What do you think?
Rate this book
Pemberley Manor
As marriage brings an end to a romantic tale, it begins a new story: how does 'happily ever after' really work? The day that Jane and Elizabeth Bennet wed Charles Bingley and Fitzwilliam Darcy marks the departure point for Pemberley Manor. While Mr and Mrs Bingley might be expected to get on famously, Mr and Mrs Darcy will surely need to work on their communication skills. What forces in Darcy's past gave such a good man so difficult a public demeanour? Will Elizabeth's stubborn optimisim win the day after the honeymoon is over?
456 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
15 people are currently reading
546 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
October 30, 2017
I bought this book on Pearl harbor day 2013. (an omen perhaps) I struggle to give it three stars.
This is a P&P sequel; that starts with the wedding of Mrs. Bennet's two most deserving daughters. And goes far a field from canon. It introduces some new characters, alters some familiar characters and generally filled with so much distress, suspicion, perturbation, melancholia and unhappiness that it was really painful to read.
The remainder of my review will be hidden because it will contain bad language (mine)
Edit: I reread my review and deducted a star because I was obviously too nice originally
This is a P&P sequel; that starts with the wedding of Mrs. Bennet's two most deserving daughters. And goes far a field from canon. It introduces some new characters, alters some familiar characters and generally filled with so much distress, suspicion, perturbation, melancholia and unhappiness that it was really painful to read.
The remainder of my review will be hidden because it will contain bad language (mine)
Edit: I reread my review and deducted a star because I was obviously too nice originally
December 23, 2016
Laughter is the best medicine…at least it’s better than a bitter pill.
This was not a quick read, not canon, not our beloved Austen fest. I salute the author’s attempt to mimic the language of the Austen/Regency period; however, it slowed it down a bit for me. Plus, I felt this story leaned more toward the Gothic than to Austen. There was a dark brooding presence that pushed the story. The atmosphere around Pemberley was not friendly at all. Even though we did not have an actual ghost, the remnants, memories or ghosts [for a better word] of the Darcy parents were present to inflict pain and suffering on their children long after they were gone. Darcy more so than Georgiana, as she didn’t know her mother and was young when her father died.
Pemberley’s halls were shadowed with a haunted feeling and was not a place of peace where Darcy could escape to, but rather a place that he escaped from. This was like the moody, tortured, angst of Rochester [Jane Eyre] as he roamed anywhere except Thornfield. Then the tragic, wounded souls from Wuthering Heights as their lives imploded. It was dark and mysterious as we skirted a secret that we knew was not going to be good, but it hung in the air like a heavy mist.
The older Darcy’s marriage was not harmonious. In canon, Fitzwilliam Darcy adored and admired his parents and attempted to search out a woman that would give him the love that his parents had shared in their marriage. Not so in this work. Their marriage was a train wreck of misery of the acutest kind.
Darcy was haunted by memories of his past. In the descriptions of his mother, it sounded more like she was bi-polar, displaying episodes of manic /depressive with a sick obsession thrown in. It was a wonder that Darcy was sane at all. I really felt for him and grieved over the crushed spirits of the Darcy siblings. Darcy’s mother was not a nice person. She was described to be very arrogant and much like her sister Lady Catherine…imagine that.
This was one dark book. I developed whiplash from Darcy’s mercurial emotions. Elizabeth exhausted her effervescence trying to extinguish his dark funk. The author inched us ever so closer toward a dark secret that haunted the halls of Pemberley and the older Darcy’s marriage. There was even a question of paternity. It took forever and when revealed… I just went… oh my goodness!!! Didn’t see that coming.
Our dear couple had about five minutes of peace and then the bottom fell out. Misunderstandings, distrust, jealously, and a heavy dose of meddling by Caroline Bingley that nearly undid ODC. I wanted to string up Caroline by her thumbs. She was simply horrid and went way beyond bad to cause trouble. From the minute she left the Meryton wedding until the end, she was stirring the pot. D&E were riding wave after wave of problems of pure emotion, frustration, and confusion. I was simply exhausted.
Questions: There were a lot of unanswered questions. Without an epilogue I have no idea what happened with anyone or who married, had children, how many or where anyone lived. Colonel Fitzwilliam observed Caroline in full twit. He was not fooled one bit as she tried to hide it. Did he do anything to Caroline once he found out about her ‘Death to Reason” party after the Darcy/Bingley wedding? Were there social consequences to her bashing the Darcy’s? What happened with him? Did he find and marry anyone? What happened to Caroline? Was she truly repentant or was this, once again, another ruse to avoid consequences even as she said that she was sorry for her actions? What about Lady Margaret? She was vicious and there should have been consequences to her snub/cut to the Darcy’s. ODC, did they have children? What happened with Trevor? Too many questions left unanswered.
This was not a quick read, not canon, not our beloved Austen fest. I salute the author’s attempt to mimic the language of the Austen/Regency period; however, it slowed it down a bit for me. Plus, I felt this story leaned more toward the Gothic than to Austen. There was a dark brooding presence that pushed the story. The atmosphere around Pemberley was not friendly at all. Even though we did not have an actual ghost, the remnants, memories or ghosts [for a better word] of the Darcy parents were present to inflict pain and suffering on their children long after they were gone. Darcy more so than Georgiana, as she didn’t know her mother and was young when her father died.
