Review: Mr. Darcy Presents His Bride: A Sequel to Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice

by Jewels E 2/17/2013 2 comments

Hey Everyone,

Here is that reviewed I promised you a couple of days ago! As you all know, I'm a die hard fan of Jane Austen and a few years ago I found a sequel to her P&P that just screamed OMG at me.  The following review was originally posted at Goodreads by me.

Summary from Goodreads 

Paperback, 320 pages

Published March 23rd 2007 

by Ulysses Press

ISBN 1569755884 (ISBN13: 9781569755884)

IN PRIDE & PREJUDICE, JANE AUSTEN brought together one of the most beloved literary couples of all time—Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy. Now, Mr. Darcy Presents His Bride continues the story of these passion-filled newlyweds as they enter London’s glamorous high society. 
This page-turning novel finds Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy entangled in the frivolity and ferocity of social intrigues. Although Elizabeth makes a powerful friend in the Marchioness of Englebury, the rivalry and jealousy among her ladyship’s prestigious clique threatens to destroy the success of her new marriage. Written in the style of Jane Austen, full of humor and sardonic wit, Mr. Darcy Presents His Bridebrings Regency society vividly to life and continues the romantic, sometimes tragic, stories of other popular Pride & Prejudice characters including Georgiana Darcy and Kitty Bennet.

Review

Oh my goodness. Has Halstead ever done her Austen homework! The langugage, the characters, the events of the novel all unfolded so uncannily like Austen that I was mesmerized. This novel ruined all other P&P spoofs I've read since--none can compare. I loved this book. As a huge fan and student of Austen myself, I must recommend this book to all Austen fans.

What I particularly liked was how we see the marriage unfold--slowly, just as their courtship did. Elizabeth is a huge success with the ton, but she attracts some attentions that both she and Darcy do not want, nor care for. It becomes a serious point of argument between them, and you see both their pride and prejudice (I always thought each character had their equal dose in these failings) hinder them from really communicating about the problem and their feelings to one another! If only Elizabeth had said she loved Darcy! But only Elizabeth would not say those words to him. And Darcy...he's still a bit aloof, still proud and unmincing with words, but he does tell Elizabeth he loves her. I'm not sure I expected that from him, but it affirmed that knowledge at the end of P&P that Darcy is really a passionate, romantic man. Just really buttoned up too high in the shirt collar, which is what makes him so attractive to readers. But what fascinated me was how believeable their romance/marriage was. I could totally see Darcy and Elizabeth saying the things they did, valuing what they did and acting as they did in this novel. Wonderful, wonderful characterization.

I loved the liberalities that Halstead took with the characters of Kitty and Georgiana. Again, totally realistic. That Kitty should temper herself with Elizabeth's guidance, and indeed become something of another Elizabeth really spoke as to their upbringing, and how careless their parents had been in their care and education. But Georgiana was amazing--she grew into such strength and passion that I was blown away by the development of her character. We see her start out as a the sweet, shy girl she was in P&P and grow into a woman with a devoation so fierce to her family that it is really touching, and natural for her to do the things she does at the end.

Even the development of Lydia and Wickham fit the bill perfectly! Wickham gets what a villian like him deserves, and Lydia learns her lesson and gets a real happy ending. Halstead managed to do all of this without verging unrealistically from the story or from the values of Regency England put forth by Austen in her novels. An absolutely wonderful continuation of the Darcys and Bennets, a must read in my opinion. 

5 glittering stars