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rebroxannape's review against another edition
5.0
Why did he have to be so charming in some ways and so insufferable in others? She was sure she had hurt far more than just his pride. Would it always be so hard?
I admired and enjoyed this alternative imagining of Elizabeth and Darcy’s romance very much. Very. What if Elizabeth took the more practical approach of her friend Charlotte and accepted Darcy’s proposal at Hunsford?
She had been proposed to by a stranger. A very rich, very handsome stranger who was very much in love with her. She could not possibly accept him—but, suddenly, she could not possibly refuse him either, not now. This was, she knew clearly, a chance unlike any other she would ever receive. She could not turn him down for the satisfaction of it. She had to think.
You will need fear nothing as my wife, neither poverty nor loneliness, dishonor, or disloyalty, unkindness, neglect . . . you will be the most cherished wife in all of England.”
Who could resist such a declaration? After a week of soul-searching, she accepts Darcy. Not only for the good she can do her family, especially Jane, but because she starts to see Darcy in a new light. She thought he despised her. She was so wrong. How else has she misjudged him? Before she can truly come to love Darcy as he ardently wishes, he has to change. And changing the habits and attitudes of a lifetime is by necessity slow going. But I never found it tedious. It really felt like this is how it would have gone. In the book, Elizabeth's words in summarily rejecting Darcy’s proposal shake him to the core, and he starts to change. Just as ”the letter” starts Elizabeth on her path. In this book, it is a much different process. How Elizabeth finally gets through to him is a great scene.
As for Darcy, he had been completely unable to speak. Elizabeth’s words had cut through him like knives, shaming him deeply, and shame was not an emotion he was accustomed to experiencing…Was it possible that he, who had studied throughout his life to improve his mind and character, had overlooked such an essential flaw?…He had not understood her then, but he did now. His refusal to talk was an active unkindness, a deliberate slight on the value of those he had thought beneath him. He had not thought their feelings even worth the effort of a few polite remarks and a smile or two. He certainly had not been willing to consider lowering his own dignity to promote theirs. Nor . . . his brows furrowed deeply in pain . . . nor to promote Elizabeth’s happiness either.
This book includes many high points of Austen’s novel. Particularly delicious is this version of Lady Catherine de Burgh and Elizabeth’s confrontation in the garden. And in this one, we have Darcy’s reaction to his aunt's unmitigated gall and ill manners “which rather threw anything anyone in the Bennet family had ever done in the shade” when he walks into the middle of the fray. All of the characters remain true to Austen’s creations. And the more time we spend with Mr. Bennet and Lydia the more contemptible they are revealed to be. I liked how Lizzie started seeing her father more clearly and lost a lot of her respect for him. At one point, she even intervenes and protects her mother from Mr. Bennet’s mockery. There is even a dramatic rescue of Lydia and an exciting confrontation with Wickham as well.
I also found the dialogue, vocabulary, and narrative very authentic to Jane Austen’s style. The book is too long and repetitive but it rarely got tiresome. I admit that I found Elizabeth’s change from confusion to liking, to loving Darcy way too gradual to be believable or sympathetic. But Ormiston’s treatment of Darcy, I thought, was brilliant. His admiration, love, and passion for Elizabeth remains steadfast throughout. In this, he proves, again and again, the ardent words of his proposal in the original. Even when Elizabeth's fearful secret is revealed to him: that not only did she not love him, but how much she actively and publicly disliked him, he doesn’t blame Elizabeth but himself. Elizabeth has to accept the fact that her actions and manners were not above reproach either and have caused great pain.