Pemberley’s halls were shadowed with a haunted feeling and was not a place of peace where Darcy could escape to, but rather a place that he escaped from. This was like the moody, tortured, angst of Rochester [Jane Eyre] as he roamed anywhere except Thornfield. Then the tragic, wounded souls from Wuthering Heights as their lives imploded. It was dark and mysterious as we skirted a secret that we knew was not going to be good, but it hung in the air like a heavy mist.
The older Darcy’s marriage was not harmonious. In canon, Fitzwilliam Darcy adored and admired his parents and attempted to search out a woman that would give him the love that his parents had shared in their marriage. Not so in this work. Their marriage was a train wreck of misery of the acutest kind.
Darcy was haunted by memories of his past. In the descriptions of his mother, it sounded more like she was bi-polar, displaying episodes of manic /depressive with a sick obsession thrown in. It was a wonder that Darcy was sane at all. I really felt for him and grieved over the crushed spirits of the Darcy siblings. Darcy’s mother was not a nice person. She was described to be very arrogant and much like her sister Lady Catherine…imagine that.
This was one dark book. I developed whiplash from Darcy’s mercurial emotions. Elizabeth exhausted her effervescence trying to extinguish his dark funk. The author inched us ever so closer toward a dark secret that haunted the halls of Pemberley and the older Darcy’s marriage. There was even a question of paternity. It took forever and when revealed… I just went… oh my goodness!!! Didn’t see that coming.
Our dear couple had about five minutes of peace and then the bottom fell out. Misunderstandings, distrust, jealously, and a heavy dose of meddling by Caroline Bingley that nearly undid ODC. I wanted to string up Caroline by her thumbs. She was simply horrid and went way beyond bad to cause trouble. From the minute she left the Meryton wedding until the end, she was stirring the pot. D&E were riding wave after wave of problems of pure emotion, frustration, and confusion. I was simply exhausted.
Questions: There were a lot of unanswered questions. Without an epilogue I have no idea what happened with anyone or who married, had children, how many or where anyone lived. Colonel Fitzwilliam observed Caroline in full twit. He was not fooled one bit as she tried to hide it. Did he do anything to Caroline once he found out about her ‘Death to Reason” party after the Darcy/Bingley wedding? Were there social consequences to her bashing the Darcy’s? What happened with him? Did he find and marry anyone? What happened to Caroline? Was she truly repentant or was this, once again, another ruse to avoid consequences even as she said that she was sorry for her actions? What about Lady Margaret? She was vicious and there should have been consequences to her snub/cut to the Darcy’s. ODC, did they have children? What happened with Trevor? Too many questions left unanswered.
April 11, 2016
Pemberley Manor was well written, but a little too much emotional overload for me. I found myself annoyed and hoping it was almost over, not a good sign. Elizabeth is always laughing and Mr. Darcy is continually crying. Emotion is touching, but it was somewhat ridiculous. This book should only credit two stars, however, the author is a superb writer. I would read a second attempt from her and hope that her imagination and interpretation would be expressed more to my enjoyment.
August 6, 2021
3.5 rounded up the 4 stars
This is one of those stories I read before I retired and began reviewing every book I read. I do want to reread all those stories which I did not review but as time has slipped by and I haven't done so, I just want to mark all those stories as "read" so I have a record of the true number of books in the JAFF sub-genre I have read. I am using the average rating at this time as I do not remember how I rated this story back when I read it. If I ever get around to rereading it I will look at my rating to make sure it is true to my opinion. It was published in 2006 so that is most likely when I read it.
This is one of those stories I read before I retired and began reviewing every book I read. I do want to reread all those stories which I did not review but as time has slipped by and I haven't done so, I just want to mark all those stories as "read" so I have a record of the true number of books in the JAFF sub-genre I have read. I am using the average rating at this time as I do not remember how I rated this story back when I read it. If I ever get around to rereading it I will look at my rating to make sure it is true to my opinion. It was published in 2006 so that is most likely when I read it.
February 26, 2009
Written by a friend of ours in the Longfellow neighborhood. She was nominated for an award by a Jane Austen society and went to England for the awards ceremony. She didn't win, but she said she was pleased because it was properly Minnesotan to be proud to be nominated but then not to have one.
Read
January 5, 2022I usually approach these types of Jane Austen sequels/retellings with low expectations, but I was pleasantly surprised by this one. The characters felt like themselves, and the story wasn't totally overwrought or full of author pet peeves. I had an enjoyable time reading it.
May 1, 2011
In some ways this story was a refreshing change from the typical P&P sequels. Elizabeth and Darcy's early married life isn't all rainbows & unicorns. There are plenty of quarrels, and I find that Elizabeth's characterization is fairly well done. Darcy, while improved from the overly affectionate Darcy often seen, does has room for improvement. His constant crying was rather off-putting. With that being said, it was a much better read than most offerings.
September 23, 2011
This was given to me by a friend. It was somewhat interesting. She did a good job imitating Jane Austen's writing style, but the story was ponderous and covered the same ground over and over.
