Colonel Brandon's Diary (Jane Austen Heroes, #5)

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Colonel Brandon's Diary (Jane Austen Heroes #5)

by Amanda Grange (Goodreads Author)

3.81 of 5 stars 3.81 · rating details · 538 ratings · 82 reviews

A vibrant retelling of "Sense and Sensibility," Grangeas sweeping epic breathes new life into another of Austenas best-loved novels.
At the age of eighteen, James Brandonas world is shattered when the girl he loves, Eliza, is forced to marry his brother. In despair, he joins the army and leaves England for the East Indies for the next several years. Upon his return, he fi...more

Hardcover, 224 pages

Published 2008 by Robert Hale & Company

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Feb 18, 2013 Callixta rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

http://blue-moon.fr/spip.php?article7955

Avis de Callixta

Dans les innombrables auteures qui ont voulu écrire la suite d’un livre ou le point de vue de l’un des personnages de Jane Austen, voilà sans doute une qui atteint son but, surtout dans ce roman qui présente un des personnages secondaires les plus émouvants et réussis de l’oeuvre de la célèbre romancière britannique qui n’a jamais été aussi en vogue qu’en ce moment. En effet, Amanda Grange nous propose le point de vue du colonel Brandon dan...more http://blue-moon.fr/spip.php?article7955

Avis de Callixta

Dans les innombrables auteures qui ont voulu écrire la suite d’un livre ou le point de vue de l’un des personnages de Jane Austen, voilà sans doute une qui atteint son but, surtout dans ce roman qui présente un des personnages secondaires les plus émouvants et réussis de l’oeuvre de la célèbre romancière britannique qui n’a jamais été aussi en vogue qu’en ce moment. En effet, Amanda Grange nous propose le point de vue du colonel Brandon dans Raison et Sentiments, cet homme loyal, silencieux et follement amoureux de la sœur de l’héroïne, Marianne Dashwood.

Il n’est pas besoin de connaître l’oeuvre de Jane Austen pour apprécier ce livre, il y a sans doute même une forme de découverte de son histoire que n’éprouvent pas les lecteurs qui ont lu le roman de Jane Austen. Sachez cependant que l’histoire respecte scrupuleusement le texte original et ne permet que de faire surgie ce personnage peu charismatique apparemment et qui n’avait qu’un rôle secondaire mais pourtant indispensable. Le talent de Jane Austen est tel qu’elle a laissé la place au développement de telles histoires inspirées d’un personnage qui n’avait pourtant pas cette vocation.

Amanda Grange va peu à peu faire surgir cet homme de l’ombre qu’il affectionne car le Colonel Brandon n’est pas expansif, pas un grand séducteur comme d’autres hommes dans l’oeuvre de Jane Austen. Il est d’ailleurs le parfait contrepoint du séduisant et creux Willoughby, vil suborneur de jeune fille et dont s’éprend la romantique et sensible Marianne. Amanda Grange revient sur la jeunesse de cet homme qu’on découvre déjà mûr dans le roman de Jane Austen et nous conte les grandes étapes de sa vie, au fil d’un journal qui commence aux alentours de ses dix-huit ans et se terminera, avec le roman Raison et Sentiments alors qu’il approche la quarantaine.

Le Colonel Brandon est un personnage si romantique et touchant sous la plume de Jane Austen qu’Amanda Grange a beau jeu de nous conter sa si belle et émouvante histoire. Ses qualités apparaissent d’autant plus que nous avons cette fois son point de vue : sa patience, sa gentillesse , son attention aux autres qui le fait courir à l’aide des femmes de son entourage. Dans cette période où le déshonneur, la ruine, l’abandon voire les violences faites aux femmes sont si nombreux, il est une sorte d’ange-gardien, silencieux et discret que Jane Austen avait très bien mis en valeur. Nous le découvrons donc ici dans toute sa splendeur. Amanda Grange écrit bien, utilise remarquablement bien ce format du journal pour développer le point de vue de Brandon et met en pleine lumière ce personnage. Elle ajoute juste ce qu’il faut pour combler ce que nous ne savons pas de lui, s’appuyant sur Jane Austen et sa connaissance impeccable de son œuvre.

