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frompemberleytomiltonblog's review
5.0
Review published on From Pemberley to Milton:
https://frompemberleytomilton.wordpress.com/2015/11/16/longbournes-songbird/
Longbourn's Songbird is a modernatization of Pride and Prejudice that takes place in the United States of America in the post-World War II.
I don't usually read modernizations but the era this book takes places intrigued me immediately, and after reading it, I can guarantee it is as good as some of the best regency adaptations I've read.
The scenario seemed very interesting to me (and I'm not easily tempted by modernizations), but I truly knew this book had bewitched me when in chapter four I read Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy's first confrontation. The scene occurs in the Netherfield porch and the intensity and passion lived in that moment conquered me. I knew from that moment on I could not resist this book.
I don't want to reveal much of the plot as I do not want to spoil your enjoyment when reading it, but the book takes an unexpected turn of events that gets us hooked to it until the end.
It is fascinating to see Darcy's reactions in this modernization. We got to see Darcy more loose, more at liberty to react and exteriorise his pain.
I liked that he wasn't portrayed as flawless and that he made stupid mistakes. It made him more human, more real and it was much more appropriate to the historical time. I also liked seeing him admit it:
"I'm also human. I think you forget sometimes that I am fallible"
I found the Darcy/Elizabeth relationship thrilling and exciting. I absolutely loved the way he always reacted to her, and the way she enjoyed his reactions, but the book is much more than a Darcy/Elizabeth love story!
All characters have their own story and all of them contributed to the interest I got in the book. Their stories allow us to see a portrait of society at the time. Beau North approaches subjects such as race and sexual discrimination, domestic violence and homosexuality which made the book incredibly interesting.
Longbourn's Songbird is very appealing and interesting because is it obviously a Pride and Prejudice variation that will appeal to JAFF readers, but it is also an intriguing romance and a society's portrayal that will appeal to any other reader. The diversity of subjects approached made it a complex and profound book that appeals to a huge variety of readers, therefore, I highly recommend it to anyone.
https://frompemberleytomilton.wordpress.com/2015/11/16/longbournes-songbird/
Longbourn's Songbird is a modernatization of Pride and Prejudice that takes place in the United States of America in the post-World War II.
I don't usually read modernizations but the era this book takes places intrigued me immediately, and after reading it, I can guarantee it is as good as some of the best regency adaptations I've read.
The scenario seemed very interesting to me (and I'm not easily tempted by modernizations), but I truly knew this book had bewitched me when in chapter four I read Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy's first confrontation. The scene occurs in the Netherfield porch and the intensity and passion lived in that moment conquered me. I knew from that moment on I could not resist this book.
I don't want to reveal much of the plot as I do not want to spoil your enjoyment when reading it, but the book takes an unexpected turn of events that gets us hooked to it until the end.
It is fascinating to see Darcy's reactions in this modernization. We got to see Darcy more loose, more at liberty to react and exteriorise his pain.
I liked that he wasn't portrayed as flawless and that he made stupid mistakes. It made him more human, more real and it was much more appropriate to the historical time. I also liked seeing him admit it:
"I'm also human. I think you forget sometimes that I am fallible"
I found the Darcy/Elizabeth relationship thrilling and exciting. I absolutely loved the way he always reacted to her, and the way she enjoyed his reactions, but the book is much more than a Darcy/Elizabeth love story!
All characters have their own story and all of them contributed to the interest I got in the book. Their stories allow us to see a portrait of society at the time. Beau North approaches subjects such as race and sexual discrimination, domestic violence and homosexuality which made the book incredibly interesting.
Longbourn's Songbird is very appealing and interesting because is it obviously a Pride and Prejudice variation that will appeal to JAFF readers, but it is also an intriguing romance and a society's portrayal that will appeal to any other reader. The diversity of subjects approached made it a complex and profound book that appeals to a huge variety of readers, therefore, I highly recommend it to anyone.
lifeand100books's review against another edition
5.0
This review originally appreared on Austenprose: http://austenprose.com/2015/11/16/longbourns-songbird-a-novel-by-beau-north-a-review/
Much of the Jane Austen Fan Fiction that I read usually falls in to two categories: works that take place during the Regency Period and works that take place during contemporary times. Works that take place during times of war are fairly rare (Darcy Goes to War by Mary Lydon Simonsen being a notable exception) and works that take place in the South (Mary Jane Hathaway’s Jane Austen Takes the South series being the only other example I’ve read) are also unfamiliar to me. Enter Longbourn’s Songbird by debut author Beau North, a re-imagined version of Austen’s Pride and Prejudice taking place in 1940’s South Carolina.
