Rating: 
Summary: I liked it
Review: Okay, nobody is going to write Jane Austen like Jane Austen. Julia Barrett doesn't. But, having done her research and obviously loved her characters in the original novel as much as her audience did, she gives it a decent try, and what results is a thoroughly entertaining novel.
Georgiana's story is well told, and there is plenty from the other characters: Mrs Bennett is hideous as ever, Lizzie and Jane continue well, Lady Catherine is on form. The new characters fit in well too - there are the balls, the intrigues, the obligatory rake, and a fair dose of irony. The ending is only as abrupt as its predecessors (let's be fair, Austen couldn't do proposals), and everyone is nicely dispatched of in the end.
The only energy missing from Ms Barrett's novel is that of the Austen men: Mr Bennett is hardly allowed to surface, and Mr Collins, Bingley and Darcy have all lost a bit of colour.
Nevertheless, it's a quick read and an enjoyable one.
Rating:
Summary: It wasn't THAT bad..........
Review: ...even if it wasn't all that good either. Let's face it, folks, the book doesn't pretend to be Jane Austen. It's called an "entertainment". That's all it is, no more, no less. The fact that it's second-rate entertainment is neither here nor there. Some people take this book far too seriously. Lighten up. The focus in "Presumption" is on Georgiana Darcy, the younger sister of the hero of "Pride and Prejudice". Some readers were upset that the focus wasn't on Darcy himself and Elizabeth. But we know at the end of "P&P" that those two were married and lived happily ever after, and what else is there to be said about people who live happily ever after? So a new focus is needed, and Barrett chooses Georgiana Darcy, not a bad choice at all when you come to think about it, because all we knew about her from "P&P" is that she was very young, innocent, almost made a disastrous elopement with the detestable Wickham and came to her senses in time, and was devoted to her brother and Elizabeth. Julia Barrett (actually a trio of three different writers each trying to write like Austen and not succeeding very well) needs to marry Georgiana off, so two prospects are introduced: James Leigh-Cooper, an up-and-coming young architect to the aristocracy, and Captain Thomas Heywood, a dashing, handsome army officer distantly related to Darcy's noxious aunt Lady Catherine DeBourgh. Lady Catherine, blinded by Captain Heywood's good looks and charm, wants to marry him off to her daughter Anne, since she thinks that being related to the DeBourghs, he must be rich like they are. Boy oh boy, is she about to be disillusioned. Seems Captain Heywood, who doesn't have a shilling to his name, has leagued with the loathsome Wickham in a dastardly plot to frame an honest woman for shoplifting and blackmail her to get rich. Of course the poor victim has to be nobody else but Mrs. Phillips of Meryton, Elizabeth's airhead aunt. While Darcy goes off to London to help untangle the mess with the assistance of Elizabeth's uncle Gardiner, Leigh-Cooper is trying to make Georgiana fall in love with him but she has a crush on Captain Heywood who is trying to hook either Anne DeBourgh or Caroline Bingley, 24 and still unwed, and the whole thing gets terribly complicated. Meanwhile, Kitty Bennett is off visiting Charlotte Collins at Hunsford, where she manages to captivate Mr. Collins' new curate, Samuel Beasley, while right across the road, Captain Heywood is busy at Rosings charming Anne DeBourgh. Lady Catherine loathes all Bennets on principle with a purple passion and tries to talk (or bully) Mr. Beasley out of this attachment, but she's bitten off more than she can chew here, and fortunately for Kitty and Mr. Beasley, Lady Catherine has more important fish to fry, as she discovers Captain Heywood is poorer than the proverbial church mouse for all his looks and charm, and gives him an unceremonious heave-ho from her premises. So Captain Heywood salvages what he can and elopes with Caroline Bingley, rescuing her from incipient old-maidhood while making himself considerably richer off her inheritance. Of course everything gets untangled in the end, Georgiana finds and marries her true love, Wickham's dastardly plot is discovered in time, Jane and Bingley and their baby daughter Eliza are happily settled in their new estate within hallooing distance of Pemberley, Darcy and Elizabeth are still living happily ever after with their new son, Kitty becomes Mrs. Beasley in spite of the howls of protest from Lady Catherine, and Lady C. herself still has her unmarried Anne on her hands. Just what we expected. No, it's not very profound, and whatever the writer(s) intended, it is not, and never will be, Austen; but it's a fun way to spend a rainy afternoon. Just don't expect too much from it.
Rating: 
Summary: I am too harsh.
