Review: Lizzy Bennet’s Diary by Marcia Williams

Source: Public library
Rating: ★★★☆☆

Dearest Diary,

Is he not the rudest and most insufferable of men?  My defence shall be to laugh at him, but the truth is the bee has stung my pride.

(from Lizzy Bennet’s Diary)

Quick summary:  Lizzy Bennet’s Diary is a retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice for younger readers through the diary of Elizabeth Bennet.  Lizzy’s diary follows  the original novel, albeit in simplified form — complete with illustrations, letters glued onto the pages that readers can open up and enjoy, and various mementos she collects along the way.

Why I wanted to read it: I loved Marcia Williams’ war-related, scrapbook-like diaries, Archie’s War: My Scrapbook of the First World War 1914-1918 and My Secret Diary, by Flossie Albright: My History of the Second World War 1939-1945, so when I saw that she had transformed Pride and Prejudice into a diary, I couldn’t resist.

What I liked: I loved the adorable drawings, and I loved opening up the letters.  Although other authors have retold Pride and Prejudice in diary form, Lizzy Bennet’s Diary actually looks and feels like a real diary.  I am always delighted by Williams’ creativity and how she makes me want to drop everything and start scavenging for little tokens to glue into a scrapbook or journal.

What I disliked: Lizzy seems almost childlike in these diary entries, going on about clothes, etc.  I missed the intelligent, witty, and stubborn woman portrayed by Austen.  There were times I wondered if this actually was Lydia Bennet’s diary.

Final thoughts: Although I felt that the portrayal of Elizabeth Bennet was a bit off, I appreciate that Williams retold Austen’s novel in a creative way without changing the plot.  Lizzy Bennet’s Diary is a cute way to introduce young readers to the world of Jane Austen, with illustrations that are eye-catching and adorable.

Disclosure: I borrowed Lizzy Bennet’s Diary from the public library.

© 2014 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.

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Review: The Annotated Persuasion by Jane Austen, annotated and edited by David M. Shapard

Source: Personal library
Rating: ★★★★★

Such a letter was not to be soon recovered from.  Half an hour’s solitude and reflection might have tranquillized her; but the ten minutes only, which now passed before she was interrupted, with all the restraints of her situation, could do nothing towards tranquillity.  Every moment rather brought fresh agitation.  It was an overpowering happiness.

(from The Annotated Persuasion, page 454)

Quick summary: I’m not going to rehash the plot of Persuasion, since this is my second time reading this novel, but you can click here if you’d like to read my thoughts after reading it for the first time.  I’m going to focus more on the annotations by David M. Shapard.  The Annotated Persuasion may seem long at just over 500 pages, but the actual novel is only half of the book.  Jane Austen’s words are on the left page, and Shapard’s annotations are conveniently placed on the right.

Why I wanted to read it: I sort of read all of Jane Austen’s novels blind the first time around, with only the minimal footnotes provided at the back of the various editions I own.  When I learned about Shapard’s annotated editions, chock full of information about the era during which Austen’s novels were written, I just had to add them to my Austen collection.

What I liked: Everything!  Shapard’s annotations cover everything from definitions of words that may be unfamiliar to modern readers to why Austen spelled words a certain way, from tidbits about the culture and society of the time to analyses of various passages, from illustrations of various buildings in Bath, clothing, and forms of transportation to maps that show where the characters lived and traveled.  These annotations made my second reading of Persuasion a thoroughly enjoyable experience.  I finished the novel for the second time with a richer understanding of the characters and the time period and a better appreciation for Austen’s genius.  And best of all, putting the text of the novel and the annotations side by side eliminates the annoyance of having to constantly flip to the back of the book to read the footnotes.

What I disliked: Honestly, I found nothing to dislike about The Annotated Persuasion, which was not surprising to me because I already knew I loved the novel.  However, I think the extensive annotations may be both a help and a hindrance to readers taking on Persuasion for the first time.  With numerous annotations per page, it might be distracting to read a bit of the novel, shift to the annotations, read more of the novel, and then shift back to the annotations.  I never felt lost because I always knew where I was in the story and what would happen next, but I could see how easy it would be to get lost if you were reading it for the first time.

