Ignoring the luxury automobile around her, Elizabeth gave directions to Darcy. Then she asked the first thing she could think of. “So, why did you cut your hair?”
Darcy’s eyes were hidden behind his sunglasses, but she could see the annoyance in the set of his lips. “You know,” he said softly, “I have written seven number one songs. I have traveled over four continents. I have performed before hundreds of thousands of people. I have met both the Pope and the Dalai Lama, and still, do people ask me about any of that?” His voice had risen slightly, “No, they ask me about my hair.”
(from Fitzwilliam Darcy, Rock Star, page 44 in the ARC; finished version may be different)
Heather Lynn Rigaud trades dresses, bonnets, breeches, and balls for leather pants, tattoos, groupies, and concerts in Fitzwilliam Darcy, Rock Star, a contemporary re-telling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.
Slurry, a famous rock band featuring guitar god Fitzwilliam Darcy, bassist Charles Bingley, and drummer Richard Fitzwilliam, is in need of an opening act for a seven-month tour. Their tour manager and Charles’ twin, Caroline, introduces the band to an all-girl group called Long Bourne Suffering, featuring Elizabeth Bennet on guitar, her sister Jane on bass, and her friend Charlotte Collins on drums. LBS hasn’t hit the big time yet, and touring with Slurry could be their big break.
Tension arises before they even embark on the tour, as Elizabeth overhears Darcy tell his bandmates to keep their hormones in check and not get involved with the girls, who likely are willing to do anything to further their careers. Fitzwilliam Darcy, Rock Star is nearly 600 pages long and focuses on the stresses of a lengthy tour, media appearances, and video shoots and the problems that result when Charles and Jane fall in love, Richard and Charlotte embark on a “no strings” relationship where someone is bound to get hurt, and Will and Elizabeth misunderstand one another over and over again.
I was expecting Fitzwilliam Darcy, Rock Star to be light and funny, but I was surprised to learn that Rigaud tackles some serious issues, including sex addiction and pedophilia, within its pages. There were a several scenes that made me chuckle, but for the most part, the humor that I love about Austen’s novels was absent. Much of the book involves the characters wondering how their lovers truly feel about them, being mad at their lovers, or having sex. I figured a novel about rock stars would have sex, but I didn’t expect a multitude of sex scenes, and it honestly grew tiring after awhile. The sex scenes were also very explicit, and while they were infused with passion, some of the words used to describe body parts made them seem more pornographic than romantic.
However, the plot itself was very interesting, and when the sex scenes bogged down the book, I still kept reading because I wanted to know what happened to the characters. I think many of the sex scenes could have been excluded to shorten the book and focus on the meat of the story. Rigaud’s interpretation of Austen’s characters was entertaining, with Wickham, a former member of Slurry turned video director, more of a bastard and Collins, an A&R executive with De Bourgh Records, creepier and less ridiculous. Elizabeth takes herself more seriously than she does in Austen’s novel, and Charlotte and Jane are both wilder (and more shocking) than you’d expect. It was hard for me to get used to Elizabeth and the girls cursing, and I felt the absence of Elizabeth’s wit and playfulness, but Rigaud does succeed in telling a rock ‘n roll love story. In fact, I loved how when Will and Lizzy were unable to express themselves through words, they did so beautifully through music. And of course, it was impossible not to fall in love with Darcy the rock star, who is so very polite and professional and not the bad boy the world thinks he is.
I applaud Rigaud for taking a unique approach to Pride and Prejudice. Now that I’ve read so many different takes on Austen’s novels, I’m on the lookout for something different, and Fitzwilliam Darcy, Rock Star certainly fits the bill. It’s definitely not a novel for Austen purists, but if you’re looking for something modern, edgy, and sexy, then this might be the book for you.
Disclosure: I received Fitzwilliam Darcy, Rock Star from Sourcebooks for review.
© 2011 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.
I’ll be reading this at the end of the month. Sorry those sex scenes were a bit too much for you in more ways than one, but at least there was a good story to keep you interested.
LikeLike
I don’t think I would have minded were there only a few of these scenes, but there were a lot. I don’t mind steamy scenes, just in moderation. I can’t wait for your thoughts on this book!
LikeLike
I’m not an Austen fan and I try to stay away from any spin-offs or retellings. I feel alone in the “I’m not an Austen Fan” club.
LikeLike
You’re definitely not alone in not liking Austen! And there are plenty of Austen fans who don’t read the re-tellings. For some reason, I read one a few years ago, and now they’ve become my guilty pleasure. But I’ve also loved Austen since I first read her in high school.
LikeLike
This one wouldn’t be for me. I favor more of the traditional story when it’s relayed in a modern setting or vampires and things like that. Too many sex scenes definitely turn me off too. I don’t mind some but if it’s overpowering the story I don’t like it.
LikeLike
It’s definitely not for everyone. I enjoy modern re-tellings like this more than some of the paranormal ones but too much sex does overpower the story.
LikeLike
Hm, for some reason, I thought this was YA, but it doesn’t sound like it is. I don’t think it’s for me.
LikeLike
No, it’s definitely not YA! But I can see how you’d think that based on the cover. There also have been a lot of modern P&P re-tellings in the YA genre lately.
LikeLike
I was very surprised by Charlotte, but then they are rockstars 😉
LikeLike
True. I did expect some sex and wild behavior because they are rock stars. It just got a little tiring after awhile, at least with regard to the sex scenes.
LikeLike
Wow, Im all up for a nice Austen spinoff but I dont know about this one. I just dont like the idea of a naughty Darcy with sex scenes…oh no! 🙂
LikeLike
LOL! I don’t have a problem with Austen’s characters in sex scenes. It’s just the frequency of the sex scenes that bogged down the story.
LikeLike
i thought this was going to be a light and fun book too! good thing i ran across your review so i wouldn’t go into the book with the wrong assumption. although now i’m not sure if i want to read it as much as i had originally wanted to read it.
LikeLike
Well, there are some light moments, but not as many as I had expected.
LikeLike
I can appreciate a Very different variation of P&P but the excessive sex is just a huge turnoff for me. I thought another author used way too much sex in her variation and it frankly made me want to throw the book at the wall!
LikeLike
I remember we had the same thoughts on that other book!
LikeLike
[…] Comments « Review: Fitzwilliam Darcy, Rock Star by Heather Lynn Rigaud […]
LikeLike
I actually have this one to read. I’m not usually into Austen spin-offs, but this just sounded very different from a lot of the others out there. Glad you enjoyed the story, if not the sex scenes.
LikeLike
It is very different, and if different is what you’re looking for, then you should enjoy it. It was an okay read aside from the numerous sex scenes.
LikeLike
Anna – spot on with your review! I felt the same way about all the sex scenes. She wrote an awesome/creative story when you took all the sex out of the equation.
LikeLike
Thanks, Kimberly! Glad I wasn’t alone in my assessment.
LikeLike
[…] A Weekend With Mr. Darcy by Victoria Connelly 18. A Wife for Mr. Darcy by Mary Lydon Simonsen 19. Fitzwilliam Darcy, Rock Star by Heather Lyn Rigaud 20. Mr. Darcy’s Undoing by Abigail Reynolds 21. Mr. Darcy’s Bite […]
LikeLike