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pretzulle's review
2.0
ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I love Pride & Prejudice so I was more than excited to get this YA adaptation focusing on Mr. Darcy's younger sister, Georgiana. However, this just felt lackluster. I think if you're going to make an adaptation or build off of any sort of renowned work like Pride & Prejudice, it has to be good. Quain does a good job of making Georgiana her own distinguished character compared to the version we get from Austen.
This would have been fine as a typical YA novel without the connections to Pride, and I hinged on that too much while reading. The dialogue is very young and overall there isn't much depth to the plot. This is definitely a younger YA novel.
Not my thing, but will certainly be good for others!
I love Pride & Prejudice so I was more than excited to get this YA adaptation focusing on Mr. Darcy's younger sister, Georgiana. However, this just felt lackluster. I think if you're going to make an adaptation or build off of any sort of renowned work like Pride & Prejudice, it has to be good. Quain does a good job of making Georgiana her own distinguished character compared to the version we get from Austen.
This would have been fine as a typical YA novel without the connections to Pride, and I hinged on that too much while reading. The dialogue is very young and overall there isn't much depth to the plot. This is definitely a younger YA novel.
Not my thing, but will certainly be good for others!
smalltownbookmom's review
3.0
This was a fun, heartfelt YA reimagining featuring Jane Austen's beloved Darcy siblings, Georgie and Fitzwilliam "Fitz" from Pride and prejudice. Told from Georgie's POV, we get to see her trying to redeem her damaged reputation at a posh boarding school and fix her strained relationship with her brother after a scandal involving drugs and former schoolmate/boyfriend Wickham.
I really loved Georgie and how she tried to help her brother by setting him up with Elizabeth Bennett with the hopes of getting him to relax his overprotective tendencies. Original and full of creative license, I enjoyed this one for its lighthearted charm. Great on audio too narrated by Deva Marie Gregory. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!
I really loved Georgie and how she tried to help her brother by setting him up with Elizabeth Bennett with the hopes of getting him to relax his overprotective tendencies. Original and full of creative license, I enjoyed this one for its lighthearted charm. Great on audio too narrated by Deva Marie Gregory. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!
illstoptheworldandreadwithyou's review against another edition
3.0
In this YA retelling of Pride and Prejudice, we get the story from Georgiana Darcy's perspective.
Instead of 19th century England, the story unfolds at present day Pemberley Academy, an elite boarding school in New York, and at nearby SUNY Meryton, and, due to The Incident last year with Wickham, Georgiana Darcy is trying to redeem herself to her classmates, her friends, and her guardian older brother, Fitz.
As a big Pride and Prejudice fan, I always find it fun to try out the different retellings and to see how authors play with and reinvent various aspects of the story. Here Georgie's pianoforte skills have been transferred to the trombone, which she plays in the school marching band. She has a sweet and supportive friends-to-lovers love interest. And instead of the love story between Fitz and Lizzie playing out like the Darcy-Elizabeth story of Pride and Prejudice, we see Georgie scheming to nudge them together and working in cahoots with Bingley to encourage the relationship. (Speaking of Bingley, he is quite possibly my favorite character in the book.)
I feel like this book will appeal more to the younger end of the YA spectrum, but parents and educators should be aware that cuss words are used several times in the story.
Readers should expect to spend lots of time with Georgie's thoughts of self-doubt, her feelings of being a burden to her brother, and her overreaching attempts to prove herself.
Ultimately it was nice to see what Georgie is able to accomplish, but I do not foresee myself picking this one for a future reread.
I received an advance copy from St. Martin's Press and Wednesday Books via NetGalley. All review opinions are my own.
Instead of 19th century England, the story unfolds at present day Pemberley Academy, an elite boarding school in New York, and at nearby SUNY Meryton, and, due to The Incident last year with Wickham, Georgiana Darcy is trying to redeem herself to her classmates, her friends, and her guardian older brother, Fitz.
As a big Pride and Prejudice fan, I always find it fun to try out the different retellings and to see how authors play with and reinvent various aspects of the story. Here Georgie's pianoforte skills have been transferred to the trombone, which she plays in the school marching band. She has a sweet and supportive friends-to-lovers love interest. And instead of the love story between Fitz and Lizzie playing out like the Darcy-Elizabeth story of Pride and Prejudice, we see Georgie scheming to nudge them together and working in cahoots with Bingley to encourage the relationship. (Speaking of Bingley, he is quite possibly my favorite character in the book.)
I feel like this book will appeal more to the younger end of the YA spectrum, but parents and educators should be aware that cuss words are used several times in the story.
Readers should expect to spend lots of time with Georgie's thoughts of self-doubt, her feelings of being a burden to her brother, and her overreaching attempts to prove herself.
Ultimately it was nice to see what Georgie is able to accomplish, but I do not foresee myself picking this one for a future reread.