Final thoughts: The Annotated Persuasion is the perfect book for Austen fans or readers who simply want to delve deeper into the story of Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth.  Shapard covers so many topics that it’s impossible to list them all, but it’s obvious he has done his homework in order to provide a comprehensive analysis of the novel.  Most of all, I loved revisiting one of my favorite novels, and I loved it ever more the second time around.  I can’t wait to read the other annotated editions by Shapard that are currently in my collection: The Annotated Pride and Prejudice, The Annotated Emma, and The Annotated Sense and Sensibility.  The Annotated Northanger Abbey is on my wish list, and you can bet I’ll be adding The Annotated Mansfield Park to my collection when it is released next year.

Disclosure: The Annotated Persuasion is from my personal library.

© 2014 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.

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Review: Twelfth Night at Longbourn by Maria Grace

Source: Review copy from author
Rating: ★★★★☆

She would be as these old mumpers — old and alone.  She would have to rely on the charity of her neighbors when no one else cared for her.

And it was all Lydia’s fault.

She flung herself headlong onto her bed.  The pillow muffled her wrenching sobs.  Such was the mumpers’ blessing.

(from Twelfth Night at Longbourn, pages 12-13)

Twelfth Night at Longbourn is Volume IV of Maria Grace’s Given Good Principles series, which are variations of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.  To fully understand the world Grace has created with Austen’s beloved characters, readers should read the previous books — Darcy’s Decision, The Future Mrs. Darcy, and All the Appearance of Goodness — in order.

With the older Bennet sisters all happily married, Kitty is the only one to be shunned by their neighbors and contend with eventual spinsterhood as a result of their youngest sister Lydia’s elopement.  With Mrs. Bennet confined to bed with her nerves and Mr. Bennet in his own world as usual, Kitty is more isolated than ever, but when Elizabeth invites her to spend Twelfth Night at Pemberley, she jumps at the chance to socialize with people who will not judge her based on her sister’s actions.

Kitty is to spend Christmas in London with Georgiana Darcy before journeying to Pemberley, and while there, she renews her acquaintance with Mr. Bingley and his sister Louisa, who have problems of their own.  Kitty longs to become a more elegant, refined Catherine, but it is difficult to leave her old life behind, especially as Miss Darcy proves herself to be as silly and careless as Lydia.  It’s not long before her plans for the holiday are in ruins, and she will have to learn that Kitty is just as worthy as Catherine.

Grace has quickly become one of my favorite authors of Austen-inspired fiction.  Her love of Austen’s characters and the Regency era shine through in all of her novels, but Twelfth Night at Longbourn is special in that she brings Kitty Bennet to life.  Kitty blossoms within these pages, and it was easy to ignore the fact that Elizabeth and Darcy are relegated to the background.  Grace beautifully details Kitty’s transformation from a lonely girl to a strong woman unwavering in her loyalty to the people she loves and willing to forgive those who have hurt her.

I may not have particularly liked Grace’s portrayal of Georgiana, but making her less shy and more exuberant helps one to understand how she could have been fooled by Mr. Wickham.  My dislike of Georgiana was easily forgotten by how much I enjoyed spending time with the Bingleys and the Gardiners.  Twelfth Night at Longbourn wraps up the series perfectly, leaving readers in no doubt of what happens to all of the characters and satisfied with the outcome, even though the couples were paired differently.  Even so, I would love for Grace to revisit the characters as she portrayed them here and show us how they fared years down the road.

Disclosure: I received Twelfth Night at Longbourn from the author for review.

© 2014 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.

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Review: Mr. Darcy’s Pledge by Monica Fairview

Source: Review copy from author
Rating: ★★★★☆

“Georgiana, I have come to a decision.  It is time for me to find a bride for Pemberley.”

Who that bride would be, he had no idea.  Only one thing was certain.  It would not be Elizabeth Bennet.

(from Mr. Darcy’s Pledge, page 10)

Mr. Darcy’s Pledge, Volume 1 of The Darcy Novels, is a variation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice that caught my eye because it focuses on Mr. Darcy’s attempts to forget Elizabeth Bennet by setting out on a quest to find a wife.  After she rejects his disastrous proposal at Hunsford, he returns to Pemberley never having presented Elizabeth with the letter that would have told her the truth about him and cleared up all the misunderstandings.  With the help of his sister, Georgiana, who knows nothing of his failed attempts to secure Elizabeth’s hand in marriage, he sets about making a list of the qualities he most desires in a wife and mistress of Pemberley.

Darcy is rattled when Georgiana questions him about the most important quality he seeks in a wife, remembering Elizabeth’s laughter, impertinence, and ability to remain poised in the worst of situations.  But he can never have her, and his desperate attempts to purge her from his mind give two young women the wrong idea.

