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Master Under Good Regulation
This is the story of Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" as seen through the eyes of Reggie, Mr. Darcy's dog. Reggie has a keen perception of things going on around him and the story begins with Darcy as a young boy of 15, picking Reggie out from a litter. We see the two of them become close companions as Darcy grows up and enters the story that Jane Austen penned. But the story also takes you to those silent months and behind the scenes where Reggie has much on which to reflect, comment, and intervene. Visit "KaraLou's" website, www.ahhhs.net, to read preview chapters for this book as well as additional stories.
292 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 30, 2007
19 people are currently reading
104 people want to read
About the author
Kara Louise
20 books232 followersKara Louise has been writing "Pride and Prejudice" novels since 2001. She has published 8 novels, 2 that were published by Sourcebooks Publications. She was born in the San Fernando Valley, just north of Los Angeles, but moved to Kansas in 1991. She lives just outside Wichita with her husband, sharing their 10 acres with an ever changing menagerie of animals. They have one married son who lives in St. Louis..
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
September 19, 2017
Reggie Lends Mr. Darcy A Helping Hand…erm…Paw!
Source: Purchased
At the tender age of fifteen, a grieving and motherless Fitzwilliam is brought to select a trusty companion of his very own from a litter of English Springer Spaniels. Due to his intelligent eyes and “lively and playful manner,” young Fitzwilliam chooses Reggie despite the fact that he is not of the highest breeding. Through the years Reggie and Darcy develop a wonderfully close bond. Reggie helps Darcy find happiness after his mother’s passing and prompts him to laugh and play, while his father keeps him at a distance and instructs him behave in a “more dignified manner.” But as the years go by, Reggie notices that his master doesn’t laugh and play as much as he used to and is burdened by his many cares and responsibilities. Reggie hopes that something or someone will soon bring some lightheartedness back into his master’s life. And when he meets the delightfully playful and friendly Elizabeth Bennet, Reggie feels that just like himself, she would be a perfect companion for his master…
Reggie has several encounters with the lovely Elizabeth Bennet, and while the two are quite fond of each other, Reggie senses that Elizabeth does not hold his master in any affection…although the same cannot be said for him! So what does Reggie do? He doesn’t have the power to speak Darcy’s language, but he is determined to help his master find happiness in any and every way possible!
It is always interesting to see a familiar story from a new perspective! I’ve read and loved stories from the hero’s point-of-view or from a secondary character’s point-of-view, but this is my first time reading a story from an animal’s point-of-view! And Reggie is such an endearing and lovable addition to the Pride and Prejudice family! I absolutely adored his loyalty and affection for Mr. Darcy, and I loved the idea of Mr. Darcy having such a companionable and selfless canine friend in his life. In addition, I was touched by all the special relationships Reggie fostered with other characters in this story, such as Georgiana, Anne, and Elizabeth. Reggie is a remarkable animal, and you cannot but help and love him in this story!
What I loved most about this unique retelling was seeing how Darcy shared his intimate thoughts with Reggie, and how Reggie (who wasn’t present in every important scene of the book) would understand his master’s feelings and care for his emotional well-being. I loved that Mr. Darcy didn’t hold back in front of Reggie – he shared his vulnerability, his fears, and his dejection with his best friend. Reggie is wonderfully perceptive and wise, and I loved seeing him communicate his opinions and thoughts to Darcy by wagging his tail, groaning in disapproval, or by other means. 🙂 My favorite bits were when Reggie did something completely out of the norm in order to get Darcy’s attention or go somewhere.
In addition, I loved seeing what Reggie thought of the other characters in the book, his opinions of Lady Cat and Caroline Bingley were too funny! And he loathes Wickham just as much as his master does. But best of all was seeing what Reggie thought of Elizabeth Bennet, their relationship evolved into something very special and heartwarming! My idea of Elizabeth is that she is as fond of animals as she is of nature, so this fit in quite perfectly with my perception of her character.
Since this story is told from Reggie’s point-of-view and he isn’t able to converse with others, this story tended to be heavy on the narration and a little bit light on the dialogue. Which is understandable with Reggie’s limitations, but at the same time this made the story feel a little slow-paced at some points. In addition, I thought the exposition may have been just a tad too lengthy.
Master Under Good Regulation is a tender and heartwarming story that spotlights the special and unique relationship between man and dog and will pull at your heartstrings. Insightful, sensitive, and adorable Reggie is an endearing and original Pride and Prejudice character that I will not soon forget!