I received an advance copy from St. Martin's Press and Wednesday Books via NetGalley. All review opinions are my own.
mels_reading_log's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This is a book that follows American teen, Georgie Darcy, little sister of Fitz Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. It follows her trying to prove herself in an elite prep school. I love the premise, I just got frustrated with Georgie while reading this. Most of the time when reading, I will be on the side of the main character, so when they make decisions I am along for the ride to see how it works out. Maybe it’s the age difference, or just that Georgie didn’t get social cues, but I kept cringing at some of the choices she was making.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Grief, and Death of parent
emily_loves_2_read's review against another edition
4.0
Accomplished
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Genre: YA Contemporary Fiction
Format: Audiobook
Date Published: 7/26/22
Author: Amanda Quain
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Narrator: Deva Marie Gregory
GR: 3.69
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: Georgiana Darcy may have escaped expulsion because of her family name, but she didn’t escape the scorn of the entire school. But she’s back for her junior year, and she needs to prove to everyone—Fitz, Wickham, her former friends, and maybe even herself—that she’s more. With the help of her fellow bandmate, Avery, matchmaking ideas lifted straight from her favorite fanfics. But when the weight of being the Perfect Darcy comes crashing down, Georgie will have to find her own way before she loses everything permanently—including the one guy who sees her for who she really is.
My Thoughts: The story starts a little slow but started to pick up around 25% into the story. Georgie is such an amazing character and the perfect heroine, it is not hard to connect to her, and root for her throughout the story. This is a fantastic spin on Austen’s Pride and Prejudice with a boarding school romance trope. The narrator does a really amazing job enhancing the character voices and creating emotion in the characters. The characters were developed well with depth, witty banter, charisma, and creatively explored. The author’s writing style was complex, endearing, funny, and kept me engaged for the entire story. Quain does an excellant job on expanding on a secondary character from Pride and Prejudice. If you are a fan of Austen’s work, or even if you aren’t not, I believe you would enjoy this fun contemporary YA book. It is already out!
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Genre: YA Contemporary Fiction
Format: Audiobook
Date Published: 7/26/22
Author: Amanda Quain
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Narrator: Deva Marie Gregory
GR: 3.69
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: Georgiana Darcy may have escaped expulsion because of her family name, but she didn’t escape the scorn of the entire school. But she’s back for her junior year, and she needs to prove to everyone—Fitz, Wickham, her former friends, and maybe even herself—that she’s more. With the help of her fellow bandmate, Avery, matchmaking ideas lifted straight from her favorite fanfics. But when the weight of being the Perfect Darcy comes crashing down, Georgie will have to find her own way before she loses everything permanently—including the one guy who sees her for who she really is.
My Thoughts: The story starts a little slow but started to pick up around 25% into the story. Georgie is such an amazing character and the perfect heroine, it is not hard to connect to her, and root for her throughout the story. This is a fantastic spin on Austen’s Pride and Prejudice with a boarding school romance trope. The narrator does a really amazing job enhancing the character voices and creating emotion in the characters. The characters were developed well with depth, witty banter, charisma, and creatively explored. The author’s writing style was complex, endearing, funny, and kept me engaged for the entire story. Quain does an excellant job on expanding on a secondary character from Pride and Prejudice. If you are a fan of Austen’s work, or even if you aren’t not, I believe you would enjoy this fun contemporary YA book. It is already out!
michellenet's review
3.0
2.5⭐️ I loved Pride & Prejudice so I was curious to read a modern young adult take on Georgiana Darcy. Unfortunately, my expectations might have been a little too high. I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters. I also thought her self loathing throughout the book was a little excessive and the plot was somewhat lackluster. However, it was an okay book that was easy to read and written well enough.
52Books2022 Reading Challenge: Jane Austen-inspired
I won an ARC of this book on Goodreads Giveaway!
52Books2022 Reading Challenge: Jane Austen-inspired
I won an ARC of this book on Goodreads Giveaway!
bookhoarding's review
3.0
Overall an interesting read, though devastatingly sad at times to experience so much of her pain. I appreciated getting to view the events of P&P through Georgianna's eyes, and this high school modernization does a lot to weave in crucial plot points into conversation.
pagesoflaura's review
3.0
I'm a big fan of Jane Austen and was excited for a new retelling, unfortunately this fell a little flat for me. The beginning of the book started off a bit slow, with many flashbacks to Georgie & Wickham in the previous year, which became too much. I felt that the bullying and self-loathing we got from Georgie was over the top and took me out of the story. Wickham became almost cartoon-like with his villain arc.
I did love the relationship between Georgie and her brother and appreciated their ending. Georgie and Avery's relationship was cute. I also loved the callouts to Tumblr and fandom culture.
I did love the relationship between Georgie and her brother and appreciated their ending. Georgie and Avery's relationship was cute. I also loved the callouts to Tumblr and fandom culture.
kcmmp13's review
4.0
I enjoyed reading Georgie Darcy's story. I'm not a huge Pride and Prejudice fan, but I know the basics and I loved how Lizzie and Fitz were woven in. This modern take on Georgie's life at Pemberly after a "scandal" with her ex-boyfriend Wickham was refreshing. I liked how vulnerable Georgie was and that we got to see the relationship between her and Fitz ebb and flow as situations arose.