Meanwhile, he must contend with Lord and Lady Matlock’s attempts to marry off Georgiana, and he has to patch up his friendship with Mr. Bingley, who has withdrawn from society after learning of the scheme to prevent him from proposing to Elizabeth’s sister, Jane.  When an accident brings Elizabeth to Pemberley, Darcy has a chance to change her opinion of him, but with an assortment of house guests preventing him from speaking to her alone, will he lose his only opportunity to marry for love?

In Mr. Darcy’s Pledge, Monica Fairview lets readers see the events following his failed proposal through Darcy’s eyes.  From wounded pride to embarrassment over his behavior to unexpected feelings of hope, readers see Darcy stumble — even emerging from the water à la Colin Firth — and evolve into a man worthy of Elizabeth’s love.  There were plenty of heated conversations, misunderstandings, and competition among the ladies to have me alternating between anger and laughter, and I wanted to cheer out loud each time Georgiana amassed the courage to put certain disagreeable people in their rightful places.

Fairview keeps readers interested with her expansion of several secondary characters, particularly Georgiana; the introduction of original characters, from the humorous valet Briggs to the obnoxiously transparent Miss Marshall; and Darcy’s sweet attempts to make himself appealing to Elizabeth.  My only complaint is that I finished the book disappointed that I couldn’t start the next installment straight away!

Disclosure: I received Mr. Darcy’s Pledge from the author for review.

© 2014 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.

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Review: Jane Austen’s First Love by Syrie James

Source: Review copy from Berkley
Rating: ★★★★★

“I take it, Mr. Payler, that you have never read a novel?”

“Never.  It is said that they are designed to entertain the weak of mind.”

“Sir,” said I with animation, “that could not be further from the truth.  Some novels might be poorly written, but in the main, I believe the opposite to be the case.  A good novel — a well-written novel — not only entertains the readers with effusions of wit and humour, it touches the emotions and conveys a comprehensive understanding of human nature — all via the simple and remarkable act of transmitting words on a page — while at the same time displaying, in the best-chosen language, the greatest powers of the human mind.”

(from Jane Austen’s First Love, pages 81-82)

The inspiration for Syrie James’ latest novel, Jane Austen’s First Love, was a single line Jane wrote in a letter to her sister Cassandra in 1796: “We went by Bifrons and I contemplated with a melancholy pleasure the abode of Him, on whom I once fondly doated.”  The resulting novel is a beautifully written tale of 15-year-old Jane Austen falling in love for the first time in the summer of 1791 on a trip to Kent to celebrate her brother Edward’s engagement to Elizabeth Bridges.  Despite knowing deep down that a match between herself and Edward Taylor, the heir to Bifrons — who has led a fascinating life on the Continent and even dined and danced with princesses — will never be, his intelligence, knowledge of the world, humor, and admiration of her impertinence make it impossible for her to resist him.

In this delightful novel, told from the first person viewpoint of Jane herself, James portrays Jane as a girl quick to fall in love, open with her opinions, and astute in her observations of human character and behavior.  Early on, Jane says to her mother, “I write because I cannot help it,” and I loved picturing her sneaking in a few moments to write while her mother insists that needlework is more important.

What I loved most about Jane Austen’s First Love were the references to her novels, from misguided matchmaking attempts reminiscent of Emma Woodhouse and the similarities between Jane’s relationship with Cassandra and the bond between Elizabeth and Jane Bennet, to Jane’s insistence that love could overpower society’s expectations for marriage.  Jane’s observations of the people she met certainly inspired the various characters she wrote, and James gives readers a glimpse of how that might have happened, and in her skilled hands, Jane’s family, friends, and acquaintances come to life on the page.  James even includes an afterword where she explains her inspiration for the book, details the research she conducted, and points out which aspects of the story are imagined.

Jane Austen’s First Love is a satisfying novel that gives Jane the love story that many of us imagine she had.  But more than that, it’s a portrait of a young woman who was ahead of her time in many ways, whose brilliantly composed stories and characters have stood the test of time.  James shows Jane Austen as a normal teenager, with a desire to act older than her age, an impulsiveness that prompts her to make poor decisions, and a romantic nature that ensured she truly felt the things she wrote about.  The few letters that survived provide the only glimpse we’ll ever really have of the real Jane, but James does such a fantastic job creating a believable inner narrative, I had to keep reminding myself that I wasn’t actually inside Jane’s head reading her thoughts.  Jane Austen’s First Love is another book likely to turn up on my Best of 2014 list!

Book 18 for the Historical Fiction Challenge

Disclosure: I received Jane Austen’s First Love from Berkley for review.