Evidemment, il ne s’agit pas d’une romance historique classique même s’il s’agit bien de trouver l’âme sœur pour le Colonel Brandon qui pensait l’avoir trouvé au début de sa vie d’adulte. Pas de passion exacerbée, ni de grandes aventures mais la vie de la Régence dans cette petit noblesse britannique qui était celle de Jane Austen. C’est autant l’histoire de ce personnage que son histoire d’amour mais c’est un superbe moment de lecture qui ne pourra que vous donner envie de lire ou relire Raison et Sentiments ou d’autres livres de cette auteure qui garde un petit air de modernité tout à fait étonnant aujourd’hui.(less)

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Jul 17, 2009 Jessi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I loved Amanda Grange's other Austen retells, and this was no exception. I'm glad she chose to write from Colonel Brandon's point-of-view, rather than Edward's, because 1) I think Brandon's back story is more interesting, and 2) I really, really enjoyed picturing Alan Rickman as Brandon while I was reading it. (Yes, yes, I know: "He's too old to be Brandon!" I don't care. It's ALAN RICKMAN.)

The story begins when Brandon is a student at Oxford; he reveals his feelings for Eliza, their plans to el...more

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Oct 19, 2012 Summer Kinard rated it 5 of 5 stars

I love Amanda Grange's style. She keeps very true to Regency writing in this series on the hero's side of Jane Austen's novels. With Colonel Brandon's Diary, we get to dislike Willoughby more than ever, which is cathartic in itself, but we also see the source of his patience with Marianne. The whole saga of his lost love Eliza is laid out, as are the particulars of the young woman seduced by Willoughby. (She gets a happy ending.) Even knowing how it would all end, I found the happy finale very s...more

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Nov 02, 2009 Meredith (Austenesque Reviews) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: jane-austen

Do you find Colonel Brandon romantic? Do you sometimes think he is better suited for Elinor than Marianne? Do you think he fell in love with Marianne because she resembles Eliza? Perhaps you'd like to get to know Colonel Brandon a little better and discover the answer for these questions yourself... If you are unfamiliar with this series, it is the retelling of Jane Austen's novels from the perspective of the male hero. No, it isn't all new and original material, but there is much understanding...more Do you find Colonel Brandon romantic? Do you sometimes think he is better suited for Elinor than Marianne? Do you think he fell in love with Marianne because she resembles Eliza? Perhaps you'd like to get to know Colonel Brandon a little better and discover the answer for these questions yourself... If you are unfamiliar with this series, it is the retelling of Jane Austen's novels from the perspective of the male hero. No, it isn't all new and original material, but there is much understanding to gain by hearing the same story from another person's point-of-view. In “Colonel Brandon's Diary,” Amanda Grange brings us new insight and comprehension for the seemingly silent and grave Colonel Brandon. In addition, she illustrates a heartrending backstory of his tragic love affair with his father's ward, Eliza.

As a young man studying law at Oxford University, James Brandon is looking forward to only one thing on his holiday from school, and that is spending time with his beloved Eliza. He anticipates spending hours in her company, basking in their love for each other, and discussing future plans of marriage together. When his father announces that Eliza is to marry his libertine and alcoholic brother, James desperately seeks for a way to save Eliza from this fate and unsuccessfully attempts to elope with her. Unfortunately, James is unable to stop the marriage and in his anguish decides the best course for him is to join the army and leave England.

Fourteen years later Brandon returns to England and inherits Delaford since his father and brother have both passed away. The only family he has remaining is Eliza's orphaned daughter, also named Eliza, who spends most of her time away in a boarding school. Colonel Brandon takes on the position of estate owner with adroitness and determination, and he works on restoring and improving Delaford and the land surrounding it to its former state before his mother died. He establishes a nice quiet life for himself with friends, tenants, and a ward. Yet this quiet life of his he will soon discover is not complete...

Having read all the other books in this series, I was very eager to read “Colonel Brandon's Diary.” Although “Sense and Sensibility” is not my most favorite Austen novel and Colonel Brandon is not my most favorite hero, I was looking forward to seeing him in a new light and acquiring a new sense of appreciation for him. Ms. Grange did not disappoint, just like with “Captain Wentworth's Diary,” she created a viable and enlightening history for Colonel Brandon. I was delighted that she spent one third of the book outlining his life prior to meeting Marianne Dashwood, and I took pleasure in witnessing the emotional and poignant journey he experienced as a youth and observing how it impacted his character.

In “Sense and Sensibility,” Colonel Brandon is portrayed as a quiet and unassuming hero, not a dashing, passionate, and Byronic hero like Willoughby. However, after reading “Colonel Brandon's Diary,” the reader will conceive that Colonel Brandon, with his strong character, devotion, patience, and yearning for Marianne is one of the most romantic heroes Jane Austen created. I enjoyed the accurate characterization of Colonel Brandon as well as the seamless integration of “Sense and Sensibility” with Ms. Grange's original material. Ms. Grange always approaches Jane Austen's novels and characters respectfully and knowledgeably and I admire her creativity and perception. My only wish is that she would dig deeper into these characters, tell their story a little more leisurely with more specifics and details.
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Nov 30, 2011 Judith Lewis rated it 2 of 5 stars

Oh dear ... Jane Austen this is not! Nice idea, but didn't quite work. It's always going to be difficult writing a book where the ending is known, to be fair. But I didn't feel the author had quite got Austen's voice in terms of writing style, nor her ability to structure a story. There were several characters near the beginning who were never seen or heard of again. The villains were unconvincing and overdrawn, without the humour that Austen gives to her own villainous snobs [think Lady Catheri...more

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Apr 07, 2010 Elizabeth Hunter rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: uncat

Even without having finished them all, I am fairly confident that this is best of Grange's "Diary" series. Brandon is such an interesting character, with more life experience than most of Austen's heroes, and a story of which we see only glimpses in Sense and Sensibility. So there is much scope for laying out the earlier parts of his life that have formed his character before the Dashwood girls ever met him. Brandon's view of them is also interesting and more different from that of Austen's narr...more

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Apr 21, 2010 Lisa rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book. It really fills out Colonel Brandon's life and personality, something I have always wished Jane Austen had done in Sense and Sensibility. The book begins much earlier than we meet Colonel Brandon in Sense and Sensibility, and follows through till the end. Amanda Grange does a good job of writing the main male characters in this book and in Mr. Knightley's Diary. Some people may see this as sacrilege to the great Jane Austen (although I'd nominate the "zombies" approach first)....more

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Mar 21, 2013 Eliza rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Parmi tous les héros des romans de Jane Austen, le colonel Brandon est certainement celui qui conserve le plus sa part de mystère. Déjà âgé lorsqu’il rencontre les demoiselles Dashwood, on apprend d’abord ses mésaventures passées grâce aux confidences de Mme Jenkins. Très amoureux d’une jeune fille dont on l’a éloigné, il est parti aux Indes, puis à son retour a retrouvé la trace de la jeune femme, abandonnée avec un bébé. Lorsque sa mère meurt, il devient le tuteur de l’enfant. Avec ce Journal,...more Parmi tous les héros des romans de Jane Austen, le colonel Brandon est certainement celui qui conserve le plus sa part de mystère. Déjà âgé lorsqu’il rencontre les demoiselles Dashwood, on apprend d’abord ses mésaventures passées grâce aux confidences de Mme Jenkins. Très amoureux d’une jeune fille dont on l’a éloigné, il est parti aux Indes, puis à son retour a retrouvé la trace de la jeune femme, abandonnée avec un bébé. Lorsque sa mère meurt, il devient le tuteur de l’enfant. Avec ce Journal, l’auteur remonte à la jeunesse de James Brandon et nous fait vivre de son point de vue tous ces événements.

On découvre un jeune homme enthousiaste et plein de vie, dont les sentiments s’accordent parfaitement avec ceux de la jeune Eliza, pupille de son père. Mais comme tout cadet de famille à cette époque, Brandon est contraint d’accepter les décisions de son père au profit de son aîné. Lorsqu’il apprend que c’est son frère, débauché et dépensier, qui doit épouser Eliza pour sa fortune, il est fou de désespoir. Finalement le mariage a lieu sans qu’il ait pu l’empêcher, il décide donc de s’enrôler dans l’armée et part aux Indes. Jamais il n’oubliera Eliza. Malgré la simplicité de la traduction, des expressions parfois trop modernes et la naïveté du jeune Brandon, on se laisse facilement emporter dans cette histoire. Et sous nos yeux se façonne progressivement le caractère du colonel tel qu’on le retrouve ensuite dans la société de sir John Middleton : un peu réservé, voire taciturne, mais serviable et généreux sans réserve envers ses amis. Ce n’est pas sans émotion qu’on voit à travers ses yeux le rapprochement de Miss Marianne avec Willoughby, et la peine que cela lui cause. Le colonel Brandon est définitivement un vrai romantique.

Ce récit est le deuxième de la série des Journaux d’Amanda Grange après le Journal de Mr Darcy. Si j’avais été gênée par la forme du journal intime pour un caractère comme Darcy, peu enclin à dévoiler ses sentiments et qui plus est, par écrit, cela n’a pas du tout été le cas pour le colonel Brandon. L’ensemble fut vraiment plaisant à lire, certainement car il y avait plus de choses à dire sur le colonel en dehors de l’espace du roman de Jane Austen, ce qui laisse une liberté plus grande d’imagination à la fois à l’auteur et au lecteur. J’ai aimé retrouver la douceur et le dévouement de ce héros, l’un de mes favoris parmi tous les caractères masculins créés par Jane Austen.(less)

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Dec 07, 2011 Meredith rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, austen-esque, brits, historical-fiction, romance

Originally published on The Librarian Next Door:

Of all of Jane Austen’s heroes, Colonel Brandon is perhaps the most mysterious. Henry Tilney and Mr. Knightley tend to say exactly what they are thinking; Edmund Bertram is dull, but not exactly the keeper of hidden secrets; Captain Wentworth’s feelings are laid bare in the letter he leaves for Anne; and Mr. Darcy – well, we all know about Mr. Darcy. Colonel Brandon, however, is a different story. Since Sense and Sensibility gives us two central ro...more
Originally published on The Librarian Next Door:

Of all of Jane Austen’s heroes, Colonel Brandon is perhaps the most mysterious. Henry Tilney and Mr. Knightley tend to say exactly what they are thinking; Edmund Bertram is dull, but not exactly the keeper of hidden secrets; Captain Wentworth’s feelings are laid bare in the letter he leaves for Anne; and Mr. Darcy – well, we all know about Mr. Darcy. Colonel Brandon, however, is a different story. Since Sense and Sensibility gives us two central romances – Elinor and Edward and Marianne and her entanglements – we don’t always know what’s going on with every character. And while Austen does fill in some of Brandon’s background during a conversation with Elinor late in the book, he remains brooding and undemonstrative for most of the novel.

Author Amanda Grange sets out to change all that with Colonel Brandon’s Diary, a look at the events during and leading up to Sense and Sensibility through the good colonel’s eyes. Grange is one of the most prolific Austen-esque authors writing today and she’s written a whole series of “diaries” from the perspectives of Austen’s heroes. Interestingly, when it came to Sense and Sensibility, she chose Brandon over Edward Ferrars, rightly sensing that his story was much more dramatic than Edward’s ill-fated engagement to Lucy Steele.

Grange begins Colonel Brandon’s Diary by filling in the details of Brandon’s youth, most notably his early love for his father’s ward, Eliza, and their burgeoning relationship. The Colonel Brandon who appears in Sense and Sensibility seems reserved and closed off, as if he was wearied by life itself. Grange imagines a younger Brandon as someone full of life and vitality, much like Marianne. It’s only when his father cruelly forces Eliza to marry his older brother that Brandon begins to lose his joy and happiness. Grange’s novel follows Brandon as he embarks upon a military career, finds the destitute Eliza and her child, and starts to rebuild his life in England after years of unhappy memories. Then readers are taken into familiar territory when he finally meets the Dashwood family and becomes acquainted with Elinor and Marianne.

The story is well-known, but seeing situations and events from Brandon’s perspective gives it new life. In Grange’s creation, Brandon is determined to never marry, believing he cannot and will not find anyone to replace his beloved Eliza, but discovers that Marianne re-awakens his zest for life. It’s interesting to watch Brandon struggle to remain indifferent, especially under the eyes of the ever-watchful Mrs. Jenkins. It’s clear that Marianne stirs up something in Brandon, but he’s also overly cautious and afraid of showing too much emotion too soon, having been burned by his previous experience with passion and love. It’s heartbreaking to watch him watch Marianne fall in love with Willoughby, even knowing what the ultimate outcome will be.

Grange’s Colonel Brandon is much like Austen’s: upstanding, honorable and good. But by imagining his youthful relationship with the equally young Eliza, Grange provides new insight into how Colonel Brandon became Colonel Brandon. I found that I liked learning of his flaws and his mistakes. It somehow made Brandon seem more human and less tragic. The Colonel Brandon who falls in love with Marianne has learned from his past and above all, wants her to be happy more than he wants his own happiness. I was also surprised by the strong friendship depicted between Brandon and Elinor. Austen didn’t expand upon that as much, but here, Grange portrays them as close friends, each attempting to help the other.

When we know a story as well as we do, it’s tempting to think we know everything there is to know about the characters and their intentions and motivations. But this isn’t always the case, which makes it fun and exciting when we can view a familiar story with fresh eyes. In Colonel Brandon’s Diary, Amanda Grange does an admirable and entertaining job of shedding new light on the mysterious Colonel Brandon and gives readers a new perspective on the Sense and Sensibility story.(less)

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Dec 31, 2011 Kathryn rated it 4 of 5 stars

I loved the original Sense and Sensibility, and the 1995 movie. I don't normally buy into the Jane Austen "sequels" and knock-offs, but Brandon is a favorite so this title intrigued. I thought it was well written and provided an interesting supplement to the story. I wish, however, the story hadn't been so balanced (50% of the story covers Brandon's life before meeting the Dashwoods, while the rest is S&S told from his POV). I would like to have read more pre-Sense narrative. Not sure if the...more

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May 05, 2012 Mandy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Always had a thing for Colonel Brandon ever since Alan Rickman played him. I'm not a regency buff by any means, so as far as the accuracy of book goes, I couldn't say, but I still felt like I was reading something Austen herself might have put together. I wish she had shown the backstory to Colonel Brandon's life the way it was portrayed here, the results might have been the same. I would recommend this book to anyone who fell in love with Colonel Brandon for the same reasons I did, and for ever...more

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May 15, 2013 Becca rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

OK, to begin with I just want to make a couple of things clear. One – the fact that I gave this Diary four stars does not mean that it won't be worth five stars to some people; it just didn’t live up to my expectations, which were admittedly high. Two – the fact that some of the other Diaries are rated higher does not mean that Colonel Brandon is not my favourite Austen hero. WHICH HE IS. (OK, on a good day Henry Tilney is his equal, but I don’t need to admit that, do I?) And three – this review...more

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Sep 16, 2011 Georgiana 1792 rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: old-friends-new-fancies

È il Colonel Brandon l’eroe più attivo di Jane Austen

Inaspettatamente il Colonel Brandon’s Diary è diventato il mio preferito fra i Diari di Amanda Grange, che già apprezzavo tantissimo. Perché? Perché l’ho trovato altamente dinamico. Mi spiego: in Sense and Sensibility siamo portati a guardare al Colonnello quasi con l’occhio di Marianne, cioè come una persona affidabile, ma un po’ avanti con l’età e noiosa e quasi di contorno, tant’è che Jane Austen non lo dota neanche di nome di battesimo.

Qua...more

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Apr 29, 2011 Marla rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-read-in-2011, epistolary-novels, historical-fiction, jane-austen, romance

I have been looking forward to reading Colonel Brandon's Diary for quite a while. Colonel Brandon is actually my favorite male Austen figure, so I was very excited to read more about him and get his viewpoints on the events that take place in Sense and Sensibility. I had heard good things about Amanda Grange's diaries, so I was anticipating reading this book even more.

The book begins with Brandon's return home from Oxford for a visit, at which time he is greeted by Eliza, whom he is in love with...more I have been looking forward to reading Colonel Brandon's Diary for quite a while. Colonel Brandon is actually my favorite male Austen figure, so I was very excited to read more about him and get his viewpoints on the events that take place in Sense and Sensibility. I had heard good things about Amanda Grange's diaries, so I was anticipating reading this book even more.

The book begins with Brandon's return home from Oxford for a visit, at which time he is greeted by Eliza, whom he is in love with and hopes to marry. As the events Brandon described to Elinor in Sense and Sensibility unfold, we find out just how negatively Brandon was affected, as well as his motivations for joining the army. As he experiences hope and then heartbreak, we learn that he is resolved never to love again... until he meets Marianne Dashwood. As the story continues to unfold, we learn about the ordeal that is his ward, Eliza's, disappearance and his discovery as to the identity of her seducer, as well as how that revelation will impact Marianne, the depth of Brandon's feelings for Marianne are examined in more detail than was found in Sense and Sensibility. The fresh perspective that is Brandon's point of view allows for a more in-depth examination of the people and events surrounding him.

Amanda Grange's portrayal of Brandon was very well written and she came very very close to capturing the essence of Jane Austen's writing voice. There was just enough difference to give Colonel Brandon a voice of his own and he was more compelling for it. The only thing that threw me off was the rapidity in which Marianne recovered from her illness and transferred her affections to Brandon. It seemed a little rushed. Even in the diary format it seemed that not many days passed between Marianne's illness and her newly found feelings for Brandon. I think the book could have done with a few more pages to draw things out a bit more.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the fresh perspective on Sense and Sensibility and Grange's writing was shown to advantage within. I look forward to reading more of her diaries and novels.(less)

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May 22, 2012 Megan rated it 3 of 5 stars

I wasn't sure about this book when I started. My impression for the first few pages was, "Gee, what a large font." But, it was such a quick read that I kept going, and it really grew on me. It was a light read compared to its source material, but it was pretty good nonetheless.

Okay, I have to add on to this - I just re-read this book, being under the delusion that I had not read this book before. It is only when I got to this very review that I see I did read this at one point. So, you can see w...more

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Jul 11, 2009 Megan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: jane-austen-like, fan-fic

This book really consists of two parts. The first part, or more accurately, the first half of this book is about James Brandon’s life before he met Marianne Dashwood. That’s right, that means we find out what happened between him and Eliza (his first love), from Ms. Grange’s imagination of course. So, the first half of the book is rather slow and we get to see quite a different Brandon than the one we know and love from Sense and Sensibility. The second half of this book consists of (now) Colone...more

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Jul 28, 2009 Stacey rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: jane-austen, read-in-2009, reviewed

The book starts off with an 18 year old Brandon being desperately in love with his father's ward, Eliza, who shares his feelings. Alas, they cannot marry due to his greedy father's plan of marrying Eliza to his older brother Harry instead.

Shocked and heartbroken, Brandon enlists in the army. After a few years he returns to find that his brother has divorced Eliza, who in turn has no choice but to rely on empty promises of other men. When Brandon finds her, she is dying of consumption. She has a...more The book starts off with an 18 year old Brandon being desperately in love with his father's ward, Eliza, who shares his feelings. Alas, they cannot marry due to his greedy father's plan of marrying Eliza to his older brother Harry instead.

Shocked and heartbroken, Brandon enlists in the army. After a few years he returns to find that his brother has divorced Eliza, who in turn has no choice but to rely on empty promises of other men. When Brandon finds her, she is dying of consumption. She has a daughter, also named Eliza, who will become Brandon's ward and later fall under the spell of Willoughby.

This part of the book is a fairly believable account of Brandon's past. As a young man he is passionate, strong, level-headed, romantic... and these qualities only get more refined as he gets older.

With Eliza settled in school, Brandon returns to the army. Over time he is promoted to Colonel. He has inherited Delaford upon the death of his elder brother, and decides to leave the army after a successful 9 year career. A few years later, Eliza runs away with Willoughby and the Dashwoods move into Barton Cottage.

So begins his love of Marianne. He is besotted with her from their very first meeting. Add compassionate patience to his admirable list of qualities, as he waits for her to get over her infatuation with Willoughby. He understands Marianne better than she herself does. Being the strong, silent type that he is, he waits, wanting to give her the world and loving her all the while. When she finally does come to her senses we are left without a doubt that these two people were made for each other. I closed the book feeling warm with their happiness!

Colonel Brandon is my third favorite Austen hero, and this book did not disappoint. The author captured the essence of Brandon very well. I liked getting a glimpse into his early years as well as his tragic first romance that would mold him into the perfect match for Marianne.

Captain Wentworth's Diary remains my favorite.(less)

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Jul 22, 2010 Judine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: austen

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 25, 2013 Ruby Scarlett rated it 4 of 5 stars

Grange's book doesn't provide much insight into the character of Brandon during the events of Sense and Sensibility. The book is really rushed and could have benefitted from a good 50 pages more - the first half, which is Brandon's life up till S&S, is where the author truly shines. His relationship with Eliza in particular felt really realistic and I enjoyed hearing about his time abroad. It's good, easy fluff and Grange's style is clear, free of any sentimentality. Good book.

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Aug 09, 2012 Bex rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I actually REALLY loved this book. But then again Sense & Sensibility is my favorite Jane Austen novel, and Colonel Brandon is my favorite Austen hero, so I'm already rather partial. :P I LOVED the perspective of Colonel Brandon. I think Amanda Grange had his character - honorable, quietly romantic, kind of shy - down pat. Now I want to read the original novel again, even though unfortunately, his character is not so fleshed out in it.

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Feb 04, 2013 Sue rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Sue by: Stefanie

Shelves: british-isles

I read this in tandem with "Sense and Sensibility", in that I read a section of the original, then read the corresponding section in this novel. It was all rather fun to see the events from Brandon's view. He is more sympathetic here as we see him act behind the scenes and his one page account of his past is fully fleshed out here. These books are a fun romp through Austen's world and are true to the originals.

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Aug 15, 2012 Diane rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: british-charm, jane-austen, love-stories

Fans of Jane Austen's "Sense and Sensibility" will enjoy the story told from Colonel Brandon's perspective. This is the fourth book I've read by Amanda Grange, and I think this is one of her best.

What is fun about the Grange versions of Austen's novels is she sets up back stories for the men, which usually start several years before the timeline of the original work. In Colonel Brandon's case, she starts when he is a student at Oxford and is in love with a girl named Eliza. But her father forbi...more

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Jul 21, 2011 Katie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Okay, so yes I might be biased for people who elaborate on Austen's male leads and biased against people who just throw in zombies (or mangy unmentionables, if you prefer) for the thrill of it. But it's my reading preference, so sue me. I enjoy these books, especially the one's that feature male characters with a past that's not fleshed out very thoroughly in the original book. So there you go.

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Sep 03, 2012 JackieB rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, historical

I really liked the parts of this which didn't overlap with Sense and Sensibility. The "overlap" was still good, but it lost something in those parts. It may just reflect the fact that Sense and Sensibility is one of my least favourite Jane Austen novels. Overall I thought the plot was intersting and meshed well with what I remember of S and S, and the characters were also well described.

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Jun 23, 2010 Susan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: austenesque, books-about-books, brothers, family-relationships, fiction, friendship, historical-fiction, historical-romance, library-books, library-books-i-wish-i-owned, read-in-2010, reading-challenges, regency-romance, women, young-women

The story is not new - anyone who has read Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility is familiar with the romantic but reserved Colonel Brandon. In Colonel Brandon's Diary Amanda Grange has taken our hero and fleshed out past for the reader, making him an even more charming and sympathetic character than he was in Sense and Sensibility.

Of all the Austen novels Sense and Sensibility is my favorite! I was extremely happy with Grange's take on Colonel Brandon's life. She filled in the blanks beautifully...more

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Feb 05, 2010 Shiralea Woodhouse rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: jane-austen-ish

Grange has created here another Austen novel from one of the "heroes" points of view. In S&S, there is not a lot of focus on Col. Brandon - one of the enjoyable things about this story is that it fills in the gaps and gives him more depth. I liked the idea of digging into his past and imagining why he became the sort of character he did.

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Aug 05, 2010 Leigh Statham rated it 4 of 5 stars

What a genius idea! To take Austen's most loved stories and retell them from the point of view of the men! So fun and entertaining to revisit these classic stories from a different angle. I started with my favorite Austen hero and I can't wait to work my way through the other ones. Well done Ms Grange! Well done!

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Apr 04, 2012 Angie rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm not sure I was in the right place mentally to read this book. It was WAY to slow for me. I kept waiting for it to get to Brandon and Marianne's story and when it hit half way and still no sign, the author lost me.

I just didn't care about who Brandon loved first because I knew she would just die. Cold hearted? I guess.

Such a bummer because Darcy's Diary is one of my favorite books.

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May 03, 2010 Jessie Hartle rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Jane Austen fans, S&S fans

Shelves: jane-austen, top-10-favorite

Aside from Mr. Darcy (who is simply in his own category), Colonel Brandon is my favorite Austen leading man. I wish there were as many re-writes for Sense and Sensibility as there are for P&P, but this certainly gave me my S&S fix! A very interesting but not overly-long exploration of his life before Marianne. A great read worth the time and money!

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Mar 29, 2010 Jodi Johnson rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: book-challenge

I enjoyed this novel immensely. It was a quick read about one of my favorite Jane Austen characters. I enjoyed Granges insight on his past life and love. Furthermore, Grange was able to stick with Jane Austen’s plot and add her own twists and turns along the way. However, I found the development of some of the characters did not reach the level I expected. Overall I found this novel to be a good read and worth purchasing.

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About Amanda Grange

Amanda Grange was born in Yorkshire and spent her teenage years reading Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer whilst also finding time to study music at Nottingham University. She has had sixteen novels published including six Jane Austen retellings, which look at events from the heroes' points of view.

Woman said of Mr Darcy's Diary: "Lots of fun, this is the tale behind the alpha male," whilst The Wash...more

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Books by Amanda Grange

Mr. Darcy's Diary (Jane Austen Heroes, #1)

Mr. Knightley's Diary (Jane Austen Heroes, #2)

Captain Wentworth's Diary (Jane Austen Heroes, #3)

Edmund Bertram's Diary (Jane Austen Heroes, #4)

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Colonel Brandon's Diary (Jane Austen Heroes #5)

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