pajarita_deDios
07-16-2007, 10:26 PM
I recently finished the book "Darcy's Daughters" by Elizabeth Aston. It is a sequel so to speak of P&P. It took me over a year after buying it to persuade myself to read it. The book surprised me. As an entirely separate piece, aside from P&P, characters and all, I liked it a lot. But as a sequel with Austen's story, it infuriated me.
Mrs. Gardiner was turned into a spiteful woman who at one point declares she will have nothing more to do with the Darcy's after nasty rumors spring up about the girls around London. Two of the daughters are replicas of Lydia Bennett. They run about, and both elope, one pregnant. This struck me as impossible for Darcy's daughters. When one thinks of the character of Fitzwilliam Darcy, one would never allow for his daughters to turn out frivolous and silly. Elizabeth too, is much to sensible a character to allow any of her children to become that way. Children for the most part will be a product of their environments.
Darcy's cousin, Fitzwilliam plays host to their five (how original) daughters while Darcy and Lizzy are off to Constantinople (?). He is a bitter and annoyed old man, not at all the young, handsome playful character we are aquatinted with in P&P.
The two eldest daughters, Leticia and Camilla are Jane and Lizzy in regard to looks. Letty is the oldest, and the most beautiful, and Camilla is the lively levelheaded one with amazing eyes. The difference is a little too obvious a choice, instead of being the best of friends they are constantly at odds and in arguments.
Noe perhaps I am being too hard on the writer, but I felt that she drifted far and took many liberties as far as what time does to a persons character. And also felt that she might have been a little more creative.
I did love the book as far as an entirely seperate story, just not as a sequel to P&P.
Anyone else have this problem with one of those sequels written by another writer?
Mrs. Gardiner was turned into a spiteful woman who at one point declares she will have nothing more to do with the Darcy's after nasty rumors spring up about the girls around London. Two of the daughters are replicas of Lydia Bennett. They run about, and both elope, one pregnant. This struck me as impossible for Darcy's daughters. When one thinks of the character of Fitzwilliam Darcy, one would never allow for his daughters to turn out frivolous and silly. Elizabeth too, is much to sensible a character to allow any of her children to become that way. Children for the most part will be a product of their environments.
Darcy's cousin, Fitzwilliam plays host to their five (how original) daughters while Darcy and Lizzy are off to Constantinople (?). He is a bitter and annoyed old man, not at all the young, handsome playful character we are aquatinted with in P&P.
The two eldest daughters, Leticia and Camilla are Jane and Lizzy in regard to looks. Letty is the oldest, and the most beautiful, and Camilla is the lively levelheaded one with amazing eyes. The difference is a little too obvious a choice, instead of being the best of friends they are constantly at odds and in arguments.
Noe perhaps I am being too hard on the writer, but I felt that she drifted far and took many liberties as far as what time does to a persons character. And also felt that she might have been a little more creative.
I did love the book as far as an entirely seperate story, just not as a sequel to P&P.
Anyone else have this problem with one of those sequels written by another writer?