Rating: Summary: Mixed...Take it with a grain of salt Review: Overall, I enjoyed "Mr. Darcy's Daughters" when I was able to let go of my emotional attachment to "Pride and Prejudice." The story was a fun read and entertaining, but there is the inherent frustration of reading a book inspired by a classic novel. Most frustrating was the handling of Colonial Fitzwilliam and the Gardiners whose presence in the book is so prominent, I felt their characters should have more closely resembled Jane Austen's creation. Instead, in reading, it felt as though they were invented characters since they bore no likeness to the originals. Because of this, I was glad that Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth had no role in the book except for being mentioned now and then.I appreciate that Elizabeth Aston stayed true to her own style of writing, however, the lack of formalities between the characters in terms of how they addressed one another or referred to other people really irked me and made the story a bit too modern. In agreement with some of the other reviewers, it seemed highly unlikely that the Darcy and Elizabeth would have raised daughters that were silly and frivolous as the twins and santamonious as Letty. The Darcy sisters completely mimicked the Bennett sisters, save there was no Jane and two Lydias. The plot too was strongly parallel to Pride and Prejudice, which some readers might enjoy and some might not. I both enjoyed it and was irked by it at times. In true Austen-style, Caroline Bingly, now Lady Warren and Lydia make their appearances and remain true to character, refreshing to read after the treatment of Fitzwilliam and the Gardiners. All in all, of books inspired by great works of literature, this was a pretty enjoyable, fun read. I would recommend it to people who can make allowances and remember that this was not written by Jane Austen but by someone who admired her enough to provide other Austen fans a version as to what happens twenty years later.
Rating: Summary: WHAT A JOY! Review: Mr Darcy's Daughters is one of those books you lose yourself in. I couldn't wait to get back to it when work was over, and be transported back to Regency London and I love the way the author portrays the period with its manners and speech and outlook. I'm a keen Jane Austen fan, and I specially like the way this writer captures the flavour of Austen's world without pretending to write just like her. The author has her own voice and style, with lots of witty scenes, and the story sweeps you along at a terrific pace. It's great to have Pride and Prejudice there in the background, and to meet one or two of the characters from the novel, only twenty years on, but you could enjoy this book even if you hadn't read P & P. I also liked the fact that the book faces up to how narrow life could be for an intelligent young woman at that time, and found myself cheering Camilla Darcy's efforts to lead a less constricting life. Oh, and apart from a heap of lively/interesting/funny/wicked characters, there's a really romantic hero, just to make it a perfect curl-up-and-enjoy read.
Rating: Summary: Camilla, Letitia, Belle, Georgina and Alethea Review: I think this books fails in many ways, notably that is has none of Jane Austen's charm or humor and is far too focused on society's views of the Darcy daughters. In Austen we see catty women (Miss Bingley in Pride & Predjudice) and gossips (Mrs. Jennings in Sense & Sensibility), but it seems that in Elizabeth Aston's version of what might happen after the action in P&P ends is solely based upon what others will think of the five young women in the story. Elizabeth and Jane Bennett are aware of society's demands in P&P, but do not base their own happiness on the fickle nature of gossip and "tongues wagging." Another issue with this book is the poor character development. Jane Austen could describe a character fully in less than two lines of prose, whereas I never got a strong sense of most of the male characters Aston's book. Letitia also confused me, as her characteristics shifted many times throughout the novel, and not in a developmental way, more of a careless, throw-together hodge-podge. A weak book, easily forgotten. Enjoy Austen's original and leave the sequel in your mind.
Rating: Summary: Mixed...Take it with a grain of salt Review: Overall, I enjoyed "Mr. Darcy's Daughters" when I was able to let go of my emotional attachment to "Pride and Prejudice." The story was a fun read and entertaining, but there is the inherent frustration of reading a book inspired by a classic novel. Most frustrating was the handling of Colonial Fitzwilliam and the Gardiners whose presence in the book is so prominent, I felt their characters should have more closely resembled Jane Austen's creation. Instead, in reading, it felt as though they were invented characters since they bore no likeness to the originals. Because of this, I was glad that Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth had no role in the book except for being mentioned now and then. I appreciate that Elizabeth Aston stayed true to her own style of writing, however, the lack of formalities between the characters in terms of how they addressed one another or referred to other people really irked me and made the story a bit too modern. In agreement with some of the other reviewers, it seemed highly unlikely that the Darcy and Elizabeth would have raised daughters that were silly and frivolous as the twins and santamonious as Letty. The Darcy sisters completely mimicked the Bennett sisters, save there was no Jane and two Lydias. The plot too was strongly parallel to Pride and Prejudice, which some readers might enjoy and some might not. I both enjoyed it and was irked by it at times. In true Austen-style, Caroline Bingly, now Lady Warren and Lydia make their appearances and remain true to character, refreshing to read after the treatment of Fitzwilliam and the Gardiners. All in all, of books inspired by great works of literature, this was a pretty enjoyable, fun read. I would recommend it to people who can make allowances and remember that this was not written by Jane Austen but by someone who admired her enough to provide other Austen fans a version as to what happens twenty years later.
