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clockworkbee's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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? It's complicated
5.0
This was beautifully written and very sad. If you’re in the mood for an intense drama, this is the read for you. I enjoyed seeing Darcy and Lizzy come together as older and wiser versions of themselves. It was very romantic and a time or two even laugh out loud funny. There’s definitely a lot of sorrow to wade through to get to the happily ever after though!
samhend101's review
5.0
2022-Loved listening to this on audiobook. I had forgotten all about what Anne was and that Pemberley was up on a small mountain. Amazing story and very good performance by Stevie Zimmerman.
While reading the first time I was so caught up in all the emotional drama.
Listening this time, I am noticing little nuances that are different from P&Pverse.
Lady C is Mrs, daughter to a Baron
Rosings is owned by the Matlocks
Wickham is related to the De Burghs (?)
Pemberley is high up on a hill surrounded by forest and woods
Our story is told first person, which starts in the beginning as both melancholy and rational. This is an Elizabeth who has learned to govern not only her impertinence but also her emotions, she is mature and has worked hard to achieve patience due to her life's experiences. There is a lack of her sarcasm and wittiness, she does not laugh as much. The tone of E's monologue from the beginning starts building a tension of mystery. As her own thoughts are constantly questioning herself, her new situation and everyone and everything around her.
Her parents are gone, her favorite uncle is gone and her aunt has moved back to Lambton. Lydia is not mentioned, Wickham is despised. Jane is married to Tilney - who is awesome! Elizabeth and Darcy have not met since after the Netherfield ball.
Working for a year as a companion to Dowager Mattlock (at Rosings? Took me a bit to reconfigure some of the facts in this story not coinciding with P&P canon. The de Burghs are not related to Darcy, Lady C. is a Mrs., Lambton is 20 miles away, Richard is a distant cousin and works as Pemberley steward) Darcy comes to visit. She is shocked when D proposes after only a few weeks of him visiting his aunt, with no notion he even thought of her at all. In fact the reader should be as well -there was NO indication, only we aren't, cause -ya know...
They marry almost immediately, even though D is still in mourning. Physically there is major compatibility, but D is even more quiet than E remembers. In fact, she perceives him as more sad than proud. He is very needy of her, there is something almost childlike in his need, like a lost, sad little boy. This mature E uses her patience and maturity to react and deal with D in the best way possible for him and their marriage. Their relationship deepens, as he learns to trust her. I get the feeling D suffers from PTSD from his previous marriage. Here and there D lets drop some of his feelings from way back in Longbourn. E, with non of the "usual" misunderstanding or baggage, learns very quickly to think well of him as -the 'best of men'.
Pemberley's secrets start to come out. Wickham shows up like a bad penny and as vicious as ever. Mrs. deB is worse even worse. Gossip and rumors prevail against D, murder among them. Darcy has tracked the Bennet's lives and acted, but to say more would give much of the story away.
There is a duality to this story, that as the secrets peel away from Pemberley, the reserve falls away from Darcy. It is a subtle transition of D opening up to letting himself be vulnerable to E.
This is a love story and mystery all in one. Beautifully written, (no annoying repetitions) Highly recommended!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
While reading the first time I was so caught up in all the emotional drama.
Listening this time, I am noticing little nuances that are different from P&Pverse.
Lady C is Mrs, daughter to a Baron
Rosings is owned by the Matlocks
Wickham is related to the De Burghs (?)
Pemberley is high up on a hill surrounded by forest and woods
Our story is told first person, which starts in the beginning as both melancholy and rational. This is an Elizabeth who has learned to govern not only her impertinence but also her emotions, she is mature and has worked hard to achieve patience due to her life's experiences. There is a lack of her sarcasm and wittiness, she does not laugh as much. The tone of E's monologue from the beginning starts building a tension of mystery. As her own thoughts are constantly questioning herself, her new situation and everyone and everything around her.
Her parents are gone, her favorite uncle is gone and her aunt has moved back to Lambton. Lydia is not mentioned, Wickham is despised. Jane is married to Tilney - who is awesome! Elizabeth and Darcy have not met since after the Netherfield ball.
Working for a year as a companion to Dowager Mattlock (at Rosings? Took me a bit to reconfigure some of the facts in this story not coinciding with P&P canon. The de Burghs are not related to Darcy, Lady C. is a Mrs., Lambton is 20 miles away, Richard is a distant cousin and works as Pemberley steward) Darcy comes to visit. She is shocked when D proposes after only a few weeks of him visiting his aunt, with no notion he even thought of her at all. In fact the reader should be as well -there was NO indication, only we aren't, cause -ya know...
They marry almost immediately, even though D is still in mourning. Physically there is major compatibility, but D is even more quiet than E remembers. In fact, she perceives him as more sad than proud. He is very needy of her, there is something almost childlike in his need, like a lost, sad little boy. This mature E uses her patience and maturity to react and deal with D in the best way possible for him and their marriage. Their relationship deepens, as he learns to trust her. I get the feeling D suffers from PTSD from his previous marriage. Here and there D lets drop some of his feelings from way back in Longbourn. E, with non of the "usual" misunderstanding or baggage, learns very quickly to think well of him as -the 'best of men'.
Pemberley's secrets start to come out. Wickham shows up like a bad penny and as vicious as ever. Mrs. deB is worse even worse. Gossip and rumors prevail against D, murder among them. Darcy has tracked the Bennet's lives and acted, but to say more would give much of the story away.
There is a duality to this story, that as the secrets peel away from Pemberley, the reserve falls away from Darcy. It is a subtle transition of D opening up to letting himself be vulnerable to E.
This is a love story and mystery all in one. Beautifully written, (no annoying repetitions) Highly recommended!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
hedwigsaardvark's review against another edition
5.0
After losing her home and loved ones twice in seven years, Elizabeth Bennet has found work as a companion to the disagreeable, Dowager Countess of Matlock.
So much has been lost and changed, she barely remembers the events that followed “Netherfield Park being let at last” in 1811. Fitzwilliam Darcy is a faint memory.
A family member visiting the countess, turns out to be Mr Darcy. Still wealthy, handsome and recently widowed, Mr Darcy shocks Elizabeth with a proposal.
Experience has taught her not to squander opportunities, so she accepts. Although Darcy is grim and solemn at first, Elizabeth is delighted to enjoy a passionate and idyllic wedding tour, as they slowly wend their way to Pemberley.
At Pemberley, his first wife’s presence is everywhere, as is her vicious mother, Mrs de Bourgh.
And so progresses a tale of secrets, lies, debauchery, scandal, gossip and maybe even murder.
This is an excellent homage to both Pride and prejudice and Rebecca.
Darcy is so grim and stoic, but gradually unburdens himself with Elizabeth's loving patience. Darcy truly is the best of men, but boy does he try to hide it!
I love the familiar Austen canon character names, but placed in different situations. Tilney as a lovely brother in law. Mr Ferrers, Nurse Rook, Mr Martin. It was fun identifying which book they are from.
And of course, our villains.
The ever repellent, Wickham and the obsessed, malevolent Mrs De Bourgh are unutterably vile.
I loved this. It is well written, engaging, with a satisfying denouement.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. All views expressed are my own.
So much has been lost and changed, she barely remembers the events that followed “Netherfield Park being let at last” in 1811. Fitzwilliam Darcy is a faint memory.
A family member visiting the countess, turns out to be Mr Darcy. Still wealthy, handsome and recently widowed, Mr Darcy shocks Elizabeth with a proposal.
Experience has taught her not to squander opportunities, so she accepts. Although Darcy is grim and solemn at first, Elizabeth is delighted to enjoy a passionate and idyllic wedding tour, as they slowly wend their way to Pemberley.
At Pemberley, his first wife’s presence is everywhere, as is her vicious mother, Mrs de Bourgh.
And so progresses a tale of secrets, lies, debauchery, scandal, gossip and maybe even murder.
This is an excellent homage to both Pride and prejudice and Rebecca.
Darcy is so grim and stoic, but gradually unburdens himself with Elizabeth's loving patience. Darcy truly is the best of men, but boy does he try to hide it!
I love the familiar Austen canon character names, but placed in different situations. Tilney as a lovely brother in law. Mr Ferrers, Nurse Rook, Mr Martin. It was fun identifying which book they are from.
And of course, our villains.
The ever repellent, Wickham and the obsessed, malevolent Mrs De Bourgh are unutterably vile.
I loved this. It is well written, engaging, with a satisfying denouement.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. All views expressed are my own.
zggd's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
5.0
Excellent story. Well written. Provoking. I’ve thought about this story for days and days afterwards. This is an off-cannon story but the characters are still accurately portrayed. Darcy’s first marriage was just awful. He finds Elizabeth after his first wife’s death with the sole purpose to marry her. Through their new relationship and their trials of learning to communicate and live with each other, Elizabeth learns about Darcy’s marriage and his first wife. And the mystery surrounding her death. Sooo good!
readundancies's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-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? No
4.5
Oooooh, this was so good.
I am truly in awe as to how Madame Cooper managed to to seamlessly interweave Daphne Du Maurier’s gothic horror tale, Rebecca with Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, a more classic tale of second chance romance, but my word, did she ever knock it outta the park.
Now take that with a grain of salt however because I have never read Du Maurier’s original tale. Neither have I read Austen’s work. But I truly think Julie Cooper did something amazing here. I think she managed to get the tone and darkness of the former and effortlessly tie it to the epic love story of our two leads from the latter and it was one of the easiest relationships to root for and want the best for.
Would I have preferred a more ghostly path taken? Yes. But I do not begrudge the path not ventured over what Cooper actually produced because it was such a compelling read.
Darcy’s pain, and his trials and tribulations of his first marriage made him a man that was beyond broken. He was a shell of himself, and needed Lizzy in order to save himself. I’m so glad he got her.
Lizzy had the patience of a saint, and was honourable, just and kind, no matter the situation. Her strength of character, her devotion to Darcy, even when he couldn’t see it, her stalwart determination to enact change and endeavour to do better and be better and demand better from the doom and gloom that Pemberley had descended into, was brilliant. She was a fantastic rendition and the characterization alike was delightful.
I wholeheartedly recommend this variation, and urge you to pick it up.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Violence, Grief, Emotional abuse, Death, Infidelity, Murder, Physical abuse, and Gaslighting
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