Synopsis:
“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 hero, 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 Bingley 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 a style comfortably at home with Austen but with a wit and humor very much her own. Aidan adds her own cast of fascinating characters to those in Austen's original, weaving a rich tapestry from Darcy's past and present. Austen fans and newcomers alike will love this new chapter of the most famous romance of all time.
Afterglow by Bill:
At first I wasn't sure if I was going to like this book. I'm usually pretty good at reading books out loud without many breaks, but I found myself having to focus and reread sentences numerous times because the style of writing is far too thick. But once I got into the style of writing, reading this out loud was a lot more comfortable and I could enjoy it a lot more.
If you've seen the Price and Prejudice movies, these books give you a side of Darcy you've never seen him before. You can read the behind-closed-doors interactions he has with Charles, as well as some of his school mates. These conversations made me laugh more than once and each flip of the page just brought more laughter and intrigue.
The middle book of the trilogy was a little hard to get through, since Darcy leaves town and away from the Bennett's for some time, but there is a little intrigue mixed in to keep your interest.
Overall, it was a very fun read and I got to enjoy it with my wife as we laughed together and she cried a little.
Afterglow by Katrina:
If you're a woman who loves Jane Austen's PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, and you also love a man, why wouldn't you introduce him to Fitzwilliam Darcy in his own words? It just makes sense! Still, I have to admit, the first time I read these about ten years ago, I kept them to myself. Part of that was the fact that I was borrowing them from the library and didn't have time to wait for Bill to read them with me. It usually takes longer for us to read a book together, just to find the time between work, school, and parenting. But recently, after finishing college at last, I had some time. I wanted to be able to talk casually with him about a favorite character, Fitzwilliam Darcy, including all the previously unknown details about him in Pamela Aidan's version of events. So I decided to purchase our own copies so we could take our time and savor them. So worth it!
The love story of Pride and Prejudice is timeless, but you could also say that today it's timely. I say this because with the perpetual war of the sexes, few have been vilified better than the single, wealthy, white male. He's the generic villain we love to hate. His privilege and assumed pride makes him easy to laugh at, and Elizabeth does. She dearly loves to laugh, after all. What's excellent about Pamela Aidan's fan fiction (told from Darcy's point of view, third person) is that she does have him examine his life, acknowledge the negative impacts his privilege and pride have on those around him, and GROW. That's really what we require of a privileged person, right? That they see their privilege and their unintended impacts, and change to become more aware of the feelings of others. Darcy does this. It is his arc, which is only implied in the original, that is fully realized in Pamela Aidan's trilogy. How satisfying!
Aside from this, the new characters and familiar characters we get to see more of (like Georgiana Darcy and Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam) are absolutely intriguing! Georgiana, too, has a character arc in this story, and we see her go from a shy young girl whose been preyed upon by the shifty George Wickham to a confident heiress, abolitionist, and philanthropist who gently but firmly insists her brother (and Caroline Bingley) allow her to act according to her own conscience. Darcy meets with danger, espionage, and political intrigue that our country bumpkin Elizabeth Bennett would only imagine from the safety of her father's library. Pamela Aidan's take on their love story gives them BOTH more dimension and, in the end, greater passion for each other, than we see from Elizabeth Bennet's perspective alone.
It was very fun reading this with my husband. Pretty much every time Colonel Fitzwilliam was on the page, we were in splits. Next we are set to read A PROPER DARCY CHRISTMAS by the same author, the love story of Georgiana Darcy, Fitzwilliam's cherished little sister. Can't wait to find out what happens when [SPOILER ALERT] Dyfed Brougham finds himself with some competition for the girl he's long loved! If you want to check out the author's new website, it's simply PamelaAidan.com.
Who should read it?
Teens to adults, anyone who enjoys a good, clean regency romance (with some references to the more bawdy element of society) and the action and political intrigue of a good thriller in several parts (especially in Book 2)!
Enjoy!
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