© 2014 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.

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Review: Pride, Prejudice and Cheese Grits by Mary Jane Hathaway

Source: Review copy from Howard Books
Rating: ★★★★☆

“I guess I’m like Darcy then, not really able to make small talk.”  Shelby set the coffeemaker for the morning.  “That’s it!  I’m Darcy and I just need to find my Elizabeth.”

“My friend, you couldn’t handle Elizabeth.”  Rebecca laughed.

(from Pride, Prejudice and Cheese Grits, page 27)

Pride, Prejudice and Cheese Grits is the first book in Mary Jane Hathaway’s Jane Austen Takes the South series and is a modern-day retelling of Pride and Prejudice set at a small college in Mississippi.  Shelby Roswell is Hathaway’s Elizabeth Bennet, a professor and Civil War expert struggling to achieve tenure — a process that has been complicated by a scathing review of her new book by well-known historian and Yale professor Ransom Fielding.  Ransom, our Mr. Darcy, comes back home to teach for a year at Shelby’s college, and Shelby’s quick temper means she makes a really bad first impression when she interrupts one of his classes and criticizes his method of handling students.

Shelby has some family issues to deal with, not the least being her mother’s preoccupation with marrying her off, and spends much of her time trying to piece together a mystery for an article she is writing.  Her mother’s horrid attempt at matchmaking puts her in the sights of David Bishop, a shady real estate agent who is a cross between Mr. Collins and Mr. Wickham.  Meanwhile, Ransom begins to see Shelby in a new light, even as he bears the weight of the guilt he feels over his wife’s death.  Just as Shelby starts to question her perceptions of Ransom, the Caroline Bingley-esque Tasha comes to town and stirs up all sorts of confusion.

Setting the novel on a college campus and infusing it with Civil War history and southern culture makes for a unique retelling.  Best of all, it’s a very loose retelling, so I didn’t know exactly how each plot thread would play out.  Some readers may be put off by the fact that it’s a Christian romance, but I didn’t find it too preachy, since Shelby’s faith is an integral part of her character.  Because it’s a Christian romance, it doesn’t get too steamy, but one aspect of the story takes a more mature (but not graphic) turn.

Hathaway’s take on Pride and Prejudice is fresh, fun, and funny — a comfort read complete with a couple of comfort-food recipes at the end.  I love how Shelby and Ransom are so like Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy and how Hathaway takes other characters from the original novel and combines them, with Shelby’s best friend, Rebecca, being a cross between Elizabeth’s sister, Jane, and best friend, Charlotte Lucas.  The book shows how Austen’s characters and plots so perfectly stand the test of time.  The next books in the series — also with cute titles — take on Emma (Emma, Mr. Knightley and Chili-Slaw Dogs) and Persuasion (Persuasion, Captain Wentworth and Cracklin’ Cornbread), and I can’t wait to get my hands on them.

Disclosure: I received Pride, Prejudice and Cheese Grits from Howard Books for review.

© 2014 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.

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Review: Miss Darcy Decides by Reina M. Williams

Source: Review copy from Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours
Rating: ★★★☆☆

Lizzy handed Georgiana the book.  She fingered the cover, opened to the first page.

“A new story holds promise.”  Lizzy’s tone reflected the anticipation of discovery.

Georgiana studied the words on the page.  “All new endeavors do.”  Georgiana smiled for a moment.  But sometimes the promise was betrayed.

(from Miss Darcy Decides)

Miss Darcy Decides is the second novella in the Love at Pemberley series, and a sequel to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice that can be read as a standalone book.  The novella focuses on Georgiana Darcy, who is grateful to have escaped the clutches of George Wickham but a little lonely in the midst of so many newly married couples.  She sees the happiness between her brother and Elizabeth as they await the birth of their first child and the love between Kitty Bennet and Colonel Fitzwilliam.  Even her cousin Anne de Bourgh has found love.

Georgiana questions whether she could leave her home and all the memories of her parents, until she meets Sir Camden Sutton.  The attraction between the two is immediate, but Sir Camden has a reputation for being a rouge, and Mr. Darcy is none too pleased about the looks passing between them.  Sir Camden has endured the loss of everyone important to him, and the grief caused him to make some bad decisions.  He says he is a new man, and Georgiana believes he is sincere.  But why is he so intent on helping the unmarried, pregnant niece of Mrs. Wilton, a close friend of the Darcy’s housekeeper?