It’s 1948, only three short years since the end of the Second World War. The setting is the small, sleepy town of Meryton, South Carolina in the American south. Will Darcy has come to visit Charles Bingley and conclude some business in the acquisition of Longbourn Farms. While there, he comes across Miss Elizabeth Bennet, who despite the painful events of her past finds that she can’t stop thinking about Mr. Darcy, who engages and challenges her enough to bring her out of the vanilla monotony that she has settled in to as of late to protect her emotionally. Not only do we get to experience the charged and engaging dynamic between Lizzie and Darcy, but we also have a host of other interactions that play out, including an interesting relationship between Bingley and Jane Bennet. Jane is terrified when she realizes that Charles fancies her and has recently purchased Netherfield Plantation, because she is afflicted by diabetes, which she knows will limit her lifespan and may make Bingley rethink his choice.
All of these interesting relationship advancements occur along a backdrop of changing values and shifting culture of the south. Although Jim Crowe laws are still in full force, the beginning of a movement against racial segregation is not too far behind. Additionally, the ghosts of the war are still very real, as PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder) plays a role and physical violence is also present. These all act to enhance the culture and authenticity of the tale, using this tumultuous time to provide a dynamic background to layer in these character storylines.
As I mentioned earlier, I knew that this particular setting would be quite different than most of the other Jane Austen Fan Fiction I’ve read. What I didn’t expect was how well it lent itself to marrying the issues the characters face with some of the greater societal issues of the time. When one thinks of the post-war era, we typically think of the booming economy and social welfare that put the United States back on track. What we don’t typically expect are the hidden horrors of PTSD and spousal abuse, for example, which were manifestations of the six years of horrific war that a huge segment of the population was exposed to. Couple this with the strong writing that North displayed and you have a debut novel that was fantastic right from the beginning. Her ability to weave the stories of Darcy, Bingley, Jane, Lizzie, and all the others with these issues was fantastic. One example of how North accomplished this can be found when we hear about Darcy’s hiring practices. He doesn’t hold the color of a person’s skin against them when they apply for a job. The best person for the job, regardless of skin color was chosen. Darcy’s inclusiveness makes him stand out when you factor in the fact that the civil rights movement hadn’t happened yet.
Speaking of Darcy, I thought North did a fantastic job writing the dialogue between him and Lizzie. I could feel the frustration and attraction coursing between them with each exchange. The mutual anger mixed with a magnetism that drew them together was great. It was another solid example of her strong writing, along with a creative use of foreshadowing. She was able to use it to give the reader a peek at future events of the novel and prepare him/her for some of the darker elements later on, so they wouldn’t come out of left field. I felt that this was a clever tactic and played well with the story, along with revealing enough to keep me interested but not enough to be a spoiler.
In all, North has come up with a fantastic debut work in Longbourn’s Songbird. I was entranced by the setting, character interactions and complexity, and the general detail of it. I can’t wait to see what else is in store for us in the future with North after creating such a strong opening. (I bet you it will be fantastic!)
Much of the Jane Austen Fan Fiction that I read usually falls in to two categories: works that take place during the Regency Period and works that take place during contemporary times. Works that take place during times of war are fairly rare (Darcy Goes to War by Mary Lydon Simonsen being a notable exception) and works that take place in the South (Mary Jane Hathaway’s Jane Austen Takes the South series being the only other example I’ve read) are also unfamiliar to me. Enter Longbourn’s Songbird by debut author Beau North, a re-imagined version of Austen’s Pride and Prejudice taking place in 1940’s South Carolina.
