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When Elizabeth Bennet first met Mr. Darcy, she found him proud, distant, and rude-despite the other ladies' admiration of his estate in Derbyshire and ten thousand pounds a year. But what was Mr. Darcy thinking? Jane Austen's classic Pride and Prejudice has long stood among the most beloved novels of all time. The story of Elizabeth Bennet's blossoming romance with "haughty, reserved, and fastidious" Fitzwilliam Darcy has enchanted readers for nearly two centuries. Yet, Mr. Darcy has always remained an intriguing enigma-his thoughts, feelings, and motivations hidden behind a cold, impenetrable exterior . . . until now. With the utmost respect for Austen's original masterwork, author Janet Aylmer loving retells Pride and Prejudice from a bold new perspective: seeing events as they transpire through the eyes of Darcy himself. One of world's great love stories takes on breathtaking new life, and one of fiction's greatest romantic heroes becomes even more sympathetic, compelling, attractive, and accessible, all through the imagination and artistry of a truly gifted storyteller.… (more)
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And I was so proud of myself for being broadminded and giving it a chance. Ah well. Guess I will just have to reread Pride & Prejudice once again.
Many quotations from Austen are used in context from Darcy's side of the relationship. The best thing about it was not having to read much about
It was obvious from the way the author treated the characters that she holds Jane Austen in high esteem.
A conscious choice, the author, who writes under the pseudonym of Janet Aylmer, repeats much of Austen's original
To its credit and to my enjoyment, Darcy's Story fleshes out the character of Georgiana, Darcy's sister and allows her to play an integral role in Darcy's growth and ultimately successful courtship of Elizabeth. Aylmer also provides some insight into Darcy's motivations and rationale for the approach he takes when he first asks for Elizabeth's hand.
And yet, the novel is often just presenting Austen's work all over again. This repetition rather weighs down the few original insights which Aylmer offers.
The first chapter did not impress me, and I was dismayed that the whole book would be more of the same. It's mostly the language and style: blocky, cramped and stilted. Aylmer tries to get out too much information too quickly and with none of the ease or charm of Austen's P&P style. To expect someone to write just like Austen IS ridiculous but it seemed like she was either trying too hard or not enough in her emulation. She improves though, thankfully, when there's more feeling and action. However, part of this is simply because she uses much of Austen's own writing and is frighteningly repetitive with some of it. Then I was dismayed yet again that the book would be a lame regurgitation. I was thinking that the mock-ish Zombie P&P had better characterization of Darcy than a book dedicated to him. But by Elizabeth's stay at Netherfield, Aylmer redeemed herself and I was rather impressed with the rest of her additions.
She did Darcy justice, though I have mixed feelings about the obvious fan-service towards the end. It was laced with the crazy liberties that other much less talented and less respectful writers take with this loved classic. I like the inclusion of her explanation at the end (as she should do, messing with a classic and all). In all, I was satisfied and sped through it like I do the original. There are far worse re-tellings out there.
The story opens with Darcy’s background and a few letters from his sister that give him enough warning to know that he should go to Ramsgate at once. Naturally, once there he stops the elopement with
Darcy’s Story has been criticized for bringing nothing new to the world of Pride & Prejudice, and I have to disagree. While this is certainly not the best* Darcy’s perspective story that I have ever read, I thought it was pretty good. The author’s goal was to bring to life the hero of Pride and Prejudice and tell the story through his eyes. She quotes a little too much from the book, but I can’t help walking away from this read seeing Darcy as more three-dimensional and understanding a little more than I had before.
It is not written in the style of Austen, which I know bothers many out in the fandom. But it was still reasonably well-written and I don’t expect casual writers (this is Ms. Aylmer’s first publication) to be able to channel Ms. Austen.
Bottom line, if you are looking for a sequel, back story, or what if to Pride and Prejudice, this is clearly not your book. But if you are looking for a fast read with the general flavor of Pride and Prejudice, and don’t have the time or inclination (perish the thought!) to read the original, this story fits the bill.
Steadfastly, Aylmer does not waiver from the canonical version of P&P. In a few places, the story demands that she fills in gaps and is forced to make something up, but she then justifies it in the lengthy author notes at the end.
I'll give her a nod for writing in response to the novel and not one of the film versions. At least she did that. However, this is a poorly written shuffle of the original words from P&P and it adds absolutely no new insights into the characters or the story.
Janet Aylmer is the author's pseudonym. I wouldn't let my name anywhere near this dreck either.
Recommended for: I imagine that she kept those readers in mind who freak out at the smallest liberty taken in an Austen rewrite (those who always claim in their reviews that "Jane Austen is spinning in her grave."). Not sure this would even appeal to that crowd though, because I think they'd agree with me that this is entirely pointless. Those readers who want to have fun with their Austen pastiches, and don't mind liberties taken, can safely skip this.