“Treasure?” said Mrs. Bennet. “Oh, yes, I do hope we find some treasure. I would like a new necklace, for Mrs. Long was wearing a diamond necklace before we left and crowing about how valuable it was. I am sure we will find something better here, or what was the point of coming all this way?”
(from Pride & Pyramids, page 169 in the uncorrected advance copy; finished version may be different)
Pride & Pyramids by Amanda Grange and Jacqueline Webb, the latter an Egyptologist, is the most unique Pride and Prejudice sequel I’ve read to date and also ranks among the best. The novel takes Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth, now happily married for 15 years, to Egypt with Darcy’s young cousin, Edward Fitzwilliam, whose dream is to travel to the land his father and Darcy’s had visited as young men. As a patron of Sir Matthew Rosen, Edward has been invited to join his dig in Cairo, and Elizabeth convinces Darcy that their family could use an adventure as well.
Edward, the Darcys, and their six children — Beth, William, John, Laurence, Jane, and Margaret — are joined by Paul Inkworthy, whom Darcy has hired to paint and sketch the highlights of their trip, and Sophie Lucas, Charlotte’s younger sister, who is recovering from a broken heart. A very determined stowaway livens things up, as does a love triangle, a scheme by the man-we-love-to-hate Wickham, and little Margaret’s attachment to a creepy Egyptian doll.
Grange and Webb do a wonderful job bringing the sights and smells of Egypt to life, and even though it takes awhile for the characters to arrive in the exotic land, I was never bored. I loved their depiction of the Darcys as parents, and it was a pleasure getting to know the Darcy children, from the rambunctious Laurence and the serious William to Beth with her first crush. Paul’s obsession with art showcases the excitement of visiting foreign lands and experiencing different cultures, while Edward’s obsession with finding a legendary tomb adds a dark element to the novel.
Pride & Pyramids exemplifies what I’m looking for these days in Jane Austen-inspired novels. I’ve read dozens of them over the last several years, and even though I haven’t tired of them yet, they have to be well written, have a unique take on Austen’s characters, and be more than just a glimpse of Darcy and Elizabeth’s marriage if they are going to keep my attention. This book exceeded my expectations. It’s a fun, escapist read that is perfect for the summer.
Disclosure: I received Pride & Pyramids from Sourcebooks for review. I am an IndieBound affiliate and an Amazon associate.
© 2012 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.
I have avoided the Pride and Prejudice inspired novels for some reason, but this does sound quite good. I’d love to visit Egypt, vicariously, and see the Darcys as parents.
They aren’t for all Austen fans, but I’m hoping you’ll give this one a try.
I really loved this one as well. It was so fun. It had everything from a mystery to love triangles, and just familial relationship stuff. I really enjoyed it.
I think the setting made it so unique among Austen sequels, and all the rest was just icing on the cake.
Exactly!
It does sound different
And of course Wickham tries to ruin things *shakes fist*
Gotta love-to-hate Wickham!
My mother loves Austen inspired books and Egypt so this sounds like the perfect book for her.
Sounds like I get along well with your mother.
I like the Jane Austen sequels too. I’ve read a few but not as many as you have read. Would like to read this one.
Hope you give this one a try! I just can’t get enough of these Austen books, but the key for me is to not read them all at once, however much I am tempted to do so. LOL
Exceeded expectations is all I need to know!!!! I will be reading this one!
I really think you’d like it. Can’t wait to see what you think of it!
glad to hear that this ranks among the best jane austen you’ve read. i’m definitely adding this one to my wishlist now.
Nothing will ever top Austen’s originals, but it’s always exciting to find an Austenesque book that surpasses my expectations.
Anna, terrific review! This book sounds like a winner, especially for Austen fans.
Thanks, Suko!
P&P AND Egypt?! I am sold! Two of my favorite things. I agree that these sequels need to be well written and hold some interest. Otherwise, they are just hanging onto Austen’s coattails. thanks for the recommendation.
Fortunately I’ve read more good ones than bad ones. I just can’t stand it when the author doesn’t take the time to get the original characters right. Thankfully, this one was great!
Sounds interesting. Thanks for visiting my blog.
Thanks for stopping by!
Woo, definitely sounds like a unique take on some of our favorite characters! The cover really grabbed my attention, and the Egyptian setting is very intriguing. Glad to hear it’s a good one!
I couldn’t resist this one, especially once I heard the word Egypt!
Sounds great! I have a Jacqueline Webb novel sitting on my shelf, Egypt fascinates me. Seeing Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth there would be pretty cool.
I definitely need to check out Webb’s other books!
I picked up up an austen inspired novel but haven’t read it yet. There are just so many it seems to dilute the field a bit. Glad that this one at least exceeded expectations.
I’m curious about which one you have that you haven’t read yet. I can see how the quantity of Austenesque novels on the market can get a bit much, but I’m grateful since they are my comfort reads, guilty pleasures.