In Lydia Bennet's Story we are taken back to Jane Austen's most beloved novel, Pride and Prejudice, to a Regency world seen through Lydia's eyes wh...
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Jun 10, 2009
Vicki
rated it: 
Oh, Lydia. La, you are so silly.
It's always an interesting undertaking, picking up a Jane Austen spin off. It's hard not to picture Jane Austen herself, wringing her hands and saying, "Well, you've all missed the point completely, haven't you?"
I've noticed that a lot of the spin offs tend to be kind of racy. They often have naughty Regency romps in them, which is weird -- I know we're all thinking it, but still. Really?
Still Lydia gets a li More...
It's always an interesting undertaking, picking up a Jane Austen spin off. It's hard not to picture Jane Austen herself, wringing her hands and saying, "Well, you've all missed the point completely, haven't you?"
I've noticed that a lot of the spin offs tend to be kind of racy. They often have naughty Regency romps in them, which is weird -- I know we're all thinking it, but still. Really?
Still Lydia gets a li More...
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Jan 18, 2009
Sarah
rated it:
I am a sucker for anything with Austen or Darcy in the title, and a sucker for anything having to do with Pride and Prejudice.
Some have been good, some have been awful and some have been just right.
I would put this at "almost just right" at a 3 1/2 stars.
I have always kind of liked Lydia, I guess I could connect with her.(having been a silly girl growing up) So it was interesting to see her thought process, her feelings and kind of a "what was she thinking" More...
Some have been good, some have been awful and some have been just right.
I would put this at "almost just right" at a 3 1/2 stars.
I have always kind of liked Lydia, I guess I could connect with her.(having been a silly girl growing up) So it was interesting to see her thought process, her feelings and kind of a "what was she thinking" More...
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Jan 09, 2012
Michelle
rated it: 
Lydia is so self absorbed. She does not care who she flirts with or who she hurts with her flirting. Her goal in life is to marry a rich young man in the military before her four older sisters marry. Well, she gets her way in that a very rich man falls in love with her. But sh does not enjoy his kisses. Instead she falls in love with Mr Wickham, even though he always teases her, hurting her feelings, and has other ladies he keeps company. Finally, she runs away with him to elope. There is just o
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Mar 09, 2011
Jannie
rated it: 
It was free to download onto my Kindle and I was curious. Lydia isn't a very likeable character in Pride and Prejudice, so I was wondering how the author would manage to make her more sympathetic. This book starts just before Lydia goes off to Brighton and follows her romance with Whickam, the infamous "elopement" and gives you a picture of her marriage to Whickam. You actually do feel sorry for her here because he treats her so poorly and she really had thought he loved her when sh
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Jan 12, 2010
Laurel
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The true misfortune , which besets any young lady who believes herself destined for fortune and favour, is to find that she has been born into an unsuitable family. Lydia Bennet of Longbourn, Hertfordshire, not only believed that her mama and papa had most likely stolen her from noble parents, but also considered it a small miracle that they could have produced between them her own fair self and four comely girls - Jane, Elizabeth, Mary and Kitty - though to tell the truth, she felt herself most
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Nov 11, 2009
Rebecca
rated it:
This past week I read Lydia Bennet's Story by Jane Odiwe. I found it on the "new arrivals" shelf at the library and couldn't resist. I know, I know--it is not on the summer reading list I posted last week. But anything Jane Austen-related usually is too tempting for me.
Lydia Bennet's Story starts near the beginning of Pride & Prejudice and tells the story from the point of view of Elizabeth Bennet's younger sister Lydia. There is not too much about Elizabeth and Jane--Lydia More...
Lydia Bennet's Story starts near the beginning of Pride & Prejudice and tells the story from the point of view of Elizabeth Bennet's younger sister Lydia. There is not too much about Elizabeth and Jane--Lydia More...
Aug 04, 2011
Melody
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Dec 31, 2010
Joy
rated it:
We've all seen it on messageboards and on facebooks--someone's sister, not too discerning, making bad choices with the wrong men. And haven't we all hoped that this person would wake up, grow up, and turn their life around? Well, in Austen, Lydia Bennet is that flighty sister--and as long as we are talking fantasy fulfillment, that's what Odiwe delivers here. The first half of this book tells Lydia's thread of the story already written in _Pride and Prejudice_--specifically the details about
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Jan 08, 2009
Tricia
rated it:
She really is the silliest girl in all England.
Thankfully, Odiwe doesn't make her any less silly in this sequel, but you do understand why Lydia is the way she is and what motivates her rash decisions. This book is told in both journal and third person narratives, providing an interesting perspective on the events we know so well from Pride and Prejudice. The novel continues Lydia's story after her marriage to George Wickham, which you'll have to read if you want to see how it all More...
Thankfully, Odiwe doesn't make her any less silly in this sequel, but you do understand why Lydia is the way she is and what motivates her rash decisions. This book is told in both journal and third person narratives, providing an interesting perspective on the events we know so well from Pride and Prejudice. The novel continues Lydia's story after her marriage to George Wickham, which you'll have to read if you want to see how it all More...
Jul 24, 2011
Cindy
rated it: 
What really happened to Lydia Bennet to cause her to marry George Wickham! This story tells how Lydia became reacquainted with George Wickham when she went with the Forster's to Brighton. Lydia loved her men in the "Redcoats", but was ultimately destined to run away and marry Wickham, much to her family's dismay. The first part of the books tells of how Wickham and Lydia came to be together while in Brighton. The second part of the books tells how Lydia learns what a dismal marriag
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Jul 08, 2011
Dana
rated it:
Honestly, it's neither bad nor good. I didn't really recognize Odiwe's version of Lydia, but since Austen never really focuses on or fleshes out Lydia, that may not be such a deterrent. Most of the book takes place after the events of Pride & Prejudice, so in a lot of ways it's like reading a brand new book with familiar character names.
The only thing that irritated me and almost made me stop reading was the poor quality formatting of the Kindle version. Lines didn't wrap properly so More...
The only thing that irritated me and almost made me stop reading was the poor quality formatting of the Kindle version. Lines didn't wrap properly so More...
Jan 13, 2010
Delaina
rated it:
You know you're in for a story when the title has two (count them, two) subtitles. I feel that Jane Odiwe really did a good job of capturing the essence of the characters originated by Austen. The Bennet family and crew are all true to the originals, but also built up and fleshed out for modern readers, without feeling stilted or forced into unnatural molds. Odiwe clearly respects Austen, but writes in a very convincing early-Regency voice that is her own.
Lydia is vivacious and na More...
Lydia is vivacious and na More...
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May 02, 2011
Chelsea
rated it:
I have a hard time passing up anything Austen-related, so I checked this one out. It was pretty good. Yet another sequel to Pride and Prejudice, but this time it is in the perspective of Lydia, Elizabeth's ridiculously self-centered youngest sister. It was pretty well-written, but I think the main thing that kept me reading was to see if Lydia ever became self-aware, or developed some kind of depth of character. Spoiler alert: she does. And George Wickham gets what's coming to him as well, which
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Feb 24, 2011
Doreen
rated it:
Done less in the style of Jane Austen (which would be a losing proposition anyway,) than in the style of Lydia Bennet. I thought the author did a great job of hewing closely to Lydia's personality and manners, and the aftermath of her marriage to Wickham was well-thought-out and convincingly described. I did think the ending a bit abrupt, but in the manner of all Austen's novels, people were paired off satisfactorily. This book lacked the substance of Austen's best works, though, but was certain
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Dec 26, 2010
This was an entertaining, quick-to-read Jane Austen spinoff. Odiwe throws in a number of new characters and tells us what happened after Lydia marries Mr. Wickham, which makes for a fresh story instead of a retelling of P&P from Lydia's point of view. Her Lydia, a high-spirited, often irresponsible but loyal and loving young woman, is believable and sympathetic. My only real complaint was that there's a loose end that's never tied up, in the form of a young man who pursues Lydia in the first par
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Jul 16, 2011
Lola4
rated it: 
This book is for lovers of kiddie-porn only. I found this a super-creepy book when one remembers that the main character is a naive 13 or 14-year-old, below the age of consent, who had not yet had her debut, and who was seduced by a known pedophile, and because of the statutory rape was forced into an early marriage with the scum-bucket--certainly a most tragic figure in Jane Austen's original book. Although one might believe Austen's premise that Mrs. Foster invited a young friend on a seasid
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Sep 10, 2009
Lori
rated it:
Jane Austen has become quite a valuable commodity within the last decade or so, both in the literary and movie worlds, and reading about a new (or relatively new) Austen sequel has become par for the course.
I found Lydia Bennet's Story interesting and original precisely because Jane Odiwe took a secondary character from Pride and Prejudice and elaborated on her own very twisted and dramatic plot. If you are familiar with Pride and Prejudice, you know that Lydia is Lizzy's youngest More...
I found Lydia Bennet's Story interesting and original precisely because Jane Odiwe took a secondary character from Pride and Prejudice and elaborated on her own very twisted and dramatic plot. If you are familiar with Pride and Prejudice, you know that Lydia is Lizzy's youngest More...
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Sep 15, 2009
Lori
rated it:
Jane Austen has become quite a valuable commodity within the last decade or so, both in the literary and movie worlds, and reading about a new (or relatively new) Austen sequel has become par for the course.
I found Lydia Bennet's Story interesting and original precisely because Jane Odiwe took a secondary character from Pride and Prejudice and elaborated on her own very twisted and dramatic plot. If you are familiar with Pride and Prejudice, you know that Lydia is Lizzy's youngest More...
I found Lydia Bennet's Story interesting and original precisely because Jane Odiwe took a secondary character from Pride and Prejudice and elaborated on her own very twisted and dramatic plot. If you are familiar with Pride and Prejudice, you know that Lydia is Lizzy's youngest More...
Jun 11, 2010
Milka
rated it:
I've never liked Lydia. I think she is really annoying, stupid and reckless character. Reading this book by Jane Odiwe opened my eyes and I started to like Lydia a little more.
The book is divided into two parts; part 1 telling about the happenings in Meryton and Brigton and part 2 telling about what happened after the end of Pride and Prejudice.
In the part 1 reader gets to know how Lydia fell in love with Mr Wickham and how their relationship developed. In the part 1 Lydi More...
The book is divided into two parts; part 1 telling about the happenings in Meryton and Brigton and part 2 telling about what happened after the end of Pride and Prejudice.
In the part 1 reader gets to know how Lydia fell in love with Mr Wickham and how their relationship developed. In the part 1 Lydi More...
Nov 07, 2008
Sumi
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Dec 26, 2009
Michele
rated it:
As a true Jane Austen fan, I had until recently shunned all attempted "sequels" to any of Ms. Austen's great works. Fearing disappointment, I did not want to sully what to me is the perfect novel: Pride and Prejudice. As it turns out, I need not have worried. The term "sequel," I am happy to report, has no application whatsoever to Jane Owide's delightful novel, Lydia Bennet's Story.
The novel explores the life of Lydia, the youngest and arguably most insipid Benne More...
The novel explores the life of Lydia, the youngest and arguably most insipid Benne More...
Oct 30, 2008
Serena
rated it:
Lydia Bennet's Story by Jane Odiwe is a different type of sequel to Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice; it does not retell the lives of Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy, their children, or modernize their story as a 20th century romance. Lydia Bennet's Story transports the reader back to 19th Century England to tell Lydia's woeful and headstrong tail of romance and intrigue, rather than the tales woven by Jane Austen for Lizzy and Jane Bennet.
We join Lydia on her journey from the More...
We join Lydia on her journey from the More...
Oct 28, 2011
Anna
rated it:
Lydia Bennet's Story takes readers on the journey to Brighton, where Lydia's romance with George Wickham begins. Most of the chapters end with a diary entry by Lydia, so you get a chance to see what's going on in her head and understand that she was just a foolish child who always had to be the center of attention. She was boy crazy, and with a mother who did nothing but talk about marrying off her daughters, it's easy to see why. I could sympathize with Odiwe's Lydia; she fell in love with the
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Jan 24, 2009
Holly (2 Kids and Tired)
rated it:
As I read attempted Pride and Prejudice sequels, I'm always hopeful that the latest one will be a delight. They rarely are, and this one is no exception. Lydia was never someone I really cared about as I read Pride and Prejudice. She's more the annoying gnat that keeps buzzing around your head: the one you keep slapping away. This book is simply a light peek into the life of Lydia Bennet, one of the silliest girls in all of England.
The story is told in a third-person narrative, More...
The story is told in a third-person narrative, More...
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Dec 23, 2010
CJ
rated it:
On the 236th anniversary of Jane Austen's birth, Barnes and Noble was giving away 6 ebooks based on her work. I downloaded all of them - because I am a greedy pig. This is the first of those books. I must admit that as much as I've disapproved of Lydia's behavior, I always felt a bit sorry for her. I still find her to be stupid and completely self absorbed, but I enjoyed reading this telling of her story. While not expressly written in Austen's style, it was close enough that I enjoyed reading i
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Feb 06, 2009
Courtney
rated it:
Hmmm, I was not that impressed. The writing was okay... I guess I just really hate the character though :) I mean, she's annoying in Pride and Prejudice and fleshing her character out didn't do anything to lessen my annoyance. Odiwe writes Lydia as being a bit "loose" with her morals, which is another thing that I don't appreciate. It wasn't graphic or anything, unless you are offended by ankles, but it is made quite clear that Lydia has a one-tracked mind.
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Aug 17, 2011
Shari
rated it:
I have recently gone crazy for Jane Austen Fan Fic. I agree some are good some are not so much. I enjoyed this one. It was a light, quick moving read and let me prolong the fun in the world of Pride and Prejudice in a genuine way. I was very skeptical and curious about how Lydia could be made into a sympathetic character and the author did a good job. It was easier to forgive the faults of a really silly teenaged girl when you saw things from her perspective.
Feb 04, 2009
April
rated it:
So I stayed up till 2 am finishing this book, wondering what would become of porr Lydia, who wears her heart on her sleeve. Dear Lydia, who you want to dislike for her lack of "propriety" is truly a lovely soul misunderstood and overzealous to be loved. This book tells how she wound up married to Wickham whom she adored, but he was awful and in the end she still found true love and happiness. A great take on who Lydia was.
Jul 25, 2010
Lindi
rated it:
One of the better sequels, IMHO. A great change of pace to see the story from Lydia's point of view. She is still just as silly and eye-roll-inducing, but I remind you that she is only 15 years old and has fallen in love for the first time. It's hard to argue with that! Anyway, I enjoyed the book and was pleased the she got her own happy ending, in a way that is consistent with all the characters of Miss Austen's book.
Jan 17, 2011
Tracie
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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