This is easily the best reimagining of or sequel to Pride and Prejudice, I have ever read. I hate to call it Fan Fiction, although it is, because it doesn’t do it justice. When I looked for more of Lara Ormiston’s books, I was so disappointed to learn she hasn’t written anything else.
https://rebekahsreadingsandwatchings.com/
rchluther's review against another edition
4.0
Wow. I went into reading this novel thinking it would be another silly fan-fiction. But I was so surprised! I honestly felt that it stayed true to the characters of Austen's original work, and gave a really fun what-if. This book starts with Darcy's first proposal, but with the twist that Elizabeth does not outright reject him and start listing off all of his faults. Instead she asks for time to consider him. Then it proceeds to follow the time line of the novels with this one huge difference. Very well done and a great read.
rainershine's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
My favorite Pride and Prejudice alternate universe book, very charming, the best period accurate language of any P & P inspired book I’ve read.
andieceofreading's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
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
4.0
frompemberleytomiltonblog's review against another edition
4.0
https://frompemberleytomilton.wordpress.com/2016/01/14/unequal-affection/
I believe my feelings for Unequal Affection were very similar to Elizabeth’s feelings towards Mr. Darcy. At first I did not like it. But the more time I spent with it, the more it captivated me and I ended up loving it.
Unequal Affection explores the possibility of Elizabeth accepting Mr. Darcy’s proposal at Hunsford. The proposal itself is not written in the book, so we do not know how it was delivered, but we do see Elizabeth asking Darcy for some time to think about it.
This first part of the book was not very appealing for me because it was too logical. Elizabeth kept thinking about the reasons for accepting or refusing Darcy. It almost felt mathematical with her pondering the pros and cons. Also, despite all this, I can truly say I still do not know why she accepted him, or why he accepted to marry her knowing she did not love him and was doing it because of his income.
This is a premise that is not very appealing for me because even if I can understand that Elizabeth may accept Mr. Darcy thinking on the comfort and security of her family, I still find it hard to believe Mr. Darcy would have the same love and respect for Elizabeth, had she decided to marry him for his money and situation in life.
If you have the same opinion as me, you will only need to overcome this initial part of the book, because after all the thinking the book becomes really, really good and I think most readers would enjoy it immensely. If unlike me you do not find this premise demotivating, then you will certainly love the book.
Since the beginning of the book the dialogues got my attention because they are incredibly good! I would say they sounded just like Jane Austen’s, and they are certainly some of the best dialogues I’ve ever read in JAFF literature.
One of the things I loved the most in the book was the way Elizabeth handled Caroline Bingley. It was magnificent, and it was partly the responsibility of the dialogues. I believe this author was able to achieve in perfection what many others try to do; to present a witty Elizabeth who is able to defend herself from Miss Bingley with intelligence, class and no need to be blunt about subjects. Lara S. Ormiston was able to do this in a way that I believe Jane Austen herself would do.
It was also very interesting to see how Elizabeth was able to demonstrate to Darcy that his disdain for her neighbours was offending and affecting their feelings, how she showed him the value of each one of them despite their follies, and how they might feel keenly his disdain. This was done at a much later stage than in Pride and Prejudice, but in an equally wonderful manner.
I also enjoyed immensely how Wickham knew exactly how to hurt Darcy. I believe this was the wickedest Wickham I’ve seen in JAFF. In this book he doesn’t plan any kidnap or any maquiavelic action, but he is wicked in the way he purposely hurts Darcy. I liked this about him.
With all I’ve said, I’m sure you’ve already realised I was already in the middle of my love story with this book before I even realised it, and the last chapters were the cherry on top of the cake! They give us a description of Darcy and Elizabeth so true to themselves, a description of their love that is so accurate, and so intense and romantic, that I didn’t want the book to end.
I liked the last chapters so much, I do not resist to leave you with one of my favourite passages:
“He was not strange now, his mouth and arms were familiar; more, they were dear. They were …she pressed herself a little closer, hands curling around his collar…they were love and security; they were long talks and burning looks; they were faithfulness, and selflessness, honor and pobity. Everything that he had been to her, everything that he was, best of men, most difficult, most good, most intriguing and maddening and trustworthy and desirable of men
I believe my feelings for Unequal Affection were very similar to Elizabeth’s feelings towards Mr. Darcy. At first I did not like it. But the more time I spent with it, the more it captivated me and I ended up loving it.
Unequal Affection explores the possibility of Elizabeth accepting Mr. Darcy’s proposal at Hunsford. The proposal itself is not written in the book, so we do not know how it was delivered, but we do see Elizabeth asking Darcy for some time to think about it.
