Pemberley Manor: Darcy and Elizabeth, for Better or for Worse

I have read at least 10 P & P sequels/what-ifs and this one was nearly perfect to me. Very much written in the Jane Austen style. NO R-rated sex scenes(thank-you!) and the passion was there anyway. This Darcy seemed most like I would expect him to be. Darcy's struggles made me cry, Lizzie's wit made me laugh out loud. I will be trading in many of the P & P books I have purchased but this one is a KEEPER!

I've lost count on the number of P & P sequels, P & P from Darcy's POV, and P & P variations I've read. Suffice it to say it's more than I should own up to. Pemberley Manor is the best sequel I've read so far. The author constructed a family backstory that explained Darcy's manner and then constructed a totally believable and well-written story to fit it. If you like P & P sequels, and I can understand a lot of reasons not to, this one should be close to the top of your reading list. Speaking for myself, I'm fonder of the Darcy POV and variation sub-genres, but I'm glad I took the time to read this excellent sequel.

Calling all Jane Austen fans! Read all about the first year of married life for the beloved characters Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett. Just when you thought their story ended and they lived happily ever after, a novel comes along to show you that relationships take work. Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth Darcy are no exception. If you liked Pride and Prejudice, you'll enjoy Pemberley Manor by Kathryn L. Nelson as much as I did. The story begins on the wedding day of Mr. Darcy and Lizzy Bennett. Trouble ensues when some rather "high and mighty" guests make casual, but insensitive comments about the happy couple. Unexpected turns and misunderstandings plague the wedding night, and a year of ups and downs visits the newlyweds. The novel's rich dialogue and masterful descriptions make Pemberley Manor a delightful read. Unexpected transformations will cause the reader to smile with joy. Readers will also be happy to run into old friends - Charles and Jane Bingley and Georgiana Darcy - and meet new ones - the Alexander family and Mr. Trevor Handley. However, ghosts of the past, as well as the meddling ways of the Hursts and Miss Caroline Bingley, will haunt the Pemberley household. A grave mistake of pride will also threaten to destroy the Darcy's young love. After reading various novels where writers tried to give us a glimpse of what Mr. and Mrs. Darcy's life might be like after Pride and Prejudice, I discovered none have been so wonderfully told as Kathryn L. Nelson's Pemberley Manor.

First Line: Of all the guests at Meryton Church that morning, one pretty young woman glowed with unadulterated pride as she watched the proceedings. Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite books. One of those desert island books, if I were the type of person who'd want to spend my time on the island re-reading books. Usually when a book has entered my "pantheon", I stay away from copycats. They usually disappoint, and I don't like putting dings in my plaster walls. (It's an old house, and I don't like to patch plaster.) I did make one very pleasurable exception to my rule: I read Pamela Aidan's Pride and Prejudice trilogy written from Darcy's point of view. I thought they were excellent. So...when I was given the chance to read Pemberley Manor, I decided to take a chance. I'm glad I did. Nelson begins her novel with the marriage of Jane and Elizabeth to Charles Bingley and Fitzwilliam Darcy. Although most P & P devotees would expect Jane and Charles to go on their blissful way, they would wonder how Darcy and Elizabeth would fare. The answer is...not nearly so blissful. One of the things I always wondered was how Darcy came to be so proud. Nelson's answer to that is: his parents. She creates a whole back story involving the tempestuous marriage of Darcy's mother and father. Another key player in Darcy's childhood is Trevor Handley, a young man Darcy looked up to as an older brother, but who was thrown out of Pemberley under a mysterious cloud. Yet another new character, Robert Alexander from nearby Great Oaks, is introduced as the friend of Darcy's father and the person who may be able to help Darcy put all the pieces together. Even the old gatekeeper, Thomas Hill, helps with his calming influence whenever an overwrought Darcy shows up at his doorstep. Both old and new characters blend well, and Nelson is adept with her plot and the language since I felt immersed in Regency England. I did have a couple of small problems with the book. Darcy seems to cry at the drop of a hat in Pemberley Manor. He never put me in mind of a man who would do that, so his seemingly constant tears made me raise an eyebrow a time or two. His weeping may be the sign of a touch of twenty-first century sensibilities creeping into the narrative, since everyone reacted so calmly to Trevor Handley's big secret. I doubt everyone would've been that calm and accepting in the Regency time period. The plot also bogs down from time to time. Parts of it were a hard slog to get through, possibly due to Nelson's attention to every detail. On the whole, however, I did find it easy to set aside my minor complaints and enjoy this book. Nelson took me back to a world and characters that I love. I found her back story very believable, the characters' motivations true to Austen's classic, and the setting close to perfect. All in all, an enjoyable read and a fine addition to the genre.

Pemberley Manor follows the Darcys from where Jane Austen left off...the dual wedding of the Darcys and the Bingleys. It follows the couples through their early marriage and the trials that go with that adjustment. As Lizzy and Darcy adjust to each other, we learn more about Darcy's past and what has made him the man he is. I cannot tell you how much I loved this sequel to Pride and Prejudice. I love the conflicts in this novel. As much as I would love for Lizzy and Darcy to have a wonderful and peaceful marriage, I do love sequels where they have a turbulent marriage. I also loved how Nelson gave Darcy a mysterious past and mother issues. It brings Mr Darcy more into the realm of Mr Rochester but I feel it brings something new and unique. The tension she injects into Lizzy and Darcy's relationship is palpable and can be felt throughout the novel. Nelson's versions of Lizzy and Darcy were completely convincing. Lizzy was just as witty and Darcy was just as broody if a little bit darker than you would expect. I found all of the new characters that Nelson brought into the story completely engaging. If I didn't know better I would have thought they were a part of Austen's P & P. The biggest draw to this novel is Nelson's treatment of the secondary P & P characters (Georgiana, Miss Bingley,Jane, Bingley, Colonel Fitzwilliam). Georgiana was my favorite. She was a completely well-rounded character. She loses her shyness to an extent and becomes a woman in her own right. Nelson added many facets to her character that were not present in P & P. Miss Bingley was also the scheming and diabolical character that I always thought she would be. I love the inclusion of these secondary characters in this sequel. I don't feel right when I read a sequel without them. I also have to admit that, despite my newfound truce with the 2005 film, the fact that this novel is based on the 1995 mini-series is a huge plus. There are few aspects of this novel that I don't like. The only criticism I can think of, and it is really quite nitpicky and not very significant, is that Caroline Bingley's transition from scheming evilness to contriteness was too quick. But now that I think of it, not really. The situation she found herself in would lead to a quick transition in behavior. So this really isn't a criticism at all. I also thought the 21st century response to a 21st century issue was a bit out of place but certainly not enough to take away from my enjoyment of the novel. I loved this sequel. I can't wait to read more Jane Austen sequels from Kathryn L. Nelson.