Synopsis: (From the Publisher)
When Elizabeth Bennet first met Mr. Darcy, she found him proud, distant, and rude—despite the other ladies' admiration of his estate in Derbyshire and ten thousand pounds a year. But what was Mr. Darcy thinking?
Jane Austen's classic Pride and Prejudice has long stood among the most beloved novels of all time. The story of Elizabeth Bennet's blossoming romance with "haughty, reserved, and fastidious" Fitzwilliam Darcy has enchanted readers for nearly two centuries. Yet, Mr. Darcy has always remained an intriguing enigma—his thoughts, feelings, and motivations hidden behind a cold, impenetrable exterior . . . until now.
With the utmost respect for Austen's original masterwork, author Janet Aylmer loving retells Pride and Prejudice from a bold new perspective: seeing events as they transpire through the eyes of Darcy himself. One of world's great love stories takes on breathtaking new life, and one of fiction's greatest romantic heroes becomes even more sympathetic, compelling, attractive, and accessible, all through the imagination and artistry of a truly gifted storyteller.
My Review:
Mr. Darcy, a man who is believed to be arrogant and reserved at first appearance, becomes a complex and passionate being as he tells his side of the story.
The story begins just before the unfortunate event of Georgiana being deceived by the horrible Mr. Wickham. Holding true to the events of Miss Austen's breathtaking romance, we follow Darcy through the story seeing things from a new perspective. For instance, every time Miss Caroline Bingley is condescending toward Miss Elizabeth Bennett, Darcy is quite annoyed and toward the end wishes not to be in her company any longer. Though he does not vocalize this opinion, we have the benefit of knowing his thoughts since the story is about him. Darcy's character becomes more complex as the story unfolds, his struggle with himself and his character gives the reader a chance to develop a new feeling for Darcy.
This book was an easy and enjoyable read. I was surprised how closely this book followed Pride and Prejudice. There were may times, during conversations between Darcy and Elizabeth, that the wording was almost the same as the original. Since it followed the story so closely it was easy to like the book, and seeing a more personal side of Darcy was nice too. After reading it though, I think I should go read Pride and Prejudice again, it's been a long time since I have and I feel like I have just missed out on half the story!