Rating: Summary: A failed carbon copy of the original Review: I started reading Mr. Darcy's Daughters with optimism, I could tell Ashton was a seasoned writer who expertly described characters and the feel of London society at that time. Halfway through it I saw a failed attempt to re-do the original storyline of Pride and Prejudice. The author should have been more original in taking on the creation of the Darcy daughters. It became silly and contrived with plots that had no build up to make them believable. Such as the youngest daughter's male cross-dressing and one of the twins running off with an older already married man to Paris and taking one of the sisters along as a french interpreter? I will stick to Linda Berdoll; an author who decided to take an original and daring path of the Pride and Prejudice sequel, instead of trying to mimic Austen. I suggest you skip this one if you're looking to be dazzled.
Rating: Summary: Sequel Sinks Below Belief Review: "Mr.Darcy's Daughters was too predictable, nothing more than the ordinary love story. The plot had a great likeness to Jane Austen's classic novel. The main characters were too much like their mother or aunts. The second daughter is still "daddy's favorite", and the youngest daughters are pretty, but total flirts. The only changes were obvious, minor one. For example, there's no Jane, but another Lydia. The thought of the twins being so self absorbed makes me angry, because it betrays the portrayal of the parents, that Jane Austen created. This novel is you basic, predictable love story. I know these are harsh words coming for a twelve year-old, but I know what I'm talking about. i also know some will agree or disagree with, but this is my honest opinion. The only good word I have for this book, is that it sticks to the basics of most nineteenth-century novles, money, marriage, and reputations. So, if you're looking for a good sequel to "Pride and Prejudice", look elsewhere. But if you're looking for something to waste your time, this is the book for you!
Rating: Summary: Didn't much care for it.... Review: By the time I reached the middle of the book, I still didn't really care about the characters. I love Jane Austen, and this really is nothing like her writing. When the story starts, you think Leticia and Camilla, the two oldest, will be sort of a "Jane and Lizzy" team, but you get the feeling the author didn't really know what to do with Leticia, and she keeps becoming more and more unsympathetic, and is really never redeemed as a character. The book has none of the relational tension that makes the Austen books so good. Virtually all the characters are one dimensional, only Camilla is given any sort of decent treatment. I hope there is no sequel ......
Rating: Summary: Delightful Review: While Mr Darcy's Daughters is not a classic in the Jane Austin tradition, it is a witty and well paced novel in it's own right. If your looking for a classic Austin read Austin. If your looking for a delightful lighthearted book that is well written and well paced than Mr. Darcy's Daughters is for you. No it's not Austin but it is not suppost to be. It is a wonderful book by a talented author who has great promise and should be judged on her own merit. Read Mr. Darcy's daughters because it is a good novel, don't read it because you want to climb into the pages of a Jane Auston novel. Auston is gone, few if any can match her talent, but Ms. Aston gives it a damn good shot.
Rating: Summary: Mr. Darcy's Daughters? I think not. Review: Considering that neither Darcy ("As a child I was taught what was right;but I was not taught to correct my temper.") nor Elizabeth([Mr. Bennet's] "talents which, rightly used, might at least have preserved the respectability of his daughters..") thought their parents perfect, I would think that they would have made some effort in raising their daughters. Instead, they leave the girls in London (was there no one to stand as guardian/companion and live temporarily at magnificent Pemberley?!) while they are away for almost a year in Constantinople. Given Miss Darcy and Lydia's experiences with Wickham, I seriously doubt if Austen's Lizzy and Darcy would do such a thing. I barely recognized Col. Fitzwilliam and Mrs. Gardiner. In a way I'm glad Lizzy and Darcy were away, I'd rather not find out how the author will treat them. These girls bear little resemblance to their parents. There was no effort to imitate Regency English which was fine with me, but I thought the characters addressed each other too informally at times. This may be a good read for some, but not my first choice for a good Pride and Prejudice sequel.
Rating: Summary: Not convincing enough Review: First of all, I think the story would have been more entertaining if Elizabeth and Darcy had been around instead of mysteriously taking a trip for almost more than a year. Who does that, and leaves five young daughters in someone else's care? And Elizabeth, for all the sense she possessed, cannot be thought of as having 3 very stupid daughters. Only Camilla and Alethea were the saving graces of this novel. Ditto for Mrs. Gardiner who was portrayed to be Elizabeth's favorite aunt, having a dumb daughter like Sophie. I have never understood how with being under one roof and one set of parents, 3 girls were never corrected and let to go as they pleased. All in all, it did not come across as an accurate portrayal, and did not leave me satisfied with the ending.
|