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stephbookshine's review against another edition
3.0
*I received a free ARC of this novel, with thanks to the author, Bonnier Books and NetGalley. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
This is not a book for Austen purists, as Helen Moffett has taken the original Pride and Prejudice characters and used that plot as a background story, for a very different and more modern tale about a woman’s secret inner life, grief and yearning for independence.
Luckily, far from a purist, I revel in anything that expands the world of a book I love and gives me a peek into what could have happened next, before or during the main action, however unlikely it may be. And I struggled to think of anything more unlikely than the cool-headed, intelligent Charlotte Lucas growing to love the excessively small-minded and silly Mr Collins. Helen Moffett deftly proved me wrong there.
One of the most interesting feelings I took away from this story was the bias I had unwittingly fallen prey to when reading Austen’s novel. Of course, we get the whole of that story from the perspective of Elizabeth Bennett, and I wholeheartedly bought into her opinions on side characters like Charlotte, Mr Collins or Anne de Bourgh. But one of the underlying themes of that story is prejudice! Lizzie is proved to be wrong in her assessments of Wickham and Darcy, and in her understanding of how Bingley would view Jane’s behaviour. So why wouldn’t she have been wrong about the others too?
Not that this book completely reimagines the characters. Mr Collins is still not the brightest or most sensitive of men, but here he is seen as human – a kind, well-meaning family man whose edges are softened by his relationship with his sensible wife. We also see a very different Anne de Bourgh, who hides behind a listless exterior by day, but adventures like a highwayman at night; I quite liked this reimagining of her as a woman of some freedom and independence behind the scenes.
This also fit thematically with Charlotte’s story, which is one of the heavy grief of motherhood woven with the fainter healing strands of time, friendship and – eventually – passion. There was a languid lack of tension throughout the story, that allowed Charlotte and the reader to follow events somewhat passively. After all, the worst had already happened at the very start of the book… everything that follows is mere survival.
I found some of the themes, particularly that of women’s rights and of the treatment of Jews, were handled in a bit of a heavy-handed way. Instead of running through the story naturally, blocks of information and opinion were slotted in, interrupting the flow of the story. Similarly, I found it very hard to believe that a woman of Charlotte’s personality, place and time would speak freely to a young, handsome tradesman about her menses, childbirth or her sexual relations with her husband! As a narrative trick to tell the reader about such things, it felt clumsy and anachronistic.
Other than these small inconsistencies, however, I felt that the blending of modern attitudes (equality, openness) with Austen’s characters and setting worked to interesting effect, and really got me thinking about the issues and personalities in new ways. While a slow and mostly undramatic read, it adds nicely to the canon of classical spin-offs and retellings and so is worth reading, for Austen fans, on that basis.
'Charlotte was tired to the bone. Tired of the universally acknowledged truism: that a single woman of no great fortune must be in want of a life, at the beck and call of all who might find her momentarily useful, a blank template waiting for the impress of others. Standing in a lane she had walked since childhood, a shuttlecock batted between the lives of others, she struggled to master sensations of both entrapment and aimlessness.'
– Helen Moffett, Charlotte
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpress.com/2021/03/24/charlotte-helen-moffett/
This is not a book for Austen purists, as Helen Moffett has taken the original Pride and Prejudice characters and used that plot as a background story, for a very different and more modern tale about a woman’s secret inner life, grief and yearning for independence.
Luckily, far from a purist, I revel in anything that expands the world of a book I love and gives me a peek into what could have happened next, before or during the main action, however unlikely it may be. And I struggled to think of anything more unlikely than the cool-headed, intelligent Charlotte Lucas growing to love the excessively small-minded and silly Mr Collins. Helen Moffett deftly proved me wrong there.
One of the most interesting feelings I took away from this story was the bias I had unwittingly fallen prey to when reading Austen’s novel. Of course, we get the whole of that story from the perspective of Elizabeth Bennett, and I wholeheartedly bought into her opinions on side characters like Charlotte, Mr Collins or Anne de Bourgh. But one of the underlying themes of that story is prejudice! Lizzie is proved to be wrong in her assessments of Wickham and Darcy, and in her understanding of how Bingley would view Jane’s behaviour. So why wouldn’t she have been wrong about the others too?
Not that this book completely reimagines the characters. Mr Collins is still not the brightest or most sensitive of men, but here he is seen as human – a kind, well-meaning family man whose edges are softened by his relationship with his sensible wife. We also see a very different Anne de Bourgh, who hides behind a listless exterior by day, but adventures like a highwayman at night; I quite liked this reimagining of her as a woman of some freedom and independence behind the scenes.
This also fit thematically with Charlotte’s story, which is one of the heavy grief of motherhood woven with the fainter healing strands of time, friendship and – eventually – passion. There was a languid lack of tension throughout the story, that allowed Charlotte and the reader to follow events somewhat passively. After all, the worst had already happened at the very start of the book… everything that follows is mere survival.
I found some of the themes, particularly that of women’s rights and of the treatment of Jews, were handled in a bit of a heavy-handed way. Instead of running through the story naturally, blocks of information and opinion were slotted in, interrupting the flow of the story. Similarly, I found it very hard to believe that a woman of Charlotte’s personality, place and time would speak freely to a young, handsome tradesman about her menses, childbirth or her sexual relations with her husband! As a narrative trick to tell the reader about such things, it felt clumsy and anachronistic.
Other than these small inconsistencies, however, I felt that the blending of modern attitudes (equality, openness) with Austen’s characters and setting worked to interesting effect, and really got me thinking about the issues and personalities in new ways. While a slow and mostly undramatic read, it adds nicely to the canon of classical spin-offs and retellings and so is worth reading, for Austen fans, on that basis.
'Charlotte was tired to the bone. Tired of the universally acknowledged truism: that a single woman of no great fortune must be in want of a life, at the beck and call of all who might find her momentarily useful, a blank template waiting for the impress of others. Standing in a lane she had walked since childhood, a shuttlecock batted between the lives of others, she struggled to master sensations of both entrapment and aimlessness.'
– Helen Moffett, Charlotte
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpress.com/2021/03/24/charlotte-helen-moffett/
maryw's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jazzlibrariansbookcase's review against another edition
5.0
I loved Charlotte, it was such a great read. I was really looking forward to reading more from the First Look. Charlotte tells the story of Charlotte Lucas of Jane Austen's amazing novel Pride and Prejudice. She was overlooked in the original, but Helen Moffett's wonderful book really sheds a new light on the character. I really felt for Charlotte in her hardships and felt so happy when things went right for her. It was so sad to read of Lizzie's troubles too. The running theme of a woman's purpose makes an interesting take on a regency era idea of inheritance. Women could not inherit, and it is a focus of this book. What would become of Charlotte and her girls now that they had no heir? The idea that a woman's only use for a married woman is to pay calls and beget children is shocking. I would want to be accomplished and achieve something to make a name for myself. I loved the interactions between Anne de Bourgh and Charlotte too! I would highly recommend this book to any Austen fan!
daisyt's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
wjcsydney's review against another edition
3.0
Charlotte Lucas for me is the hero of P&P so I was eager to read this recommended feminist addition to the post-Austen canon. It was well written and mostly sympathetic to the characters of P&P but unsatisfying too - I could not imagine Charlotte, dear Charlotte, behaving quite like that.
tammie_2207's review against another edition
1.0
Read- November 2021
- TW/ Miscarriage, Infant Death
I've been so excited to read this book since before it came out and I genuinely couldn't stand it. I hated the interpretation of Charlotte and think almost everything she did was out of character. This is a spoiler but the book also contains cheating which I just can't stand. I also can't believe that nobody else has ever mentioned the fact that there is a major trigger warning for both infant death and miscarriage in this book. There is so much in depth detail for both of these within the first 7 chapters and it carries on throughout the book and it honestly disgusts me that nobody thought to ever mention this. I really wish I had just dnf'd this book to be quite honest.
- TW/ Miscarriage, Infant Death
I've been so excited to read this book since before it came out and I genuinely couldn't stand it. I hated the interpretation of Charlotte and think almost everything she did was out of character. This is a spoiler but the book also contains cheating which I just can't stand. I also can't believe that nobody else has ever mentioned the fact that there is a major trigger warning for both infant death and miscarriage in this book. There is so much in depth detail for both of these within the first 7 chapters and it carries on throughout the book and it honestly disgusts me that nobody thought to ever mention this. I really wish I had just dnf'd this book to be quite honest.
sydneykav's review against another edition
3.0
Thank you to Manilla Press for an early copy of Charlotte.
This book was a true delight from start to finish. Pride and Prejudice (and beyond) but from the perspective of Charlotte Lucas/Collins - Moffett has given a new life to an underrated character and it was a real treat to get to explore this story again but from a different point of view with quite a different "happily ever after" for our canon main characters.
Having read, and enjoyed, The Other Bennet Sister (Pride and Prejudice from Mary Bennet's point of view) it really highlighted how good - and far more realistic feeling - Charlotte was in contrast. Charlotte felt far more authentic and is a book I would happily read again and recommend to any P&P fan.
3.5/5
This book was a true delight from start to finish. Pride and Prejudice (and beyond) but from the perspective of Charlotte Lucas/Collins - Moffett has given a new life to an underrated character and it was a real treat to get to explore this story again but from a different point of view with quite a different "happily ever after" for our canon main characters.
Having read, and enjoyed, The Other Bennet Sister (Pride and Prejudice from Mary Bennet's point of view) it really highlighted how good - and far more realistic feeling - Charlotte was in contrast. Charlotte felt far more authentic and is a book I would happily read again and recommend to any P&P fan.
3.5/5
caffee's review against another edition
2.0
Started well I thought it was going to be an interesting exploration of the plight of women and there choices but it took a romantically squeamish turn that spoilt it for me and was written in a way not in keeping with the style of the rest of the book. It was also so neatly wrapped that it was saccharine.
katjaviitasalo's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Child death
chelsboooks's review against another edition
4.0
4.5/5 - half a star lost for something that I felt was a bit too much of a stretch for a character.
Finally, an Austen inspired book that reflects the original well, and can stand on its own. I've been looking for this book for years.
Finally, an Austen inspired book that reflects the original well, and can stand on its own. I've been looking for this book for years.