"She is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me."
So begins the timeless romance of Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice. Jane Austen's classic novel is beloved by millions, but little is revealed in the book about the mysterious and handsome her, Mr. Darcy. And so the question has long remained: Who is Fitzwilliam Darcy?
In An Assembly Such as This, Pamela Aidan finally answers that long-standing question. In this first book of her Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman trilogy, she reintroduces us to Darcy during his visit to Hertfordshire with his friend Charles Bingley and reveals Darcy's hidden perspective on the events of Pride and Prejudice. As Darcy spends more time at Netherfield supervising Binley and fending off Miss Bingley's persistent advances, his unwilling attraction to Elizabeth grows- as does his concern about her relationship with his nemesis, George Wickham.
Setting the story vividly against the colorful historical and political background of the Regency, Aidan writes in style comfortable at home with Austen but with a wit an humor very much her own. Aidan adds her own cast of fascinating characters to those in Austen's original, weaving a rich tapestry form Darcy's past and present. Austen fans and newcomers alike will love this new chapter of the most famous romance of all time.
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I happened upon this book in Crow on Church St, randomly looking through a pile, and immediately grabbed it and had to have it. It is a book that focuses on Darcy from Austen's Pride and Prejudice, who falls in love with P&P's main character, and is himself a very important character, though certainly not the focus. I loved Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, and was hoping this would provide a fresh look at the world I love to lose myself in.
ReplyDeleteSuch high hopes, yet such a pitiful reality. No, that is harsh and unfair to the author who, really, could never hope to live up to the expectations of the story set by Austen, though why she would even have tried is beyond me.
For those of you unfamiliar with Pride and Prejudice I offer this short summary. The main character, Elizabeth Bennet, is the second oldest of 5 daughters and lives in the countryside of England. This book is set in the early 1800's, and brings to life the magnificent estates of the wealthy from that time. It also centers around a very witty and loveable woman and is considered a great love story. I love this book, but never thought much about why until I began to read An Assembly Such as This.
I began to read with such fervent anticipation that I was a number of pages in before I realized what I was feeling was disappointment, not enjoyment. It was such a shock that I had to seriously reflect on why, and was determined to read on in the book, finishing it even if it killed me, for surely there must be some of the loveliness of Austen in here somewhere.
Then I realized it is not Austen, and perhaps that is precisely the problem. Though the author makes a valiant attempt to recreate the language of the time, and tries to prove her knowledge of the era with lush descriptions of clothing and manners, it all seems a bit contrived to me. Though if I were writing a book forever to be compared to Austen I would certainly try very hard, perhaps too hard.
Another sad truth I had to admit was that it is not Pride and Prejudice I am so enamored of, it is Elizabeth Bennet, who is so smart and witty the corners of my eyes crinkle in a smile when I think of her. (If only you could see, they are doing it now!) This realization has been reiterated whenever Elizabeth is added in the story, I begin to read faster and with much greater relish for what will happen next, for what intelligent, sly remark she will make with mischievous eyes fixed on her mark. Aidan's interactions between Darcy and Elizabeth are sometimes inconsistent with Austen's, but certainly more numerous and thoroughly explained, to the point that I do not care that they don't line up with P&P's sequence of events.
I am determined to keep reading, if only for more encounters with Elizabeth, and am cautiously optimistic that the book will improve on its own. (But regardless I am determined to finish it for the sake of one of my favorite love stories).
I like how much description and thought you put into your post. This sounds like. Very interesting book. Is there an age group for reading? It sounds very dramatic!!
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