Romance

Mr. Darcy, Vampyre

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Mr. Darcy, Vampyre

Mr. Darcy, Vampyre

Mr. Darcy, Vampyre

By Amanda Grange

Sourcebooks, Inc.

ISBN: 9781402236976

4 stars

The story begins on Elizabeth and Darcy’s wedding day. The Bennett house is in full celebration with the marriage of both Elizabeth and Jane on the same day. Elizabeth believes this to be the happiest day of her life and cannot wait to become Darcy’s wife.

After a short ceremony and celebration, they leave for the Lake Region on their honeymoon tour but as soon as the carriage leaves, Darcy announces they area going to Europe instead. He makes a few arrangements, and before Elizabeth can utter a word or question, she finds herself in Dover awaiting a boat to France.

In France, Darcy introduces Elizabeth to family and friends — some she finds friendly, others she finds off-putting for a reason she cannot understand. She is overwhelmed but is happy to just be with Darcy. Shortly after arriving in France, he announces they will be going to visit his uncle who lives in the Alps. The journey to his uncle’s is difficult and she finds herself scared frequently by wolves and stories from the locals. Darcy reassures her that all will be fine and once again she finds herself calmed by his words.

At Darcy’s uncle’s castle, she is introduced to many new family members and acquaintances. Elizabeth is unsettled by comments and customs but does her best to make an outward show of happiness for Darcy. Their stay is cut short by a revolt from the villagers but Darcy and Elizabeth are able to escape without harm and find shelter in an old hunting lodge of Darcy’s. He decides they will head to Venice, Italy for safety’s sake and they are off again. Upon their arrival, Elizabeth is transfixed by the city and its inhabitants. It is also were she begins to question some of the strange things going on with Darcy and their relationship.

After a near abduction and narrow escape from which Darcy rescues her, she asks many questions and finds she doesn’t like any of the answers. Fortunately, a friend of Darcy’s may have the cure they both seek.

Mr. Darcy, Vampyre is an interesting re-imagining of these characters. Grange is able to fully en robe herself in Darcy and his brooding thoughts making the character very believable. He is just as dark, daring, and confusing and in some ways even more intriguing because of his dangerous secret. The love between Elizabeth and Darcy is strong and you find yourself hoping she is still willing to accept him after his secret revealed.

One small thing that did bother me — Elizabeth does not pickup on any of the clues. Reflections that don’t appear, no mirrors, wolves, Darcy mysteriously missing always at sunset and sunrise, an inordinate amount of bats. I always thought of Elizabeth as witty and smart and was a bit disappointed she didn’t question Darcy earlier, but then again, she is a new bride wanting to be with her new husband and willing to forgo a few mishaps after what they had already been through. I guess in the end I am willing to forgive that.

Pride & Prejudice & Zombies

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Pride & Prejudice & Zombies

Pride & Prejudice & Zombies

Pride & Prejudice & Zombies

By Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith

Quirk Books

ISBN: 978-1-59474-334-4

5 stars

I will start this off by saying that Pride & Prejudice is one of my favorite books so I felt a bit predisposed to liking this book even before I finished the first page. Really, who cannot love a brooding Darcy who slays zombies while trying to court Elizabeth Bennett in his rather unorthodox way?

The book follows along the same lines as the original with a few new details regarding swords, training, and the newly minted dead.

It all begins with a new arrival in Netherfield Park. The Bennett’s are, needless to say, very interested in the newcomers as they don’t see many in the county and, well, with all the zombies running about, people have cut back on their travel. Of course the proper introductions are made and Mrs. Bennett, in a conniving move to get her daughter Jane close to the newly arrived and very much single, Mr. Bingley, she sends her to pay a visit. Jane gets caught in the rain and becomes sick necessitating a stay at the house. Elizabeth, fearing the worst for her sister, trudges over fighting zombies and inclement weather to see her. She gets her first real look at Darcy during this visit and finds him abhorrent.

Days and weeks follow, balls come and go, visits are paid, trips made and Darcy keeps falling further down on Elizabeth’s likability scale. She must admit his skill for killing the reanimated is legendary but she cannot bring herself to like him. Unfortunately for Elizabeth, she does have to spend time in his circle of friends and acquaintances, making life annoying for her, at least as far as he is concerned.

