elizabeth and Darcy are given their story, but they're not the only love story, and not even the most romantic one. It's great fun to witness the evolution of many sweet and unexpected relationships. I felt that Charlotte and Mr. Collins, surprisingly, was the most satisfying, but the book is overflowing with uplifting outcomes. For me, that was the beauty of this book, the fact that it is highly satisfying, and that many characters that are usually ignored got a lot of attention and a happy outcome.
This author is a master storyteller and wonderful writer, one who knows how to develop a plot, and create characters that you can care about. The book is well written and well edited. I recommend it highly.
This wonderful tale covers all of the principal characters in P&P, and gives them highly entertaining resolutions. The fairy tale references were lost on me, but the journey taken by everyone is well worth the time.
Elizabeth and Darcy are given their story, but they're not the only love story, and not even the most romantic one. It's great fun to witness the evolution of many sweet and unexpected relationships. I felt that Charlotte and Mr. Collins, surprisingly, was the most satisfying, but the book is overflowing with uplifting outcomes. For me, that was the beauty of this book, the fact that it is highly satisfying, and that many characters that are usually ignored got a lot of attention and a happy outcome.
This author is a master storyteller and wonderful writer, one who knows how to develop a plot, and create characters that you can care about. The book is well written and well edited. I recommend it highly.
December 1, 2023
I must say, Sarah is becoming one of my favorite JAFF writers, but is a pity her books are not available as audios.
This variation’s theme is fairytales and the story is told from multiple points of views. Their stories are inspired by a lot of different fairytales, some more closely than others. All the Bennet sisters have their story as well as Charlotte and Anne de Bourgh. True to the genre they all get their happy endings. But I find that Wickham is especially nasty in variation, and Caroline’s schemes go back a long time. How can Caroline and Bingley be related!??
This variation’s theme is fairytales and the story is told from multiple points of views. Their stories are inspired by a lot of different fairytales, some more closely than others. All the Bennet sisters have their story as well as Charlotte and Anne de Bourgh. True to the genre they all get their happy endings. But I find that Wickham is especially nasty in variation, and Caroline’s schemes go back a long time. How can Caroline and Bingley be related!??
March 1, 2022
I was expecting this to be a more literal mash-up of Beauty and the Beast and Pride and Prejudice, similar to the story "The Beast of Pemberly" within The Darcy Monologues. The Beauty and the Beast storyline turned out to be pretty subtle within the story. I also didn't get that the other storylines were supposed to be different fairytales, until I read the author describing them. I guess maybe this is alright, as the author stated that these were subtle.
Characters:
- Elizabeth Bennet - The tale of Mr. Darcy that Wickham told Elizabeth was even worse than in the original story, with him being portrayed as a gambler and a womanizer.
- Jane Bennet - A young Jane met Mr. Bingley in London when they were both young, and not quite ready to marry. She has been pining for him ever since.
- Mary Bennet - Watching people's reaction to Mr. Collins, Mary has a realization that is how people have started reacting to her. She had tried to change her behavior in order to make her fit for a clergyman she has a crush on, but in doing so, has she been pushing him and everyone else away?
- Kitty Bennet - The Bennet family went on a vacation to the sea, and a young Kitty fell in love... with the ocean. Now she draws and paints it, and lavishes hearing the stories about naval battles from an older retired member of the Navy who lives in Meryton.
- Lydia Bennet - Everyone thinks that Lydia is immature and so she lives down to that reputation. All of this is until she goes with the militia to Brighton and the officers treat her like an equal. She decides that she wants to live up to their expectations, and starts to read so that she can have intelligent discussions with them.
- Charlotte Lucas - Charlotte realizes that a suitor who was looked down upon by people might be malleable, and she might be the person to convert him into someone that could save her from spinsterhood.
- Caroline Bingley - Her character's malevolence went up a few notches in what she did to try to keep her brother and Jane apart from each other.
Things I Liked:
- It was a challenge for this author to weave together 6 different storylines told from 8 different points of view. To the author's credit, I didn't have a hard time keeping track of what was happening.
- It always felt a bit like Jane & Bingley's romance was a little too fast and easy. I love the idea of them having met before and both pining for each other in the intervening years.
- I really liked Mary's storyline. I could always see her marrying a clergyman, and I liked the idea that the way she was behaving wasn't inherent to her character, but something she was mistakenly trying to do to improve herself. I enjoyed seeing her realization, and I always enjoy seeing Mary get a happy ending.
- Similarly, I liked how Charlotte Lucas's story showed how she could bring out the best in someone and create her own happy ending.
Things I Didn't Like:
- While most of the storylines worked, it was hard to have all 6 of them well executed.
- I didn't get why Elizabeth clung to Wickham's story about Mr. Darcy, even in the face of pretty significant evidence against it. It didn't feel like that was part of either Pride and Prejudice or Beauty and the Beast, so I didn't really understand where that came from.
- Kitty's storyline just felt really random. Why was she obsessed with the sea?
- While I liked the backstory and development of Lydia's character, her transformation from vapid flirt to wanting to discuss books and politics just felt a little too extreme, and didn't have quite enough development to be believable.
Characters:
- Elizabeth Bennet - The tale of Mr. Darcy that Wickham told Elizabeth was even worse than in the original story, with him being portrayed as a gambler and a womanizer.
- Jane Bennet - A young Jane met Mr. Bingley in London when they were both young, and not quite ready to marry. She has been pining for him ever since.
- Mary Bennet - Watching people's reaction to Mr. Collins, Mary has a realization that is how people have started reacting to her. She had tried to change her behavior in order to make her fit for a clergyman she has a crush on, but in doing so, has she been pushing him and everyone else away?
- Kitty Bennet - The Bennet family went on a vacation to the sea, and a young Kitty fell in love... with the ocean. Now she draws and paints it, and lavishes hearing the stories about naval battles from an older retired member of the Navy who lives in Meryton.
- Lydia Bennet - Everyone thinks that Lydia is immature and so she lives down to that reputation. All of this is until she goes with the militia to Brighton and the officers treat her like an equal. She decides that she wants to live up to their expectations, and starts to read so that she can have intelligent discussions with them.
- Charlotte Lucas - Charlotte realizes that a suitor who was looked down upon by people might be malleable, and she might be the person to convert him into someone that could save her from spinsterhood.
- Caroline Bingley - Her character's malevolence went up a few notches in what she did to try to keep her brother and Jane apart from each other.
Things I Liked:
- It was a challenge for this author to weave together 6 different storylines told from 8 different points of view. To the author's credit, I didn't have a hard time keeping track of what was happening.
- It always felt a bit like Jane & Bingley's romance was a little too fast and easy. I love the idea of them having met before and both pining for each other in the intervening years.
- I really liked Mary's storyline. I could always see her marrying a clergyman, and I liked the idea that the way she was behaving wasn't inherent to her character, but something she was mistakenly trying to do to improve herself. I enjoyed seeing her realization, and I always enjoy seeing Mary get a happy ending.
- Similarly, I liked how Charlotte Lucas's story showed how she could bring out the best in someone and create her own happy ending.
Things I Didn't Like:
- While most of the storylines worked, it was hard to have all 6 of them well executed.
- I didn't get why Elizabeth clung to Wickham's story about Mr. Darcy, even in the face of pretty significant evidence against it. It didn't feel like that was part of either Pride and Prejudice or Beauty and the Beast, so I didn't really understand where that came from.
- Kitty's storyline just felt really random. Why was she obsessed with the sea?
- While I liked the backstory and development of Lydia's character, her transformation from vapid flirt to wanting to discuss books and politics just felt a little too extreme, and didn't have quite enough development to be believable.
August 27, 2021
I loved the writing of this book. Each chapter has some allusion to a fairy tale. Within the chapters, each section focused on one person. It was especially nice to see into the minds of everyone, but especially the 3 youngest sisters, and to see things from different points of view.
I do have to say that the early part of the book (maybe 1/3) was difficult to read; if it had gone on much longer I might have quit. But probably not. Mrs. Bennet's vulgarity was awful, but most especially Caroline and Wickham! OMG! It was so disturbing to see Jane treated so poorly, but even more disturbing was how easily Elizabeth believed Wickham's horrifying lies! I had to put the book down a few times, but never for too long, because I had to know what would happen next! I think it's a sign of good writing when the disturbing parts make you want to put the book down, but you can't do it.
Jane had met Charles when she was 17, in London with the Gardiners and he 20 and attending Cambridge. They were separated as he had to go back to school. Then she met him again in Hertfordshire and was so in love with him, but Caroline and Louisa interfered. Caroline told him Jane was engaged to Mr. Collins and told Jane that Charles was courting Miss Darcy. Jane was so depressed when the Netherfield party left, she could hardly function. She and Elizabeth went to London with the Gardiners. After a few months Elizabeth went to visit Charlotte. Charles found out from a letter from Sir William that Mr. Collins married Charlotte, so he got suspicious and found Jane's letters to Caroline which were nothing like what she had told him. He went immediately to Gracechurch street and proposed. It was so lovely!
Wickham had told Elizabeth terrible stories about Mr. Darcy being a gambler, seducer, and all the things that Wickham himself is! She thinks the worst of him and a few misunderstandings and an overheard conversation at Rosings make her think even worse of him. Then after Jane and Charles are married, she goes to live with them and Mr. Darcy comes to visit too. She starts to see a different side of him, and starts to like him against her will. Later, she visits Pemberley with the Gardiners and meets Miss Darcy, who along with other people, tell her how awful Wickham is and how wonderful Darcy is.
Well, this review will be a novella in itself if I continue with that detail; not to mention too many spoilers. The book is about a *lot* of people, but it was so well written that it was never confusing who was involved. All the people had characters enough to keep them separate in my mind and the writing clear enough to know what was happening. There is attempted kidnapping, blackmail, elopement (but not who you would expect), along with lots of romance, misunderstandings and sweetness.
I loved watching the transformations of people's characters: Mary realizing she had become someone people avoided and changing back to her "real self", the romance of Mr. Collins and Charlotte, and especially Lydia's transformation into a real person instead of a silly flirt. And, of course, Darcy's realization of his arrogance and selfishness, with his transformation too.
The last chapter, especially the last section taking place in 1828, was both hysterically funny and very, very sweet.
I *highly* recommend this book.
I do have to say that the early part of the book (maybe 1/3) was difficult to read; if it had gone on much longer I might have quit. But probably not. Mrs. Bennet's vulgarity was awful, but most especially Caroline and Wickham! OMG! It was so disturbing to see Jane treated so poorly, but even more disturbing was how easily Elizabeth believed Wickham's horrifying lies! I had to put the book down a few times, but never for too long, because I had to know what would happen next! I think it's a sign of good writing when the disturbing parts make you want to put the book down, but you can't do it.
Jane had met Charles when she was 17, in London with the Gardiners and he 20 and attending Cambridge. They were separated as he had to go back to school. Then she met him again in Hertfordshire and was so in love with him, but Caroline and Louisa interfered. Caroline told him Jane was engaged to Mr. Collins and told Jane that Charles was courting Miss Darcy. Jane was so depressed when the Netherfield party left, she could hardly function. She and Elizabeth went to London with the Gardiners. After a few months Elizabeth went to visit Charlotte. Charles found out from a letter from Sir William that Mr. Collins married Charlotte, so he got suspicious and found Jane's letters to Caroline which were nothing like what she had told him. He went immediately to Gracechurch street and proposed. It was so lovely!
Wickham had told Elizabeth terrible stories about Mr. Darcy being a gambler, seducer, and all the things that Wickham himself is! She thinks the worst of him and a few misunderstandings and an overheard conversation at Rosings make her think even worse of him. Then after Jane and Charles are married, she goes to live with them and Mr. Darcy comes to visit too. She starts to see a different side of him, and starts to like him against her will. Later, she visits Pemberley with the Gardiners and meets Miss Darcy, who along with other people, tell her how awful Wickham is and how wonderful Darcy is.
Well, this review will be a novella in itself if I continue with that detail; not to mention too many spoilers. The book is about a *lot* of people, but it was so well written that it was never confusing who was involved. All the people had characters enough to keep them separate in my mind and the writing clear enough to know what was happening. There is attempted kidnapping, blackmail, elopement (but not who you would expect), along with lots of romance, misunderstandings and sweetness.
I loved watching the transformations of people's characters: Mary realizing she had become someone people avoided and changing back to her "real self", the romance of Mr. Collins and Charlotte, and especially Lydia's transformation into a real person instead of a silly flirt. And, of course, Darcy's realization of his arrogance and selfishness, with his transformation too.
The last chapter, especially the last section taking place in 1828, was both hysterically funny and very, very sweet.
I *highly* recommend this book.
June 24, 2021
An interesting respin of Pride and Prejudice. I was a little suspicious at the beginning because for the most part it seemed to just be retelling the original story with a few details added here and there, like Jane and Bingley having met in London years prior to his move to Netherfield. But the longer the story went on, the more changes there were, and the more drastic the changes.
A lot of the characters have been simplified and given less nuance (Mr. and Mrs. Bennet definitely got a downgrade and their bad parenting is much more overt, as is Lady Catherine's.) Caroline Bingley and Wickham are outright antagonists. However, some of the characters who don't get much of an arc in the original, like Mr. Collins, Mary, and Kitty, get more story focus and are allowed to grow, change and get happy endings instead of remaining caricatures. We get to see more of Charlotte Lucas, Anne de Bourgh, and Colonel Fitzwilliam, and even selfish, impulsive Lydia gets the chance to come into her own.
Fairy tale references have been worked in and most of the female characters are aligned with one particular tale, though there is no magic added to the story. It was fun trying to figure out who had which tale; some were more obvious than others. Some of them fit the fairy tales surprisingly well even without the things the author changed. I do think the changes to Jane's story in order to make her fit better with her fairy tale kind of shortchanged her and made her seem weak instead of just sweet, but other changes, like giving Kitty actual interests apart from just following Lydia around, were positive. So kind of a mixed bag on that.
It's hard to say whether you'd be able to enjoy this without having read the original, or at least seen either the BBC miniseries or the Keira Knightly movie. I think if you read this first and then experienced the original you'd be pretty surprised where some characters ended up.
A lot of the characters have been simplified and given less nuance (Mr. and Mrs. Bennet definitely got a downgrade and their bad parenting is much more overt, as is Lady Catherine's.) Caroline Bingley and Wickham are outright antagonists. However, some of the characters who don't get much of an arc in the original, like Mr. Collins, Mary, and Kitty, get more story focus and are allowed to grow, change and get happy endings instead of remaining caricatures. We get to see more of Charlotte Lucas, Anne de Bourgh, and Colonel Fitzwilliam, and even selfish, impulsive Lydia gets the chance to come into her own.
Fairy tale references have been worked in and most of the female characters are aligned with one particular tale, though there is no magic added to the story. It was fun trying to figure out who had which tale; some were more obvious than others. Some of them fit the fairy tales surprisingly well even without the things the author changed. I do think the changes to Jane's story in order to make her fit better with her fairy tale kind of shortchanged her and made her seem weak instead of just sweet, but other changes, like giving Kitty actual interests apart from just following Lydia around, were positive. So kind of a mixed bag on that.
It's hard to say whether you'd be able to enjoy this without having read the original, or at least seen either the BBC miniseries or the Keira Knightly movie. I think if you read this first and then experienced the original you'd be pretty surprised where some characters ended up.
October 16, 2025
I loved it!
Warning: Meant for mature audiences. Contains scenes that would scandalize the ton. Readers of a delicate constitution are advised to keep their fans and vinaigrettes close at hand.
It was so enticing that I couldn’t put it down, this book grabbed my interest from the very first page. I couldn’t put it down, I had to know what happened next. The story is well written with a very good storyline. You will see the most beloved characters in a whole new way. This is a Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice variation. This is Pride and Prejudice meets Fairy Tales. This is a story in which romance and humor abound. The Bennet sisters' fairy tales intertwine as they each find their very own happy ending, but there is no fantastical magic in this retelling.
Elizabeth Bennet knows that Fitzwilliam Darcy is a beast, at least, that's what George Wickham tells her, and she is inclined to believe him. Why, then, is it so hard not to find him interesting and attractive? Is she just another young lady intrigued by a rogue? Jane Bennet was in love once and has never quite recovered. When the object of her affections returns to Meryton, she is thrilled, until she realizes that the same problem that has frightened off all of her other suitors might drive away the man she truly loves.
Mary Bennet's pedantic pronouncements irritate her sisters and repel the man she longs for. Is there any hope for a happy ending for her? Kitty and Lydia Bennet's giggles and foolish ways make the matrons of Meryton shake their heads. Without real parental guidance, they long for attention, even if means risking their reputations and hope for the future. Charlotte Lucas has long since given up the idea of finding a husband and having the children she longs for. When an unusual suitor arrives in Meryton, she has one last chance to avoid spinsterhood. So with all that and more this story pulls you in and holds you tight. It’s a must read. I highly recommend to everyone.
Warning: Meant for mature audiences. Contains scenes that would scandalize the ton. Readers of a delicate constitution are advised to keep their fans and vinaigrettes close at hand.
It was so enticing that I couldn’t put it down, this book grabbed my interest from the very first page. I couldn’t put it down, I had to know what happened next. The story is well written with a very good storyline. You will see the most beloved characters in a whole new way. This is a Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice variation. This is Pride and Prejudice meets Fairy Tales. This is a story in which romance and humor abound. The Bennet sisters' fairy tales intertwine as they each find their very own happy ending, but there is no fantastical magic in this retelling.
Elizabeth Bennet knows that Fitzwilliam Darcy is a beast, at least, that's what George Wickham tells her, and she is inclined to believe him. Why, then, is it so hard not to find him interesting and attractive? Is she just another young lady intrigued by a rogue? Jane Bennet was in love once and has never quite recovered. When the object of her affections returns to Meryton, she is thrilled, until she realizes that the same problem that has frightened off all of her other suitors might drive away the man she truly loves.
Mary Bennet's pedantic pronouncements irritate her sisters and repel the man she longs for. Is there any hope for a happy ending for her? Kitty and Lydia Bennet's giggles and foolish ways make the matrons of Meryton shake their heads. Without real parental guidance, they long for attention, even if means risking their reputations and hope for the future. Charlotte Lucas has long since given up the idea of finding a husband and having the children she longs for. When an unusual suitor arrives in Meryton, she has one last chance to avoid spinsterhood. So with all that and more this story pulls you in and holds you tight. It’s a must read. I highly recommend to everyone.
October 27, 2021
As far as Pride and Prejudice variations go, this is definitely the best I’ve read to date.
At nearly 500 pages this book is rather long, but considering the author took on the challenge of telling 7 separate stories, all inspired by fairy tales AND following the Pride and Prejudice story, it is a wonder that she managed to do it, and do it WELL, in under 500 pages!
I absolutely adore fairytales, which is what made this book come across my suggestions list, and the idea of giving each Bennet sister, plus Anne de Bourgh and Charlotte a happily ever after is the stuff dreams are made of!
I was especially thankful that the author took the time at the end of the book to explain how each sister’s life got inspiration from a fairy tale. Some of them are obvious, but a few I had to guess at and was rewarded by her verifying my guesses.
My absolute favorite was the growth and redemption of characters that we all detest from the original Pride and Prejudice, such as Mr Collins, Lydia, and even Kitty and Mary.
At nearly 500 pages this book is rather long, but considering the author took on the challenge of telling 7 separate stories, all inspired by fairy tales AND following the Pride and Prejudice story, it is a wonder that she managed to do it, and do it WELL, in under 500 pages!
I absolutely adore fairytales, which is what made this book come across my suggestions list, and the idea of giving each Bennet sister, plus Anne de Bourgh and Charlotte a happily ever after is the stuff dreams are made of!
I was especially thankful that the author took the time at the end of the book to explain how each sister’s life got inspiration from a fairy tale. Some of them are obvious, but a few I had to guess at and was rewarded by her verifying my guesses.
My absolute favorite was the growth and redemption of characters that we all detest from the original Pride and Prejudice, such as Mr Collins, Lydia, and even Kitty and Mary.
September 16, 2022
Got this book for free and was intrigued by it being a combined Pride and Prejudice retelling and fairy tale retelling, and I did enjoy figuring out fairy tales and fairy tale references. Late in reading it, I realized the cover (I think) says it's a P&P variation rather than retelling, and honestly, that's probably what I appreciated most about it. The places where it veered off of Pride and Prejudice and became its own story, even if some events may have been less historically likely to have happened the way they do in the book. The characters seemed to have more life and the story held my interest better.
Aside from that, I loved the treatment of the female characters in particular. Most of them get a better deal from Courtney than they got from Austen, and while I love Austen's novel, it was really nice to see Mary, Kitty, Lydia, Charlotte and even Anne de Burgh all get more depth and dimension and find happiness along the way.
Aside from that, I loved the treatment of the female characters in particular. Most of them get a better deal from Courtney than they got from Austen, and while I love Austen's novel, it was really nice to see Mary, Kitty, Lydia, Charlotte and even Anne de Burgh all get more depth and dimension and find happiness along the way.
May 14, 2020
You would think by the title of this book, that Mr. Darcy would be one of the main characters, but you would be wrong. Both Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet are overshadowed by the stories of Jane and Mr. Bingley, the rest of the Bennet sisters, Mr. Wickham and even Charlotte Lucas and Mr. Collins! (Which I'll admit was a clever retelling.) But the last straw was the time jump towards the end. I felt like it went from couples getting engaged to 15 or so years later, with children everywhere. Also there were a handful of typos, which never fail to take me out of the story fantasy world and back to reality. Would have been a 4 star rating if not for these reasons.
May 28, 2020
I love that this story gives a voice to some of the originally overlooked characters such as Mary and Kitty. I also like that we get some male perspectives. There’s a light humor throughout, and there are just enough variations from the original to maintain suspense without overdoing it. My main frustration with the story is that a happy ending invariably involves marriage and children. Lots of children. I had hoped with a few of the characters that the author would have chosen a different path.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 19, 2020
Who's the beast?
Kept wondering if Darcy or Wickham were meant to be the beast but had no idea other fairy tales were being told at same time. I am not overly familiar with those tales, so maybe I can be forgiven. But now it makes me think the happy endings were all contrived? (As if the typical happy ending in a P&P variation isn't...) I loved happy endings, especially where silly girls mature and bad guys agre sentenced.
Kept wondering if Darcy or Wickham were meant to be the beast but had no idea other fairy tales were being told at same time. I am not overly familiar with those tales, so maybe I can be forgiven. But now it makes me think the happy endings were all contrived? (As if the typical happy ending in a P&P variation isn't...) I loved happy endings, especially where silly girls mature and bad guys agre sentenced.
January 10, 2023
In this mash-up between Beauty and the Beast and Pride and Prejudice (although, substantively more the latter than the former), all the women get a more fair depiction than their original appearance. Except, perhaps, Mrs. Bennett. This is a story where they aren't all vying for the same love interest or trying to sabotage each other's happiness. It's just precisely what one wants when watching something like a Hallmark movie. Cozy, cheerful, and a happy ending all around.
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