March 13, 2023
Alright, this book was so problematic. After 150 pages I was seriously considering DNF'ing this one.
In the end, I didn't. But to be fair I still don't know why not... I think my curiosity got the better of me together with the hope that it would get better toward the end. I had this book on my shelve for almost 8 years, I think. I always thought that this would be a book that I would absolutely love. In the end, the premise of the story sounds right up my alley. I love Pride and Prejudice, especially Elizabeth and Darcy. So the idea to get a little insight into their relationship after their marriage seemed like the perfect story to me. Unfortunately, I dislike it way too much about it, to even keep the book.
My problems with this book:
- To start this list, I did not care for the writing style. The author tries so hard to imitate Jane Austen's writing style. But for me, she failed. It only left me yearning for Pride and Prejudice. She lacked the wit and humor Jane Austen puts in her novels. And therefore made it sound way too boring and it just felt as if she was trying too hard to do something that does not come naturally.
- From the start of the book until around the 150 pages (I read a different copy of 380 pages, so almost halfway to the book) every time Elizabeth and Darcy have a conversation it all comes back to whether or not they deserve each other. Especially Darcy is suddenly super insecure about the love Elizabeth feels for him and if he even deserves her love.
They keep talking about everything that happened in Pride and Prejudice. And mostly about all the things Darcy did wrong and how sorry he is for them.
I personally did not understand why they had to keep talking about it. To me all the problems were already solved in Pride and Prejudice, so they did not make sense to me. Talk about it during one conversation, but every time... that was just overkill.
- Darcy's character is so different. He is suddenly a whining, weeping, crying, insecure man. He seems almost depressed in a way. Completely different from the strong, selfish, independent, sure-of-himself man we get to know in Pride and Prejudice. He keeps talking about how he deserves nothing, how awful of a man he is, and how wrong he is. He doesn't understand why Elizabeth wants to be with him and he is just a monster.
Why? No idea...
- The author thought it was fun to keep mentioning that Darcy has a very dark past. And that if Elizabeth finds out about it she will definitely not want to be with him. (To be honest, I think that this is the reason why I wanted to keep reading). Shocking it's not dark... The author hypes up a super dark past. That troubles Darcy deeply and it makes him a super awful man. This past happens to be nothing special at all. In the end, it is not even the big problem Darcy and Elizabeth face.
Spoiler!
The big bad dark secret is that his parents were unhappy and his mother might have had an affair. Which she in the end did not have... The man she was supposed to have an affair with, is suddenly gay...
... Like what...
Spoiler-free
- Not only Darcy's character seemed off but, to me almost all the characters were shallow versions of themselves.
- My last problem with this book is Miss Caroline Bingley. Yes... She is suddenly so important that she even has multiple POV chapters. Personally, I could care less about Caroline Bingley. She could jump off a bridge for all I care...
If I wanted to know more about her I would read a book about her. I get that she is in the story, but why is she important? Personally, she was the least interesting character in Pride and Prejudice.
I don't like her and I did not care for her feelings or how she felt about Darcy and Elizabeth. She was just annoying and I just wanted to read about Darcy and Elizabeth. Her chapters kept me from doing just that.
In the end, she also does something that everyone just seems to be okay about. Which was probably the worst thing someone could do. It felt so out of character that they forgave her for her actions. It felt as if the author really wanted everyone to be happy in the end and to give Caroline a sort of redemption arc. Which to me she failed at...
Yes, I did not like this book. I am actually bothered by the fact that I did not like this as much as I hoped. To me, it's not a keeper and I actually do not recommend this. Unless everything here in this review sounds like something you like. Then I would say go for it! :)
In the end, I didn't. But to be fair I still don't know why not... I think my curiosity got the better of me together with the hope that it would get better toward the end. I had this book on my shelve for almost 8 years, I think. I always thought that this would be a book that I would absolutely love. In the end, the premise of the story sounds right up my alley. I love Pride and Prejudice, especially Elizabeth and Darcy. So the idea to get a little insight into their relationship after their marriage seemed like the perfect story to me. Unfortunately, I dislike it way too much about it, to even keep the book.
My problems with this book:
- To start this list, I did not care for the writing style. The author tries so hard to imitate Jane Austen's writing style. But for me, she failed. It only left me yearning for Pride and Prejudice. She lacked the wit and humor Jane Austen puts in her novels. And therefore made it sound way too boring and it just felt as if she was trying too hard to do something that does not come naturally.
- From the start of the book until around the 150 pages (I read a different copy of 380 pages, so almost halfway to the book) every time Elizabeth and Darcy have a conversation it all comes back to whether or not they deserve each other. Especially Darcy is suddenly super insecure about the love Elizabeth feels for him and if he even deserves her love.
They keep talking about everything that happened in Pride and Prejudice. And mostly about all the things Darcy did wrong and how sorry he is for them.
I personally did not understand why they had to keep talking about it. To me all the problems were already solved in Pride and Prejudice, so they did not make sense to me. Talk about it during one conversation, but every time... that was just overkill.
- Darcy's character is so different. He is suddenly a whining, weeping, crying, insecure man. He seems almost depressed in a way. Completely different from the strong, selfish, independent, sure-of-himself man we get to know in Pride and Prejudice. He keeps talking about how he deserves nothing, how awful of a man he is, and how wrong he is. He doesn't understand why Elizabeth wants to be with him and he is just a monster.
