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

by Amanda Grange (Goodreads Author)

3.62 of 5 stars 3.62 · rating details · 6,687 ratings · 941 reviews

Monday 9th September
"I left London today and met Bingley at Netherfield Park. I had forgotten what good company he is; always ready to be pleased and always cheerful. After my difficult summer, it is good to be with him again. ..."

The only place Darcy could share his innermost feelings was in the private pages of his diary...

Torn between his sense of duty to his fami

...more

The only place Darcy could share his innermost feelings was in the private pages of his diary...

Torn between his sense of duty to his family name and his growing passion for Elizabeth Bennet, all he can do is struggle not to fall in love.

Mr. Darcy's Diary presents the story of the unlikely courtship of Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy from Darcy's point of view. This graceful imagining and sequel to Price and Prejudice explains Darcy's moodiness and the difficulties of his reluctant relationship as he struggles to avoid falling in love with Miss Bennet. Though seemingly stiff and stubborn at times, Darcy's words prove him also to be quite devoted and endearing - qualities that eventually win over Miss Bennet's heart. This continuation of a classic romantic novel is charming and elegant, much like Darcy himself.

Pride and Prejudice has inspired a large number of modern day sequels, the most successful of which focus on the rich, proud Mr. Darcy.

What readers and reviewers are saying about Mr. Darcy's Diary:

"A delicious treat for all Austen addicts."

"Amanda Grange knows her subject...I ended up reading the entire book in one sitting."

"Brilliant, you could almost hear Darcy's voice...I was so sad when it came to an end. I loved the visions she gave us of their married life."

"Amanda Grange has perfectly captured all of JaneAusten's clever wit and social observations to make Mr. Darcy's Diary a must read for any fan."

"Absolutely fascinating. Amanda Grange seems to have really got under Darcy's skin and retells the story, in diary form, with great feeling and sensitivity." - Historical Novel Society

"Written with charm, elegance and style, Amanda Grange's excellent retelling of Pride and Prejudice, Mr. Darcy's Diary, will make you fall in love with Fitzwilliam Darcy once again!" - Single Titles

"Mr. Darcy's Diary is an enjoyable journey into the mind of one of the most popular characters in literary history...a gift to a new generation of Darcy fans and a treat for existing fans as well." - Austenblog

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ebook, 329 pages

Published March 1st 2007 by Sourcebooks, Incorporated (first published August 31st 2005)

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Feb 17, 2008 Jamie rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance, regency-napoleonic

Mildly entertaining to P&P fans in a couple of spots, but not really worth reading. I enjoyed one overheard conversation between Lady Catherine and Mr. Collins, and I enjoyed Col. Fitzwilliam's reaction when Darcy describes the manner in which he proposed to Elizabeth: essentially, "You said what to her?"

But the writing is terrible. Shallow, dull and repetitive - I hope I never see the word "satirically" again. It's not that great an adverb to begin with; why would you use it a dozen times i...more

29 likes · like · see review

Mar 13, 2013 Gabriella *is awesome* rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fresh-favourites, hard-core-romance, swoon-worthy-hero

“In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.”
description

Mr.darcy's diraies is an excellent read, that gives us a brief glimpse into our brooding hero's thoughts and rich world.

with the Bennett's making only making a few brief appearances along the way, this book is otherwise soley based on Mr.darcy's relationships with both Mr.Bingely (his best friend ) ,Caroline (his best friend's sister and finally both...more

10 likes · like · see review

Jul 22, 2008 M— rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed

My Dear Readers,

It is with grave misfortune that I dissuade you from whatever excitement you may have upon learning of the existence of this novel. Jane Austen, the wonderful authoress that she is, has created such a wealth of characters and a story so beloved that more modern writers cannot help but continue to revisit the story and attempt to interpret it in a new way, but to no avail.

Mr. Darcy's Diary is a straight retelling of Pride and Prejudice, even directly quoting the original during...more

11 likes · like · see review

Jul 17, 2007 Ashley rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, historical-fiction, romance

After reading Pamela Aiden's "Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman" trilogy a few months ago, I found this to be merely a much simpler version. Grange doesn't go much beyond the events we already know of from the original novel, and Darcy himself doesn't seem to have much depth at all. He switches from being determined to stop thinking about Elizabeth to suddenly proposing without almost any explanation at all. His feelings seem to flip flop to quickly throughout the novel with no basis. Overall, I knew...more

6 likes · like · see review

Jul 28, 2007 Teresa S rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Pride and Prejudice Lovers

I know not everyone loves P&P the way I do, but the author follows the encouters between Darcy and Elizabeth authentically, keeping many aspects of the original in tack. It makes the book so wonderful, and because it's from Darcy's perspective so the author adds wonderful scenes like the discovery of Wickham in Ramsgate, Lady Catherine's diatribe to Darcy after speaking with Elizabeth, and some very satisfying scenes that round out Austin's original epilogue.
The novel is written in modern...more

5 likes · like · see review

Feb 15, 2008 Peggy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Okay, maybe AMAZING is a strong word..it's not like it's a timeless piece of literature, but it was so great! Like Mr. Knightley's Diary, it's so interesting to read the story from a different perspective. Again, I have to say that you should only read these books if you won't be offended that it's NOT Jane Austen. I didn't find it to be a huge departure from the original work but it's clearly not Austen.
So pretty much if you have a crush on Mr. Darcy and want to solidify said ridiculous crush,...more

16 likes · like · see review

Apr 05, 2011 Liza rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: <Pride and Prejudice</i> enthusiasts

Shelves: 2011

Grange has created a charming read that takes on Darcy's perspective of events from Pride and Prejudice. The diary entries demonstrate a studied attempt at something like Austen's tone and characterization of Fitzwilliam Darcy. Of course it can never be genuine or authentic, but it is a credible rendition. The accounts contained within Mr. Darcy's Diary dovetail nicely with those recounted in Austen's original novel. The reader must naturally suspend disbelief with regard to the detailed recount

...more

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Sep 18, 2007 Sarah Kovalakides rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Not at all a page-turner like Pride & Prejudice, but an easy and enjoyable read

4 likes · like · see review

May 28, 2010 Kathryn rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classics-inspired

Mr. Darcy is almost a secondary character in the story that made him one of the most beloved heroes in all of Jane Austen’s novels. Although Pride and Prejudice utilizes the device of omniscient narrator, the reader spends most of the book inside the sparkling head of Elizabeth Bennet, Mr. Darcy’s ultimate destiny; it rarely gets inside of Darcy’s.

Novelist Amanda Grange has sought to remedy this situation by giving voice to the inner thoughts of this stiff but ultimately attractive character in...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jul 09, 2008 Kelsey rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Here you go all! A review from Kelsey (for once!)

This book takes the perspective of Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. It is his journal that he keeps beginning with the "unfortunate situation" with Georgiana in the summer before he meets Elizabeth. I was skeptical in the beginning, as I had my own pre-conceived notions of what Mr. Darcy was feeling and thinking during the course of their story, but I was also impressed.

Grange continually showed Mr. Darcy's inner struggle with his love for Eli...more

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Dec 02, 2008 Jeanette rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2008

In Mr. Darcy's Diary Amanda Grange has attempted to give us the events of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice from Mr. Darcy's point of view through diary entries. In so doing Grange has created a quick and mildly entertaining read.
I did not feel that Grange really added much to Mr. Darcy that we did not already know from Pride and Prejudice. I think the best Darcy is the one Jane Austen herself gave us and Grange lifted large chunks of Austen's novel and inserted them into this retelling. I often...more

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Mar 31, 2008 Meghan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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

3 likes · like · see review

Mar 22, 2008 Katie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I loved this book, almost as much as I love Pride & Prejudice, which says a lot because it is my favorite. I read this book in less than 24 hours! I have read many, many books by authors attempting to recreate Jane Austen's style and write sequels to continue her beloved stories, and they are never successful and I am always thoroughly disappointed. This one, however, was the closest anybody has ever come. It's Pride & Prejudice from Mr. Darcy's point of view. And anybody who has ever re...more

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Oct 14, 2007 Atrebs rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was recommended by a parent of one of my students who is also an Austenite. I enjoyed this but maybe not as much as the Pamela Aidan series. The journal is an account of the events of Pride and Prejudice told from Darcy's point of view. It is especially enjoyable because it portrays him in a much more positive and jovial light than most 'sequels' I have read. My favorite scene was her imagined town ball where Darcy has gone to forget Elizabeth and her lowly mother. As he dances with Miss X,...more

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Apr 27, 2013 Hilary Moon Murphy rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Pride & Prejudice Sequels, Mashups and Variants are one of my chief guilty pleasures, but I must say that I just could not get into this one. As indicated by the title, it's a diary of the events of Pride and Prejudice told from Mr. Darcy's point of view. While it retells the events of Pride & Prejudice fairly faithfully, I found this retelling somewhat lifeless and uninspired. I didn't get a sense of Darcy's unique voice. Even more damningly, the diary failed to show what was happening...more

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Jan 04, 2013 Arlavor rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

J'ai adoré ce roman qui a été un excellent moment de lecture.

J'avais déjà beaucoup aimé Orgueil et Préjugés de Jane Austen, j'ai vu la mini-série de 1995 qui était géniale. J'aimais bien le personnage de Mr. Darcy mais sa froideur ne me laissait pas tomber vraiment amoureuse de lui comme tout plein de jeunes filles. Après avoir lu ce livre, ce n'est plus pareil.

Ce type est juste a-do-ra-ble! ♥

Dans le roman de Jane Austen, nous avons principalement le point de vue de la famille Bennet. Là nous...more

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Nov 13, 2012 Zhe Teo rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A fast and easy read, as much repeated text could be skipped if you are familiar with Pride and Prejudice. Read in tandem with the main book by Austen makes this perspective of Darcy's an acceptable novel. I don't expect it to stand on its own, after all.
The description of how Darcy began his letter to Elizabeth was very amusing. I had a good laugh over Darcy's thoughts of Bingley being incapable of making right decisions. The kinship between Darcy and his sister was well covered, and a plus poi...more

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Aug 08, 2012 Randi rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was the first book I read after I read Pride and Prejudice (funny thing, I wanted to read this book but I needed to read the classic in order to understand what was going on).

So the book is from the perspective of Fitzwilliam Darcy from the beginning of Pride and Prejudice to the end. However, as it was titled, Mr. Darcy was writing in his diary. I was disappointed with how it was written - instead of a journal entry, it almost sounds like it was a story told by someone else. If I remember...more

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Feb 23, 2012 Alice rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: jane-austen-around

Mr. Darcy's Diary est le premier roman s'inspirant de Jane Austen que j'ai lu, si on met de côté les Bridget Jones que j'avais dévoré à une époque où je ne connaissais même pas le sens du mot "janeite".

Ici, nous sommes dans un parallèle d'Orgueil et Préjugés puisque nous suivons la même histoire mais racontée du point de vue de Mr. Darcy. Plonger dans les sentiments de notre héros préféré, explorer ses tourments, partager sa souffrance, voilà qui annonce pour moi un programme des plus enthousi...more

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Aug 29, 2011 Hooma rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have been wanting to read this book for quite some time. It caught my eye at Barnes and Noble a while back and I was immediately intrigued, especially since there has been a resurgence of interest and popularity in Jane Austen's classic - "Pride and Prejudice." Though I would not characterize this book as an exceptional piece of work, it was nevertheless extremely enjoyable and I finished it in one sitting.

Mr. Darcy's quiet (or rather taciturn) and brooding nature is a source of curiosity to...more I have been wanting to read this book for quite some time. It caught my eye at Barnes and Noble a while back and I was immediately intrigued, especially since there has been a resurgence of interest and popularity in Jane Austen's classic - "Pride and Prejudice." Though I would not characterize this book as an exceptional piece of work, it was nevertheless extremely enjoyable and I finished it in one sitting.

Mr. Darcy's quiet (or rather taciturn) and brooding nature is a source of curiosity to Elizabeth Bennet's character and the reader in Pride and Prejudice. Therefore, the opportunity to delve into his thoughts by reading his personal diary was incredibly attractive. Though the book is supposed to be a "diary" it reads easily and is fast paced and keeps the reader engaged. There is a fair amount of dialogue that has been used from "Pride and Prejudice" itself so it serves as a reference to the timeline of events for the reader. While I liked the use of dialogue from Jane Austen's novel in Grange's work, there were moments where I felt like I was re-reading Pride and Prejudice and I would have preferred more of Darcy's thoughts in his own words.

"Mr. Darcy's Diary" depicts Mr. Darcy as a thoughtful man who cares deeply for his friends and family yet sometimes allows his pride to cloud his judgment and actions. Beneath the seemingly impenetrable exterior there is a sensitive and sometimes lonely individual. Since his diary one place where he confides his true feelings, it is nice to see him express his honest admiration for Elizabeth Bennet and his eventual love for her. It is incredibly refreshing to observe Darcy's growing admiration for Elizabeth's intelligence, wit and common sense and stregnth of character. I also enjoyed the tender side he demonstrated in his diary for his sister -- though we know about his extreme devotion to his sister from Pridge and Prejudice, hearing Darcy express his love for his sister added additional depth to his character.

Mr. Darcy's Diary is an all around enjoyable read and I would recommend it to anyone who is a fan of Pride and Prejudice or considers themself a "Jane-nite."(less)

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Jul 24, 2011 KaRynn rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

LOVED THIS. Pride and Prejudice retold from Mr. Darcy's perspective.
Here's a little sneak-peek:
"Wednesday 20th November

I rode out early this morning, without asking Bingley if he chose to go with me, for I wanted to be on my own. George Wickham, in Meryton!

It has robbed my visit of its pleasure. Even worse, I am haunted by a glimpse of memory, something so slight I can hardly be sure if it is real. But it will not leave me, and fills my dreams. It is this: when I rode up to the ladies yesterday,...more

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Apr 06, 2011 Isolde rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was really excited to read this book because I love Pride and Prejudice and I was curious about Mr. Darcy's point of view. There have been a number of P & P spinoff novels, some of which may be fun reads but my concern is that some also have the characters behaving well, out of character. I read one such book a few years ago (actually, I didn't even finish it) and the author had Mr. Darcy and Bingley and other characters doing and saying things that I found highly unbelievable. I kept thin...more

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Mar 05, 2011 Maddy custard rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-upon-me-shelf

Whenever I read a Jane Austen related book, well, I love it. I've read many sequels to the much loved Pride and Prejudice, and they were all pretty good, except for one where it seemed Darcy and Elizabeth just fought all the time.

I've also read at least three (I think) diaries from Darcy's persective. One by Maya Slater, which if I remember correctly was good, except for when Darcy sleeps with a prostitue. I didn't particularly like that part... I read another one but can't remember much of it,...more Whenever I read a Jane Austen related book, well, I love it. I've read many sequels to the much loved Pride and Prejudice, and they were all pretty good, except for one where it seemed Darcy and Elizabeth just fought all the time.

I've also read at least three (I think) diaries from Darcy's persective. One by Maya Slater, which if I remember correctly was good, except for when Darcy sleeps with a prostitue. I didn't particularly like that part... I read another one but can't remember much of it, it was large print and I think I finished it in a day. But this one was definitely the best.

Amanda Grange has a great way of writing. This book clearly shows Darcy's affections for Lizzie grow, and the fact that he tries to suppress these emotions, obviously unsuccessfully. It's a great book. And what I love about it is the fact that she continues to write after their marriage, showing what she imagines happens. With Lady Catherine and her daughter, as well as with Lydia, Kitty, Whickham, Jane and Bingley.

There's one line I absolutely love from this novel. I can't find it. (yay, I guess that gives me an excuse to read it again). But Darcy is dancing with a random girl, and they start talking about books. She says 'I do not like books. they have too many words in them.' And he replies something.. Oh, I wish I could remember it. Anyway, I cracked up laughing at that stage, but that might just have been me..

Anyway, I've read other books by Grange, including Edmund Bertrum's Diary (almost wrote dairy..) and Colonel Wentworth's Diary. Darcy's is the best to me, and then Wentworht's. Possibly because P&P is my favourite Jane AUsten novel, and then Persuasion. I didn't really like Edmund Bertrum's Diary, probably because he's my least favourite leading male character out of her six completed novels. I don't remember why... He just seems so stupid and blind. And of course, I can't get over the fact that they are cousins, even though, I know, I know, those things happened back then. But he still annoys me.

And yes, that's really all I can think of. I guess with these types of books, you always think 'how can they remember all of this dialogue and then write it up hours later'. Or that just might be me. But anyway, it's a great easy book to read and I'd recommend it to any Jane Austen/Darcy fan

:)(less)

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Mar 05, 2011 Keisha rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As with all diary books I’ve read, this was a quick read. At 329 pages it only took a few sittings to read. The book begins in July, when Darcy has decided to remove his sister Georgiana from London for the summer. The entries about his sister were some of my favorite, for this book goes much more into their relationship (as imagined by Amanda Grange). Darcy loves his sister and agonizes over being both parent and brother to her, and he mentions her achievements in music and art constantly becau...more

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Nov 05, 2010 April rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Free Kindle download. I absolutely love all things Jane Austen, so I took to reading this one right away. I truly like the concept of seeing the whole Pride and Prejudice story from the point of view of Mr. Darcy and expected to love this book. To be honest, though, I found myself a little disappointed by the author's interpretation of Darcy's point of view in some scenes — some were a little too literal for me, kind of a direct retelling with no imaginative nuance of the original, and some were...more

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Oct 14, 2010 Alice Yeh rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: hide-and-read-reviews

The book begins not with Bingley's occupation of Netherfield, but rather with the original incident involving Georgiana and Mr. Wickham. In this area, the author takes creative license, expanding upon circumstances and giving one a different view upon Georgiana's character as well as that of Ms. Younge. This sets the stage for the events that follow and Darcy's take upon them. It also elucidates his feelings towards both his sister and his former steward's son.

My favorite scenes in this novel ar...more The book begins not with Bingley's occupation of Netherfield, but rather with the original incident involving Georgiana and Mr. Wickham. In this area, the author takes creative license, expanding upon circumstances and giving one a different view upon Georgiana's character as well as that of Ms. Younge. This sets the stage for the events that follow and Darcy's take upon them. It also elucidates his feelings towards both his sister and his former steward's son.

My favorite scenes in this novel are the ones created entirely from the author's own mind. Ms. Bingley was always faithfully represented, as were Mrs. Bennet and Lady Catherine. The incidences that Grange created give us more insight into the characters of minor players and even ones who figured prominently in Pride and Prejudice without ever being fleshed out. By this I refer to Bingley, who was only ever shown to be an amiable gentleman who is easily swayed. Grange's take on his personality made him less of an idea and more of a person one can believe in.

The entire book is written as a diary, adding in various events to fill in the gaps in time that existed between Darcy's appearances in the original novel. The dialogue from the original was retained, and while I can see the attempt to maintain authenticity, it came at the price of my belief in the premise of this work. In writing in one's journal, it seems unlikely that one would set about scripting out conversations as one would if writing an actual book. The insertions seemed forced, reminding me that this is an homage to another author's work.

Part of the reason that the quotations stood out was due to vocabulary and style. Grange does quite well in some instances in terms of her sentence structure and removal of the contractions we are so fond of these days. In spite of all of this, however, I was struck by the simplicity of the journal entries. Bingley once commented upon Darcy's use of long words, suggesting a verbosity that was sorely lacking here. The repetition of words and phrases also seemed uncharacteristic when compared to Austen's original dialogue.

More than a Darcy-centered play-by-play, I came into this experience wanting to see an interpretation of his inner thoughts and reasoning, as well as the changes in his character over time. These are present in the passages fabricated by the author; unfortunately, they are absent in those already established by the original work. Instead, preexisting sections become summaries of Austen's scenes, limiting Darcy's emotions to those that she already laid out. They did not improve my understanding of the man in question.

One of the many dangers of writing historical fiction is in keeping everything true to the time period, and I applaud the author's bravery in attempting such a daunting undertaking. Even so, I couldn't help but notice the instances in which this became an issue in Mr. Darcy's Diary. An anachronism that came up several times was the lack of proper use of subjunctives. Many twenty-first century writers will use "I was" when "I were" is technically correct, but this sort of rule-breaking should not have been present given the thorough education that Darcy undoubtedly received. These moments jolt me out of Grange's take on Austen's world every time they occur, making it difficult to believe that this book is indeed a journal penned by Fitzwilliam Darcy's hand.

It isn't easy trying to fill Jane Austen's shoes. In Mr. Darcy's Diary, the author succeeds best when deviating from the predetermined track and instead channeling her own take on these beloved characters. An original work may do more justice to her talents.(less)

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Aug 27, 2009 Jeanna rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance

This is one of those books that it’s embarrassing to admit to reading. But actually, after I read it, I wasn’t nearly as embarrassed as when I picked it up. It was much better than I expected it to be (now, don’t go thinking it was a literary masterpiece here—it just wasn’t total drivel). So, here’s what I thought about it:

I was surprised to discover that it did a pretty creditable job of suggesting the background to Mr. Darcy’s behavior throughout P&P, particularly his behavioral shifts. As...more

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Aug 14, 2009 Laurel Bradshaw rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 19th-century, england

Pride and Prejudice as told from Darcy's point of view. The diary begins a few months before Bingley rents Netherfield and relates Darcy's discovery of his sister's attempted elopement with Wickham. It ends several months after Darcy and Elizabeth are married, giving us a glimpse into their married life.

Having just watched the A&E version of Pride and Prejudice with Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth, I was left wanting more. Jane Austen does not give us much insight into the mind of Mr. Darcy, s...more

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May 17, 2013 Aayla rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

My review of this book is somewhat difficult, as I went about reading it in a rather peculiar way.

Upon picking it up, I quickly realized that it had been several years since I had read Pride & Prejudice. I imagined that my endeavor to read this book might be much less satisfactory if I did not have the details of that book freshly in my mind whilst reading the present one. Thus, I read Pride & Prejudice simultaneously with Mr. Darcy's Diary.

With great surprise, then, did I discover that...more My review of this book is somewhat difficult, as I went about reading it in a rather peculiar way.

Upon picking it up, I quickly realized that it had been several years since I had read Pride & Prejudice. I imagined that my endeavor to read this book might be much less satisfactory if I did not have the details of that book freshly in my mind whilst reading the present one. Thus, I read Pride & Prejudice simultaneously with Mr. Darcy's Diary.

With great surprise, then, did I discover that this was unnecessary. Of course I would highly recommend that one read the original before reading this book, though that would simply be because it's foolish to read this without having read the classic tale in its own right.

I sometimes wondered, however, how Grange got away with publishing this tale as her own. It is, without a doubt, written from a different perspective than P&P, but so much (I would venture to say 95% or more) of the dialogue is copied directly from the original that I know she must've had to have gotten permission from someone to do it. In addition, by attempting to stay as true as possible to the original, Grange copied many of the smaller descriptive words and phrases of the story, so that nothing was of her own originality.

Thus I make this recommendation: if you choose to read Mr. Darcy's Diary, do not read it concurrently with P&P. If you do, you will most likely find yourself irked at having to read the same conversations and descriptors twice in a row. Rather, take it as a P&P reread.

I liked this book, but I think only because I like Pride & Prejudice so much. The story is classic and cannot be unliked simply through reading another version. However, as a literary work, I'm not sure that this specific book has much to offer. It is not unique or wholly creative in terms of having its own ideas. I guess overall I would say that I was disappointed that it did not contain any revelations that the original masterpiece hadn't already divulged. The one thing that I can give it is that Mr. Darcy's Diary provides a much more detailed and satisfactory ending than the original novel, which merely glanced at the future years of his life.(less)

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Feb 19, 2013 Emily rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fun

I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up this book. I've seen a lot of both really positive and really negative reviews. I personally was very pleasantly surprised with it. As to whether someone will like it or not, I think it really boils down to your expectation. We all have our own opinions, ideas, and expectations for exactly who each character is, how they should act or not act, and what is an acceptable outcome for them. If the books lines up fairly well with your personal opinion of...more I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up this book. I've seen a lot of both really positive and really negative reviews. I personally was very pleasantly surprised with it. As to whether someone will like it or not, I think it really boils down to your expectation. We all have our own opinions, ideas, and expectations for exactly who each character is, how they should act or not act, and what is an acceptable outcome for them. If the books lines up fairly well with your personal opinion of the characters, it will likely be enjoyable. But that's such an individual qualification that it's impossible to make a blanket statement on whether or not someone else will really enjoy it like you do.

I personally really enjoyed this book. I loved getting some more insight into other characters and "watching" Pride and Prejudice from a different angle. For the most part, I thought the characters stayed true to my idea of who they are. The writing is definitely not Jane Austen, but then, it's not supposed to be.

I enjoyed "getting to know" Mr. Darcy better. It was fascinating to see his character grow through the book and to see the life and energy that Elizabeth gave to his life. He stayed true to who I think he is - a gentleman raised and confined in a certain level of society that led to his pride, yet with a caring and tender nature for those close to him, someone who seems aloof but realizes the great need for laughter and fun to lighten one's life a little. I felt like he changed his opinions a little too suddenly to fit his character (he had several "lightbulb" moments) but it wasn't major enough to hurt my enjoyment. I felt that he mentioned Elizabeth a little too much perhaps in relation to his other activities, but then again, he is a man infatuated/in love. My least favorite part in the movie was his first proposal to Elizabeth. It goes into much more detail than either the book or the movies and frankly, I thought it was horrible. I know it's meant to be arrogant and proud, but I thought it was overdone here.

Charles and Caroline Bingley fit my ideas of them almost exactly, with Caroline being a little more bitter and acidic than is evident in P&P. Lady Catherine was all pomp and arrogance. Georgiana was a little more shy and timid than I imagine her to be, and the scene at the beginning was rather awkward and almost laughable to me. But her character really blossomed at the end. Wickham is just as base as ever, though I was a little surprised by how base and moral-less Lydia was shown to be. I had always seen her as more vain and naive. I was delighted to see more of Colonel Fitzwilliam as I dearly loved him in P&P and was always wanting to know more about him. I was most surprised by Anne de Bourgh - her character turned out quite different than I ever imagined or is ever shown in the movies, but in the end I enjoyed seeing her in a different light. Overall, I loved the book and seeing a beloved story from a different angle. (less)

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

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

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

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

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“If we all spoke the truth there would be a great deal of unhappiness in the world, and particularly at such a time. Some things are better left unsaid.” — 22 people liked it

“I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look, or the words which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew it had begun.” — 11 people liked it

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

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