This first part of the book was not very appealing for me because it was too logical. Elizabeth kept thinking about the reasons for accepting or refusing Darcy. It almost felt mathematical with her pondering the pros and cons. Also, despite all this, I can truly say I still do not know why she accepted him, or why he accepted to marry her knowing she did not love him and was doing it because of his income.
This is a premise that is not very appealing for me because even if I can understand that Elizabeth may accept Mr. Darcy thinking on the comfort and security of her family, I still find it hard to believe Mr. Darcy would have the same love and respect for Elizabeth, had she decided to marry him for his money and situation in life.
If you have the same opinion as me, you will only need to overcome this initial part of the book, because after all the thinking the book becomes really, really good and I think most readers would enjoy it immensely. If unlike me you do not find this premise demotivating, then you will certainly love the book.
Since the beginning of the book the dialogues got my attention because they are incredibly good! I would say they sounded just like Jane Austen’s, and they are certainly some of the best dialogues I’ve ever read in JAFF literature.
One of the things I loved the most in the book was the way Elizabeth handled Caroline Bingley. It was magnificent, and it was partly the responsibility of the dialogues. I believe this author was able to achieve in perfection what many others try to do; to present a witty Elizabeth who is able to defend herself from Miss Bingley with intelligence, class and no need to be blunt about subjects. Lara S. Ormiston was able to do this in a way that I believe Jane Austen herself would do.
It was also very interesting to see how Elizabeth was able to demonstrate to Darcy that his disdain for her neighbours was offending and affecting their feelings, how she showed him the value of each one of them despite their follies, and how they might feel keenly his disdain. This was done at a much later stage than in Pride and Prejudice, but in an equally wonderful manner.
I also enjoyed immensely how Wickham knew exactly how to hurt Darcy. I believe this was the wickedest Wickham I’ve seen in JAFF. In this book he doesn’t plan any kidnap or any maquiavelic action, but he is wicked in the way he purposely hurts Darcy. I liked this about him.
With all I’ve said, I’m sure you’ve already realised I was already in the middle of my love story with this book before I even realised it, and the last chapters were the cherry on top of the cake! They give us a description of Darcy and Elizabeth so true to themselves, a description of their love that is so accurate, and so intense and romantic, that I didn’t want the book to end.
I liked the last chapters so much, I do not resist to leave you with one of my favourite passages:
“He was not strange now, his mouth and arms were familiar; more, they were dear. They were …she pressed herself a little closer, hands curling around his collar…they were love and security; they were long talks and burning looks; they were faithfulness, and selflessness, honor and pobity. Everything that he had been to her, everything that he was, best of men, most difficult, most good, most intriguing and maddening and trustworthy and desirable of men
mjb006's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
5.0
pmali's review against another edition
5.0
I’m a slut for a Pride and Prejudice book. The idea of this retelling was something that intrigued me. I like how this keeps the tone of the original and tries to follow a lot of what COULD have happened. The only thing I think that this book misses is the light snark of Lizzie Bennet. It may be just me but I feel like the original had a lot more lizzie.
I really enjoyed the entirety of the story and we got a little more sense into Darcy being a socially awkward lovesick nerd. That is top tier Darcy for me.
5/5
I really enjoyed the entirety of the story and we got a little more sense into Darcy being a socially awkward lovesick nerd. That is top tier Darcy for me.
5/5
algae429's review against another edition
4.0
I first read this story when the author published it as fanfiction and I loved it. I followed along as chapters were posted each week. This is definitely a better read, though, when I can sit down an enjoy the book all at once.
Darcy and Elizabeth aren't different people in this re-telling (as they frequently become in many Pride and Prejudice adaptations); it's just a difference between saying yes instead of no at one point in the story. Ormiston took pains to make sure her details were accurate and to keep Austen's voice.
Darcy and Elizabeth aren't different people in this re-telling (as they frequently become in many Pride and Prejudice adaptations); it's just a difference between saying yes instead of no at one point in the story. Ormiston took pains to make sure her details were accurate and to keep Austen's voice.