Why? No idea...
- The author thought it was fun to keep mentioning that Darcy has a very dark past. And that if Elizabeth finds out about it she will definitely not want to be with him. (To be honest, I think that this is the reason why I wanted to keep reading). Shocking it's not dark... The author hypes up a super dark past. That troubles Darcy deeply and it makes him a super awful man. This past happens to be nothing special at all. In the end, it is not even the big problem Darcy and Elizabeth face.
Spoiler!
The big bad dark secret is that his parents were unhappy and his mother might have had an affair. Which she in the end did not have... The man she was supposed to have an affair with, is suddenly gay...
... Like what...
Spoiler-free
- Not only Darcy's character seemed off but, to me almost all the characters were shallow versions of themselves.
- My last problem with this book is Miss Caroline Bingley. Yes... She is suddenly so important that she even has multiple POV chapters. Personally, I could care less about Caroline Bingley. She could jump off a bridge for all I care...
If I wanted to know more about her I would read a book about her. I get that she is in the story, but why is she important? Personally, she was the least interesting character in Pride and Prejudice.
I don't like her and I did not care for her feelings or how she felt about Darcy and Elizabeth. She was just annoying and I just wanted to read about Darcy and Elizabeth. Her chapters kept me from doing just that.
In the end, she also does something that everyone just seems to be okay about. Which was probably the worst thing someone could do. It felt so out of character that they forgave her for her actions. It felt as if the author really wanted everyone to be happy in the end and to give Caroline a sort of redemption arc. Which to me she failed at...
Yes, I did not like this book. I am actually bothered by the fact that I did not like this as much as I hoped. To me, it's not a keeper and I actually do not recommend this. Unless everything here in this review sounds like something you like. Then I would say go for it! :)
January 3, 2018
A 'Pride and Prejudice' sequel that Jane Austen might actually have written (or at least enjoyed!). I've read a variety of Jane Austen sequels/spin-offs and this is by far the best I've found. This is no sleazy romance masquerading as an Austenesque novel (outside of dancing and being handed in and out of carriages, Miss Austen hardly mentions any form of male/female physical contact, what would she think of our modern obsession of peeking in at the bedroom window on the wedding night?!) There is no international crisis or political scandal to liven things up and provide a main plot point (just like a proper comedy of manners). The characters have depth, including very real flaws, though at times Jane's excessive goodness seems to be pandemic. There is certainly wit, humor, and yes, sorrow, angst, and waiting (another Austen attribute) and of course a happy ending. What this novel does very well, that so many other modern works miss entirely, is capture the emotional aspects of the characters. The Brontes and Austen both mastered this technique, but modern audiences seem to want all action and have very little patience to sit through 'The Tenant of Wildfell Hall' or 'Mansfield Park,' so it is easily understood but this is what either makes of breaks a Jane Austen type work. All the classics seem replete with it, books from an era of self-reflection and contemplation upon the character of others and society in general. Most Austen sequels delve into passionate romance or the Napoleonic wars, leaving behind the foibles, flaws, and virtues of the drawing room for more risqué but more tantalizing fair, at least to modern palates. But that sort of tale does not an Autenish sequel make. This author nailed it and in a very authentic way she documents the trauma a narcissist and their emotional abuse can do to all those around them, particularly their own family. And most wondrous of all, it is something very present in Austen's own works rather than a mere fancy on the author's part. In 'Pride and Prejudice' Lady Catharine is certainly afflicted with that personality disorder and 'Lady Susan' is all about just such a character. This novel delves unabashedly into the ugliness and works through the trauma in a most believable way, where Austen could only hint and satirize, this work brings hope and healing to the victims. I also appreciated the very real blow ups and near crises over seemingly minor matters and misunderstandings between the newlyweds, something most 'happily ever after' sequels seem to overlook, gloss over, or forget entirely. If you are looking for a worthy heir to Austen's legacy, this book may well be it, but if you are looking for action, adventure, or lusty pursuits, Austen is an odd literary choice to begin with.
December 7, 2024
First of all, english is not my language, so, sorry for the possible mistakes.
This book is a NO for me.
The whole book has very unbalanced feelings, is very tiring and I skipped lots of pages.
This darcy is desperatly in need of a therapist (yes, I know it wasn't an option at that time), his behavior is full of psychological issues, propably coming from his narcissistic mother or his obsessed father, and he spends the entire story changing his mood, belittling himself and even talks about what a risk he was to Elizabeth before they got married (???) and that he needs to cure these problems before they have children, so she doesn't have to raise them 2 at the same time.
Elizabeth is more complacent than the original, and tries to understand every mood and behavior. She is not free from some difficult behaviors too. She and Jane are to lenients. And for me, Caroline barely get enough punishment for being a horrible person, everything is forgiven and she learn by herself what a awful person she is.
This book is a NO for me.
The whole book has very unbalanced feelings, is very tiring and I skipped lots of pages.