Miss Darcy Decides is a quiet, sweet love story and an enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours.  It’s nice to see Georgiana as the main character, especially when there are plenty of amusing encounters with the overprotective Mr. Darcy.  Georgiana has learned a lot from her near elopement with Wickham, so she is cautious where Sir Camden is concerned.

However, being a novella means there is only a little bit of tension and not as much character and plot development.  I would have enjoyed more details about Sir Camden and his past and a few more obstacles in his path to winning over both Mr. Darcy and Georgiana.  Still, Miss Darcy Decides is a charming take on a character who sits in the shadows in the original Austen novel.  Now I’m curious to read the first novella in the series, Most Truly, to see how Kitty ends up with Colonel Fitzwilliam and the third installment, Miss Bennet Blooms, to see how Mary Bennet finds her happily ever after.

Thanks to Amy of Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for having me on the tour for Miss Darcy Decides.  Click the image below for more information about the book and to follow the tour.

Disclosure: I received Miss Darcy Decides from Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for review.

© 2014 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.

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Review: Haunting Mr. Darcy by KaraLynne Mackrory

Source: Review copy from Meryton Press
Rating: ★★★★☆

“This will not do, Miss Bennet.  You are not real, and the sooner I can convince myself of that fact, the sooner I will be free of this lunacy.”

Elizabeth shook her head, her tears forgotten in renewed exasperation at the gentleman.  She ventured to look at him then.  He sat with an air of feigned calm, one hand cupping his jaw, his fingers covering his mouth as he spoke.  It was all quite distracting.

“Sir, I assure you.  I am as real as you are.”  Her brows lowered as she considered her strange new abilities.  “At least, I think I am,” she whispered to herself.

(from Haunting Mr. Darcy, page 51)

KaraLynne Mackrory’s latest novel, Haunting Mr. Darcy, is a humorous, delightfully sweet retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.  Elizabeth Bennet, in a coma after a carriage accident, finds her spirit has been transported to a library, where slipping a hand through a book enables her to immediately absorb its contents.  She thinks she’s having a splendid dream, until she realizes she’s in the London home of the disagreeable Mr. Darcy.

When Mr. Darcy sees Elizabeth in spirit form, he thinks he’s going mad.  He was entranced by her back in Hertfordshire, and knowing that a match between them would be unsuitable, he has been trying hard to forget her ever since.  But Elizabeth is somehow tethered to him and cannot leave his side, and it’s not long before Mr. Darcy’s family and servants notice his odd behavior, mainly that he is talking and laughing to himself.  Meanwhile, back at Longbourn, Elizabeth’s family keeps vigil at her bedside.

Haunting Mr. Darcy definitely is “a spirited courtship.”  With Elizabeth’s ghost being dragged along with him everywhere, even his bedchamber, distracting him at every turn, there are plenty of funny moments to brighten what otherwise could be a dark tale.  Mackrory uses Colonel Fitzwilliam to lighten the mood and prompt Mr. Darcy to act when all seems lost, and even Lydia Bennet’s story takes an unexpected turn.  I especially loved the references to Persuasion, which is another of my favorite Austen novels.

Readers of these retellings obviously expect a happily ever after, and I loved that I had no idea how Mackrory would get Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth to that ending.  I was intrigued by the prospect of a Pride and Prejudice ghost story of sorts, and I wasn’t disappointed.  Haunting Mr. Darcy is among the most unique retellings I’ve come across so far, throwing Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth together at their weakest, removing the confines of society’s rules, and letting love take its course, complete with a believable paranormal twist.

Disclosure: I received Haunting Mr. Darcy from Meryton Press for review.

© 2014 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.

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Review: Consequences by C.P. Odom

Source: Review copy from Meryton Press
Rating: ★★★★★

Elizabeth had once believed she would rather know a fact, even if it were unwelcome, rather than just speculate, but she wondered now if false hope was not better than no hope at all.

(from Consequences, page 98)

Consequences is a thought-provoking retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, with two novellas joined together into a novel about the consequences of missed opportunities and how doing just one thing differently can turn everything around.  The first part imagines how Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy’s lives would have played out had she rejected his proposal at Hunsford and then missed running into him later on when she tours Pemberley with her Aunt and Uncle Gardiner.  The second part has Elizabeth, with the help of her best friend, Charlotte, taking a more practical approach to Mr. Darcy’s first proposal, accepting it as a means of saving her family in the event of her father’s death despite her fears of being trapped in an unhappy marriage.

