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2.96 AVERAGE
2.96 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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:
Yes
Wish I could give this 3 1/2 stars. An enjoyable read - nothing fabulous. As an Austen fan, there are lots of things I could take issue with, but I really tried to overlook that and just enjoy the mystery, which I did. I could have done without the last 15-20 pages though. Ugh. Was it necessary to try to pull in other Austen novels? And Darcy and Elizabeth's last long conversation discussing everything from P&P? Didn't need that.
I am sad to report that this book was very disappointing! I had to force myself to finish the book out of my love for Austen's characters rather than James' story. I had the mystery figured out long before the conclusion and was rather disappointed in the lack of "mystery" writing as this was my first P.D. James book.
I wanted to like this book, but it just didn't happen. The premise was interesting, and it's not a stretch, given Austen's sketch of Wickham's character, that he would continue to indulge to excess and end up fathering a child with a woman not his wife. That much I could buy into. James's Darcy was palatable, though uncomfortable at times, given we never see his POV in Pride and Prejudice, it felt strange to be in his head here. It was the changes in lesser characters - the hardening of Colonel Fitzwilliam, and the softening of the Lady Catherine deBourgh, that didn't ring true. Further, the absence of Mrs. Bennett and Mr. Collins was noticeable. If anything, their absence from this novel teaches one to appreciate just how brilliant Austen was at producing a comic foil. I understand James wanted to write a mystery, and perhaps did not feel the need for comic characters, but their absences are felt, even by a reader disinclined to rejoice in their presence. The organization of the story feels a bit "off" as well - the story builds towards a dramatic climax, only to be quickly and frankly resolved in a matter of a page or two, in a manner so anti-climactic that it's disappointing. The verdict is accomplished well before the last 10 percent of the book, and then we must endure two additional re-tellings of the story for both Colonel Fitzwilliam and Wickham to share the "real" story. In some regards, the narrative is not unlike a film like the Thin Blue Line, where the same story is told and retold from different points of view, searching for the inconsistencies and holes in each person's tale, but it was not, in my opinion, executed in the sort of way that maintained my interest or demanded attention via brilliant subtlety.
Disappointing. Tedious. LIght, but not in a good way. I didn't finish it.
I have never read any other books by P.D. James, but I'm a big Austen fan so I thought I'd give Death Comes to Pemberley a try. It's not a great mystery - there is a huge narrative dump toward the ends where much information is revealed - but I enjoyed it as an Austen-alike. It's a faithful and sentimental continuation of the lives of Elizabeth and Darcy, and you can do a lot worse when it comes to Austen sequels. I enjoyed it.
Okay, so let's just start off admitting this novel is a sort of glorified fan fiction. BUT if you, like me, are an Austen fan who can enjoy a little bit of "what if..." and "what next..." THEN this is a fun read for you. And that's what I needed this fall - a fun read for a little escape from the zaniness that is starting a new teaching job in a pandemic. So, thank you, P.D. James. I had a fun time picking up the story line with the Darcies et al. to see how James interpreted what could have happened next. Plus, it's been a while since I read a mystery, so it was fun to hypothesize with a little whodunit. I would recommend this title to Austen lovers who aren't too purist to read a little P&P fan fiction.
I loved how the author remained true to the original characters. The only reason I gave it four stars instead of five is that I felt Elizabeth could have played a larger role. I found myself wanting to know more of her point of view.