Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
I will forever love a book that artfully and lovingly gives me more Eliza and Darcy.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wow, what a great retelling. I love the way the author really had both Darcy and Elizabeth face their greatest flaws and GROW. It felt so realistic, bc why would Lizzy marry him if he continued to act so prideful and cold to her loved ones/community. Just such good insight into the characters. And so glad to see wickham get his comeuppance.
I have a strange opinion of this book. On one hand, I read it all within one day. On the other hand, I despise the beginning and end of the book. There were moments as I began the book that I nearly closed the book due to disgust with its cloying tone; I ended up skipping those parts. Yet the middle of the book was impossible to put down. I don't know why this is.
As a lover of Pride and Prejudice, I found this retelling fully satisfying. It wasn't 100% Austenesque, but it came very close. It was so fun to spend more time with these characters, and obviously to see more than the original describes of Elizabeth and Darcy's relationship. I thought it was excellent.
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
lighthearted
relaxing
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
If you’ve ever caught yourself wondering - what if Elizabeth accepted Darcy’s proposal the first time around? this book will satisfy your curiosity.
Ormiston captured the essence of Pride and Prejudice as she reimagined the latter half of the classic tale, demonstrating an intimate understanding of the characters, emotion, and the themes of the novel while staying true to Austen’s style and wit. I thoroughly enjoyed this spin on things could have played out differently had Elizabeth made a different choice, and the deep dive into the thoughts and feelings of Elizabeth and Darcy.
Ormiston captured the essence of Pride and Prejudice as she reimagined the latter half of the classic tale, demonstrating an intimate understanding of the characters, emotion, and the themes of the novel while staying true to Austen’s style and wit. I thoroughly enjoyed this spin on things could have played out differently had Elizabeth made a different choice, and the deep dive into the thoughts and feelings of Elizabeth and Darcy.
Buckle up, Austen friends! I have THOUGHTS
Unequal Affections is a “what if?” Pride and Prejudice retelling that posits a universe in which Lizzie accepts Darcy’s first proposal for financial security reasons. In this universe, Darcy’s letter doesn’t exist because he does not have to respond to OG Elizabeth’s long list of reasons for declining.
So it sets up an interesting dynamic of Lizzie being engaged Darcy without any knowledge of previous deeds that might redeem him. And Darcy is engaged to Lizzie knowing she doesn’t love him, but certain he can win her over as he is, not having her brutal rejection as motivation to better himself.
Pros: The writing quality is excellent. There may be an anachronistic phrase here and there, but overall, the author did an admirable job capturing Austen’s tone and cadence.
Overall I found the characterizations faithful to the original (with a couple of major exceptions, but I’ll get to that). You cringe at Mrs Bennet and the younger sisters, you root for Jane and Bingley, you want to throttle Caroline and Lydia, you gasp at Lady CdeB in all the right places.
I was genuinely swept up in Lizzie and Darcy’s path to love and understanding in this alternate universe. I commend any story that has me wondering “will they or won’t they??” over a couple that always “will” in any universe.
Cons: The premise is fascinating, but I also think you have to take MAJOR leaps with Lizzie and Darcy’s characters to grant such a premise. Lizzie, when this story begins, has already turned down one proposal that would ensure security for her and her family, and the only reason she accepts this one is that Darcy is *checks notes* super hot. There are shakier grounds for marriage in Regency times to be sure, but reading Lizzie justify her mercenary impulses in such a way was jarring, to say the least.
This Darcy is also wildly obtuse when it comes to his cold behavior. You can certainly make the argument that this is in keeping with OG Darcy, but when he has to be flat out told “hey maybe you should be nice to my friends and family because they matter to me?”, it speaks to a total lack of self awareness that I don’t think is present in the source material.
All that said, this was a very enjoyable read, and while it’s not a P&P universe I want to live in forever, it was a fun trip while it lasted.
Unequal Affections is a “what if?” Pride and Prejudice retelling that posits a universe in which Lizzie accepts Darcy’s first proposal for financial security reasons. In this universe, Darcy’s letter doesn’t exist because he does not have to respond to OG Elizabeth’s long list of reasons for declining.
So it sets up an interesting dynamic of Lizzie being engaged Darcy without any knowledge of previous deeds that might redeem him. And Darcy is engaged to Lizzie knowing she doesn’t love him, but certain he can win her over as he is, not having her brutal rejection as motivation to better himself.
Pros: The writing quality is excellent. There may be an anachronistic phrase here and there, but overall, the author did an admirable job capturing Austen’s tone and cadence.
Overall I found the characterizations faithful to the original (with a couple of major exceptions, but I’ll get to that). You cringe at Mrs Bennet and the younger sisters, you root for Jane and Bingley, you want to throttle Caroline and Lydia, you gasp at Lady CdeB in all the right places.
I was genuinely swept up in Lizzie and Darcy’s path to love and understanding in this alternate universe. I commend any story that has me wondering “will they or won’t they??” over a couple that always “will” in any universe.
Cons: The premise is fascinating, but I also think you have to take MAJOR leaps with Lizzie and Darcy’s characters to grant such a premise. Lizzie, when this story begins, has already turned down one proposal that would ensure security for her and her family, and the only reason she accepts this one is that Darcy is *checks notes* super hot. There are shakier grounds for marriage in Regency times to be sure, but reading Lizzie justify her mercenary impulses in such a way was jarring, to say the least.
This Darcy is also wildly obtuse when it comes to his cold behavior. You can certainly make the argument that this is in keeping with OG Darcy, but when he has to be flat out told “hey maybe you should be nice to my friends and family because they matter to me?”, it speaks to a total lack of self awareness that I don’t think is present in the source material.
All that said, this was a very enjoyable read, and while it’s not a P&P universe I want to live in forever, it was a fun trip while it lasted.