This darcy is desperatly in need of a therapist (yes, I know it wasn't an option at that time), his behavior is full of psychological issues, propably coming from his narcissistic mother or his obsessed father, and he spends the entire story changing his mood, belittling himself and even talks about what a risk he was to Elizabeth before they got married (???) and that he needs to cure these problems before they have children, so she doesn't have to raise them 2 at the same time.
Elizabeth is more complacent than the original, and tries to understand every mood and behavior. She is not free from some difficult behaviors too. She and Jane are to lenients. And for me, Caroline barely get enough punishment for being a horrible person, everything is forgiven and she learn by herself what a awful person she is.
January 21, 2018
I think I picked up this paperback at a library sale. I'm glad I read enough of the reviews before starting the book to see that many Jane Austen fans did not care for this novel. Being fore-warned helped me get past the upsetting first chapters until it settled into a tolerable read. I will grant three stars since I believe this to be a "labor of love" by the author, meaning to celebrate both the Austen original and (too obviously) the BBC/Colin Firth adaptation. Like many other reviewers, I did not care for the dark, violent Darcy, and never got used to him being called "Will." Having Lizzy divert disaster by breaking into hilarious laughter at crucial moments seemed silly, and I found the Trevor Handley character to be an anachronism. Still, I believe that the author worked hard on the prose, and I did read to the very end. My copy of the book is in the basket to go to Goodwill with my next donation. Maybe the next reader will like it more...
October 1, 2023
I admit I had a slow start to this book, but my interest peaked. Once I got used to the dialog style and the characters, I liked it. Ms. Nelson obviously understood Jane Austen's characters well and could give them voices. There is a bit too much emotion, chaos, and crying evident here, but the outcome came out well. I liked her version of a now maturing Georgiana Darcy and the struggles sometimes between Darcy and Elizabeth to meld their different personalities. The newer characters are interesting and help with the story. My only criticism was that we were constantly given the thoughts of all the characters at once. It was a bit too much at times to muddle through. I liked the solution; it rang true for everyone.
May 12, 2023
I have read, and bought, a lot of Austen FanFiction. Where the author shows a good understanding of Austen vocabulary and sentence structure, her some of characters are problematic, and the plot like an endless disaster after disaster soap opera. Her Darcy is a wimp who runs away whenever his emotions overcome him. Much more likeable are the new characters, in particular the Alexander family, and the enigmatic Trevor Handley. However his personal disclosure and the negative backstory of Darcy’s parents felt quite out of character, and the resultant emotional damage more modern than Austenesque.
June 4, 2020
I enjoyed reading this book as the language style did remind me of Jane Austen quite a bit. But I do agree with the reviewer who understood that there were many inconsistencies with the original. I also found myself tiring of the main characters histrionics and sometimes found their miscommunications as laughable. I think if you read it with the spirit of it not being a piece of literature but more of a gothic romance, then your expectations will likely be at an appropriate level.
December 24, 2017
At times I had to stop and remind myself that this book was NOT written by Jane Austin. The author captured her style, her characterizations and observations so consistently. I was hoping that this would only be the first in a series but no such luck. I cannot find another book by this author. I'm so disappointed; I hope nothing bad happened to her.
April 15, 2018
Jane Austen is my favorite author, and Pride and Prejudice my favorite book, so I am always interested in checking out continuations or alternative tellings. This book was ok, but Darcy's personality bothered me. He is very emotional and tortured in this book. While that may be realistic and explain a lot about his personality, I just found it awkward to read.
March 30, 2023
I loved this book! It's such a sweet sequel story of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy's marriage. It dives into their characters a bit more and follows their life during the first year of their marriage. I enjoyed it a lot and recommend it to anyone who loves Pride and Prejudice.
April 26, 2019
"in the belated pursuit of a knowledge that words are powerless to improve" p.37.
December 3, 2025
Dnf
Overly dramatic and felt like something an angsty teenager had written
Overly dramatic and felt like something an angsty teenager had written
Read
July 24, 2015You have got to be kidding me. I was actually indifferent to this. Usually an Austen sequel is so bad by plot or writing or abuse of source that it's risable, but this one, despite its flaws, was just eh. That's not fair: I want my snark.
In Elizabeth's letter to Aunt Gardiner to tell her she's engaged, she says, "You must all come to Pemberley at Christmas." Violating the first principle of the Austen sequel, that it must be faithful to the text, this visit doesn't happen. Instead Elizabeth, Darcy, Georgiana (and the Hursts and Caroline Bingley) go to Meryton.
The Darcys go to Meryton at the end of the longest December ever. On 30 November, Darcy meets someone at the inn at Lambton, someone who is staying there because his newly bought residence is not yet inhabitable. All the work on the house is completed before Christmas. Elizabeth goes from the textual "no horsewoman" to an excellent one in the same 24-day period. The Darcy friendship with this person becomes familiar and intimate before a family of guests arrive for a visit of several days before Christmas. Also, during this brief and wintry period of "dirty weather" (which makes travel difficult), Elizabeth is fully launched and accepted in Derbyshire society.
There's lots of Darcy family backstory, to the point that author Kathryn Nelson sets up a prequel to her sequel, which is pretty audacious. Nelson paints Darcy's mother as being exactly like his aunt, and eh, I disagree but cannot counter this textually. Certainly countertextual is her painting of Darcy's relationship with his father as strained to the degree of their being "virtual strangers." Certifiable is Nelson's depicting Darcy's mother as bipolar and Darcy himself teetering on the verge of madness, uncertain and reeling with recovered memory. I expected her character to ramble like Hamlet or wander like Launcelot.
The book's two main sloppinesses are, one, that its central question is unresolved (this and Darcy's being given his father's diary are why I expect Nelson to whelp a sequel), and two, that people didn't blithely inform others that they were homosexual. Homosexuality was criminal. You might tell one person in extremis, but you wouldn't tell that person's wife, his sister, a servant, and the wife's sister's sister-in-law.
Other bothersome crap, from minor to major:
- Darcy's mother is called "Lady Anne Darcy." She wouldn't have retained the title of the daughter of an earl after her marriage, would she have? I don't think so.
- Elizabeth says "Fitzwilliam" is too formal so calls Darcy "Will." His full name is good enough for his sister to use, and, despite the difference between much-younger-sister and wife-equal, it should suit Elizabeth too. At least she didn't call him "Manly."*
- The dashing back and forth from Pemberley to Matlock seems unlikely, though not as oblivious to travel time as the one-day trip to Longbourn. Google maps calculates the distance between Chatsworth (the likely inspiration for Pemberley) and Matlock as nine miles. On a cantering horse in good condition, that might be two hours? Possible, but I should think imprudent on the horse's behalf.
- The faithful old lodgekeeper extends his hand to Darcy instead of waiting for Darcy to make the first move. What is he, Mr. Collins?
- Mrs. Annesley is nowhere to be seen. Georgiana speaks of her pre-Elizabeth loneliness as if that pleasant companion had never existed.
- The Darcy father's first name is given as James, instead of the George that is implicit in the text (George Wickham being his godson and Georgiana Darcy his daughter).
- Georgiana winds up engaged 18 months after the Wickham debacle, which happened when she was 15 years old. I vehemently disagree with those readers who think Darcy wanted Bingley to marry Georgiana the winter following that hullabaloo. Caroline might have wished it or maybe said so only to smother Jane's hopes; however, Darcy would not wish his sister to marry at such a young age, no matter the man. Here, another year later, I reckon he'd still consider her too young.
- Public disputes. Darcy allowing Georgiana to be present when Lady Westby goes all Lady Catherine de Bourgh on Elizabeth's ass. Darcy unmasking himself before Mr. Alexander. I didn't note every instance but his turnaround from reserve to disinhibition could make your head spin.
* It's terribly unkind of me but, again, I love the snark: I wonder how Laura felt about Almanzo's nickname after diphtheria brought him low, weakening and laming him for the rest of his life.
In Elizabeth's letter to Aunt Gardiner to tell her she's engaged, she says, "You must all come to Pemberley at Christmas." Violating the first principle of the Austen sequel, that it must be faithful to the text, this visit doesn't happen. Instead Elizabeth, Darcy, Georgiana (and the Hursts and Caroline Bingley) go to Meryton.
The Darcys go to Meryton at the end of the longest December ever. On 30 November, Darcy meets someone at the inn at Lambton, someone who is staying there because his newly bought residence is not yet inhabitable. All the work on the house is completed before Christmas. Elizabeth goes from the textual "no horsewoman" to an excellent one in the same 24-day period. The Darcy friendship with this person becomes familiar and intimate before a family of guests arrive for a visit of several days before Christmas. Also, during this brief and wintry period of "dirty weather" (which makes travel difficult), Elizabeth is fully launched and accepted in Derbyshire society.
There's lots of Darcy family backstory, to the point that author Kathryn Nelson sets up a prequel to her sequel, which is pretty audacious. Nelson paints Darcy's mother as being exactly like his aunt, and eh, I disagree but cannot counter this textually. Certainly countertextual is her painting of Darcy's relationship with his father as strained to the degree of their being "virtual strangers." Certifiable is Nelson's depicting Darcy's mother as bipolar and Darcy himself teetering on the verge of madness, uncertain and reeling with recovered memory. I expected her character to ramble like Hamlet or wander like Launcelot.
The book's two main sloppinesses are, one, that its central question is unresolved (this and Darcy's being given his father's diary are why I expect Nelson to whelp a sequel), and two, that people didn't blithely inform others that they were homosexual. Homosexuality was criminal. You might tell one person in extremis, but you wouldn't tell that person's wife, his sister, a servant, and the wife's sister's sister-in-law.
Other bothersome crap, from minor to major:
- Darcy's mother is called "Lady Anne Darcy." She wouldn't have retained the title of the daughter of an earl after her marriage, would she have? I don't think so.
- Elizabeth says "Fitzwilliam" is too formal so calls Darcy "Will." His full name is good enough for his sister to use, and, despite the difference between much-younger-sister and wife-equal, it should suit Elizabeth too. At least she didn't call him "Manly."*
- The dashing back and forth from Pemberley to Matlock seems unlikely, though not as oblivious to travel time as the one-day trip to Longbourn. Google maps calculates the distance between Chatsworth (the likely inspiration for Pemberley) and Matlock as nine miles. On a cantering horse in good condition, that might be two hours? Possible, but I should think imprudent on the horse's behalf.
