Take a photo of a barcode or cover
2.96 AVERAGE
2.96 AVERAGE
This was hard to get into at first - especially because I've never read Pride and Prejudice. The story moved at a better pace after the murder was discovered - part way through book two. It dragged on again at the end, and for me, boiled down to a big ole "who cares?"
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Reads like a Jane Austen novel, so if you like Austen but live in the modern day you should enjoy it!
I would give this book more like 3.5 stars. I loved being back at Pemberley and was engrossed in that world, but felt like 3/4 of the book (or more really) were consumed with the murder and logistics involved and then the end was an all-emcompassing wrap up filled with characters who'd hardly been mentioned before.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Infidelity, Terminal illness, Blood
I have better things to do with my time. Bored.
not as witty as Jane Austen. not as deftly plotted as PD James. but the characters remain.true to the original, the writing flows smoothly, and the book is an enjoyable, if not gripping, read
This was a bit disappointing. I love P.D. James and a good Austen spin-off but the two don't mix. The plot made no sense and James seemed hellbent on including lines from P&P....contrived and boring.
Usually I do quite careful research before adding a book to my to-buy list, but of course, the author being P.D. James AND a sequel to Jane Austen's famous "Pride and Predjudice" was cause for exception. Not that I always love the 4+ star rated books either, tastes differ. However, an average of three stars is a strong indication that I will not like it either. This was okay though. It might have dropped to two stars, but by two stars I normally HATE it - but can find some redeeming quality to save the book from a one - and I did not hate this.
I have no love for Jane Austen so I don't really mind an attempt to continue one of her stories in her style. I can see how some might view this as an atrocity. I couldn't care less. I have only seen "Pride and Prejudice" as a mini-series on TV, but that several times so I know the story well. I love that particularly story, I just don't like Austen's style of writing much. I have read something else of Austen and not cared for it much. Meeint Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth and most of the rest of the characters again was quite lovely. P.D. James captures them well.
Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy have been happily married for six years and have two beautiful sons. On the eve before a great ball is to be held at Pemberley, a coach containing Elizabeth's sister Lydia comes racing up the drive-way. Lydia is in a state, screaming bloody murder and that her husband, the notorious Mr. Wickham has been killed. An expedition is sent into the woods where he was seen storming after his companion Mr. Denny. The latters is found in Mr. Wickhams arms, dead. Naturally enough Mr. Wickham claims his innocence, but will he be believed and who really killed Mr. Denny? How will Pemberley be saved from the disgrace of being associated with murder? The answers come at the end and I did not find the explanations entirely convincing. Although I should have, they were boring and plausible enough as such.
This book is quite sure to disappoint both the ardent P.D. James fans, of which I am one, and the passionate Austen readers, which I am not. The former will find the story too simple, P.D. James has a knack for more complicated mysteries than this one. I suppose the latter would be appalled that someone would dare make an attempt of any sort at a sequel to "Pride and Prejudice", and worse, such a sordid one as this. For me this was passable, but far from impressive.
I have no love for Jane Austen so I don't really mind an attempt to continue one of her stories in her style. I can see how some might view this as an atrocity. I couldn't care less. I have only seen "Pride and Prejudice" as a mini-series on TV, but that several times so I know the story well. I love that particularly story, I just don't like Austen's style of writing much. I have read something else of Austen and not cared for it much. Meeint Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth and most of the rest of the characters again was quite lovely. P.D. James captures them well.
Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy have been happily married for six years and have two beautiful sons. On the eve before a great ball is to be held at Pemberley, a coach containing Elizabeth's sister Lydia comes racing up the drive-way. Lydia is in a state, screaming bloody murder and that her husband, the notorious Mr. Wickham has been killed. An expedition is sent into the woods where he was seen storming after his companion Mr. Denny. The latters is found in Mr. Wickhams arms, dead. Naturally enough Mr. Wickham claims his innocence, but will he be believed and who really killed Mr. Denny? How will Pemberley be saved from the disgrace of being associated with murder? The answers come at the end and I did not find the explanations entirely convincing. Although I should have, they were boring and plausible enough as such.
This book is quite sure to disappoint both the ardent P.D. James fans, of which I am one, and the passionate Austen readers, which I am not. The former will find the story too simple, P.D. James has a knack for more complicated mysteries than this one. I suppose the latter would be appalled that someone would dare make an attempt of any sort at a sequel to "Pride and Prejudice", and worse, such a sordid one as this. For me this was passable, but far from impressive.
Pedantic and slow moving. Long stretches of dialogue that don't advance the story. Several sections, especially at the beginning, that essentially retell "Pride and Prejudice" and make it sound boring. James does a good job of maintaining the style of the period, but she seems to have forgotten what makes a story interesting. I kept wishing Adam Dalgleish would show up and whip the story into shape.
I had higher expectations than this book delivered. I wanted more from the characters and the story.