Tag Archives: Darcy

Easy and Entertaining: First Frost and more…

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9781250019837_p0_v2_s260x420First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen

First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen charmingly continues the story of the magical Waverley sisters, with the cranky apple tree still throwing its apples and the house still locking its doors. Allen includes a coming of age tale and cautionary advice for anyone seeking fortune over family. And, as always, she has a few bon mots to treasure. For fans of “Garden Spells” and its sequels, First Frost is a welcome addition.

 

 

As You Wish by Cary Elwes with Joe Layden9781476764023_p0_v6_s260x420

Cary Elwes, the star of the movie The Princess Bride reconstructs the making of the beloved film in As You Wish.

A little hokey and at times strung out – just like the movie – but funny and informative with pictures and insider notes from the actors and Director, Rob Reiner.  Makes me want to see the movie again.

The Plight of the Darcy Brothers by Marsha Altman

Altman continues the story of “Pride and Prejudice” with a few non Austen plot twists, including devout Mary Bennett sowing her wild seeds, Darcy gaining a few brothers from his father’s secret indiscretions. Sisters Jane and Elizabeth have children and manage their respective households as well as their gentlemen husbands. An easy and quick read – The Plight of the Darcy Brothers is a fun read for Austen fans. Thanks to my friendly librarian for the book

Longbourn by Jo Baker

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9780385351232_p0_v2_s260x420Carefully following the well-read details of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Jo Baker supplies drama for the Bennet’s downstairs household staff  in Longbourn.  As the lives of Mrs. Hill, the housekeeper, and her crew furiously scuttle about to make the lives of those familiar characters more comfortable, you are privy to the inner workings of the house, from laundry to chamber pots, and treated to their opinions about the famous Mr. and Mrs. Bennet and their brood.

Darcy, Wickham, Mr.Collins are all there, but as background figures. The famous lines and plot twists serve as catalysts for the mirrored lives of the service staff, especially with the romance of  James, the new footman with a mysterious past, and Sarah, the housemaid.  Sarah suffers her own complicated relationship with James, with the same fervor as Elizabeth with Darcy. Wickham is the dastardly villain, adding James and Sarah to his list of victims. Of course, all ends well, and everyone lives happily ever after, but not before a series of embellishments.   Baker adds more delicious mystery with the connection of Mrs. Hill, the housekeeper, to Mr. Bennet, and inserts an historic note with James’ participation in the Napoleonic war.

Although I’ve avoided the many adaptations of this story from zombies to Lizzie Bennet diaries, I lingered over this book, not wanting the story to end.  Baker takes some poetic license with Austen’s book (a stillborn male heir), but mostly sticks to the script, using her creative imagination to complete the “downstairs” story that Austen only refers to in passing.  If you are an Austen fan, revisiting this world will be a treat.

Another book by Jo Baker:  The Undertow

Death Comes to Pemberly

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P.D. James is still very much alive at 91 years old, but her writing style in Death Comes to Pemberley is eerily Jane Austen. If you are a fan of Pride and Prejudice, you will recognize all the 19th century characters, and comfortably fall into the rhythm of silver polishing, gossip, and courtships. If you are missing Downton Abbey, the upstairs/downstairs references at Pemberley, Darcy’s elaborate estate, will sooth you – but not for long – this is a murder mystery.

For those who have never read Austen’s classic (or seen the movie adaptations), James reminds readers of the storyline in her prologue, and continues to educate readers of the characters’ backstories throughout the plot, and at times, offering her own insights into the characters’ motivations.

A proper after-dinner gathering at the Pemberley estate is abruptly interrupted by Lydia, Elizabeth’s erstwhile sister now married to that rogue Wickham, screaming that someone has been shot in the nearby woods. A search through the dense fog uncovers the body and a bloody drunken companion.

As the plot slowly develops with a number of clever red herrings, P.D. James inserts humorous observations worthy of Jane Austen…

“It is generally accepted that divine service affords a legitimate opportunity for the congregation to assess not only the appearance, deportment, elegance, and possible wealth of new arrivals to the parish, but the demeanour of any of their neighbours known to be in an interesting situation…A brutal murder on one’s own property…will produce a large congregation, including some well-known invalids whose prolonged indisposition had prohibited them from the rigours of church attendance for many years.”

James mentions that a few of the jurors during the trial testimony of the accused murderer seem to have dozed off; you might feel the same – until James jolts you back into the action with another dead body, and has you fastracking to the whodunit – with a few embellishments before the drama is over.

An Agatha Christie mystery with last-minute revelations in Jane Austen language, Death at Pemberley is an easy fun read, with so many references to Pride and Prejudice that you won’t mind tripping over a few dead bodies.