Review: It is not so much that I did not think the plot plausable, but the characterizations are untrue to the original book. I feel not enough time and care was taken to move the plot within the parameters of the characters as set by JA. Miss Darcy, although entertaining, becomes a pale shade of Elizabeth Bennett. Lady Catherine becomes flaccidly comic (has she become a vicar or even transposed with Mr Collins?) It pains me also to see the most interesting and engaging characters of Elizabeth and Darcy pushed so far into the background. I also take issue with the use of Lizzy and Fitzwilliam as the familiar names the couple uses when refering to each other. I am almost certain that Elizabeth would always be Elizabeth in Darcy's eyes and that none of the characters in P&P would have used anything but Darcy's surname. All of this censure aside, it was a good attempt. I thought the phrasing and meter of the work to pay homage to Austen. I also admire the care taken in research of the subject matter and time period. I would recommend this book as what it is aptly titled ":An Entertainment".
Rating: 
Summary: Continues the Jane Austin style of writing
Review: Having been gullible enough to purchase and read the sequels to Rebecca and Gone With the Wind, I was VERY hesitant to invest any time or money in yet another poor imitation and sad continuation of a most beloved book. But I just couldn't get enough of Pride and Prejudice or any of the Jane Austin novels, and HAD to have one more. (I was tempted to write it myself if necessary.) Thankfully, I found Presumption. I expected this novel to focus almost entirely on Elizabeth's life at Pemberley. I mean who can deny that they wanted to know what happened after the dramatic courtship and satisfying wedding of Darcy and Elizabeth? But I was pleasently surprised when Julia Barret (actually two authors collaborating) primarily set her focus on Georgianna Darcy. Barret presents a very plausible (a must in a sequel), interesting, and fun-to-read story surrounding Georgianna's marriage prospects. She throws in some very amusing portraits of the delightfully "wicked Wickham" (as I like to think of him) and Lydia. We even get to fnd out what happens to Bingley's unmarried sister (a just result, rest assured) and other minor characters. It's lots of fun, if you were, like me, disappointed that Pride and Prejudice wasn't longer. I was especially pleased with Barret's phrasing and language. As you know, Austin was a bit sparse in her descriptions and explanations. But Barret emulates Austin's style well. We learn about the characters more from their conversations and actions rather than lengthy descriptions of their feelings or appearances. If you ever wished for one more Jane Austin novel, I really do recommend this book. And, if you haven't yet read Pride and Prejudice, I think you might still enjoy this book.
Rating:
Summary: Only if you're desperate for more...
Review: I have read all three of Julia Barrett's attempts to complete or add to Jane Austen's work and I find they share common faults of language, pace, characterization and plot development. There are also a number of egregious inconsistencies with both Jane Austen's original intentions and historic accuracy. While I welcome "more" Jane Austen at any time, and have read some wonderful completions of The Watsons and Sanditon, I was very disappointed in how Ms. Barrett executed what could have been a delightful sequel to Pride and Prejudice. I liked the basic direction of the plot - Georgiana's maturation and decisions about love and marriage are a wonderful parallel to Elizabeth's own process in the original book and the contrast with Georgiana's own past folly is an inspired source of development. Unfortunately, the overblown attempt at Austenese, the confusion of subplots, and the inclusion of extraneous characters takes so much away from the heart of the storyline that I ended up very disappointed. Of the three Barrett/Austen collaborations, I liked Third Sister the best, but I wouldn't highly recommend any of them.
Rating:
Summary: It wasn't THAT bad..........
Review: ...even if it wasn't all that good either. Let's face it, folks, the book doesn't pretend to be Jane Austen. It's called an "entertainment". That's all it is, no more, no less. The fact that it's second-rate entertainment is neither here nor there. Some people take this book far too seriously. Lighten up. The focus in "Presumption" is on Georgiana Darcy, the younger sister of the hero of "Pride and Prejudice". Some readers were upset that the focus wasn't on Darcy himself and Elizabeth. But we know at the end of "P&P" that those two were married and lived happily ever after, and what else is there to be said about people who live happily ever after? So a new focus is needed, and Barrett chooses Georgiana Darcy, not a bad choice at all when you come to think about it, because all we knew about her from "P&P" is that she was very young, innocent, almost made a disastrous elopement with the detestable Wickham and came to her senses in time, and was devoted to her brother and Elizabeth. Julia Barrett (actually a trio of three different writers each trying to write like Austen and not succeeding very well) needs to marry Georgiana off, so two prospects are introduced: James Leigh-Cooper, an up-and-coming young architect to the aristocracy, and Captain Thomas Heywood, a dashing, handsome army officer distantly related to Darcy's noxious aunt Lady Catherine DeBourgh. Lady Catherine, blinded by Captain Heywood's good looks and charm, wants to marry him off to her daughter Anne, since she thinks that being related to the DeBourghs, he must be rich like they are. Boy oh boy, is she about to be disillusioned. Seems Captain Heywood, who doesn't have a shilling to his name, has leagued with the loathsome Wickham in a dastardly plot to frame an honest woman for shoplifting and blackmail her to get rich. Of course the poor victim has to be nobody else but Mrs. Phillips of Meryton, Elizabeth's airhead aunt. While Darcy goes off to London to help untangle the mess with the assistance of Elizabeth's uncle Gardiner, Leigh-Cooper is trying to make Georgiana fall in love with him but she has a crush on Captain Heywood who is trying to hook either Anne DeBourgh or Caroline Bingley, 24 and still unwed, and the whole thing gets terribly complicated. Meanwhile, Kitty Bennett is off visiting Charlotte Collins at Hunsford, where she manages to captivate Mr. Collins' new curate, Samuel Beasley, while right across the road, Captain Heywood is busy at Rosings charming Anne DeBourgh. Lady Catherine loathes all Bennets on principle with a purple passion and tries to talk (or bully) Mr. Beasley out of this attachment, but she's bitten off more than she can chew here, and fortunately for Kitty and Mr. Beasley, Lady Catherine has more important fish to fry, as she discovers Captain Heywood is poorer than the proverbial church mouse for all his looks and charm, and gives him an unceremonious heave-ho from her premises. So Captain Heywood salvages what he can and elopes with Caroline Bingley, rescuing her from incipient old-maidhood while making himself considerably richer off her inheritance. Of course everything gets untangled in the end, Georgiana finds and marries her true love, Wickham's dastardly plot is discovered in time, Jane and Bingley and their baby daughter Eliza are happily settled in their new estate within hallooing distance of Pemberley, Darcy and Elizabeth are still living happily ever after with their new son, Kitty becomes Mrs. Beasley in spite of the howls of protest from Lady Catherine, and Lady C. herself still has her unmarried Anne on her hands. Just what we expected. No, it's not very profound, and whatever the writer(s) intended, it is not, and never will be, Austen; but it's a fun way to spend a rainy afternoon. Just don't expect too much from it.
Rating: 
Summary: Not for anyone who loves P&P
Review: This book is really not worth reading if you like Jane Austin. I agree with the editorial reviewer who said that it is a restatement of the P&P plot with different characters. What fan of P&P would believe what the authors tell us happens to Caroline Bingley and Mary Bennet? Both were totally out of JA's character creation. It just doesn't make sense. I love the idea of a sequal to P&P because I want to know more and more about the characters, especially Georgiana, but this was not even close to what would have happened had JA written it.
Rating:
Summary: Pretty Bad
Review: I am quite a Jane Austen fan and have enjoyed a few of the attempts made by modern authors to finish her uncompleted novels; but I really don't have one good thing to say about this book. It's a mess. Don't waste your money or your time. If you want a really great completion of one of Austen's novels that captures her wit and style, try to find The Watsons, by John Coates (1958). It is hard to find, but worth the search.
Rating:
Summary: Worse Than Mills and Boom
Review: Even though this was Georgiana's story, more could have been achieved if the plot was thoroughly researched. The best thing I did was not to purchase this book. It was BAD, VERY BAD. I am not sure what the author was thinking when she wrote this book, but I have to ask myself, did she plan her story before, or did she just sat at the computer and started typing. There are no connections between the people in the book. For example, Darcy and Elizabeth's relationship from P&P did not develop any further, and as for communication between them, it was practically non-existent. If the author had developed the relationship between D&E more, thus using this as an example in helping Georgiana to have some kind of foundation to work on. Reading the reviews, I asked myself, did we all read the same book, but I guess everyone's interpretation is different. I was so glad that I did not go with the majority. I had a couple of hours to spare and used that time in Borders to read the book, thus saving myself MONEY, even though my time could have been better spent. If I had purchased this book, I surely would have returned it very next day. As for the author writing like Jane Austen, that's an INSULT. This book is worse than a Mills and Boom: "DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY," get it at a yard sale or second hand book store if you are desperate. I would have given this book a zero, if there was a rating for it, unfortunately there wasn't one.
Rating:
Summary: NOTHING LIKE JANE AUSTEN!!!!!!!!!
Review: This book is nothing like that of Jane Autens. I was sadly disapointed in finding that the ending was rushed and that the book was not focused on the main plot (in fact most of the book is focused on the side plots or some tiny detail that was not at all important to the book) The main character was not really the "main character" because the author wrote about what many of the other characters (less important) were thinking and feeling. It also felt like the author was as dull in reading it as I was, for she rushed the ending and seemed like she was glad to have finished the book. She should have left it alone and let Pride and Prejudice rest with the happy thoughts of all faithful Jane Austen fans. I strongly sugest that you do not get this book!!!!
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