I will not divulge any more of the plot because this is a novel that should be experienced the way I experienced it, not knowing how either journey would play out and going through a roller-coaster of emotions.  I even teared up at one point and had to explain to my husband why I was so sad.  I couldn’t believe an Austen-inspired novel made me cry, but that’s what I loved so much about it.  Odom’s tale felt almost too real at times, as some decisions lead people on a rocky path lined with tragedy, and a bittersweet ending is the most that can be hoped for.  But there also were times when I sighed with relief and cheered on the characters (scenes involving Mr. Darcy and Mr. Collins and Mr. Darcy and Lady Catherine immediately come to mind).

Odom’s take on Pride and Prejudice is thoughtful, emphasizes the complexity of the novel and the many different outcomes that could have occurred, and prompts readers to think about the characters’ motivations, decisions, and ultimate fates in the context of Austen’s time.  Having read a number of Pride and Prejudice retellings, I admire Odom’s courage in taking the characters on at least one journey that many Austen fans might find difficult to imagine for their beloved characters.  For readers who wonder about the proliferation of Austen fiction these days, Consequences really drives home the point that one seemingly small change in the plot can have a dramatic impact on the outcome of the story and highlights why many people are fascinated by all the different ways it could have been told.

Disclosure: I received Consequences from Meryton Press for review.

© 2014 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.

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Review: Love at First Slight by J. Marie Croft

Source: Review copy from Meryton Press
Rating: ★★★★☆

In no particular order of precedence, Flora’s main occupations were reading ribald romances, sampling grapes in all their myriad, fermented forms, and maintaining her husband’s frangible nerves.

Benjamin’s ruling ambition was securing five wealthy wives for his five healthy offspring.  A man’s world it might be, but women had the almighty power of refusal, and Benjamin was determined to further his sons’ chances against all odds and against all other suitors.

(from Love at First Slight, page 10)

In all my years of reading Austen-inspired novels, I never once thought about how Pride and Prejudice would have turned out had all the gender roles been reversed, but I’m so glad J. Marie Croft did.  Her newest novel, Love at First Slight, is clever and even downright hilarious at times.

In this rendition of Austen’s beloved novel, Benjamin Bennet is determined to make good matches for his five sons: Martin, the heir who would rather read scripture and moralize than run an estate; Charles, who is easy-going and would rather go into trade with his uncle than study law; William, who is flirtatious, outspoken, outdoorsy and would much rather manage an estate than be a deacon; and twins Christopher (Kit) and Laurence (Laurie), who are obsessed with joining the militia and spend much of their time raising hell and embarrassing the rest of the family.  It’s Flora Bennet who would rather stay at home reading horrid novels, drinking wine, and lamenting that she never had a daughter.

When the widow Mrs. Jane (Bingley) Devenport takes up residence at Netherfield with her dandified brothers, Leonard and Casper, and the haughty heiress Miss Elizabeth Darcy, Mr. Bennet is determined that at least one of his sons will soon be settled comfortably at the neighboring estate.  While Jane hits it off easily with Charles at the Meryton Assembly, William’s request for a dance with “Miss La-Di-Da-Darcy” is turned down, and he overhears her call him merely “tolerable” and make several jokes about his profession.  What follows is a humorous retelling of Pride and Prejudice, with Felicity Wickham catching William’s eye and having nothing nice to say about Miss Darcy, Olivia Collins setting her sights on the middle Bennet brother, and even the formidable Lady Catherine and her daughter Anne replaced by the equally domineering Sir Lewis and his son Andrew.

I don’t want to say more about the plot because even though Croft follows the original novel closely, the reversal in gender roles means there is a lot that is different.  Croft does a great job changing the circumstances to go along with the change in gender, and I loved watching the evolution of Elizabeth and William in these new roles.  I was curious how it was going to play out, especially as Elizabeth’s feelings toward him deepened in an era when “a lady’s feelings cannot be made known.”  And what scandal could befall the Bennet family this time, and how would Elizabeth smooth it all out?

Croft’s handling of the flipped characters was beautifully done, and she perfectly balanced the subtle humor with the ridiculous, mirroring Austen in that respect.  Love at First Slight‘s originality makes it a must-read for fans of Austen-inspired novels and especially for readers who have grown a bit tired of all the Pride and Prejudice-inspired novels being published (and it continues to surprise me that I have yet to tire of them myself).  I’ve long loved Austen for the timelessness of her stories and characters, and Croft’s novel is an example of the many different ways Austen’s novels can be explored.

Disclosure: I received Love at First Slight from Meryton Press for review.

© 2014 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.

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