Austenesque Reviews
Source: Purchased
At the tender age of fifteen, a grieving and motherless Fitzwilliam is brought to select a trusty companion of his very own from a litter of English Springer Spaniels. Due to his intelligent eyes and “lively and playful manner,” young Fitzwilliam chooses Reggie despite the fact that he is not of the highest breeding. Through the years Reggie and Darcy develop a wonderfully close bond. Reggie helps Darcy find happiness after his mother’s passing and prompts him to laugh and play, while his father keeps him at a distance and instructs him behave in a “more dignified manner.” But as the years go by, Reggie notices that his master doesn’t laugh and play as much as he used to and is burdened by his many cares and responsibilities. Reggie hopes that something or someone will soon bring some lightheartedness back into his master’s life. And when he meets the delightfully playful and friendly Elizabeth Bennet, Reggie feels that just like himself, she would be a perfect companion for his master…
Reggie has several encounters with the lovely Elizabeth Bennet, and while the two are quite fond of each other, Reggie senses that Elizabeth does not hold his master in any affection…although the same cannot be said for him! So what does Reggie do? He doesn’t have the power to speak Darcy’s language, but he is determined to help his master find happiness in any and every way possible!
It is always interesting to see a familiar story from a new perspective! I’ve read and loved stories from the hero’s point-of-view or from a secondary character’s point-of-view, but this is my first time reading a story from an animal’s point-of-view! And Reggie is such an endearing and lovable addition to the Pride and Prejudice family! I absolutely adored his loyalty and affection for Mr. Darcy, and I loved the idea of Mr. Darcy having such a companionable and selfless canine friend in his life. In addition, I was touched by all the special relationships Reggie fostered with other characters in this story, such as Georgiana, Anne, and Elizabeth. Reggie is a remarkable animal, and you cannot but help and love him in this story!
What I loved most about this unique retelling was seeing how Darcy shared his intimate thoughts with Reggie, and how Reggie (who wasn’t present in every important scene of the book) would understand his master’s feelings and care for his emotional well-being. I loved that Mr. Darcy didn’t hold back in front of Reggie – he shared his vulnerability, his fears, and his dejection with his best friend. Reggie is wonderfully perceptive and wise, and I loved seeing him communicate his opinions and thoughts to Darcy by wagging his tail, groaning in disapproval, or by other means. 🙂 My favorite bits were when Reggie did something completely out of the norm in order to get Darcy’s attention or go somewhere.
In addition, I loved seeing what Reggie thought of the other characters in the book, his opinions of Lady Cat and Caroline Bingley were too funny! And he loathes Wickham just as much as his master does. But best of all was seeing what Reggie thought of Elizabeth Bennet, their relationship evolved into something very special and heartwarming! My idea of Elizabeth is that she is as fond of animals as she is of nature, so this fit in quite perfectly with my perception of her character.
Since this story is told from Reggie’s point-of-view and he isn’t able to converse with others, this story tended to be heavy on the narration and a little bit light on the dialogue. Which is understandable with Reggie’s limitations, but at the same time this made the story feel a little slow-paced at some points. In addition, I thought the exposition may have been just a tad too lengthy.
Master Under Good Regulation is a tender and heartwarming story that spotlights the special and unique relationship between man and dog and will pull at your heartstrings. Insightful, sensitive, and adorable Reggie is an endearing and original Pride and Prejudice character that I will not soon forget!
Austenesque Reviews
January 18, 2023
Calling all dog lovers, this is a story for you. Grab a tissue, you’ll need it.
SPOILER ALERT: This review may contain *** SPOILERS ***
>>Rating: clean of sexual content, does contain scenes depicting violence to humans and animals
>>Angst Level: mild to medium [in the presence of the SBRB [scum-bag-rat-bastard] I’m sure you’ll have better words for him… see the note in the rating
>>Source: Borrowed from KU [1-17-23] with no expectations of a review. The thought and opinions expressed are my own.
>>Tissue Alert: Have a box handy, you know it had to happen. Sniff. Be prepared.
>>Trope: the personification of an animal.
“Happiness is a warm puppy.” –Charles M. Schulz
After the death of his mother, a young Fitzwilliam Darcy was given a puppy. This is their story through the eyes of the dog Reggie. Oh-My-Goodness. I loved that dog. The story outline closely followed the P&P story but from a different perspective. It was very entertaining.
“The better I get to know men, the more I find myself loving dogs.” –Charles de Gaulle
Wickham never had a chance. Reggie knew his character right from the start.
SPOILER ALERT: This review may contain *** SPOILERS ***
>>Rating: clean of sexual content, does contain scenes depicting violence to humans and animals
>>Angst Level: mild to medium [in the presence of the SBRB [scum-bag-rat-bastard] I’m sure you’ll have better words for him… see the note in the rating
>>Source: Borrowed from KU [1-17-23] with no expectations of a review. The thought and opinions expressed are my own.
>>Tissue Alert: Have a box handy, you know it had to happen. Sniff. Be prepared.
