(And I've just today received my very first royalty check ever. Not quite enough to travel to England yet. We may just make Tampa - but its a ROYALTY CHECK! Unbelievable. Thank you, Lord - Karen)
Trees and Ink
Darcy and Fitzwilliam: Jane Austen’s Men
28Sep
Jane Austen’s memorable characters have been captivating readers for generations, and none are as endearing as Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy and Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Fans of Austen’s work have continued her stories where she left off, allowing the beloved characters to explore marriage, parenthood, and a variety of other friendships. I’ve never read any books based on Austen’s work, but this one stood out as interesting for one reason: it tells the story from the men’s perspective.
Darcy, a gentleman and the husband of one of literature’s most beloved characters, Elizabeth Bennet, and Fitzwilliam, a leader in the British army, are cousins that are as close as brothers. Over the course of the book, they see one another through troubles with marriage, women, family, and their children. A pair that truly grows together, loyally experiencing life’s ups and downs by each other’s side, Darcy and Fitzwilliam follow their hearts and take on the aftermath that high London society throws at them when they make less than popular choices.
Title and Cover: The title is perfect, but the cover is what really caught my attention. A beautiful cover, it was designed by Karen Horton and is well thought out from every angle.
Plot and Writing: Karen Wasylowski has done a terrific job of pulling a plot together that perfectly weaves the right amount of details from Pride and Prejudice into the story. I was fascinated by the perspective, as Austen hardly ever reveals what the men are thinking, and loved the banter between Fitzwilliam and Darcy. Certainly, the camaraderie and love between these two characters is clear and, more importantly, believeable.
The storyline is easy to follow without being boring or predictable, but I was a bit disappointed in the ending. Wasylowski decided to end the story many, many years later, when Darcy and Fitzwilliam are grandfathers. This limits her ability to continue the story she has started, and I for one would have definitely picked up a second book.
Characterization: The development of Darcy and Fitzwilliam is wonderful, and Wasylowski is able to transform them from their supporting roles to stand alone characters that are strong enough to carry the weight of the plot on their shoulders.
The characterization of Elizabeth, on the other hand, is a little disappointing. I know that, being such an iconic character, no author is going to be capable of creating an Elizabeth that appeals to everyone. Each reader has their own way of viewing her, and the fact that she means something to so many people is a mark of Austen’s success; however, Wasylowski has created several scenes in which Elizabeth appears too dependent, almost too feminine (though she certainly is feminine, in her own way). I had hoped that her strong personality would remain intact, but there are several instances in which I felt she would have confronted her husband but didn’t.
Elizabeth’s characterization does not ruin the story by any means. At the heart of the plot is the relationship between Darcy and Fitzwilliam, and this is a relationship that is developed beautifully. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that loves Austen’s characters and is interested in seeing what the men have to say about the dances, the courtships, and the women who run London’s society.
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1 comment:
Congratulations Karen! Great review!
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