- The faithful old lodgekeeper extends his hand to Darcy instead of waiting for Darcy to make the first move. What is he, Mr. Collins?
- Mrs. Annesley is nowhere to be seen. Georgiana speaks of her pre-Elizabeth loneliness as if that pleasant companion had never existed.
- The Darcy father's first name is given as James, instead of the George that is implicit in the text (George Wickham being his godson and Georgiana Darcy his daughter).
- Georgiana winds up engaged 18 months after the Wickham debacle, which happened when she was 15 years old. I vehemently disagree with those readers who think Darcy wanted Bingley to marry Georgiana the winter following that hullabaloo. Caroline might have wished it or maybe said so only to smother Jane's hopes; however, Darcy would not wish his sister to marry at such a young age, no matter the man. Here, another year later, I reckon he'd still consider her too young.
- Public disputes. Darcy allowing Georgiana to be present when Lady Westby goes all Lady Catherine de Bourgh on Elizabeth's ass. Darcy unmasking himself before Mr. Alexander. I didn't note every instance but his turnaround from reserve to disinhibition could make your head spin.
* It's terribly unkind of me but, again, I love the snark: I wonder how Laura felt about Almanzo's nickname after diphtheria brought him low, weakening and laming him for the rest of his life.
October 6, 2016
Quite a good attempt at following on the story with Jane Austen's characters
August 31, 2016
This book was OKAY. It was a very slow read for me and although fairly engaging when I read it I just wasn't that keen to ever pick it back up.
I enjoyed the Caroline Bingley aspect to this story which I found entertaining. I loved the way Elizabeth dealt with criticism from certain characters and how she was still really close with Jane amongst other people in the book.
Some things however annoyed me. Mr Darcy just cried TOO much and by crying I mean sobbing more than once in basically every chapter at the beginning half of the book. It was too repetitive and honestly just got on my nerves. He would be rude, then run off, then come back and cry and then Lizzy would cry too and then they would both declare their faults, love for each other, and then joke about it and start all over again.
I liked Trevor but I found the ending a bit unbelievable as in the time it's set I don't think what happened would be so easily received. I also felt like a big issue went unresolved concerning Georgiana's real father. The question only really got asked on the last page and then gave no real answer to it.
I was also kind of sad that Lizzy's family weren't really in the book considering how close she was to her father. There wasn't much about him mentioned in this story.
It wasn't how I'd have liked the story to have been but it was an interesting enough story nonetheless - however I maybe would have found it more interesting had it been a standalone story and not linked to P&P.
I enjoyed the Caroline Bingley aspect to this story which I found entertaining. I loved the way Elizabeth dealt with criticism from certain characters and how she was still really close with Jane amongst other people in the book.
Some things however annoyed me. Mr Darcy just cried TOO much and by crying I mean sobbing more than once in basically every chapter at the beginning half of the book. It was too repetitive and honestly just got on my nerves. He would be rude, then run off, then come back and cry and then Lizzy would cry too and then they would both declare their faults, love for each other, and then joke about it and start all over again.
I liked Trevor but I found the ending a bit unbelievable as in the time it's set I don't think what happened would be so easily received. I also felt like a big issue went unresolved concerning Georgiana's real father. The question only really got asked on the last page and then gave no real answer to it.
I was also kind of sad that Lizzy's family weren't really in the book considering how close she was to her father. There wasn't much about him mentioned in this story.
It wasn't how I'd have liked the story to have been but it was an interesting enough story nonetheless - however I maybe would have found it more interesting had it been a standalone story and not linked to P&P.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 11, 2011
This book was not bad for a sequel. There were a couple of things in the book that I didn't like. The author really gets off track in some instances in keeping with the original story. She brings in a character that is portrayed as homosexual which I felt was far from where Jane Austen would have gone. Adding a homosexual character felt even more out of place than the in-depth bedroom scenes you find in so many other sequels. Also, while we all enjoy a sensitive man, Mr. Darcy cried way too much for my taste - going from a reserved countenance to a bawl-baby is a bit of a stretch. I did like how the author showed the struggles between Elizabeth and Darcy learning to trust each other as confidantes. She illustrated how a marriage is never perfect but especially in the beginning as you're adapting to one another. There are the sappy, happy parts but hello - that's how it is when you first get married. Darcy fell head over heels for Elizabeth so it stands to reason that he would worship the ground she walks on. I also liked the story behind Darcy's family. It was a good way of explaining, in part, why Darcy turned out the way he did.
August 5, 2011
I love Austen "sequels," but this one was disappointing. Darcy obviously hasn't learned enough to temper his prejudices, or how to read Elizabeth. He spends the majority of the book hurting Elizabeth emotionally, then getting all huffy because she gets upset and he doesn't understand why. Then he runs away for a few hours, finally realizes he's in the wrong and returns to tell Elizabeth how sorry he is that he's such a cad and he'll try to behave better next time. I really got sick of his sniveling "poor me" moments. And some of the backstory written about his mother made it sound almost as if she had an undiagnosed mental disorder, and that Darcy may have inherited the same thing. But, medicine being what it was then, that angle is never explored.
In all, too much misunderstanding. I expect some, because it's Darcy and Elizabeth, but this was too much: too much whiny Darcy; too much Elizabeth crying, except for when she finally "womans up" and starts some sort of laughing game to dispel the gloomies.
In all, too much misunderstanding. I expect some, because it's Darcy and Elizabeth, but this was too much: too much whiny Darcy; too much Elizabeth crying, except for when she finally "womans up" and starts some sort of laughing game to dispel the gloomies.
October 29, 2011
There are so many 'sequels' to Pride and Prejudice that are so awful it makes me cringe. Thankfully, this one isn't one of those. While there are some 'hmm, that's odd' moments...I'll get to those later...the main body of this book is well done. The writing style is very similar to Jane Austen's and the dialogue seems to work. There's a bit more dialogue than typical Austen works, but that's ok, Nelson at least makes the characters sound like they are supposed to sound. And the banter between Darcy and Elizabeth seems true to character. For the most part I like what Nelson does with the characters (especially the growth of Georgiana and Caroline) and like the new ones introduced. So, the odd things...I thought Darcy sure did cry a lot. I liked his internal conflict, that seemed realistic, but the constant moved-to-tears was a bit much. And some of the developments for the characters are kind of left field but I don't want to give away the plot so I'll just leave it at that.
September 12, 2012
Well, who could really match Jane Austen anyway? Gotta hand to to Nelson for audacity, and she doesn't write all that poorly, so we might look for a future, non fanfic sort of book. I couldn't help but read this...who doesn't want to hear more about Darcy and Elizabeth?--but the book doesn't come close to its model. And who would be surprised by that?
This is not Darcy as we know him (really, he is constantly sniveling). Lizzie fares a little better. The final plot twists are really..um, not true to the period. I mean, it is only a hundred or so years later that folks are whispering about the love that dare not speak its name; it is inconceivable that someone would come out (and not by any means at a Grand Assembly Ball) so blatantly in Jane Austen's time, with everyone going "oh, that's just fine, everything is now okay, let's have tea". And..really, is Darcy likely to consent to his sister's marriage now? She's still pretty young, right. I mean..what, is she even 16 yet? and in love upon a few weeks acquaintance?
But it's fun, and Nelson can write.
This is not Darcy as we know him (really, he is constantly sniveling). Lizzie fares a little better. The final plot twists are really..um, not true to the period. I mean, it is only a hundred or so years later that folks are whispering about the love that dare not speak its name; it is inconceivable that someone would come out (and not by any means at a Grand Assembly Ball) so blatantly in Jane Austen's time, with everyone going "oh, that's just fine, everything is now okay, let's have tea". And..really, is Darcy likely to consent to his sister's marriage now? She's still pretty young, right. I mean..what, is she even 16 yet? and in love upon a few weeks acquaintance?
But it's fun, and Nelson can write.
January 29, 2011
This book was different . . . I picked it because it promised turmoil in the Darcy marriage and I thought that would be more realistic than the ones that are "happily ever afters". This book certainly delivered, but it was way off the mark for my tastes. I had to remind myself that I wasn't reading a Jane Eyre sequel, but had it been, it would have been perfect for it. Actually, if this book had been a stand alone with unknown characters I would have loved it. I thought the struggle and growth throughout this book excellent to read. It's just; I don't feel this works with Darcy's story. I give the author a lot of credit for following this storyline and as I said, if if had been any other character I would definitely have enjoyed it more. I just can resign myself to this story for Darcy.
April 4, 2010
The good: something of Austen's tone in bits of the dialogue and the more biting of the descriptions; captures the salient aspects of Elizabeth's character; plot isn't completely beyond the realm of belief as often is the case.
The meh: far too much melodrama; pacing drags a bit in places; too many sappy conversations between the principals; Georgiana's rapid-fire courtship.
The bad: characterization of Darcy. The family backstory created for him was plausible enough but I just can't buy that he's suddenly so plagued by a not-so-great but still super-privileged childhood as to dominate all aspects of his behavior.
Minor nitpicks: "Lord" de Bourgh; the Bennets' birth as compared with the Bingleys', probably others that I forget.
The meh: far too much melodrama; pacing drags a bit in places; too many sappy conversations between the principals; Georgiana's rapid-fire courtship.
The bad: characterization of Darcy. The family backstory created for him was plausible enough but I just can't buy that he's suddenly so plagued by a not-so-great but still super-privileged childhood as to dominate all aspects of his behavior.
Minor nitpicks: "Lord" de Bourgh; the Bennets' birth as compared with the Bingleys', probably others that I forget.
June 30, 2008
This is one of my least favorite Jane Austen inspired books. Darcy is full of remorse and angst. His boyhood friend Trevor returns. In this one, Darcy thinks Trevor could be Georgiana's father. Then he thinks he has a relationship with Elizabeth. Darcy leaves Elizabeth alone while she loses their child. He fights the "ghosts" of Pemberley - basically his over sexed mother's memory. Finally, he learns Trevor couldn't be Georgiana's father because Trevor is a homosexual. Of course, everyone embraces Trevor's lifestyle as being acceptable in Regency England. Yeah - right!!!! It is too bizarre for me.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews