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There's Something About Darcy
For some, Colin Firth emerging from a lake in that clinging wet shirt is one of the most iconic moments in television. But what is it about the two-hundred-year-old hero that we so ardently admire and love?
Dr Gabrielle Malcolm examines Jane Austen’s influences in creating Darcy’s potent mix of brooding Gothic hero, aristocratic elitist and romantic Regency man of action. She investigates how he paved the way for later characters like Heathcliff, Rochester and even Dracula, and what his impact has been on popular culture over the past two centuries. For twenty-first century readers the world over have their idea of the ‘perfect’ Darcy in mind when they read the novel, and will defend their choice passionately.
In this insightful and entertaining study, every variety of Darcy jostles for attention: vampire Darcy, digital Darcy, Mormon Darcy and gay Darcy. Who does it best and how did a clergyman’s daughter from Hampshire create such an enduring character?
A must-read for every Darcy and Jane Austen fan.
Dr Gabrielle Malcolm examines Jane Austen’s influences in creating Darcy’s potent mix of brooding Gothic hero, aristocratic elitist and romantic Regency man of action. She investigates how he paved the way for later characters like Heathcliff, Rochester and even Dracula, and what his impact has been on popular culture over the past two centuries. For twenty-first century readers the world over have their idea of the ‘perfect’ Darcy in mind when they read the novel, and will defend their choice passionately.
In this insightful and entertaining study, every variety of Darcy jostles for attention: vampire Darcy, digital Darcy, Mormon Darcy and gay Darcy. Who does it best and how did a clergyman’s daughter from Hampshire create such an enduring character?
A must-read for every Darcy and Jane Austen fan.
- GenresNonfiction
368 pages, Paperback
Published November 11, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
October 22, 2019
MR. DARCY IS THE ULTIMATE ROMANTIC HERO - THEREFORE, WE NEED A BOOK ABOUT HIM, OBVIOUSLY! 🤣
When I started this book I thought it would be some sort of psychological examination about why Mr. Darcy appeals to so many different people. Well, that's not what this was about. In stead, it is more like a story of Mr. Darcy throughout time, his endurance and his evolution. It's a light a read without much depth, but sometimes that is just what you need!
👍 THE THINGS I LIKED 👍
Lightness: Even though I was expecting something else, this did still entertain me - once I tuned in my mind to the actual experience.
Inspiration: This book gave me so much inspiration for other books I need to read to get my Darcy fix in the future!
👎 THE THINGS I DISLIKED 👎
Other characters: After looking at the original, Austen Darcy, Malcolm went on to examine other 19th century 'Darcys'. However, she failed to convince me, that these 'heroes' were in any way connected with or inspired by Darcy. I mean, Heathcliff and Dracula?? I didn't get it...
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
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When I started this book I thought it would be some sort of psychological examination about why Mr. Darcy appeals to so many different people. Well, that's not what this was about. In stead, it is more like a story of Mr. Darcy throughout time, his endurance and his evolution. It's a light a read without much depth, but sometimes that is just what you need!
👍 THE THINGS I LIKED 👍
Lightness: Even though I was expecting something else, this did still entertain me - once I tuned in my mind to the actual experience.
Inspiration: This book gave me so much inspiration for other books I need to read to get my Darcy fix in the future!
👎 THE THINGS I DISLIKED 👎
Other characters: After looking at the original, Austen Darcy, Malcolm went on to examine other 19th century 'Darcys'. However, she failed to convince me, that these 'heroes' were in any way connected with or inspired by Darcy. I mean, Heathcliff and Dracula?? I didn't get it...
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Follow me for more book goodness: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
November 7, 2019
I have a strong affinity with all things Austen. Undoubtedly, Mr Darcy is my favourite literary hero and I was excited to be able to read an exploration of Darcy-mania. This provided plenty of interesting facts, although at times there was a little tedium.
The way that this book is structured reminded me of a university thesis. There are lengthy chapters that are divided into sub-headings throughout. Not to discredit the writer and the obvious, extensive research that has been undertaken, but I did feel that I was reading a detailed investigation into Austen and Mr Darcy, from its conception to popular culture.
There are connections made to many pieces of literature, from Austen’s period to contemporary popular culture. I was familiar with many of the texts and, honestly, finished this book feeling inspired. (This is always a great way to complete a book!) I had the urge to find my own copy of 'Pride and Prejudice' to re-visit and fall in love all over again with Mr Darcy. Indeed, references to Burney’s 'Evelina' and, in recent times, the 'Twilight' series, had me yearning to read them again and make my own connections to Austen.
With many interesting facts, particularly about the influence of the Latter Day Saints in Darcy 'Twilight', I believe this book should appeal to Austen and Darcy fans alike. Those who enjoy a strong, male lead, may be interested in reading the connections with Darcy and Austen’s ideas. I found I learnt new ideas and was exposed to different stories that I wish to follow up at a later date.
Despite my love for Austen (and Darcy!), I found this account a little tedious in places and sometimes repetitive. There is an awful lot of plot recounts in order to make the connection to Darcy, and this did not always appeal. I am not sure how else the writer could have approached the different stories, but I believe that a more engaging method would have been more interesting to read.
This is a great book for all Austen fans. Inevitably, there is a lot of focus on Colin Firth, the BBC adaptation and 'Bridget Jones’s Diary'. However, what is a discussion on Mr Darcy if these three important elements are not included?
With thanks to Endeavour Media for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The way that this book is structured reminded me of a university thesis. There are lengthy chapters that are divided into sub-headings throughout. Not to discredit the writer and the obvious, extensive research that has been undertaken, but I did feel that I was reading a detailed investigation into Austen and Mr Darcy, from its conception to popular culture.
There are connections made to many pieces of literature, from Austen’s period to contemporary popular culture. I was familiar with many of the texts and, honestly, finished this book feeling inspired. (This is always a great way to complete a book!) I had the urge to find my own copy of 'Pride and Prejudice' to re-visit and fall in love all over again with Mr Darcy. Indeed, references to Burney’s 'Evelina' and, in recent times, the 'Twilight' series, had me yearning to read them again and make my own connections to Austen.
With many interesting facts, particularly about the influence of the Latter Day Saints in Darcy 'Twilight', I believe this book should appeal to Austen and Darcy fans alike. Those who enjoy a strong, male lead, may be interested in reading the connections with Darcy and Austen’s ideas. I found I learnt new ideas and was exposed to different stories that I wish to follow up at a later date.
Despite my love for Austen (and Darcy!), I found this account a little tedious in places and sometimes repetitive. There is an awful lot of plot recounts in order to make the connection to Darcy, and this did not always appeal. I am not sure how else the writer could have approached the different stories, but I believe that a more engaging method would have been more interesting to read.
This is a great book for all Austen fans. Inevitably, there is a lot of focus on Colin Firth, the BBC adaptation and 'Bridget Jones’s Diary'. However, what is a discussion on Mr Darcy if these three important elements are not included?
With thanks to Endeavour Media for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 30, 2019
A unique character study on one of the most well loved and notorious characters in all of literary history. The study is very informative and the author clearly well spoken and it brings to light things that even the most well read Darcy enthusiast may have missed. 5/5 stars
December 3, 2019
Because Darcy is tall, dark (an adjective never used to describe him in canon), and broody (also never used for him in canon), he apparently can be compared to every other fictional male that ever followed him. After taking 20% of the book to recap the plot of Pride & Prejudice, Malcolm compares Darcy to Rochester, Heathcliff, Dracula, the Scarlet Pimpernel, Heyer heroes, rape-y bodice ripper heroes, Edward Cullen, and Christian Grey, while giving full plot descriptions of each book with one sentence to say how a single trait of Darcy's is borrowed for these other characters. The facile comparisons and long plot summaries bloat the book while giving it little substance.
The author seems deeply influenced by Colin Firth's portrayal of Darcy, so much that she's applied the traits of Firth's Darcy to the character in Austen's book, which leads to a lot of mischaracterization of who Austen's hero is and skews the trajectory of how he influences literature and pop culture. By the end, she's simply touching on every bit of pop culture that Darcy hits without delving deep into them. I found this a frustrating and infuriating read.
The author seems deeply influenced by Colin Firth's portrayal of Darcy, so much that she's applied the traits of Firth's Darcy to the character in Austen's book, which leads to a lot of mischaracterization of who Austen's hero is and skews the trajectory of how he influences literature and pop culture. By the end, she's simply touching on every bit of pop culture that Darcy hits without delving deep into them. I found this a frustrating and infuriating read.
January 14, 2020
Studying the Many Facets, Faces, and Forms of Mr. Darcy!
OVERVIEW:
Centuries later Jane Austen’s ardent, aloof, and aristocratic hero is still gaining fans, sustaining romantic ideals, and inspiring writers and film-makers. In Jane Austen’s eyes, it was Elizabeth Bennet who was “delightful a creature as ever appeared in print,” and the epicenter of her “light, bright, and sparkling” tale. And yet two hundred years after first appearing in print, it is Mr. Darcy who has emerged as arguably one of the most iconic, talked about, and reincarnated literary creations in the history of English literature. It is clearly evident that indeed “there’s something about Darcy…”
With it’s fun, feminine, and eye-catching exterior, Dr. Gabrielle Malcolm’s examination of “Darcymania” proves to be a thoughtful study of Mr. Darcy’s creation, the romantic heroes that came before and after him, and his many reincarnations on film and in print.
MY ASSESSMENT:
First off, I love that Dr. Gabrielle Malcolm set out to pen this work all about our dear Mr. Darcy, I appreciate the depth and breadth of her study (it is extensive!), and I love the title (a perfect choice!). Dr. Malcolm gives readers a full scope about Mr. Darcy from his creation to where/how/why Mr. Darcy exists today.
Dr. Malcolm is very well-versed on the subject of Mr. Darcy. She brings to light interesting findings about possible influences and origins for Mr. Darcy, many of which will be new to readers. Whatever topic Dr. Malcolm introduced in this work (well-known or obscure), she made sure to canvass it thoroughly. I often found myself admiring Dr. Malcolm’s word choice and playful tone. Her prose is filled with scholarly eloquence, and yet it is light, accessible, and entertaining.
My favorite chapters were the ones where Dr. Malcolm breaks down and analyzes the various portrayals of Mr. Darcy on screen (all the movie and series adaptations) and in print (sequels, alternative takes, and other JAFF). It was fascinating to understand the widely divergent themes screenwriters were interweaving into their adaptations of Pride and Prejudice. And I absolutely adored reading about various Austenesque works – the early days (Emma Tennant), the well-known authors who introduced new slants to Jane Austen (Jo Baker, P.D. James, Curtis Sittenfeld) and the inventive stylings of beloved Austenesque writers (Jane Odiwe, Alexa Adams, Marilyn Brant). I took great pleasure in these studies and appreciated the insightful and objective commentary by Dr. Malcolm.
While I did enjoy the chapters that outlined and discussed the various romantic heroes that followed Mr. Darcy – Edward Rochester, Heathcliff, Mr. Thornton, Dracula, Edward Cullen, Christian Grey, and various other Regency romance heroes that bear the similar Mr. Darcy archetype – I did feel that some of these chapters were a little too lengthy and a little less pertinent. Each story was described in detail with key plot points, analysis, and reactions (which ended up comprising almost a third of this work altogether). And although a comparison of Mr. Darcy and Mr. Rochester is fascinating to consider, the fact that Mr. Rochester most likely was not influenced/inspired by Mr. Darcy (Charlotte Brontë first read P&P just after publishing Jane Eyre) means that their similarities carry a little less significance.
CONCLUSION:
With There’s Something About Darcy, Dr. Gabrielle Malcolm delivers a thought-provoking and compelling comprehensive study of Jane Austen’s aloof and proud hero from Derbyshire! This work will entertain and enlighten readers who are new to Jane Austen as well as die-hard Darcyholics! Who wouldn’t want to spend more time analyzing the many facets of Mr. Darcy?
Austenesque Reviews
OVERVIEW:
Centuries later Jane Austen’s ardent, aloof, and aristocratic hero is still gaining fans, sustaining romantic ideals, and inspiring writers and film-makers. In Jane Austen’s eyes, it was Elizabeth Bennet who was “delightful a creature as ever appeared in print,” and the epicenter of her “light, bright, and sparkling” tale. And yet two hundred years after first appearing in print, it is Mr. Darcy who has emerged as arguably one of the most iconic, talked about, and reincarnated literary creations in the history of English literature. It is clearly evident that indeed “there’s something about Darcy…”
With it’s fun, feminine, and eye-catching exterior, Dr. Gabrielle Malcolm’s examination of “Darcymania” proves to be a thoughtful study of Mr. Darcy’s creation, the romantic heroes that came before and after him, and his many reincarnations on film and in print.
MY ASSESSMENT:
First off, I love that Dr. Gabrielle Malcolm set out to pen this work all about our dear Mr. Darcy, I appreciate the depth and breadth of her study (it is extensive!), and I love the title (a perfect choice!). Dr. Malcolm gives readers a full scope about Mr. Darcy from his creation to where/how/why Mr. Darcy exists today.
Dr. Malcolm is very well-versed on the subject of Mr. Darcy. She brings to light interesting findings about possible influences and origins for Mr. Darcy, many of which will be new to readers. Whatever topic Dr. Malcolm introduced in this work (well-known or obscure), she made sure to canvass it thoroughly. I often found myself admiring Dr. Malcolm’s word choice and playful tone. Her prose is filled with scholarly eloquence, and yet it is light, accessible, and entertaining.
My favorite chapters were the ones where Dr. Malcolm breaks down and analyzes the various portrayals of Mr. Darcy on screen (all the movie and series adaptations) and in print (sequels, alternative takes, and other JAFF). It was fascinating to understand the widely divergent themes screenwriters were interweaving into their adaptations of Pride and Prejudice. And I absolutely adored reading about various Austenesque works – the early days (Emma Tennant), the well-known authors who introduced new slants to Jane Austen (Jo Baker, P.D. James, Curtis Sittenfeld) and the inventive stylings of beloved Austenesque writers (Jane Odiwe, Alexa Adams, Marilyn Brant). I took great pleasure in these studies and appreciated the insightful and objective commentary by Dr. Malcolm.
While I did enjoy the chapters that outlined and discussed the various romantic heroes that followed Mr. Darcy – Edward Rochester, Heathcliff, Mr. Thornton, Dracula, Edward Cullen, Christian Grey, and various other Regency romance heroes that bear the similar Mr. Darcy archetype – I did feel that some of these chapters were a little too lengthy and a little less pertinent. Each story was described in detail with key plot points, analysis, and reactions (which ended up comprising almost a third of this work altogether). And although a comparison of Mr. Darcy and Mr. Rochester is fascinating to consider, the fact that Mr. Rochester most likely was not influenced/inspired by Mr. Darcy (Charlotte Brontë first read P&P just after publishing Jane Eyre) means that their similarities carry a little less significance.
CONCLUSION:
With There’s Something About Darcy, Dr. Gabrielle Malcolm delivers a thought-provoking and compelling comprehensive study of Jane Austen’s aloof and proud hero from Derbyshire! This work will entertain and enlighten readers who are new to Jane Austen as well as die-hard Darcyholics! Who wouldn’t want to spend more time analyzing the many facets of Mr. Darcy?
Austenesque Reviews
Read
December 22, 2019I read this after learning about it from the blog Girl With Her Head in a Book, and found it both enjoyable and entertaining.
Malcolm looks at how the Darcy archetype has recurred through the centuries since Jane Austen created him, in characters as diverse as Heathcliff, the Scarlet Pimpernel and Edward Cullen the vampire. She explores how he's been portrayed in film, his influence on romance novels and Jane Austen fan fiction, broadly defined.
I would not have thought there was a whole book's worth of things to say about Mr. Darcy, but I was wrong. He is an endlessly renewable resource, like wind energy.
Malcolm looks at how the Darcy archetype has recurred through the centuries since Jane Austen created him, in characters as diverse as Heathcliff, the Scarlet Pimpernel and Edward Cullen the vampire. She explores how he's been portrayed in film, his influence on romance novels and Jane Austen fan fiction, broadly defined.
I would not have thought there was a whole book's worth of things to say about Mr. Darcy, but I was wrong. He is an endlessly renewable resource, like wind energy.
Read
December 1, 2019This review was first posted on Babblings of a Bookworm: http://babblingsofabookworm.blogspot....
My favourite of Jane Austen's heroes has always been Mr Darcy. Despite my love of the others (well, some of the others, because I'm a bit lukewarm about Edmund Bertram and Edward Ferrars!), he's been the one for me. I know why that is, but I was interested to see somebody else's hypothesis, so I was keen to read Gabrielle Malcolm's book on this.
It's a fairly long book and it's clear that a lot of research has gone into this. The book begins by putting Darcy in a bit of context, comparing him with book heroes of the time, such as those in the works of Samuel Richardson and Mrs Radcliffe. Pride & Prejudice's popularity at the time was far more driven by public feeling about the heroine rather than the hero, as it was for me when I first read the book. Elizabeth is the main character after all!
We then take a trip through books to see how the hero evolved from Georgian sensibilities through to Victorian ones. I could see the links that the author was making but I didn't necessarily agree with her on all of this! Although Darcy has some traits that could be defined as Byronic, I wouldn't categorise him as such and for me, there is too much of a gap between Mr Darcy and a hero of a Brontë novel to say that they are of the same type, although I suppose you could argue that the Brontës may have felt that they were righting Austen's wrongs, as Charlotte at least was on record as feeling that Austen's books were lacking in passion.
Mrs Gaskell's Mr Thornton, from North and South is compared to Rochester in this book, but to me, he is far more of a direct comparator to Darcy. Their control, resolve and above all, pride are so comparable.
Once we've passed through the Victorian period we look at the 20th century, and the revival of interest in the Georgian/Regency period that was brought about by Georgette Heyer.
Dr Malcolm also considers the adaptations of Pride & Prejudice that have been made, looking at 1940, 1980, 1995 and 2005. I would say that the comments made in relation to the adaptations were balanced, which will please most fans, as so many have a passionate favourite. I think it's fair to say that the most recent period of Darcy-mania was sparked by the 1995 adaptation, which brought the character of Darcy more to the co-star status rather than the supporting actor. There were a number of interesting factoids in this section, which I hadn't been aware of previously, such as Darcy's physical views of Elizabeth at the beginning were mostly from above, and as time goes on and he regards himself less as her superior, the characters are physically more on a level to emphasise this. I also liked the points about a lot of the Darcy scenes don't have dialogue, so it's not making up any dialogue that Austen didn't write, but still increasing the role of the character.
Although there was Austenesque fiction, or Jane Austen Fan Fiction before the 1995 P&P adaptation, there was a bit of an increase after this date, and Ms Malcolm also discusses one of the fanfiction sites and moves on to look at fanfic in both books and other media (The Lizzie Bennet Diaries) and some fanfic adaptations (Austenland etc). For long term readers of the genre there were gaps in this part, for example, a fanfic site was discussed as if it was the only one, but as a reader of Austenesque fiction and one who started reading it online it's one I've never visited, and I've seen other sites referenced more often. Similarly, there were some authors who I feel are very influential who weren't mentioned; the focus in this book is more on traditionally published books. The flip side of this is I learned about some books I hadn't ever come across previously, which I found interesting, although the book in question, Darcy's Utopia, by Fay Weldon, sounds pretty disturbing and not one I plan to add to my TBR!
One thing I would mention is that the plots of the books are all discussed, and if you haven't read all of them and intend to, some surprises may be spoiled for you, such as plot twists, identities of killers, secret identities etc. It may also put you off reading some of the books discussed - for example, a few years before I read Jane Eyre somebody told me the main plot points. It made me not want to read the book, which would have been a huge shame, as it's a fantastic novel, but a synopsis doesn't do it justice!
The book also considers an issue that I hadn't particularly considered:
The Darcy Problem... what do we make of an arrogant, obnoxious and overly entitled hero?
I don't really see him that way, although when you think about it it's not an entirely unfair comment! I think in an historic context some of those characteristics are less problematic for authors - the master of an estate has to be confident, and given the structure of society, a feeling of superiority is more understandable, even if it's not vastly attractive! To keep enough of Darcy in a modern Darcy and still have a likeable hero can be a finer balance!
I'll leave you with two quotes which give you more of my idea of what makes Darcy such a compelling hero:
Darcy's ability to change his views, modify his opinions - for example, developing respect for the Bennet family - and learn from his mistakes have powerfully impressed readers for the past 200 years. He grows and transforms before our eyes. He is reinvented throughout the course of the narrative into an ideal form of a man.
* * *
He enables writers to represent stories that circulate around change for the better, redemption, men with means who seek sincerity over superficiality, and strong heroes who can say: "I'm sorry, I was wrong."
In summary, I found this a very worthwhile read. Clearly a lot of research has gone into it and it gave me a lot of food for thought. I'd rate it as a 4 star read.
*My thanks go to the publishers, Endeavour Quill, who provided me with an ebook of There's Something About Darcy for my honest review.
My favourite of Jane Austen's heroes has always been Mr Darcy. Despite my love of the others (well, some of the others, because I'm a bit lukewarm about Edmund Bertram and Edward Ferrars!), he's been the one for me. I know why that is, but I was interested to see somebody else's hypothesis, so I was keen to read Gabrielle Malcolm's book on this.
It's a fairly long book and it's clear that a lot of research has gone into this. The book begins by putting Darcy in a bit of context, comparing him with book heroes of the time, such as those in the works of Samuel Richardson and Mrs Radcliffe. Pride & Prejudice's popularity at the time was far more driven by public feeling about the heroine rather than the hero, as it was for me when I first read the book. Elizabeth is the main character after all!
We then take a trip through books to see how the hero evolved from Georgian sensibilities through to Victorian ones. I could see the links that the author was making but I didn't necessarily agree with her on all of this! Although Darcy has some traits that could be defined as Byronic, I wouldn't categorise him as such and for me, there is too much of a gap between Mr Darcy and a hero of a Brontë novel to say that they are of the same type, although I suppose you could argue that the Brontës may have felt that they were righting Austen's wrongs, as Charlotte at least was on record as feeling that Austen's books were lacking in passion.
Mrs Gaskell's Mr Thornton, from North and South is compared to Rochester in this book, but to me, he is far more of a direct comparator to Darcy. Their control, resolve and above all, pride are so comparable.
Once we've passed through the Victorian period we look at the 20th century, and the revival of interest in the Georgian/Regency period that was brought about by Georgette Heyer.
Dr Malcolm also considers the adaptations of Pride & Prejudice that have been made, looking at 1940, 1980, 1995 and 2005. I would say that the comments made in relation to the adaptations were balanced, which will please most fans, as so many have a passionate favourite. I think it's fair to say that the most recent period of Darcy-mania was sparked by the 1995 adaptation, which brought the character of Darcy more to the co-star status rather than the supporting actor. There were a number of interesting factoids in this section, which I hadn't been aware of previously, such as Darcy's physical views of Elizabeth at the beginning were mostly from above, and as time goes on and he regards himself less as her superior, the characters are physically more on a level to emphasise this. I also liked the points about a lot of the Darcy scenes don't have dialogue, so it's not making up any dialogue that Austen didn't write, but still increasing the role of the character.
Although there was Austenesque fiction, or Jane Austen Fan Fiction before the 1995 P&P adaptation, there was a bit of an increase after this date, and Ms Malcolm also discusses one of the fanfiction sites and moves on to look at fanfic in both books and other media (The Lizzie Bennet Diaries) and some fanfic adaptations (Austenland etc). For long term readers of the genre there were gaps in this part, for example, a fanfic site was discussed as if it was the only one, but as a reader of Austenesque fiction and one who started reading it online it's one I've never visited, and I've seen other sites referenced more often. Similarly, there were some authors who I feel are very influential who weren't mentioned; the focus in this book is more on traditionally published books. The flip side of this is I learned about some books I hadn't ever come across previously, which I found interesting, although the book in question, Darcy's Utopia, by Fay Weldon, sounds pretty disturbing and not one I plan to add to my TBR!
One thing I would mention is that the plots of the books are all discussed, and if you haven't read all of them and intend to, some surprises may be spoiled for you, such as plot twists, identities of killers, secret identities etc. It may also put you off reading some of the books discussed - for example, a few years before I read Jane Eyre somebody told me the main plot points. It made me not want to read the book, which would have been a huge shame, as it's a fantastic novel, but a synopsis doesn't do it justice!
The book also considers an issue that I hadn't particularly considered:
The Darcy Problem... what do we make of an arrogant, obnoxious and overly entitled hero?
I don't really see him that way, although when you think about it it's not an entirely unfair comment! I think in an historic context some of those characteristics are less problematic for authors - the master of an estate has to be confident, and given the structure of society, a feeling of superiority is more understandable, even if it's not vastly attractive! To keep enough of Darcy in a modern Darcy and still have a likeable hero can be a finer balance!
I'll leave you with two quotes which give you more of my idea of what makes Darcy such a compelling hero:
Darcy's ability to change his views, modify his opinions - for example, developing respect for the Bennet family - and learn from his mistakes have powerfully impressed readers for the past 200 years. He grows and transforms before our eyes. He is reinvented throughout the course of the narrative into an ideal form of a man.
* * *
He enables writers to represent stories that circulate around change for the better, redemption, men with means who seek sincerity over superficiality, and strong heroes who can say: "I'm sorry, I was wrong."
In summary, I found this a very worthwhile read. Clearly a lot of research has gone into it and it gave me a lot of food for thought. I'd rate it as a 4 star read.
*My thanks go to the publishers, Endeavour Quill, who provided me with an ebook of There's Something About Darcy for my honest review.
November 12, 2019
There were many elements I enjoyed in this exploration of the continuing literary and cultural influence of the hero of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. For instance, Gabrielle Malcolm traces the influence of earlier authors – Samuel Richardson, Ann Radcliffe and others – on the creation of the character of Darcy. I also liked the way the author examined the growth of Darcy’s character throughout the novel. I wouldn’t have minded more of this type of close reading and textual analysis, although perhaps that’s the former Open University MA English student coming out in me!
The sections where the author explores contemporary reaction to Pride and Prejudice were fascinating. Charlotte Bronte had mixed feelings apparently although Dr. Malcolm argues Edward Rochester, the hero of Jane Eyre, and Darcy have much in common. However, she also goes on to point out key differences between them.
I confess I found some of the detours into figures like Beau Brummell and Sir Henry Irving less interesting and the plot summaries of novels such as The Scarlet Pimpernel and the works of Georgette Heyer a little too detailed. However, I enjoyed the author’s analysis of Pride and Prejudice sequels such as the highly-regarded Longbourn by Jo Baker, the definitely less well-regarded (by Austen fans at least) Pemberley by Emma Tennant, and of the various TV/film adaptations of Pride and Prejudice, including of course the one with ‘that scene’.
In support of the numerous sequels, spin-offs and retellings of Pride and Prejudice, many of which the author explores in some detail, Gabrielle Malcolm makes the persuasive argument that Austen’s own letters reveal she imagined a future for Darcy and Elizabeth. I think we can safely assume that had she written her own sequel it would not have involved zombies…
Along the way, Gabrielle Malcolm addresses what she terms ‘the Darcy problem’, namely why would a young woman as intelligent as Elizabeth be attracted to such a proud, arrogant man? She concludes that Darcy symbolises ‘an ideal of authority, honesty and protection’ and argues he will endure for years to come because readers are drawn to the idea of a hero who shows ‘his inner sensitivity beneath the tough, proud, awkward, sometimes cruel, exterior’.
The publishers describe There’s Something About Darcy as ‘a must-read for every Darcy and Jane Austen fan’. The final chapters of the book in which the author explores the rise of fan fiction and its various manifestations are likely to appeal to those looking for recommendations to satisfy their appetite for new twists on Pride and Prejudice and Darcy in particular.
Although for me there were a few too many detours from the main subject, There’s Something About Darcy is an interesting, in-depth look at the appeal and afterlife of Austen’s most well-known fictional hero.
The sections where the author explores contemporary reaction to Pride and Prejudice were fascinating. Charlotte Bronte had mixed feelings apparently although Dr. Malcolm argues Edward Rochester, the hero of Jane Eyre, and Darcy have much in common. However, she also goes on to point out key differences between them.
I confess I found some of the detours into figures like Beau Brummell and Sir Henry Irving less interesting and the plot summaries of novels such as The Scarlet Pimpernel and the works of Georgette Heyer a little too detailed. However, I enjoyed the author’s analysis of Pride and Prejudice sequels such as the highly-regarded Longbourn by Jo Baker, the definitely less well-regarded (by Austen fans at least) Pemberley by Emma Tennant, and of the various TV/film adaptations of Pride and Prejudice, including of course the one with ‘that scene’.
In support of the numerous sequels, spin-offs and retellings of Pride and Prejudice, many of which the author explores in some detail, Gabrielle Malcolm makes the persuasive argument that Austen’s own letters reveal she imagined a future for Darcy and Elizabeth. I think we can safely assume that had she written her own sequel it would not have involved zombies…
Along the way, Gabrielle Malcolm addresses what she terms ‘the Darcy problem’, namely why would a young woman as intelligent as Elizabeth be attracted to such a proud, arrogant man? She concludes that Darcy symbolises ‘an ideal of authority, honesty and protection’ and argues he will endure for years to come because readers are drawn to the idea of a hero who shows ‘his inner sensitivity beneath the tough, proud, awkward, sometimes cruel, exterior’.
The publishers describe There’s Something About Darcy as ‘a must-read for every Darcy and Jane Austen fan’. The final chapters of the book in which the author explores the rise of fan fiction and its various manifestations are likely to appeal to those looking for recommendations to satisfy their appetite for new twists on Pride and Prejudice and Darcy in particular.
Although for me there were a few too many detours from the main subject, There’s Something About Darcy is an interesting, in-depth look at the appeal and afterlife of Austen’s most well-known fictional hero.
October 6, 2019
I became a Janite in 1978.
At Temple University a professor told our class there were three courses we should not miss and I took them all. Toby Olshin's honors class on Jane Austen was one; it had a huge impact on me as a student and a reader.
In 1978 no one could foresee Jane Austen becoming universally recognized or Darcy taking precedence as our favorite literary romantic hero. Although Pride and Prejudice was early adapted for the stage, it took film to reach a wide audience. Darcy's various film portrayal have eclipsed Austen's original in the public mind. Darcy has become Colin Firth in a wet shirt or Mathew Mcfayden's soulful sensitivity.
In There's Something About Darcy Gabrielle Malcolm contends that Austen created a romantic hero archetype and traces his many manifestations and transformations over the centuries. It's a lot to cover, as she delves into every genre including romance and fanfiction!
I was engaged while reading about literary heroes before and after Darcy, including Rochester and Heathcliff.
I had seen many of the various film adaptations she discusses but was getting overwhelmed by the time she came to contemporary novels and spin-offs. I was overloaded. I have not read many of these books, and although she explains each book's plot and such, I was often reduced to skimming the text.
Malcolm has given me a lot to think about and I feel impelled to revisit the novel and the famous film versions with her interpretation in mind.
I was granted access to a free egalley by the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.
At Temple University a professor told our class there were three courses we should not miss and I took them all. Toby Olshin's honors class on Jane Austen was one; it had a huge impact on me as a student and a reader.
In 1978 no one could foresee Jane Austen becoming universally recognized or Darcy taking precedence as our favorite literary romantic hero. Although Pride and Prejudice was early adapted for the stage, it took film to reach a wide audience. Darcy's various film portrayal have eclipsed Austen's original in the public mind. Darcy has become Colin Firth in a wet shirt or Mathew Mcfayden's soulful sensitivity.
In There's Something About Darcy Gabrielle Malcolm contends that Austen created a romantic hero archetype and traces his many manifestations and transformations over the centuries. It's a lot to cover, as she delves into every genre including romance and fanfiction!
I was engaged while reading about literary heroes before and after Darcy, including Rochester and Heathcliff.
I had seen many of the various film adaptations she discusses but was getting overwhelmed by the time she came to contemporary novels and spin-offs. I was overloaded. I have not read many of these books, and although she explains each book's plot and such, I was often reduced to skimming the text.
Malcolm has given me a lot to think about and I feel impelled to revisit the novel and the famous film versions with her interpretation in mind.
I was granted access to a free egalley by the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.
May 19, 2022
As a recovering Janeite and Darcyholic, I suppose it should have been expected that no earth shattering revelations could be gleaned from this book. In all fairness, yes, Colin Firth's portrayal of Mr. Darcy set the Darcymania phenomenon in motion, however, it can be argued that prior to Ms. Austen's hero, the archetype was already well-established. Earlier film adaptations that were true to 'Pride & Prejudice' confirmed that Darcy was not a central character to the story until Andrew Davies' screenplay made Mr. Darcy (i.e. Colin Firth) impossible to ignore—and forget.
My personal opinion in the consideration of the book's chosen experts on Mr. Darcy's appeal also differs. I look to authors/researchers that have mastered emulating Jane Austen's prose with a greater understanding of Regency culture and language rather than someone who can articulate character traits. As far as the Darcy archetype, there are millions of books out there in which the main protagonist has been cast as the aloof romantic hero. I was confused as to how quoting the book would prove that Mr. Darcy was a ground-breaking character in literature. For over 150 years, the Mr. Darcy within the pages of 'Pride & Prejudice' did not strike down millions of women around the world with an acute case of the vapors—the 1995 BBC's sexualized Mr. Darcy gets ALL of the credit for that. (Yes, Colin Firth is THE Mr. Darcy.)
In the end, it was unclear as to what exactly was the theory that begged to be substantiated with extensive research for this publication.
Thank you to NeGalley, Endeavour Media, and Gabrielle Malcolm for an ARC of 'There's Something About Darcy' in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.
My personal opinion in the consideration of the book's chosen experts on Mr. Darcy's appeal also differs. I look to authors/researchers that have mastered emulating Jane Austen's prose with a greater understanding of Regency culture and language rather than someone who can articulate character traits. As far as the Darcy archetype, there are millions of books out there in which the main protagonist has been cast as the aloof romantic hero. I was confused as to how quoting the book would prove that Mr. Darcy was a ground-breaking character in literature. For over 150 years, the Mr. Darcy within the pages of 'Pride & Prejudice' did not strike down millions of women around the world with an acute case of the vapors—the 1995 BBC's sexualized Mr. Darcy gets ALL of the credit for that. (Yes, Colin Firth is THE Mr. Darcy.)
In the end, it was unclear as to what exactly was the theory that begged to be substantiated with extensive research for this publication.
Thank you to NeGalley, Endeavour Media, and Gabrielle Malcolm for an ARC of 'There's Something About Darcy' in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.
November 1, 2019
A light, bright and sparkling study of one of literature's most appealing heroes, There's Something About Darcy is a must-read for the Darcyholic in all of us. -- Laurel Ann Nattress, editor of Jane Austen Made Me Do It
December 14, 2019
Un lungo excursus che parte dal personaggio maschile ideale che ha originato la figura di Mr. Darcy (considerando anche Beau Brummel e Lord Byron), passando attraverso due secoli di protagonisti maschili che sono stati creati con la consapevolezza che esisteva un Mr. Darcy, e che sono stati influenzati volontariamente o involontariamente da lui; per arrivare ai Mr. Darcy del cinema e della televisione, che hanno dato origine a un Mr. Darcy con nuove caratteristiche, da cui sono stati poi generati i derivati. L'autrice ne esamina alcuni, anche soffermandosi (forse troppo, in alcuni casi, anche perché ci sarebbero stati tantissimi altri esempi, forse addirittura più calzanti). Questa lettura mi ha fatto allungare sicuramente la lista di libri da leggere e da rileggere... certo, proprio non mi va giù dover rileggere Eligible...
An extended digression on the male ideal character that gave life to the character of Mr. Darcy (the author mentions Beau Brummel and Lord Byron among the others), considering two centuries worth of male heroes born with the knowledge that a Mr. Darcy existed, and that were - intentionally or unintentionally - affected by him; coming through cinematographic and TV adaptations, that shaped a new Mr. Darcy and giving life to a series of Austen Inspired Novels. The author analyses some of these novels, dwelling on Darcy's character and lengthening my TBR and my re-reading lists...
Many thanks to NetGalley and Endeavour Quill and Endeavour Media for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
An extended digression on the male ideal character that gave life to the character of Mr. Darcy (the author mentions Beau Brummel and Lord Byron among the others), considering two centuries worth of male heroes born with the knowledge that a Mr. Darcy existed, and that were - intentionally or unintentionally - affected by him; coming through cinematographic and TV adaptations, that shaped a new Mr. Darcy and giving life to a series of Austen Inspired Novels. The author analyses some of these novels, dwelling on Darcy's character and lengthening my TBR and my re-reading lists...
Many thanks to NetGalley and Endeavour Quill and Endeavour Media for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
November 4, 2019
Having been an avid fan of Austen’s film adaptations first then a reader of her timeless novels, I was eager to learn the commentary and perspective an entire book on Darcy would provide. There’s Something About Darcy adds interesting insight into Austen’s work and speaks of her influence in the literary world.
Part of this book reads like an essay on the characteristics and lasting impact of Darcy. The portions I like best are the ones denoting the history of Austen and the influences she used to compile such an impactful character, as well as the portions of her contemporaries and early works influenced by Pride & Prejudice.
A later portion of the book notes the modern works and derivatives of Pride & Prejudice, like the various adaptations (TV, film, & literature alike) and each of their merits and unique facets that interpret, add depth, or detract from Darcy and Austen’s original work. I liked this portion, as well, but some of the explanations of these contemporary works are a bit long and spoiler-y
Overall, this is a unique analysis of Darcy and his role as hero in classic literature and beyond. While some of this work was a little tedious, I still enjoyed the insights and opinions Malcolm shared concerning history and interpretations of Austen.
Thank you to the pubilsher for the review copy. This is my honest review.
Part of this book reads like an essay on the characteristics and lasting impact of Darcy. The portions I like best are the ones denoting the history of Austen and the influences she used to compile such an impactful character, as well as the portions of her contemporaries and early works influenced by Pride & Prejudice.
A later portion of the book notes the modern works and derivatives of Pride & Prejudice, like the various adaptations (TV, film, & literature alike) and each of their merits and unique facets that interpret, add depth, or detract from Darcy and Austen’s original work. I liked this portion, as well, but some of the explanations of these contemporary works are a bit long and spoiler-y
Overall, this is a unique analysis of Darcy and his role as hero in classic literature and beyond. While some of this work was a little tedious, I still enjoyed the insights and opinions Malcolm shared concerning history and interpretations of Austen.
Thank you to the pubilsher for the review copy. This is my honest review.
October 24, 2019
I thought this was such a great book about how Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and Darcy have changed the romance genre and created a phenomenon for people to love for over 200 years. I thought this was very well researched. I love the mention of all of the different adaptions of Pride and Prejudice and the "fan fiction" of sequels. One of my all time favorite adaptions was "The Lizzie Bennett Diaries" I am so happy she mentioned this amazing series. Can not wait for it to come out in paperback to buy a finish copy.
December 8, 2019
If I could give ½ stars, I would only award 1/2 star to Gabrielle Malcolm’s There’s Something About Darcy. I was disappointed in Malcolm's exploration of Darcy for a variety of reasons. Her central thesis that Darcy is a Byronic hero not only makes little sense, it leads to very strained comparisons to later Romantic heroes. Additionally, there's some sloppiness in her terminology and research, and, on occasion, she goes off on odd tangents that, while brief, don’t connect with her topic.
I find her insistence that Darcy is a Byronic hero the most significant problem with the book. Lord Macauley, a historian and critic, described Childe Hassam, Byron’s first “Byronic” hero, as “a man proud, moody, cynical, with defiance on his brow, and misery in his heart, a scorner of his kind, implacable in revenge, yet capable of deep and strong affection.” Yes, Darcy is proud, capable of both deep and strong affection and also resentment, but hardly wearing ��defiance on his brow,” carrying “misery in his heart,” and “implacable in revenge;” and he absolutely does not “scorn[] his own kind.” Even if you use a different formulation of the Byronic hero—intelligent, passionate, dark and brooding, intensely introspective, cynical and jaded, insistent on living out his own philosophy no matter the cost—those characteristics don’t describe Darcy.
Malcolm’s insistence that Darcy is an archetype of this archetype leads her to make increasingly strange comparisons with later Romantic heroes. Even though she acknowledges that Charlotte Bronte didn’t care for Austen’s writing, she nonetheless claims that Rochester was inspired by Darcy. Heathcliff is another bizarre descendant of Pemberley’s master. And then Malcolm gets even crazier by arguing that Bram Stoker’s Dracula is a more extreme version of the “Darcy archetype.” Sir Percy Blakeney is another supposed Byronic hero and Darcy descendant. [The only comparison Malcolm draws that makes any sense is to John Thornton, the hero of Elizabeth Gaskell’s North and South. Gaskell’s plot and central relationship is clearly inspired by Pride and Prejudice, and her hero has similarities to Darcy (a man of strong feeling but reticent in his expression; of strong will, principles, and opinions; devoted to his family and his duty as he sees it; protective of the woman he loves, even when he is most hurt and disappointed in her).]
I think Malcolm adopts this bizarre interpretation because she is more influenced by modern portrayals of Darcy than Austen’s character. From the beginning, Malcolm focuses on Colin Firth’s 1995 portrayal. This is understandable, as it is such a well-loved depiction, but Firth’s Darcy—though far from the Byronic ideal—is a more intense character than Austen’s, just as Jennifer Ehle’s Elizabeth is a bit more feisty/spirited than Austen’s. There’s nothing wrong with these performances (I love them both), but they both reflect late 20th C sensibilities. By 1995, the Byronic archetype had worked its way into the DNA of romantic heroes, such that elements of the archetype can be found in most such characters/portrayals. Malcolm also spends a lot of time on various modern takes on Darcy, from vampire to modern man to Zombie hunter. Each of these Darcy versions are more tormented than Austen’s creation, which, again, is not surprising because of the pervasive influence of Byronic heroes (an influence that would not have existed at the time Austen created her hero).
In addition to Malcolm’s unpersuasive central thesis, the author’s sloppiness in both terminology and research irritated me. An example of the former is Malcolm’s tendency to use “Georgian” and “Regency” as interchangeable. But the Georgian period describes over a century of British history—from 1714 to either 1830 or 1837 (depending on whether you end the period with the death of George IV or his brother, William IV)—while the Regency is a subset of that period, variously defined as between 1811-1820 (the actual period of the regency) or 1795-1837 (the latter part of George III’s reign through his last reigning son's death). The social and political conventions of 1730 were quite different from those of 1798 or 1812, but Malcolm’s use of both descriptors conflates them.
An example of her research sloppiness (and, admittedly, the most egregious) is Malcolm’s summary of a 2016 Hallmark movie, Unleashing Mr. Darcy. As best I can tell, Malcolm’s 1-paragraph analysis of this movie is based solely on Hallmark’s promotional materials, and not an actual viewing of the movie. There is no excuse for including something in her book that she hasn’t actually seen as support for her theory.
Finally, every so often, Malcolm indulges in weird tangents that are admittedly brief. For example, when recounting Sam Riley’s portrayal in the movie version of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, she says that he is “great” as a “brooding warrior-hero” Darcy. She then spends the remaining 2/3 of the paragraph describing Riley’s character in the 2007 movie, Control, and the 1978 book on which that movie is based. There is absolutely no connection between Darcy—in traditional or Zombie-warrior mode—and Control and its source, except for the actor, Sam Riley. It’s a weird excursion that has nothing to do with the rest of the book.
I was excited to read this, as I hoped for an interesting critique of Darcy and why he and his love story command so much interest over 200 years later. Instead, this reads as a fangirl’s somewhat-academic justification of her crush on Firth’s Darcy.
I find her insistence that Darcy is a Byronic hero the most significant problem with the book. Lord Macauley, a historian and critic, described Childe Hassam, Byron’s first “Byronic” hero, as “a man proud, moody, cynical, with defiance on his brow, and misery in his heart, a scorner of his kind, implacable in revenge, yet capable of deep and strong affection.” Yes, Darcy is proud, capable of both deep and strong affection and also resentment, but hardly wearing ��defiance on his brow,” carrying “misery in his heart,” and “implacable in revenge;” and he absolutely does not “scorn[] his own kind.” Even if you use a different formulation of the Byronic hero—intelligent, passionate, dark and brooding, intensely introspective, cynical and jaded, insistent on living out his own philosophy no matter the cost—those characteristics don’t describe Darcy.
Malcolm’s insistence that Darcy is an archetype of this archetype leads her to make increasingly strange comparisons with later Romantic heroes. Even though she acknowledges that Charlotte Bronte didn’t care for Austen’s writing, she nonetheless claims that Rochester was inspired by Darcy. Heathcliff is another bizarre descendant of Pemberley’s master. And then Malcolm gets even crazier by arguing that Bram Stoker’s Dracula is a more extreme version of the “Darcy archetype.” Sir Percy Blakeney is another supposed Byronic hero and Darcy descendant. [The only comparison Malcolm draws that makes any sense is to John Thornton, the hero of Elizabeth Gaskell’s North and South. Gaskell’s plot and central relationship is clearly inspired by Pride and Prejudice, and her hero has similarities to Darcy (a man of strong feeling but reticent in his expression; of strong will, principles, and opinions; devoted to his family and his duty as he sees it; protective of the woman he loves, even when he is most hurt and disappointed in her).]
I think Malcolm adopts this bizarre interpretation because she is more influenced by modern portrayals of Darcy than Austen’s character. From the beginning, Malcolm focuses on Colin Firth’s 1995 portrayal. This is understandable, as it is such a well-loved depiction, but Firth’s Darcy—though far from the Byronic ideal—is a more intense character than Austen’s, just as Jennifer Ehle’s Elizabeth is a bit more feisty/spirited than Austen’s. There’s nothing wrong with these performances (I love them both), but they both reflect late 20th C sensibilities. By 1995, the Byronic archetype had worked its way into the DNA of romantic heroes, such that elements of the archetype can be found in most such characters/portrayals. Malcolm also spends a lot of time on various modern takes on Darcy, from vampire to modern man to Zombie hunter. Each of these Darcy versions are more tormented than Austen’s creation, which, again, is not surprising because of the pervasive influence of Byronic heroes (an influence that would not have existed at the time Austen created her hero).
In addition to Malcolm’s unpersuasive central thesis, the author’s sloppiness in both terminology and research irritated me. An example of the former is Malcolm’s tendency to use “Georgian” and “Regency” as interchangeable. But the Georgian period describes over a century of British history—from 1714 to either 1830 or 1837 (depending on whether you end the period with the death of George IV or his brother, William IV)—while the Regency is a subset of that period, variously defined as between 1811-1820 (the actual period of the regency) or 1795-1837 (the latter part of George III’s reign through his last reigning son's death). The social and political conventions of 1730 were quite different from those of 1798 or 1812, but Malcolm’s use of both descriptors conflates them.
An example of her research sloppiness (and, admittedly, the most egregious) is Malcolm’s summary of a 2016 Hallmark movie, Unleashing Mr. Darcy. As best I can tell, Malcolm’s 1-paragraph analysis of this movie is based solely on Hallmark’s promotional materials, and not an actual viewing of the movie. There is no excuse for including something in her book that she hasn’t actually seen as support for her theory.
Finally, every so often, Malcolm indulges in weird tangents that are admittedly brief. For example, when recounting Sam Riley’s portrayal in the movie version of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, she says that he is “great” as a “brooding warrior-hero” Darcy. She then spends the remaining 2/3 of the paragraph describing Riley’s character in the 2007 movie, Control, and the 1978 book on which that movie is based. There is absolutely no connection between Darcy—in traditional or Zombie-warrior mode—and Control and its source, except for the actor, Sam Riley. It’s a weird excursion that has nothing to do with the rest of the book.
I was excited to read this, as I hoped for an interesting critique of Darcy and why he and his love story command so much interest over 200 years later. Instead, this reads as a fangirl’s somewhat-academic justification of her crush on Firth’s Darcy.
August 17, 2022
Will undoubtedly feed the insatiable appetite for all things Austen while validating our cultural obsession with a hero who spawned a thousand and one tropes. For those familiar with Austen's literary canon, it does a deep dive on the man and his time period in a compelling and ultimately readable way. But the hero's influence is best presented in the undeniable echoes of pop culture, media and art in all forms and Malcolm certainly finds fun in every possible iteration of Darcy available.
December 26, 2019
‘He is now an archetype that defines a whole strand of characters in fiction, drama, media and popular culture. These are identified by a single name - Darcy.’
I love everything Austen with Pride and Prejudice and Mr Darcy being my all time favourite. So this book was a must read and proved to be so very interesting through its analysis of literature from Austen’s time right up to contemporary tales. Especially considering the latter, undoubtedly, the story of Darcy has been a worldwide phenomenon with its impact on romance writing.
Gabrielle Malcolm has undertaken a vast amount of research and I truly appreciated both comparative books discussions to character adaptations and fan fiction, even the inclusion of the web series, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, which I adored watching online. One cannot doubt the influence that Jane Austen has had on the literary world. Reading much like an essay, Gabrielle details literature, film and television examples that she analyses and ties back into the original. Character comparisons from the Bronte’s Rocherster or Heathcliff to modern day Edward Cullen or Christian Grey. From Bronte and Heyer, to Helen Fielding and Curtis Sittenfeld. From the big screen 1940s Laurence Olivier to 2005 with Matthew Macfadyen strolling through the misty field. From Bollywood to zombie adaptations ... it’s all here.
‘Darcy’s story arc is one of personal development and the growth of self-knowledge, so that he gains insight into his feelings and the conflicting emotions that so trouble him.’
Garbrielle delivers a wealth of research in her bid to study the impact each of these portrayals, tied in to perception of character, has had on the legacy that is Austen and her Darcy. Be warned, this is a definite scholars account of why this aristocratic hero has endured. There’s Something About Darcy may be too dry for some, contain too many spoilers of books unread for others, or lack the in depth analysis with its broad approach. However, for me, it was brilliant.
Gabrielle Malcolm is to be commended for undertaking a book such as this, with an incredible eye for detail yet simultaneously presenting an engaging approach making it accessible to many. A must read for all Austenites as they are sure to appreciate this thorough and unique study of one of the most well loved characters in all of literary history.
‘Darcy’s ability to change his views, modify his opinions .... and learn from his mistakes have powerfully impressed readers for the past 200 years.’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
I love everything Austen with Pride and Prejudice and Mr Darcy being my all time favourite. So this book was a must read and proved to be so very interesting through its analysis of literature from Austen’s time right up to contemporary tales. Especially considering the latter, undoubtedly, the story of Darcy has been a worldwide phenomenon with its impact on romance writing.
Gabrielle Malcolm has undertaken a vast amount of research and I truly appreciated both comparative books discussions to character adaptations and fan fiction, even the inclusion of the web series, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, which I adored watching online. One cannot doubt the influence that Jane Austen has had on the literary world. Reading much like an essay, Gabrielle details literature, film and television examples that she analyses and ties back into the original. Character comparisons from the Bronte’s Rocherster or Heathcliff to modern day Edward Cullen or Christian Grey. From Bronte and Heyer, to Helen Fielding and Curtis Sittenfeld. From the big screen 1940s Laurence Olivier to 2005 with Matthew Macfadyen strolling through the misty field. From Bollywood to zombie adaptations ... it’s all here.
‘Darcy’s story arc is one of personal development and the growth of self-knowledge, so that he gains insight into his feelings and the conflicting emotions that so trouble him.’
Garbrielle delivers a wealth of research in her bid to study the impact each of these portrayals, tied in to perception of character, has had on the legacy that is Austen and her Darcy. Be warned, this is a definite scholars account of why this aristocratic hero has endured. There’s Something About Darcy may be too dry for some, contain too many spoilers of books unread for others, or lack the in depth analysis with its broad approach. However, for me, it was brilliant.
Gabrielle Malcolm is to be commended for undertaking a book such as this, with an incredible eye for detail yet simultaneously presenting an engaging approach making it accessible to many. A must read for all Austenites as they are sure to appreciate this thorough and unique study of one of the most well loved characters in all of literary history.
‘Darcy’s ability to change his views, modify his opinions .... and learn from his mistakes have powerfully impressed readers for the past 200 years.’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
October 15, 2019
I was given a copy of There’s Something About Darcy by Gabrielle Malcolm from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
About 15 years ago, my sister and I were walking around at Blockbuster (back when those existed) and we picked up the 1995 version of Pride and Prejudice, the one with Colin Firth. After we watched it, a new Janeite was born. I became obsessed with all things Austen. I adored this book. My favorite parts of the novel were the chapters delving into the literature inspired by Austen. It was essentially all the things I enjoyed after immersing myself into Austen’s world. The Bronte’s, Stoker, Heyer and more. I’ve enjoyed almost all the novels the author dissected for Darcy inspiration. I learned quite a bit while reading too. The authors style is easily enjoyed and I actually found myself reading small sections a day to make the book last longer. I also enjoyed the sections dealing with Austenmania. I was aware of some things and learned about some new ones. This book is a must read for anyone who will always have a soft spot for Mr Darcy and all things Jane.
About 15 years ago, my sister and I were walking around at Blockbuster (back when those existed) and we picked up the 1995 version of Pride and Prejudice, the one with Colin Firth. After we watched it, a new Janeite was born. I became obsessed with all things Austen. I adored this book. My favorite parts of the novel were the chapters delving into the literature inspired by Austen. It was essentially all the things I enjoyed after immersing myself into Austen’s world. The Bronte’s, Stoker, Heyer and more. I’ve enjoyed almost all the novels the author dissected for Darcy inspiration. I learned quite a bit while reading too. The authors style is easily enjoyed and I actually found myself reading small sections a day to make the book last longer. I also enjoyed the sections dealing with Austenmania. I was aware of some things and learned about some new ones. This book is a must read for anyone who will always have a soft spot for Mr Darcy and all things Jane.
January 21, 2020
(I received this ARC from Endeavour Media)
Have you ever noticed the similarities between Mr. Darcy and Mr. Rochester? Or even Sir Percy aka The Scarlet Pimpernel? Dr. Gabrielle Malcolm has. ⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
In this detailed survey, Malcolm, who appears to have read/watched all Darcy incarnations (good, bad, and indifferent) since Pride and Prejudice was first published in 1813, traces the 200+ year journey of Jane Austen’s hero through print and film. The author is, I suspect, a fellow Austenite and treats the public’s enduring love for Mr. Darcy with respect. Her chapters on the Regency Romance genre and Jane Austen Fan Fiction (JAFF) provide scholarly insight on these typically derided and dismissed topics. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
If you’re a Mr. Darcy fan you’ll definitely want to read this entertaining and insightful book. However, be warned, you WILL have the urge to re-read P&P afterwards. Organize your tbr accordingly!
Have you ever noticed the similarities between Mr. Darcy and Mr. Rochester? Or even Sir Percy aka The Scarlet Pimpernel? Dr. Gabrielle Malcolm has. ⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
In this detailed survey, Malcolm, who appears to have read/watched all Darcy incarnations (good, bad, and indifferent) since Pride and Prejudice was first published in 1813, traces the 200+ year journey of Jane Austen’s hero through print and film. The author is, I suspect, a fellow Austenite and treats the public’s enduring love for Mr. Darcy with respect. Her chapters on the Regency Romance genre and Jane Austen Fan Fiction (JAFF) provide scholarly insight on these typically derided and dismissed topics. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
If you’re a Mr. Darcy fan you’ll definitely want to read this entertaining and insightful book. However, be warned, you WILL have the urge to re-read P&P afterwards. Organize your tbr accordingly!
November 6, 2019
I would like to thank netgalley and Endeavour Media for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
This biography makes some interesting points on Darcy and why people are so obsessed with him. However it's goes off on massive tangents with completely irrelevant information. There is a lot of description of the plotlines of media that featured a Darcy like and non Darcy like characters.
This biography makes some interesting points on Darcy and why people are so obsessed with him. However it's goes off on massive tangents with completely irrelevant information. There is a lot of description of the plotlines of media that featured a Darcy like and non Darcy like characters.
November 10, 2019
An interesting and informative study on one of literatures most beloved characters, I am a huge Jane Austen fan, so it was lovely to read different views, ideas and perspectives on a character I’ve ‘known’ for many years. Recommended read for fans of Austen or classics
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
September 26, 2019
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC and the chance to review this.
It was just fine. I can't really say more because I wanted so much more insight than I actually got.
It was just fine. I can't really say more because I wanted so much more insight than I actually got.
October 21, 2019
I’ll be taking part in a blog tour for this, which won’t be up till 9th of November, so review to follow.
May 13, 2020
If you are a die-hard Jane Austen fan and watch all the adaptations and enjoy all the literary offshoots, then this is a book for you. In her well-researched book Malcolm explores the perennial fascination with Darcy, perhaps Austen’s most iconic and memorable hero. She examines his influence on popular culture and how he has become the archetype of the romantic hero, even though this is based on very little textual evidence in Pride and Prejudice itself, where he is mainly described as arrogant, snobbish and very rude. The contention that Darcy is the original Byronic hero also doesn’t hold water. Malcolm chronicles in great detail many of the various TV, film and literary works inspired by Darcy, with long plot summaries which I found tedious and unnecessary. Unfortunately the author seems to conflate Darcy as Austen depicted him with Colin Firth in the renowned TV adaptation. As a purist in my reading, I don’t watch adaptations, neither film nor TV and only rarely read a novel inspired by Austen (Longbourn by Jo Baker being a notable exception) so I found that much of the book simply wasn’t of interest to me. It’s a light, fun read, but not one for me.
July 26, 2020
I am so grateful to have received a signed copy of "There's Something About Darcy" by Gabrielle Malcolm with some little goodies quite awhile back through a Goodreads giveaway. I initially picked up the book soon after and then set it down again for months. This does not reflect on this work of love, it was my own reading slump.
For a non-fiction piece, this was fast-paced and intriguing. Much of the book is summaries of works contemporary to, romance novels stemming from, modern film depictions of, and remakes of P&P. These summaries illustrate the significance of the Darcy character, perhaps archetype. They serve to show the significance of and the changes made to his character over the past two centuries. While perhaps giving too much credit to Darcy as the original of this archetype, this work is one for any Austen fan to devour! It is a modern study that is accessible to fans, not just English majors. Truly a delightful read!
For a non-fiction piece, this was fast-paced and intriguing. Much of the book is summaries of works contemporary to, romance novels stemming from, modern film depictions of, and remakes of P&P. These summaries illustrate the significance of the Darcy character, perhaps archetype. They serve to show the significance of and the changes made to his character over the past two centuries. While perhaps giving too much credit to Darcy as the original of this archetype, this work is one for any Austen fan to devour! It is a modern study that is accessible to fans, not just English majors. Truly a delightful read!
May 24, 2022
I DNF this at 42%. She compared Darcy to Dracula, Heathcliff and every random hero she could think of, evidently.
Not what I was expecting. This seemed like a cash grab to glom onto the popularity of the 1995 miniseries.
Do not recommend.
Not what I was expecting. This seemed like a cash grab to glom onto the popularity of the 1995 miniseries.
Do not recommend.
Want to read
March 15, 2021Eek! I think I accidentally rated this book when I meant to click "Want-to-Read!" Will update this space someday when I actually have read it!
November 28, 2019
As a P&P fan, it’s not a surprise that I would choose to request this book from NetGalley. After all, it’s focuses on Darcy – who inspired Jane Austen to come up with his character and his lasting influence on culture.
There’s Something about Darcy is broken into 3 main sections:
The first section talks about the figures that might have influenced Austen in the creation of Darcy, focusing on the very real person George Brummell. I found this section to be interesting because this isn’t an area that I’ve not read much on, and I found quite a lot of new information.
From there, the book moves on to talk the influence of Darcy on literature, including the Bronte sisters and Dracula. Frankly, this was the part of the book that was the most unconvincing to me. Malcolm argues that Darcy influenced literature by becoming an archetype, but I’m not convinced. Darcy is definitely influential, but he’s also a pretty typical tsundere-type character. Because the author focused on books that came after P&P, I didn’t see an argument that Darcy was the first of his kind and thus works as an archetype for all other tsunderes to come, something that would have bolstered the author’s claims.
Additionally, my sense of the modern Jane Austen fandom is that it was sparked by the 1995 BBC drama. I’m not sure if Austen’s influence was quite as big in the years before it – the book pretty much takes for granted that Austen was influential, but I didn’t see a convincing argument as to why I should think that way.
The final section of the book looks at Darcy reinterpreted today, including film, the fandom, and fanfiction. I wish I can find a copy of Austentatious because I cannot help but think that the two books would complement each other for this section.
The film portion of the discussion talks about the different adaptations over the years and the different emphasis they had – it was interesting and if I ever decide to binge all the adaptations (which, I’ll be honest, is unlikely because I’m more a fan of the book), I’d want to keep this chapter in mind.
I really like the point about how the core principle (or one of the core principles) of fanfiction is that you cannot mess with the basic nature of the characters. If you make, for example, Elizabeth dull and shrill, you’re probably going to get a lot of flak because that’s not her. You might as well be writing your own OCs instead of fanfiction.
Another thing I liked was the discussion about the different ways P&P has been retold and how they show new aspects – from PD James’ murder mystery sequel to Baker’s focus on the servants in P&P in Longbourn. I loved Unequal Affections and would have loved it if it were included (it also started on fanfiction.net, which I think is pretty interesting) but sadly it’s not mentioned in the book.
Overall, this was an interesting read. I am not convinced that Darcy was so influential as to be the model of every Western tsundere-type character in the years to come, but I appreciated the discussions on the Jane Austen fandom and the ways that P&P and Darcy have been interpreted and re-interpreted, especially in recent years.
This review was first posted at Eustea Reads
There’s Something about Darcy is broken into 3 main sections:
The first section talks about the figures that might have influenced Austen in the creation of Darcy, focusing on the very real person George Brummell. I found this section to be interesting because this isn’t an area that I’ve not read much on, and I found quite a lot of new information.
From there, the book moves on to talk the influence of Darcy on literature, including the Bronte sisters and Dracula. Frankly, this was the part of the book that was the most unconvincing to me. Malcolm argues that Darcy influenced literature by becoming an archetype, but I’m not convinced. Darcy is definitely influential, but he’s also a pretty typical tsundere-type character. Because the author focused on books that came after P&P, I didn’t see an argument that Darcy was the first of his kind and thus works as an archetype for all other tsunderes to come, something that would have bolstered the author’s claims.
Additionally, my sense of the modern Jane Austen fandom is that it was sparked by the 1995 BBC drama. I’m not sure if Austen’s influence was quite as big in the years before it – the book pretty much takes for granted that Austen was influential, but I didn’t see a convincing argument as to why I should think that way.
The final section of the book looks at Darcy reinterpreted today, including film, the fandom, and fanfiction. I wish I can find a copy of Austentatious because I cannot help but think that the two books would complement each other for this section.
The film portion of the discussion talks about the different adaptations over the years and the different emphasis they had – it was interesting and if I ever decide to binge all the adaptations (which, I’ll be honest, is unlikely because I’m more a fan of the book), I’d want to keep this chapter in mind.
I really like the point about how the core principle (or one of the core principles) of fanfiction is that you cannot mess with the basic nature of the characters. If you make, for example, Elizabeth dull and shrill, you’re probably going to get a lot of flak because that’s not her. You might as well be writing your own OCs instead of fanfiction.
Another thing I liked was the discussion about the different ways P&P has been retold and how they show new aspects – from PD James’ murder mystery sequel to Baker’s focus on the servants in P&P in Longbourn. I loved Unequal Affections and would have loved it if it were included (it also started on fanfiction.net, which I think is pretty interesting) but sadly it’s not mentioned in the book.
Overall, this was an interesting read. I am not convinced that Darcy was so influential as to be the model of every Western tsundere-type character in the years to come, but I appreciated the discussions on the Jane Austen fandom and the ways that P&P and Darcy have been interpreted and re-interpreted, especially in recent years.
This review was first posted at Eustea Reads
November 18, 2019
Proud, aloof, and emotionally distant. Any modern woman in her right mind would, you think, reject Mr Darcy – and his ten thousand a year – quicker than Lizzie Bennet turns down Mr Collins. And yet we (and I include myself in this collective ‘we’) seem to adore the man more than ever.
Whether it’s Matthew Macfadyen strolling through a misty field, Colin Firth emerging from a lake, or Bridget Jones’ very own Mark Darcy bringing Regency romance to modern-day London, there really is something about Darcy. And Gabrielle Malcolm is determined to find out what.
There’s Something About Darcy is an extensive examination of the enduring appeal of Austen’s most famous aristocratic hero. Written with a scholar’s eye for detail whilst retaining a light and engaging tone throughout, Dr Malcolm breaks down and analyses the various portrayals of Mr Darcy on screen, as well as the inventive directions that Austenesque writers have taken the character.
From Bollywood hero to vampire slayer (and even vampire!) Darcy has been re-imagined in every possible way and it was fascinating to consider the impact of these portrayals on our perception of the character – and how they might have added to the endurance of his appeal.
I would, however, have liked a little more discussion about the modern adaptations that reinterpret Darcy through the lens of another culture, and more consideration of why we continue to seek out romantic heroes who exhibit such problematic character traits.
In the latter portion of the book, Dr Malcolm also considers the relationship between Darcy and other popular romantic heroes – Mr Rochester, Heathcliff, Edward Cullen, Dracula, Christian Grey – as well as the heroes of some lesser-known (by modern audiences at least) Regency romances written by Austen’s contemporaries.
Whilst I felt that these chapters provided an interesting insight into the way in which various societies and eras construct and interpret ‘heroes’, I wasn’t sure that the discussions always succeeded in shedding new light upon Austen’s hero and this section of the book, for me anyway, wasn’t quite as successful as the chapters that focus primarily on Austen’s hero.
That said, considering other examples of ‘Darcy-like’ characters did illustrate how the prevalence of the Darcy archetype became established in popular culture – and how the numerous adaptations and reinterpretations of the character, both in print and on the screen, have allowed Darcy to take precedence over other romantic leads who exhibit similar traits.
Although literary scholars and die-hard Janeites may find themselves wanting a bit more meat on the bones in some places, for most readers who have a soft spot for Austen’s aloof heroine, There’s Something About Darcy is sure to both entertain and inform in equal measure.
Written with a scholar’s eye for detail whilst retaining the explanations of key plots and characters needed to hold the interest of a general reader, There’s Something About Darcy is a lively, informative and engrossing read.
NB: This review was first posted on my blog at https://theshelfofunreadbooks.wordpre... as part of the blog tour for the book. My thanks go to the publisher for providing a copy of the book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Whether it’s Matthew Macfadyen strolling through a misty field, Colin Firth emerging from a lake, or Bridget Jones’ very own Mark Darcy bringing Regency romance to modern-day London, there really is something about Darcy. And Gabrielle Malcolm is determined to find out what.
There’s Something About Darcy is an extensive examination of the enduring appeal of Austen’s most famous aristocratic hero. Written with a scholar’s eye for detail whilst retaining a light and engaging tone throughout, Dr Malcolm breaks down and analyses the various portrayals of Mr Darcy on screen, as well as the inventive directions that Austenesque writers have taken the character.
From Bollywood hero to vampire slayer (and even vampire!) Darcy has been re-imagined in every possible way and it was fascinating to consider the impact of these portrayals on our perception of the character – and how they might have added to the endurance of his appeal.
I would, however, have liked a little more discussion about the modern adaptations that reinterpret Darcy through the lens of another culture, and more consideration of why we continue to seek out romantic heroes who exhibit such problematic character traits.
In the latter portion of the book, Dr Malcolm also considers the relationship between Darcy and other popular romantic heroes – Mr Rochester, Heathcliff, Edward Cullen, Dracula, Christian Grey – as well as the heroes of some lesser-known (by modern audiences at least) Regency romances written by Austen’s contemporaries.
Whilst I felt that these chapters provided an interesting insight into the way in which various societies and eras construct and interpret ‘heroes’, I wasn’t sure that the discussions always succeeded in shedding new light upon Austen’s hero and this section of the book, for me anyway, wasn’t quite as successful as the chapters that focus primarily on Austen’s hero.
That said, considering other examples of ‘Darcy-like’ characters did illustrate how the prevalence of the Darcy archetype became established in popular culture – and how the numerous adaptations and reinterpretations of the character, both in print and on the screen, have allowed Darcy to take precedence over other romantic leads who exhibit similar traits.
Although literary scholars and die-hard Janeites may find themselves wanting a bit more meat on the bones in some places, for most readers who have a soft spot for Austen’s aloof heroine, There’s Something About Darcy is sure to both entertain and inform in equal measure.
Written with a scholar’s eye for detail whilst retaining the explanations of key plots and characters needed to hold the interest of a general reader, There’s Something About Darcy is a lively, informative and engrossing read.
NB: This review was first posted on my blog at https://theshelfofunreadbooks.wordpre... as part of the blog tour for the book. My thanks go to the publisher for providing a copy of the book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
October 30, 2019
Tracing Darcy to Rochester to Maxim de Winter and Dracula?
It is an intriguing premise, and I was looking forward to the analysis. However, that analysis is a very small part of the volume. Largely, this book is just rehashing the plots of various Austen retellings. This is neither interesting, nor all that edifying, for the reader – because let’s face it, if you’re interested in a book called There's Something About Darcy, then you’re probably already an Austen fan and you’re familiar with most, if not all, of the works ‘studied’ here.
This might be a fun read for someone new to literary analysis or Austen, but for me it felt more puff piece than anything else and I don't think I came out of it with a much deeper understanding of the Darcy archetype than I'd started with.
My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the arc to review.
It is an intriguing premise, and I was looking forward to the analysis. However, that analysis is a very small part of the volume. Largely, this book is just rehashing the plots of various Austen retellings. This is neither interesting, nor all that edifying, for the reader – because let’s face it, if you’re interested in a book called There's Something About Darcy, then you’re probably already an Austen fan and you’re familiar with most, if not all, of the works ‘studied’ here.
This might be a fun read for someone new to literary analysis or Austen, but for me it felt more puff piece than anything else and I don't think I came out of it with a much deeper understanding of the Darcy archetype than I'd started with.
My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the arc to review.
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