>>Trope: the personification of an animal.
“Happiness is a warm puppy.” –Charles M. Schulz
After the death of his mother, a young Fitzwilliam Darcy was given a puppy. This is their story through the eyes of the dog Reggie. Oh-My-Goodness. I loved that dog. The story outline closely followed the P&P story but from a different perspective. It was very entertaining.
“The better I get to know men, the more I find myself loving dogs.” –Charles de Gaulle
Wickham never had a chance. Reggie knew his character right from the start.
January 25, 2023
I really enjoyed it, but then I am a dog lover. It's a fun viewpoint on Darcy's life and the events of P&P, many of which Reggie (Darcy's dog, and our narrator) secretly assisted. The fun is in seeing Reggie's, sometimes frustrated, behind the scenes work to bring our couple together. It has some good humor, and a bit of pathos. No wild plot twists, but an enjoyable lighthearted read, nonetheless.
January 27, 2023
This Pride and Prejudice story is told through the point of view of Mr Darcy’s loyal companion, his dog Reggie. It was not a quick read and the author is very dedicated to the format. It allows the reader access to much of Darcy’s thoughts in this life and especially of Elizabeth Bennet. Reggie’s sense of smell helps out in many situations as everyone finds their happily ever after.
One warning = the end requires a considerable number of tissues.
One warning = the end requires a considerable number of tissues.
June 8, 2018
Pride and prejudice retold from mr Darcy's dog POV.
The dog, Reggie, was cute but as it turns out, I prefer my stories told from a human point of view.
I struggled to get engaged in the story.
The dog was naturally not present at many of the events which lead to the events being retold by Darcy speaking to his dog or occasionally Elizabeth speaking to the dog.
I failed to connect with the story when presented in this manner and keeping so close to canon made it predictable as well.
Beautifully written though.
The dog, Reggie, was cute but as it turns out, I prefer my stories told from a human point of view.
I struggled to get engaged in the story.
The dog was naturally not present at many of the events which lead to the events being retold by Darcy speaking to his dog or occasionally Elizabeth speaking to the dog.
I failed to connect with the story when presented in this manner and keeping so close to canon made it predictable as well.
Beautifully written though.
Read
July 8, 2017Cleverly written story. Interesting variation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice from the POV of Darcy's Springer spaniel, Reggie. He was Darcy's constant companion since he was chosen by Darcy when he was fifteen years old. By the time Darcy is at Netherfield, Reggie is slowing down, but still has his wits about him and realizes that his master is in a muddle. The dog is more socially aware than his master. If only Reggie could talk to Darcy.
March 21, 2015
I hesitated to buy this book for a long time due to the premise of a dog's POV but since I have loved this author's other books, finally decided to purchase and read this.
One MUST remember going in that this is a story told from Darcy's pet dog's point of view. There is no POV from Elizabeth or Darcy and we only gets scenes when that pet, Reggie, is present. So we don't hear the dialogue between ODC as they dance at Netherfield, etc. And we feel all the frustration Reggie feels in his limited ability to communicate his opinions or desires to Darcy. But we do see that not only is Reggie a good judge of character in that he takes an immediate liking to Elizabeth Bennet but also reflects on how Darcy acts with the best of judgments in choosing to buy Reggie from a group of puppies of inferior breeding but then uses "breeding" as a reason not to propose to Elizabeth.
Reggie's sense of smell lead his moves and urging of Darcy to take certain paths and to also warn Darcy of certain undesirable person's closeness. There is a side story for Reggie when Darcy decides to buy Bingley's abandoned female dog when Netherfield is shut up upon the infamous "return to town" after the ball. There are moments of poignancy as we read of Reggie's aging and then treatment at the hands of a certain nefarious character.
I did miss the moments of chemistry between ODC usually read in stories in the JAFF genre. There is no angst as this story line follows canon.
One MUST remember going in that this is a story told from Darcy's pet dog's point of view. There is no POV from Elizabeth or Darcy and we only gets scenes when that pet, Reggie, is present. So we don't hear the dialogue between ODC as they dance at Netherfield, etc. And we feel all the frustration Reggie feels in his limited ability to communicate his opinions or desires to Darcy. But we do see that not only is Reggie a good judge of character in that he takes an immediate liking to Elizabeth Bennet but also reflects on how Darcy acts with the best of judgments in choosing to buy Reggie from a group of puppies of inferior breeding but then uses "breeding" as a reason not to propose to Elizabeth.
Reggie's sense of smell lead his moves and urging of Darcy to take certain paths and to also warn Darcy of certain undesirable person's closeness. There is a side story for Reggie when Darcy decides to buy Bingley's abandoned female dog when Netherfield is shut up upon the infamous "return to town" after the ball. There are moments of poignancy as we read of Reggie's aging and then treatment at the hands of a certain nefarious character.