It is only after she finds out he has helped immensely with a great family mishap and possible embarrassment that her opinion of Darcy changes. However, after having already vehemently denied his proposal of marriage, Elizabeth is not sure anything would still be possible between them.

As Austen fans know, there is much more to this story that I am providing here. It is certainly more than a boy meets girl love story and one that keeps readers engaged to the very end with some amazing characters. It’s witty, smart, and endearing. Each time I finish the book I can’t wait to read it again. I have to admit that Pride & Prejudice & Zombies may be have made it onto my must re-read list of favorites.

Why? It’s fun. I adore the original for the wonderful love story that it is and the new one brings freshness (with the exception of the addition of zombies and rotting corpses) to the story. It’s an amusing take on a classic. I found the blood and gore talk nominal, (although you are talking about zombies here so beheadings are to be expected) but there is a lot of talk about vomit that I could have done without, but all in all, a good read. And for those strident fans of the original, Darcy is still proud and Elizabeth is still prejudice.

Sense & Sensibility

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Sense & Sensibility

Sense & Sensibility

Sense & Sensibility

By Jane Austen

The Modern Library

ISBN: 0-679-60195-3

5 stars

I thought I would start off with an old favorite — Sense & Sensibility.

Jane Austen wrote two of my favorite books — Sense & Sensibility and Pride & Prejudice. Each time I re-read them, (yes, I am a serial re-reader) I am overcome by the amount of emotion she can fit on a page.  Sense & Sensibility ranks right up there for me with the best of the tearjerkers.

Elinor and Marianne Dashwood are incredibly close sisters but could not be more different. Elinor is strong and reserved, Marianne is emotional and prone to outbursts on any opinion she might have. They are opposites in many ways with the exception of their love lives which can be described as nothing more than shambles. Elinor is in love with Edward and she feels, and her family is assured, that she will someday be his wife. Marianne falls for a man named Willoughby . He is dashing, daring, and falls amicably in love with Marianne soon after their first ill-fated meeting. Her happiness is not meant to last and, after leading her on, he leaves her with no warning.

When an opportunity arises for the sisters to be in London, Marianne readily agrees much against the more strident arguments of Elinor to stay at the cottage with their mother. It is in London that Willoughby is sited and Marianne’s hopes rise only to be completely dashed when it is rumored that he is to marry someone very rich, something Marianne is not and has no hope to ever be. The death of their father and the miserly ways of their half brother, John, have left the Dashwood women rather less endowed.

While in London, Marianne goes into a stupor on finding out about Willoughby and Elinor does her best to care for her. Unbeknownst to Marianne, Elinor is experiencing much the same torment — she has heard from an acquaintance, Lucy Steele, that Edward is engaged. In fact, he is engaged to Lucy and Elinor is forced to listen to her drivel about their difficulties in not being able to express their love openly and to marry. Elinor is strong under the strain but somehow, while reading, you just wish she would sit and give in to her emotion but she doesn’t. That is the beauty in reading Austen, she pulls at the heartstrings but her characters can take it.

An illness strands Elinor and Marianne on their way home but thanks to the help, and love, of a family friend, they are reunited with their mother and return home where each has time to recover from their love ordeals. After a few weeks, Elinor is surprised by Edward and an offer of marriage she had convinced herself was impossible and Marianne finds happiness in love in the place she least expected.

The one thing I adore about the Austen novels I have read are the characters and this book does not fall short. The Dashwoods’ sister-in-law, Mrs. John Dashwood (Fanny) is probably one of the most conniving and annoying characters in the book. Her cheap nature, mean spiritedness, and jealously for the sisters is appropriately aggravating. In one scene, she complains about having to give away the good china when she of all people is forcing the Dashwoods from their beloved home now that her husband has inherited it upon of the death of his father. She plays a very small part but is unforgettable for me and one character I cannot stand to come across. She is so conniving she is wonderful and makes you want to hate all sister-in-laws even if you love you own.

Why do I re-read this book over and over? Each time I find something new to love. I feel more and more each time for Marianne and the deep depression she falls into over losing Willoughby and what she thought, and was led to believe, would happen between them. Willoughby becomes more and more of a rascal, to use a proper Austen term, and so viciously cruel that Marianne’s torment becomes even greater. And dear Elinor, the strong sister who seems capable of running the world if given the chance with her calm and cool demeanor, to suffer so in silence almost to the end is just heart wrenching. When the happy ending arrives you almost want to celebrate and cry along with the characters.