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A review by librarygurl
Longbourn by Jo Baker
2.0
I have a number of problems with this book, which was frustrating since I went out of my way to get a copy of what I thought would be an interesting POV. Forget that it didn't have that succinct and witty Austen style that I love from the original. Forget that it seemed like a Downton Abbey rip off. Forget that it was probably the most depressing piece of historical fiction I have ever read. What really bothered me were the moments it intersected with the original narrative. It was very smart of Baker to not make this a simple shift in POV. The problem is, when the original characters interacted with the new characters they didn't act as I would have expected them.
From here on in, spoilers sweetie...
Let's start with the three clearest changes: Mr. Bennet, Mr. Collins, and Mr. Wickham. That Mr. Bennet would actually be in love with the housekeeper, have a child out of wedlock with her, keep her on, and then hire their illegitimate son seems within the nature of the time period, but out of nature for the character. Other alternative reality books have addresses the natural-children issue (the possibility that Wickham is actually Darcy's brother is often a plot point), they tend to focus on fringe characters. Mr. Collins is portrayed at focused and direct rather than obtuse. He notices things and talks to the servants in ways he never did in the original. Mr. Wickham's villain role was taken to a whole new level as her pursues a 12-year-old servant girl and threatens to destroy the life of the man who gets in his way. Then there is the treatment of Mary as a love-sick girl (for Collins!) and Mr. Hill's secret homosexuality... These aspects just seem at odds with the characters developed by Austen.
The second intersection problem is when there are scenes added to the original narrative. Elizabeth and Jane's interactions with Sarah are sweet, but some of the scenes almost threaten the original story. For example, there are scenes with Wickham at the Bennett house for dinners after Elizabeth has learned the truth about him. These never happen in the original story and they change the entire tone of what happens between Elizabeth, Wickham and Lydia. Speaking of Lydia, she seemed to be one of the few characters Baker remained true to. Poor Elizabeth becomes a bizarre version of herself towards the end. She opens up to maid Sarah in ways she has never even opened up to Jane regarding her concerns about marrying Mr. Darcy and then, once mistress of Pemberly, shifting personality. Gone is self-confident and independent Elizabeth. Now she merely a version of Jane.
My suggestion: skip this one. You want AU of P&P? There are other, better ones...
From here on in, spoilers sweetie...
Let's start with the three clearest changes: Mr. Bennet, Mr. Collins, and Mr. Wickham. That Mr. Bennet would actually be in love with the housekeeper, have a child out of wedlock with her, keep her on, and then hire their illegitimate son seems within the nature of the time period, but out of nature for the character. Other alternative reality books have addresses the natural-children issue (the possibility that Wickham is actually Darcy's brother is often a plot point), they tend to focus on fringe characters. Mr. Collins is portrayed at focused and direct rather than obtuse. He notices things and talks to the servants in ways he never did in the original. Mr. Wickham's villain role was taken to a whole new level as her pursues a 12-year-old servant girl and threatens to destroy the life of the man who gets in his way. Then there is the treatment of Mary as a love-sick girl (for Collins!) and Mr. Hill's secret homosexuality... These aspects just seem at odds with the characters developed by Austen.
The second intersection problem is when there are scenes added to the original narrative. Elizabeth and Jane's interactions with Sarah are sweet, but some of the scenes almost threaten the original story. For example, there are scenes with Wickham at the Bennett house for dinners after Elizabeth has learned the truth about him. These never happen in the original story and they change the entire tone of what happens between Elizabeth, Wickham and Lydia. Speaking of Lydia, she seemed to be one of the few characters Baker remained true to. Poor Elizabeth becomes a bizarre version of herself towards the end. She opens up to maid Sarah in ways she has never even opened up to Jane regarding her concerns about marrying Mr. Darcy and then, once mistress of Pemberly, shifting personality. Gone is self-confident and independent Elizabeth. Now she merely a version of Jane.
My suggestion: skip this one. You want AU of P&P? There are other, better ones...