I did miss the moments of chemistry between ODC usually read in stories in the JAFF genre. There is no angst as this story line follows canon.
June 2, 2009
I first read this novel on a writer's guild forum and really enjoyed it. This novel is about Mr. Darcy's trusted k-9 (dog) and his interpretation of Mr. Darcy as he is struggling to fall for Elizabeth Bennet, harbor his heartbreak from being denied in his marriage proposal and seeking to be a better man by earning Elizabeth's love.
The author very well describes the relationship of Mr. Darcy and his dog when he first gets him, when his parents die, while he raises his orphaned sister and as he struggles through life.
This is a great fun read.
The author very well describes the relationship of Mr. Darcy and his dog when he first gets him, when his parents die, while he raises his orphaned sister and as he struggles through life.
This is a great fun read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 9, 2012
I really liked this P&P variation but I didn't love it. I will tell you why. Kara Louise is a wonderful writer and her stories are always fresh and well written. I loved Reggie the insightful hound, a more delightful fictional dog may never again live on the page. However, dog stories invariably leave me sad. That's all I'm saying. . .
November 6, 2024
Personalmente, l’ho trovato delizioso!
January 25, 2023
A beautiful variation
Well-written and beautifully-imagined version of canon Pride and Prejudice as the story is retold from the viewpoint of Darcy's pet, Reggie. Very sweet and loving, from beginning to end.
Well-written and beautifully-imagined version of canon Pride and Prejudice as the story is retold from the viewpoint of Darcy's pet, Reggie. Very sweet and loving, from beginning to end.
August 28, 2015
This is well written. It is easy to read and is adorable at times and funny at others and even sad on occastion. But even though I would happily give this book 3.5 stars I can't quite stretch to 4. Why? It just didn't do it for me. This is the second book I've read by Kara Louise. I admire her writing in comparison to a lot of other dross that is written in this particular genre. But there was not quite as much excitement to compel me and the narrative at times felt exhausting because there was only so much actual dialogue that could be relayed through the eyes of a third person... ahem... dog... without being able to participate in it, and that is what made it tiring at times. Always listening and observing but hardly ever interacting. It is the few points where our four-legged narrator actually interacts with the characters in ways other than being talked at or just observing events that rescue this story from slight boredom. I do not think this is so much the fault of the author as the drawbacks of the particular story conveyance she has chosen.
September 21, 2011
This probably deserves a 3 1/2 or 4 but I have read SO many retellings of P&P that I confess, I'm a little burned out. I absolutely LOVE Kara Louise's adaptations of P&P because they have exciting plot twists and yet are true to Austen's characterizations.
I love that this retelling if from the dog's perspective. I LOVE Reggie and reading this made me appreciate my own faithful companion even more.
I love that this retelling if from the dog's perspective. I LOVE Reggie and reading this made me appreciate my own faithful companion even more.
September 8, 2014
Enjoying this P and P variation. The story is seen through the eyes of Reggie, Mr. Darcy's dog. You get a great understanding of the true compliments Darcy pays Elizabeth through the story. Again, this is why I read these variations. You continue to get better views on the workings of that characters minds.
The book with the typeface just l wasted a bit long. I just must be in moods for a short synopsis.
The book with the typeface just l wasted a bit long. I just must be in moods for a short synopsis.
January 30, 2016
I am not a dog lover, but how can you resist the opportunity to read P&P as told from the perspective of Mr Darcy's dog? The insanity of the concept is why I bought the tome, the fact that it was actually significantly better than most the adaptations, interpretations and P&P fanfics was a pleasant surprise. I am not sure if that speaks more to this book or the poor quality of the other works, but this was quite adequate.
September 11, 2014
I have liked all of the Kara Louise Pride & Prejudice variations that I have read. This one is especially endearing as it shows Darcy as a young man of 15, picking out a puppy who ends up being his companion for the next 13 years. It is a clever retelling of Jane Austen's classic.
September 4, 2014
P&P told from Darcy's dogs point of view. Any animal lover will adore this thoughtful, clever interpretation. Totally ok for teen readers. It's not a cutesy, whimsy book though. Really enjoyable love story-- on many levels. A favorite!
June 26, 2015
So very sweet. Well written. I laughed and cried. A new view provided for a story so well-known to many of us in this genera. Good job Ms. Louise. But then I love all of your contributions. :)
August 5, 2012
OK, maybe not everyone. I'll take to a retelling of the Elizabeth/Darcy story by his loyal dog, but I loved it!
June 24, 2013
An enjoyable slant on Pride and Prejudice for all Jane Austen and dog lovers!
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews