Rating: 
Summary: Best Sequel Imaginable
Review: I began reading this book thinking that an author would be a fool to even try to write a sequel to "Pride and Prejudice", the sprakling gem of the English literature. I was pleasantly surprised by Juliet Shapiro's style, attention to details, and doing of her research with respect to what Jane Austen related to her family (after publication of P&P in 1813) about what would become of some of the characters in Pride & Prejudice. I recommend "Excessively Diverted" to all Jane Austen's fans who are eternally fascinated with Pride & Prejudice.
Rating: 
Summary: mildly interesting at first, then off on a yawn.....
Review: i bought this book with a hope that it would be a good bedtime read, which i define as a story with which i look forward to ending my day so that i will actually go to bed, not necessarily something that will put me to sleep. let's just say this one doesn't get me to bed any earlier, but i barely get thru four or five pages before i doze off. this is not to say it dies for lack of trying.... there are over-imaginative plot twists that would have unnerved our dear Miss Austen, strange character pairings & plottings (Mary Bennet and Anne de Burgh? Caroline Bingley and Lady Catherine? You've got to be kidding...), and annoyingly implausible situations --not that Mrs. Bennet wouldn't have suggested Lydia give up her child, but that Darcy would accept it as his own? Come on now!! Also, the dialogue between Elizabeth and Darcy makes me reach for the snooze alarm. Yuck. I am 3/4 the way thru it and doubt it will be finished. I am already looking for another to take its place.
Rating: 
Summary: Positively Pleased
Review: I cannot understand the destructive reviews of this book. The obvious question is could the writers do better? I have read EVERY published sequel and this rates amongst the best of the modern ones. It is a good read and no harm is done to Jane Austen's characters. I am sure that she herself would have been excessively diverted by it.
Rating: 
Summary: Excessively Annoyed
Review: I found this Austen sequel extremely annoying. The incredibly poor punctuation (Where was a good editor?), and all of the "comma splices" were distracting to no end. The text over-borrows from P & P, even printing the entire text of Darcy's letter to Elizabeth after she rejects his proposal at Rosings. The plots are ludicrous, particularly when Mrs. Bennett convinces Darcy and Elizabth to raise Lydia's baby as their own--and they accept! Colonel Fitzwilliam, who was presented in P & P
as a 30-year-old younger son of an earl who had to marry for money, marries Maria Lucas! I could go on and on. The book also commits the faults of other Austen sequels by creating dialogue which no Austen character would ever say, such as Darcy's
comment about Elizabeth's breast when she is nursing her baby.
But perhaps worst of all, ED was curiously lifeless. I grew very bored quickly, and forced myself to finish, only skimming the last few chapters. I've read five P & P sequels, and I'd recommend Julia Barrett's Presumption as the best so far.
One star.
Rating:
Summary: A book not even worth a look at
Review: I hate this book I am an avid lover of Jane Austen and have read most of the sequels but this book got me so mad. Lizzie cried over stupid things and Lady C was a terrible character. I did not even find her funny anymore she was just plain mean. buy this book if you must but know I would not recomend it.
Rating:
Summary: Excessively Disappointing....
Review: I have long admired Austen's exquisite creation, 'Pride and Prejudice'. As a result, I enjoy exploring the various sequels which exist for this timeless classic. However, I was highly disappointed with this poor attempt to recreate my favorite literary characters. Austen's unique style and delicate prose would be difficult to replicate, and unfortunately, this author tries to remain precisely loyal to the original work without Austen's own flair for plot, entertainment, and character development. The book would have been much better had Shapiro taken a note from other successful sequels by following her own path instead of attempting a poor copy of a great original work.
The plot was boring. The character alliances were beyond redemption. The language was simply too much. Moreover, Lizzy and Darcy were rendered one-dimensional and absolutely boring. I couldn't have been more disappointed. I DO NOT recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: ExcessivelyDiverted: The Sequel to Jane Austen's Pride and
Review: I loved this book!!! The characters have the same personalties and energy. From begining to end I enjoyed this book. It is the best sequel the Jane Austen's book. I loved the warm interaction between Mr. and Mrs Darcy. The ending left me very satisfied and happy. I recommend this book to anyone that enjoyed Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.
Rating:
Summary: Excessively poorly edited
Review: I loved this book, and thought that it was very true to the feel of Jane Austen's novel. Other reviewers have made comments about poor grammar, all I can say is that I was so absorbed in the novel that I didn't even notice. The world of the Darcy's was enriched by this novel. If you love P&P the way I do read this book. I have read a few of the other sequels and so far this is the best one out there!
Rating:
Summary: A Great Read
Review: I loved this book, and thought that it was very true to the feel of Jane Austen's novel. Other reviewers have made comments about poor grammar, all I can say is that I was so absorbed in the novel that I didn't even notice. The world of the Darcy's was enriched by this novel. If you love P&P the way I do read this book. I have read a few of the other sequels and so far this is the best one out there!
Rating:
Summary: Are the Shades of Pemberley to be Thus Polluted?
Review: I purchased this book because I found the title to be amusing... and then quickly relearned that old adage about not judging a book by its cover. There is little of interest in the plot line of this book, and the characters, new and old, show little life. Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy in no way leap from the page as they did in Austen's work. The true complexities of their characters are completely missing from this work. Elizabeth in particular becomes so acquiescent to Mr. Darcy toward the middle of the book that one almost wonders if he didn't make a mistake and marry Jane instead. There is little of the spirited Elizabeth to whom we are accustomed, save for a few brief narrative statements that she is playful. Plus, it is difficult to believe that Elizabeth would be driven to tears quite as much as she is in this book. One would assume that the author intends us to believe that Elizabeth's state of pregnancy that is almost constant in this book would lead to this great change in character, but I think that most fans of Austen would hope that the strong Elizabeth would never be reduced to the weaknesses she exhibits here. I was disgusted with her character in this book. Furthermore, there are actions in this book which are highly improbable. The most troubling is the major plot point of Mr. Darcy actually agreeing to take the detested Wickham's newborn child in as his own seemingly to satisfy a wish of Mrs. Bennet. As if that weren't difficult enough to believe, the author asks us to suspend disbelief long enough so that Mr. Darcy actually refuses to let Elizabeth tell him which child is his own heir and which is Wickham's! The good judgment which Mr. Darcy prides himself upon has apparently flown out the door in this book. Save yourself the time and money, and don't purchase this book if you at all value the characterization found in the original. This book will leave you most seriously displeased.
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