A review by morgangiesbrecht
Unequal Affections: A Pride and Prejudice Retelling by Lara S. Ormiston

lighthearted reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes

4.0

A pleasantly surprising retelling of Pride & Prejudice! 

A fellow author and reader put this unknown gem on my radar, and I’m incredibly grateful.

I rarely listen to audiobooks for books I haven’t read, but since this one appears to be out of print, the audiobook was my only shot. And the narrator is superbly brilliant. She has such a smooth cadence and perfect character voicing. 

Built on the premise of if Elizabeth Bennett had accepted Mr. Darcy’s first proposal in the Collins’ living room comes this tale. It’s unexpected, interesting, and yet faithful to the original text in character portrayal. The part the intrigued me most was the fact that accepting the first proposal meant there was no Darcy’s letter… and that changed the story in terms of secrets. 

For the most part, I didn’t feel like Ormiston took too many liberties with the characters. Elizabeth is a bit more subdued, and Mr. Darcy is more possessive. Part of that possessiveness comes from the “woman are property/possessions” mentality of the time which was a bit uncomfortable to read, particularly with comments about Darcy “allowing his wife to do xyz.” 

Overlooking that, this was a charming read. The romance is passionate and tender (unlike in Austen, kissing happens & there is brief mentions of consummating marriage), without being inappropriate or spicy. It’s a story of misunderstandings, pride, and ultimately humility. I would have loved the marriage to have happened sooner than the last chapter so that we got a few chapters of married life, since the engagement middle does drag a bit.

On the whole, I was enamoured, and if I can ever find a physical copy, it will make its way to my shelves!