It’s 1948, only three short years since the end of the Second World War. The setting is the small, sleepy town of Meryton, South Carolina in the American south. Will Darcy has come to visit Charles Bingley and conclude some business in the acquisition of Longbourn Farms. While there, he comes across Miss Elizabeth Bennet, who despite the painful events of her past finds that she can’t stop thinking about Mr. Darcy, who engages and challenges her enough to bring her out of the vanilla monotony that she has settled in to as of late to protect her emotionally. Not only do we get to experience the charged and engaging dynamic between Lizzie and Darcy, but we also have a host of other interactions that play out, including an interesting relationship between Bingley and Jane Bennet. Jane is terrified when she realizes that Charles fancies her and has recently purchased Netherfield Plantation, because she is afflicted by diabetes, which she knows will limit her lifespan and may make Bingley rethink his choice.
All of these interesting relationship advancements occur along a backdrop of changing values and shifting culture of the south. Although Jim Crowe laws are still in full force, the beginning of a movement against racial segregation is not too far behind. Additionally, the ghosts of the war are still very real, as PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder) plays a role and physical violence is also present. These all act to enhance the culture and authenticity of the tale, using this tumultuous time to provide a dynamic background to layer in these character storylines.
As I mentioned earlier, I knew that this particular setting would be quite different than most of the other Jane Austen Fan Fiction I’ve read. What I didn’t expect was how well it lent itself to marrying the issues the characters face with some of the greater societal issues of the time. When one thinks of the post-war era, we typically think of the booming economy and social welfare that put the United States back on track. What we don’t typically expect are the hidden horrors of PTSD and spousal abuse, for example, which were manifestations of the six years of horrific war that a huge segment of the population was exposed to. Couple this with the strong writing that North displayed and you have a debut novel that was fantastic right from the beginning. Her ability to weave the stories of Darcy, Bingley, Jane, Lizzie, and all the others with these issues was fantastic. One example of how North accomplished this can be found when we hear about Darcy’s hiring practices. He doesn’t hold the color of a person’s skin against them when they apply for a job. The best person for the job, regardless of skin color was chosen. Darcy’s inclusiveness makes him stand out when you factor in the fact that the civil rights movement hadn’t happened yet.
Speaking of Darcy, I thought North did a fantastic job writing the dialogue between him and Lizzie. I could feel the frustration and attraction coursing between them with each exchange. The mutual anger mixed with a magnetism that drew them together was great. It was another solid example of her strong writing, along with a creative use of foreshadowing. She was able to use it to give the reader a peek at future events of the novel and prepare him/her for some of the darker elements later on, so they wouldn’t come out of left field. I felt that this was a clever tactic and played well with the story, along with revealing enough to keep me interested but not enough to be a spoiler.
In all, North has come up with a fantastic debut work in Longbourn’s Songbird. I was entranced by the setting, character interactions and complexity, and the general detail of it. I can’t wait to see what else is in store for us in the future with North after creating such a strong opening. (I bet you it will be fantastic!)
themaritimereader14's review against another edition
4.0
4.5/5. I really, REALLY liked the time period that this re-telling was set in, and I enjoyed the progression of the plot that was somewhat close to the original, although there were some very with obvious changes that didn't seem TOO ridiculous to me (as in other adaptations). Better yet, if you haven't read the original P&P, this is still a nice little story to read and it was quite well written. I like Beau North as an author quite a bit and I'm looking forward to reading her other work now that I've enjoyed two of her Austen retellings.
Thank you to Netgalley and Beau North for the review copy of this wonderful book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Beau North for the review copy of this wonderful book.
sleepgoblin's review against another edition
4.0
So well done. The story felt so at home in the new setting/time period, and additional depth to some of the side characters was interesting and welcome.
themaritimereader14's review
4.0
4.5/5. I really, REALLY liked the time period that this re-telling was set in, and I enjoyed the progression of the plot that was somewhat close to the original, although there were some very with obvious changes that didn't seem TOO ridiculous to me (as in other adaptations). Better yet, if you haven't read the original P&P, this is still a nice little story to read and it was quite well written. I like Beau North as an author quite a bit and I'm looking forward to reading her other work now that I've enjoyed two of her Austen retellings.
Thank you to Netgalley and Beau North for the review copy of this wonderful book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Beau North for the review copy of this wonderful book.
rhcollins's review
4.0
Based on the description of the book I wasn't sure I'd like this one. This era isn't my favorite for modern adaptations. I was wrong, this was wonderful. Elizabeth is wonderfully brave and wonderfully naive, Darcy is wonderfully strong willed and wonderfully weak. The icing on the cake though is the wonderful story lines for Richard (who I always felt is a great character who is often left out), Anne, Charlotte, Jane and a great twist for Bingley (this author has redeemed Bingley for me, and I didn't even know he needed it).
gimchi's review
4.0
3.5
I really loved the author's ideas behind this book - wanting to put a classic story in a more modern setting, and giving a number of previously glossed-over characters an actual story and voice.
I will probably read this again, because I had a really hard time resetting my brain to think of the same characters, with the same names, in a new location and environment. I'm not sure if it was a fault of the author, or of mine. I'm inclined to believe it was on my end, as my mind can be extremely rigid once an idea is set. Plus, I kind of read this during an emotionally turbulent time, so I might have been wanting something familiar. Perhaps I needed more descriptors to keep me in the South? The buzz of mosquitos, or the humid heat? The prose was a little straightforward. I've never read any other Jane Austen Fan Fic (JAFF?), so this was a definite first for me. It was hard to read dialogue without trying to give it an English accent.
One thing is for certain, I won't think of the original characters the same ever again (not a bad thing). What Beau North did to Collins? Actual creep chills just thinking about it. And Anne! And Charlotte! I liked that characters had more of a backstory, more history.
Yea, I'll definitely give it another read.
I really loved the author's ideas behind this book - wanting to put a classic story in a more modern setting, and giving a number of previously glossed-over characters an actual story and voice.
I will probably read this again, because I had a really hard time resetting my brain to think of the same characters, with the same names, in a new location and environment. I'm not sure if it was a fault of the author, or of mine. I'm inclined to believe it was on my end, as my mind can be extremely rigid once an idea is set. Plus, I kind of read this during an emotionally turbulent time, so I might have been wanting something familiar. Perhaps I needed more descriptors to keep me in the South? The buzz of mosquitos, or the humid heat? The prose was a little straightforward. I've never read any other Jane Austen Fan Fic (JAFF?), so this was a definite first for me. It was hard to read dialogue without trying to give it an English accent.
One thing is for certain, I won't think of the original characters the same ever again (not a bad thing). What Beau North did to Collins? Actual creep chills just thinking about it. And Anne! And Charlotte! I liked that characters had more of a backstory, more history.
Yea, I'll definitely give it another read.
carmenna's review
4.0
E' un peccato che non sia riuscita a scrivere un'appropriata recensione per questo romanzo, tempo fa, perché è stato uno dei retelling di Orgoglio e Pregiudizio più interessanti che abbia mai letto.
La storia è ambientata negli anni '40 del Novecento in Sud Carolina, un setting abbastanza originale, nonché un periodo storico piuttosto complicato e da raccontare e da vivere.
La scrittrice è riuscita ad inserire nella storia temi piuttosto importanti, come la violenza domestica e il disturbo post-traumatico, ma senza appesantire troppo il romanzo.
[SPOILER] Interessante e ben scritta la storia tra Lizzie e Fitzwilliam, probabilmente la versione migliore tra quelle raccontate in altri retelling.
http://iltesorodicarta.blogspot.com/2020/04/persuasion-screenplay-ricordo-di-jane-austen-longbourn-s-songbird.html
La storia è ambientata negli anni '40 del Novecento in Sud Carolina, un setting abbastanza originale, nonché un periodo storico piuttosto complicato e da raccontare e da vivere.
La scrittrice è riuscita ad inserire nella storia temi piuttosto importanti, come la violenza domestica e il disturbo post-traumatico, ma senza appesantire troppo il romanzo.
[SPOILER] Interessante e ben scritta la storia tra Lizzie e Fitzwilliam, probabilmente la versione migliore tra quelle raccontate in altri retelling.
http://iltesorodicarta.blogspot.com/2020/04/persuasion-screenplay-ricordo-di-jane-austen-longbourn-s-songbird.html
haveloved's review
5.0
Full disclosure--I was asked by Beau to help proofread the new edition and I'm in the acknowledgements, but my five stars is in no way influenced by my role. I adored this book and it's absolutely the best and most socially-conscious modernization of P&P I've ever read.
thepurplefox's review
4.0
Reread: I had forgotten how angsty this book is. Its not bad at all but not what I was looking to read at this time.