Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy: The Last Man in the World by Abigail Reynolds

Jan 04, 2010 Meredith (Austenesque Reviews) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: jane-austen, pride-and-prejudice

“Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy,” originally published as “The Last Man in the World” in 2007, is an engaging and clever variation of “Pride and Prejudice.” If you have not yet had the pleasure of encountering this series, “The Pemberley Variations,” by Abigail Reynolds, it is collection of “Pride and Prejudice” re-tellings that asks the question “what if?” In these variations we see how one small change in the plot can alter the course of “Pride and Prejudice.” This is one of my favorite variations by A...more “Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy,” originally published as “The Last Man in the World” in 2007, is an engaging and clever variation of “Pride and Prejudice.” If you have not yet had the pleasure of encountering this series, “The Pemberley Variations,” by Abigail Reynolds, it is collection of “Pride and Prejudice” re-tellings that asks the question “what if?” In these variations we see how one small change in the plot can alter the course of “Pride and Prejudice.” This is one of my favorite variations by Abigail Reynolds, I love how heartbreaking and emotional the story is.

The slight change that sends “Pride and Prejudice” on its ear in this variation is Mr. Darcy kissing Elizabeth before she can refuse his offer of marriage and that kiss being observed by Colonel Fitzwilliam and Rosing Park gamekeepers. Now Elizabeth finds herself in a difficult situation as Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam are under the impression that she has accepted Darcy's addresses and if she were to correct their assumption it would jeopardize not only her reputation, but also the reputations of her sisters. Even though Elizabeth never gets to proclaim to Darcy that he is “the last man in the world whom she could ever be prevailed on to marry," she strongly despises him for what he's done and her outlook for her a happy future is very bleak.

In “Pride and Prejudice” the flaws of “pride” and “prejudice” are played upon. In “Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy” these flaws are still represented but added to them are “selfishness” and “deception.” Mr. Darcy selfishly believes that Elizabeth's answer to his proposal could only be yes, and Elizabeth decides it best to deceive her husband into believing her happily married instead of being truthful about her feelings for him. One of the reasons I love Elizabeth and Darcy is because they are flawed and they make mistakes. No one is perfect and in the literary world sometimes we tend to idolize our heroes and heroines. It is a nice change to see them feel insecure, embarrassed, or misunderstood. I believe even Elizabeth Bennet has times when she lacks confidence or jumps to the wrong conclusion.

Abigail Reynolds is a very talented and gifted author that clearly loves Jane Austen and “Pride and Prejudice” with a passion! I am delighted to own both this book and her self-published version of it “The Last Man in the World.” After reading “Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy” and scanning through my copy of “The Last Man in the World,” I did not find many changes in the plot, and I would venture to say that the only changes were grammatical. So if you already own “The Last Man in the World” you might not want to buy this book, however, if you are like me, you wouldn't mind having this lovely book grace your shelves twice! In addition, I would like to warn readers who don't enjoy intimate and romantic scenes between these characters that there are a few included in this book. However, the romantic scenes are very infrequent and are not overly explicit. I highly recommend this novel for people who are interested in seeing “Pride and Prejudice” travel a different course!

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Jan 05, 2009 Christina rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2009-reads, mr-darcy

I was first introduced to The Last Man in the World when a friend of mine found it online, printed the entire story, and gave it to me as a present. She knew how much I loved Pride and Prejudice, and her gift quickly fueled my thirst for more pride, more prejudice.

Somewhere in between moving bedrooms two times, pages out of my printed copy were lost, but I quickly found Reynolds’ story, as well as her other Pride and Prejudice variations, online and through the printed copy away. Then, almost a...more

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Nov 09, 2007 devra rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

this book was so horrifyingly awful that i actually had to stop reading it halfway through and re-read half of pride and prejudice just to get the sour taste out of my mouth.

the book is part of a series of might-have-beens riffing on austen's pride & prejudice. the conceit of this one imagines that lizzie and darcy were married after the first time he proposed instead of the second. it dawned on me in the opening pages of this novel that it would turn lizzie's wedding night into a semi-rape...more

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Jul 24, 2008 Shala Howell rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I continue to enjoy this series of variations on Pride and Prejudice -- this one, which explores what would have happened if Elizabeth had accepted Darcy's original proposal, is predictably the saddest of the bunch, but it also offers the most in terms of emotional range. The others are a bit one note, or I suppose, two note in that Elizabeth and Darcy are either passionately ignoring the proprieties or having fights. This one does a better job of capturing the ambiguous pain of being trapped in...more

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Apr 03, 2013 Charlene rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a reread for me and one of my favorites by Abigail Reynolds. I chose this book as one of my reads for the P&P challenge. I love this alternative because the angst and trials that both Darcy and Lizzy have to go through to find there true love for each other gets me everytime. I can't help but cry when we come to the misunderstanding on both there parts. The story starts out with them coming to Pemberley after the wedding. Then we learn as Elizabeth is thinking back to how she got to...more

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Jul 07, 2012 Tara rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

To be fair, this is probably one of the better P&P-based books I have read. No painfully unsuccessful attempts to mimic Jane Austen's style of writing, no screamingly obvious anachronisms... all in all, not nearly as offensive as some of the really, REALLY bad Austen Redux books I've read.

Unfortunately, the entire plot of this rests on both Darcy and Elizabeth acting completely out of character. There's no way the reserved, proper Mr. Darcy of Jane Austen's world would act the way this Darcy...more

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Dec 31, 2011 Nonky rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This is the most commercially "romance novel" of the P&P variations. It shows the fallout of Darcy's first proposal as a marriage that Elizabeth has to agree to in order to save her reputation. She arrives at Pemberley on the first page, hating her new husband and feeling desperately alone.

There was quite a bit of sex, but none of it overly graphic. It was strictly fade the fireplace scenes. In the beginning, Elizabeth is determined to do her wifely duty but does not enjoy Darcy's attention...more

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Oct 21, 2011 Katherine rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I enjoyed this "what if" scenerio. Before Elizabeth has a chance to refuse Darcy in Kent, he kisses her and is observed by his cousin the Coronel and 2 workers. She must accept him now as she would otherwise be considered compromised. Charlotte is the only one who knows her fears about marrying a man she doesn't love (she wouldn't even dare tell Jane when she got home) and Charlotte advises her to try her best to please her husband because you don't want to live with a man that comes to hate you...more I enjoyed this "what if" scenerio. Before Elizabeth has a chance to refuse Darcy in Kent, he kisses her and is observed by his cousin the Coronel and 2 workers. She must accept him now as she would otherwise be considered compromised. Charlotte is the only one who knows her fears about marrying a man she doesn't love (she wouldn't even dare tell Jane when she got home) and Charlotte advises her to try her best to please her husband because you don't want to live with a man that comes to hate you. So begins her love-less marriage. You feel so sorry for poor Darcy though cause you can just see how much he so loves Elizabeth and does everything for her comfort in Pemberley. He can sense she is not the same Elizabeth - not as lively, never challenging or argueing with him but he can't place his finger on it until his cousin the Coronel comes to visit and he sees Elizabeth as she used to be - lively, witty and full of life. He comes to her that night, not with gentleness but with angry jealous passion and they have an argument. When provoked she tells all without the least empathy for his feelings. He learns she only married him because she felt compromised and he is devastated. You must remember readers that because she had to accept him in Kent, there was never a letter that exoneratd Darcy from Wickmans involvement or an explanation for his interference with Jane/Bingley. Lizzy has even cut off ties with her family to "please" him and he never realized the extent of her feelings till now, months after marriage. He now gives her distance, doesn't come to her anymore at night and doesn't go beyond polite conversation at dinner. Georgiana sees that this marriage is loveless and initially assumes that Elizabeth married Darcy for his money but she will learn that its not about money at all for she hardly spends any of it and makes it very clear with anger Elizabeths voice when she realizes what Georgiana thinks. Poor Darcy is suffering and now that he's given her space, she misses him terribly. One day when he doesn't come home from his ride and his horse returns without him Elizabeth goes into a panic - she realizes just how much she's come to care for her husband. He is found, greatly injured and given drugs to keep his pain low but unconscious.. Elizabeth is a faithful nurse to him and realizes now when Darcy is so close to death how much she loves him. She wishes he could be the man so full of love that he was when they first got married but fears its too late. She tells him how much she cares while he is in and out of consciousness but as he improves there is a change - he suddently wants nothing more to do with her. Days go by when she does not go into his room until she gets a letter from Jane with news about Lydia's supposed alopement. She tells Darcy and he decides he must take action and leaves Pemberly with Elizabeth in a panic not realizing why and worried for his health. She learns she is with child but she doesn't want to live if she cannot have the love of the man she married. Each does not realize the true feelings of the other. When he returns Elizabeth doesn't know how to show her feelings, she wishes to take him into her arms but fears rejection. She writes him a letter one evening to ask him what he wants of her now that is with child - should she leave? This brings back Darcys emotions to the fore (he doesn't want to lose her) and leads to an emotional conversation. There are more misunderstandings, more pain but there are nights when Elizabeth shows Darcy the passion she feels for him (if you want clean romance, you may skip the few pages that describe their passionate 2 evenings together). As you read this novel you hope that they will end up happily ever after but the road to get there is not without troubles - wonderful depth of emotion in this novel. (less)

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Feb 05, 2011 cecilia rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: locations-covers

And so begins a truly wretched marriage where Mr. Darcy views it as the single greatest thing in his entire life and Elizabeth sees it as her greatest sacrifice.

If you love romances where the two main characters start off on opposite ends and eventually come together after several heartaches, then I highly recommend The Last Man In The World for delivering such an entertaining romance! While Elizabeth dominated the story with her torn feelings, Mr. Darcy had his moments of vulnerability as a hus...more

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Jul 29, 2010 Meredith rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: austen-esque, historical-fiction, romance

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. In The Last Man in the World, Reynolds imagines a world in which Lizzie is compelled to accept Mr. Darcy’s proposal at Rosings, despite her disdain and dislike of him. Forced into the very thing she swore she would avoid – a loveless marriage – Lizzie must reconcile her feelings with her new life as she comes to a greater understand of the man she married and herself.

I truly enjoyed the opportunity to imagine how things might have been, especially considering all the misunderstandings and half-t...more In The Last Man in the World, Reynolds imagines a world in which Lizzie is compelled to accept Mr. Darcy’s proposal at Rosings, despite her disdain and dislike of him. Forced into the very thing she swore she would avoid – a loveless marriage – Lizzie must reconcile her feelings with her new life as she comes to a greater understand of the man she married and herself.

I truly enjoyed the opportunity to imagine how things might have been, especially considering all the misunderstandings and half-truths Lizzie and Darcy believe. It was also quite fun and interesting to see how Reynolds portrayed the shifts and changes in their personalities, each one reacting to the other. I liked how she weaved in original plot points, to keep the story familiar, while at the same time, adding her own spin and flair to a beloved classic.

There were a couple of things, however, that did irk me a bit. First, and foremost, was Reynolds’ depiction of Lizzie as being extremely passive and quiet after her marriage. Though she attempts to explain it as Lizzie’s way of avoid Darcy’s displeasure, it seemed so very un-Lizzie-like to me. Gone was the spirited, playful, witty and intelligent young woman that first caught Darcy’s eye. In Reynolds’ alterna-world, Lizzie is fearful and obedient, never pushing back (no matter how gently) to Darcy’s stoic reserve. Though this slowly abates as Lizzie and Darcy grow closer together, it still seemed like such a drastic departure from one of Austen’s most vivid heroines.

The other thing that I’ve questioned is the assumption of a happy ending. Now, don’t get me wrong – I love a good happy ending and firmly believe that every Pride and Prejudice, Lizzie/Darcy variation should have a happy ending. I’m just not convinced it should have happened in this case. I’m speculating that all of Reynolds’ Variation books end with Lizzie and Darcy together – the assumption being that, no matter what happens, Lizzie and Darcy belong together and will always end up as such. That’s all good and happy, but it’s not very realistic.

In the particular case of The Last Man in the World, Lizzie is essentially rushed into a marriage she doesn’t want. While it is conceivable that she could eventually come to love Darcy (as she does in Reynolds’ book), it’s also just as conceivable that she would end up resenting him, quite strongly, for taking away her choice in the matter and for (possibly) preventing her from ever marrying for love. Though romance writers would love for us to believe differently, the truth is that many loveless or convenience marriages during Jane Austen’s lifetime never did overcome that particular obstacle. As much as we would want them to be, why would Lizzie and Darcy be the exception?

Still, those are relatively minor criticisms of an overall enjoyable book – which I think is obvious by the fact that I immediately sought out more of the Pemberley Variations from my library once I completed the first. I would definitely recommend Abigail Reynolds’ The Last Man in the World to any ardent Pride and Prejudice fan, if only for the chance to imagine all the possibilities of the road less traveled.(less)

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Nov 29, 2009 Margay rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Review: Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy,
The Last Man in the World
By Abigail Reynolds

This book begins with an interesting premise: What if, rather than tell Mr. Darcy that he was the last man on earth she could ever be prevailed upon to marry, Elizabeth never said the words? What if she did end up marrying him then – how would that effect the outcome of the story and the lives of the others in the story?

With seeming ease, Ms. Reynolds takes us from that fateful moment and shows how, with one simple variati...more Review: Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy,
The Last Man in the World
By Abigail Reynolds

This book begins with an interesting premise: What if, rather than tell Mr. Darcy that he was the last man on earth she could ever be prevailed upon to marry, Elizabeth never said the words? What if she did end up marrying him then – how would that effect the outcome of the story and the lives of the others in the story?

With seeming ease, Ms. Reynolds takes us from that fateful moment and shows how, with one simple variation, the story of Darcy and Elizabeth changes and shifts to accommodate the new set of circumstances. Believing herself to be compromised because Darcy’s cousin catches Darcy kissing her after he proposes, Elizabeth reluctantly agrees to go through with the marriage. She doesn’t want to ruin the chances of her sisters for their own matches, after all.

So we are almost immediately thrust into the world of Elizabeth and Darcy as a married couple where he is just as taciturn as ever and she just as willful. These two traits factor in to the question of why it takes as long as it does for this couple to work things out and resolve all of their issues. Though the book itself is not long (it is just under 250 pages), the resolution is drawn out to almost the end of the book. Without giving too much away, there are incidents that occur – beyond their natural stubbornness – that keep them from resolving their issues, including misunderstandings and mishaps.

Although there were times when I just wanted to grab both characters by the shoulders and shake some sense into them, I was so invested in this book that I sped right through to the very end. I was invested in what happened to these characters and whether or not they could find their true happiness – or if they would. Since this took a different direction than the original with the first marriage proposal, I worried that it might not draw to the same conclusion, which was the main factor that kept me reading so ardently as my housework piled up behind me. I won’t tell you whether or not they actually do find their happy ending or if they are doomed to live unhappily ever after, you will have to read the book to find out for yourselves. But I will say that I enjoyed this book. I would recommend it for anyone who loves Pride and Prejudice and can’t get enough of these characters.

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Nov 30, 2012 Rawles rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, time-contemporary, historical, p-and-p

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Jan 30, 2009 Abbi rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: noone

A friend lent me two of these books (the other was From Lambton to Longbourn), gushing about how incredible they were and how she couldn't put them down. I admit I was very excited about them - I love "what if" premises and thought that the ideas had really great promise... at least from what was written on the back of the book.

I was very stunned as I read to discover how out of character Elizabeth and Darcy were. Elizabeth was no longer the witty, intelligent young woman she was in Austen's no...more

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Apr 11, 2011 Blodeuedd Finland rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance, jane-austen-variation

I have a weak spot of Jane Austen sequels, variations and just about anything. I never get tired of the story, and I do love the What if’s. I have read some wonderful ones, some strange ones, and they are always witty and amusing.

This one was actually rather heartbreaking in a way. Lizzy and Darcy got married because she never turned him down after that first awful proposal. Colonel Fitzwilliam showed up and saw Darcy kissing her, and they were married. Mr Darcy is in love with her and thinks...more I have a weak spot of Jane Austen sequels, variations and just about anything. I never get tired of the story, and I do love the What if’s. I have read some wonderful ones, some strange ones, and they are always witty and amusing.

This one was actually rather heartbreaking in a way. Lizzy and Darcy got married because she never turned him down after that first awful proposal. Colonel Fitzwilliam showed up and saw Darcy kissing her, and they were married. Mr Darcy is in love with her and thinks she loves him too, but here comes the heartbreaking part, she doesn’t. She is not happy in their marriage and tries to do her duty. And to see him so in love and clueless just tugs on my heartstrings when she doesn’t share his feelings. It’s horrible to read.

That is the beginning of this novel, but the author would never leave us with a mess like that. The truth will come out and hearts will break. But there will also be a chance for them to build something new, something lasting and fitting the love they are supposed to share. As for old characters, this is mostly Lizzy’s and Darcy’s book, but we do meet Colonel Fitzwilliam, Georgiana, Wickham, and Bingley shows up too and he wants his Jane back.

The thing I liked best about this story was actually this great twist just because it brought so many feelings into the mix. And it gave me as the reader a chance to really root for them, and hoping that they somehow could truly fall in love as equals. Because this twist meant that Darcy still was awfully pride and looked down at her family and Lizzy also had prejudices against his sister, whom she thought of as proud. And then there is the whole Wickham angle, yes she still thought of him as the good guy.

There are many JA variations around and this one was one of the more interesting ones that I have read. I would happily recommend it to fans of variations, or anyone with a love for Jane Austen. If you haven’t tried one by now then take a chance on them. They are fun to read, and it does not make the original any less of a book. I am not very good with grades, but I would give it a 3,5 because of the wonderful twist.
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Mar 22, 2011 Carolyn rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, romance

How would Pride and Prejudice have been different if Elizabeth had accepted Mr. Darcy's first proposal? An interesting question that this book utterly fails to do justice to. In this retelling, Elizabeth is forced to accept Mr. Darcy's proposal because he kisses her in front of witnesses (thus compromising her reputation). No matter how sure he is of a favorable reply from Elizabeth, Austen's Mr. Darcy would never have behaved in such a truly un-gentlemanlike manner. The author Ms. Reynolds may...more

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Mar 30, 2010 Bitsy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, romance, regency, austenesque

This book is an alternate universe story written about Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. You almost need to have read Pride and Prejudice for any of these “alternate endings” written by Abigail Reynolds to make any sense.

In this one, right at the scene where Lizzie tells Darcy that he is the last man in the world she could be prevailed upon to marry, things take a split from the main plot. Darcy is so enamored with Lizzie, so convinced of his success and completely certain that Lizzie is totall...more This book is an alternate universe story written about Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. You almost need to have read Pride and Prejudice for any of these “alternate endings” written by Abigail Reynolds to make any sense.

In this one, right at the scene where Lizzie tells Darcy that he is the last man in the world she could be prevailed upon to marry, things take a split from the main plot. Darcy is so enamored with Lizzie, so convinced of his success and completely certain that Lizzie is totally in love with him that he compromises her and, before she could utter the damning phrase that is this novel’s title, kisses her. And, right at that moment his cousin, Fitzwilliam, and two groomsmen find them in the cinch and Lizzie is forced to accept Darcy’s proposal or face social ruin.

The premise seems to be a bit too archaic for the times. Just being caught kissing somebody, especially if it is against your will, shouldn’t mean you have to marry the guy, even during the regency. The entire novel being based on it has the story start off on shaky legs. Things progress from there through an at times uplifting and at times depressing book. But, mostly the depressing.

Several people have complained that the entire book is a series of misunderstandings. Of course, Pride and Prejudice was also a series of misunderstandings. They also complained that a lot of the problems in the novel could have been solved through simple communication. The thing is, even though Lizzie and Darcy are now married (already at the end that Pride and Prejudice aimed for) they still have not overcome his pride or her prejudice. Throw in a thoroughly confused Georgiana and the novel is quite a tangle.

Even though there were good excuses for the mess in the book a lot of the problems came across as too fanfiction-y for me. They seemed to be in love and everything was all right and then suddenly they were back to square one for one reason or another and the constant going back and forth got tiring after the third and fourth time.

That being said, I did enjoy the book and I might even chance one more book by Abigail Reynolds. This book, as overly dramatic and at times petty as it was, still had well written (if not simple) dialog, interesting characters and premises, and did tug on the heart strings quite fiercely. I have to admit I did cry at one point in the book.

If you are a fan of Pride and Prejudice sequels all ready and don't mind a bit of an immature romance novel thrown in to the works then see if you can't borrow a copy or better yet buy it off of kindle if you are lucky enough to have one. Don't pay full price for it though.(less)

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Jul 31, 2011 Kiersten added it

Not the best of novels, in my opinion—Austen-variations or otherwise. I think Elizabeth's reasons for marrying Mr. Darcy were a bit flimsy. Yes, I can understand the implications of the time period; however, I think, considering Elizabeth's complete contempt for Darcy and her irrepressible spirit, she would not have been "prevailed upon to marry" him even under the circumstances given. She seemed quite cowed through a lot of the book, as if she were a different character that the author had inve...more

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May 10, 2012 Cathy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adult, austen-ish

"I had not known you a month before I felt that you were the last man in the world whom I could ever be prevailed on to marry." Elizabeth Bennet's furious response to Mr. Darcy's marriage proposal in Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice has resonated for generations of readers. But what if she never had a chance to say it? Would she learn to recognize Mr. Darcy's admirable qualities on her own? The Last Man in the World follows Elizabeth and Darcy as they struggle to find their way through the ma...more

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Apr 10, 2011 Natalie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, own

This was the first Pemberley Variation I read, so I did not know what to expect and was somewhat shocked by the beginning. Elizabeth Bennet Darcy miserable at the thought of entering her new home with her new husband? How could this be? Soon, however, I learned why. What if Elizabeth had to say yes to Darcy's first, horrible proposal? What if he never wrote the letter that changed her mind about him? What if they were married and she still considered him to be "the last man in the world?" That i...more

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May 21, 2010 Carrie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 144-2010, romancing-the-pants

I hadn't thought to pick up another of Reynolds' variations on Pride and Prejudice, having read Impulse & Initiative: A Pride & Prejudice Variation, but this one sucked me in- it's like a drug is what it is...

Reynolds does a great job of shaking up the different parts of the original and reformatting them into something that tells the same story while also expanding on the thoughts, feelings, and motivations of Miss Austen's characters. I especially enjoyed Georgiana's feistiness and the...more

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Jul 22, 2011 Rosa Folgar rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Deliciously angsty!!!!! It literally hurt my chest to read some of the parts. It's a little Wuthering Heights/Pride and Prejudice.

Finished in ONE SITTING. Forgive me if I'm a little incoherent. Ummm....overall, predictable, because of course we know the outcome, but still very enjoyable. It is like a favorite chick flick feel good movie. U know there's gonna b a happy ending, but u still like torturing urself till the last possible moment. Maybe it's my penchant for massochism. Lol!

Anyways, to...more

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Sep 30, 2012 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Well there are definitely some liberties taken with the original characters of Pride & Prejudice, and I found some of the turns a bit unbelievable. Elizabeth especially, wasn't written quite right in my opinion, having not nearly enough spirit during the first half of the book. The pace of the book was also quite different from Jane Austen.

However those were my only sticking points, and as long as you go into it knowing that liberties were taken (and how could you not) you will have a wonde...more

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Dec 24, 2010 Leslie rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: regency-era, england

It took me two pages to realize that this is not for me. It seems every p & p sequel I have piled up to give myself for Christmas is garbage. I must be the only person on the planet who is not at all interested in Darcy and Lizzie's sex lives. You see all those classics on my booklist? There's a reason for that. Modern writing is 99% garbage. I think I 'll go pile up some Dumas and Trollope and dive in till I'm up to my neck in comfort. It's a good thing I don't drink 'cos this crappy book w...more

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Jan 22, 2013 Ceri rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: austen-variation, austen-inspired, historical

This is another of Abigail Reynold's Pemberley Variations books, which looks at what might have happened if something in Pride and Prejudice had been different. The 'what if' here was what if Lizzy had no choice in accepting Darcy's first proposal? This book starts around the time that Lizzy is visiting Charlotte in Kent in P&P. In one of her rambles round the area she meets Mr Darcy and he proposes to her (in a similarly offensive manner to P&P). He assumes she will accept and kisses he...more This is another of Abigail Reynold's Pemberley Variations books, which looks at what might have happened if something in Pride and Prejudice had been different. The 'what if' here was what if Lizzy had no choice in accepting Darcy's first proposal? This book starts around the time that Lizzy is visiting Charlotte in Kent in P&P. In one of her rambles round the area she meets Mr Darcy and he proposes to her (in a similarly offensive manner to P&P). He assumes she will accept and kisses her and they are observed. So not only can Lizzy not vent her anger on him like she does in P&P she is forced to accept his proposal or she would be ruined in the eyes of society and her sisters chances of making good or even ANY marriages would be ruined with her.

She goes back to Charlotte who gives her prudent counsel; she has to marry Darcy, so she needs to keep him as happy as possible, as she'll be completely under his power as his wife. So Elizabeth and Darcy start out married life on the wrong foot - she is married to 'the last man in the world' that she ever wanted and he has no idea that his wife doesn't care about him. Of course, he doesn't remain in ignorance of this fact...

One of the things I really liked about this book is the things from the original that happened another way in this story - in P&P Lizzy finds out about Wickham's lies, what he tried with Georginana, Darcy's reasons for his interference between Bingley and Jane, the fact that he is a much better man than she had realised and then when she thinks she's lost any chance with him she realises that she loves him. All the same things happen here.

There is much more angst and misery in this variation than in P&P, it's certainly not the happiest book you can find, but I thought that Abigail Reynolds did a great job of it. I felt awful for them both for a large portion of the book, he is heartbroken and guilty at the fact that he could have ruined her happiness forever by assuming her agreement to his proposal, and she feels guilty at misjudging him, and guilt at his heartbreak, my stomach was in knots with pity for them both for a large portion of the book. I've read quite a few of Reynold's books, so I generally like her stuff, but this is my favourite of hers so far.(less)

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Oct 01, 2011 Georgiana 1792 rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: old-friends-new-fancies

Non mi aspettavo di essere così coinvolta da questo libro. Spesso mi sono anche commossa. È la seconda Pemberley Variation di Abigail Reynolds che ho letto, ma la prima (To Conquer Mr Darcy o Impulse and Initiative) non mi aveva fatto questo effetto.

I primi capitoli sono divertimento allo stato puro: immaginatevi cosa sarebbe successo se Mr Darcy al colmo del suo orgoglio e della sua arroganza non avesse atteso una risposta da parte di Elizabeth alla sua proposta di matrimonio, ma, sicuro che ne...more Non mi aspettavo di essere così coinvolta da questo libro. Spesso mi sono anche commossa. È la seconda Pemberley Variation di Abigail Reynolds che ho letto, ma la prima (To Conquer Mr Darcy o Impulse and Initiative) non mi aveva fatto questo effetto.

I primi capitoli sono divertimento allo stato puro: immaginatevi cosa sarebbe successo se Mr Darcy al colmo del suo orgoglio e della sua arroganza non avesse atteso una risposta da parte di Elizabeth alla sua proposta di matrimonio, ma, sicuro che nessuna donna potrebbe dire di no ad una sua dichiarazione d’amore, in qualunque modo essa sia posta (e bisogna aggiungere che la Reynolds ha un po’ attutito l’orgoglio sprezzante della dichiarazione di Jane Austen per i suoi scopi), si sia spinto addirittura a baciarla! E supponete che non si sia curato affatto che in quella circostanza lui ed Elizabeth avrebbero potuti essere visti…

“You know what my hopes and wishes are,” he said in a voice of tight intensity. “You have seen me struggle against it, but it will not do. None of the objections—and I know there are many—none have the power to move me any longer. My feelings will not be suppressed. I have never been so bewitched by any woman. Your low connections, the degradation which it will bring to my honoured family name, the opposition I will face from my family have long prevented me from speaking or even considering a union with someone so far my inferior.” […] He continued, unaware of her silent struggle. “But ardent love will not be denied. I can no longer imagine a future without you by my side. Your wit, your charm, your beauty hold me captive. Th e depth of my tender regard for you can be demonstrated no better than by the obstacles I have overcome to make this declaration.”

[“Sapete quali sono le mie speranze ed i miei desideri," disse con voce intensamente tesa. "Mi avete visto cercare di combatterli, ma non ci sono riuscito. Nessuna obiezione - e so che ce ne sono molte - nessuna ha il potere di allontanarmi ancora. I miei sentimenti non saranno repressi. Non sono mai stato incantato tanto da una donna. Le vostre parentele di bassa estrazione, la degradazione che ciò comporterà al nome della mia onorata famiglia, l’opposizione che dovrò affrontare da parte dei miei parenti mi hanno a lungo impedito di parlare o addirittura di considerare un’unione con una persona tanto inferiore a me.” […] Egli continuò, inconsapevole della lotta silenziosa di Elizabeth. “Ma l’amore appassionato non verrà negato. Non riesco ad immaginare un futuro senza avervi accanto. La vostra intelligenza, il vostro fascino e la vostra bellezza mi rendono schiavo. La profondità della tenera ammirazione nei vostri riguardi non può essere dimostrata in miglior modo se non attraverso gli ostacoli che ho dovuto superare per farvi questa dichiarazione.”]

La povera Elizabeth è costretta, per amore delle sue sorelle, ad annunciare il suo matrimonio, quindi dimenticate la lettera di spiegazioni su Wickham e sull’intervento di Mr Darcy che ha causato la separazione fra Jane e Bingley; non pensate ad un primo incontro affettuoso con Georgiana, che invece vedrà in Elizabeth l’ennesima cacciatrice di fortune, con la differenza che questa qui è riuscita ad accalappiare suo fratello; scordatevi la prima visita a Pemberley con gli zii Gardiner: la prima visita a Pemberley di Elizabeth sarà come Mrs Darcy, e per lei Mr Darcy in quel momento sarebbe l’Ultimo Uomo al Mondo (The Last Man in the World) a cui vorrebbe essere sposata.

Ma dal divertimento si passa all’angoscia, perché, amando i personaggi di Jane Austen ed il loro valore, e sapendo quel che avrebbe dovuto essere, ci si rende conto che se Darcy in Pride and Prejudice ha sofferto immensamente per il rifiuto di Elizabeth ad Hunsford, immaginatevi cosa avrebbe dovuto patire se, come in questa variation, il rifiuto gli fosse giunto dopo due o tre mesi di matrimonio! Inoltre, mentre nel romanzo di Jane Austen sappiamo che egli ha sofferto, perché quella sofferenza ha portato ad un cambiamento, ma il suo tormento non è visibile, in The Last Man in The World soffriamo insieme a Darcy, e ci rendiamo conto che il colpo inferto al suo orgoglio da una ‘moglie’, risulta centuplicato.

E soffriamo anche con Elizabeth perché quando si rende conto del valore dell’uomo che ha sposato, si accorge anche di dover stare attenta ad ogni minima espressione, intonazione della voce, parola o gesto che fa, che potrebbero allontanare per sempre da lei l’uomo che infine ha scoperto di amare.

Infine vi confesso che non amo le scene erotiche nei romanzi, specialmente quando esse risultano superflue tanto da poter essere tranquillamente sottointese. In questo libro invece, le ho trovate essenziali e catartiche, una parte integrante della storia, senza la quale tutto il romanzo perderebbe di significato.

Insomma, questo libro fa riflettere su come ogni minuscolo gesto nella nostra vita potrebbe alterare irrimediabilmente il corso degli eventi, stravolgerli in maniera insanabile, e, dato che poi non c’è necessariamente un canovaccio già imbastito da Jane Austen a cui fare ritorno per un lieto fine, è essenziale ponderare bene ogni azione ed ogni parola. Per fortuna, ancora una volta Elizabeth e Darcy, nonostante il diverso corso degli eventi, non si sono smentiti!...
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Jun 22, 2011 Dulcetpurr rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I completely devoured this book. I could not put it down. But to understand why I liked it so much I think it's important to understand how my journey with Pride and Prejudice began.

I did not read the book first. I saw the 2005 movie version with Keira Knightley first, and absolutely loved it. So romantic! And Mr. Darcy is so dreamy. I thought if the original book is this good, I must read it! So I did. And was vastly disappointed. There was no romance, not like there was in the movie at least....more I completely devoured this book. I could not put it down. But to understand why I liked it so much I think it's important to understand how my journey with Pride and Prejudice began.

I did not read the book first. I saw the 2005 movie version with Keira Knightley first, and absolutely loved it. So romantic! And Mr. Darcy is so dreamy. I thought if the original book is this good, I must read it! So I did. And was vastly disappointed. There was no romance, not like there was in the movie at least. Upon several re-readings I've learned to appreciate the original P&P for what it is, but I remain convinced (and baffled) that a movie managed to improve upon a classic novel.

So I've watched the movie a billion times and read the novel several times but kept wanting more. More romance, more passion. So when I found this book I was thrilled (I've been wanting more, and look, there is more! YAY!) but prepared to be disappointed.

I was not disappointed. I found Reynolds' style of writing to be simplistic yet elegant. I love that she didn't try to emulate Austen's style of language, she just wrote in her own way that conveyed the language of the period.

I found the characterization of my beloved Elizabeth and Darcy to be a bit off at times, but very accurate at others. This is a situation Austen did not endeavor to write, how are we to know how E&D would've behaved in it? We don't, we can only guess. Reynolds' 'guess' is a very engaging read.

I found Elizabeth and Darcy to be very frustrating at times, though. How many times can they misunderstand each other? Why can Darcy not see that though Elizabeth did not love him previously, she does now? He still persists in the stubborn belief that his wife hates him although they've done the horizontal tango like 2 nights in a row. I take it Darcy really knows nothing of women because I doubt any woman could have sex like that and not be in love. But that's a modern notion imposed on a very old story, so what do I know.

Speaking of the sex, I found it to be very well done. I've read bad erotica that is so over the top as to be unbelievable, and this was not on that end of the spectrum. It was sweet and appropriate to the story, believable of the characters, and just detailed enough to give you an idea of what's going on without shoving anatomical terms down your throat. One of my favorite quotes is from Darcy and it goes something like 'Come back to bed, wife, I wish to embarrass you again.' Embarrass being his term for pleasuring his wife. See? This story is full of such little intimacies that I just delighted in reading. This is how sex between E&D should be. I loved it!

I highly recommend this book if you've always wanted something more from P&P, and I'm eagerly looking forward to more of Reynolds' work.(less)

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Mar 01, 2011 Jenny rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: on-my-kindle

First of all, I want to make quite clear at the beginning of my review that if you are looking for a clean Austen variation or continuation (one without foul language or sexual content of any kind), then this is NOT the book for you. This is my biggest reason for giving it only one star. If it had not included taking the Lord's name in vain (something that, as a Christian, I absolutely detest) and some sexual content, I would have given it at least 3-4 stars. I read a few reviews before download...more

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Mar 08, 2013 Candy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: re-reading, austenesque

I saw a conversation on twitter a while back between some friends, and they were discussing a scene in The Last Man in the World by Abigail Reynolds. I had read the book a few years back, and I couldn’t remember the scene. So I thought, wow, I really should re-read it, and I did!

In this Pride and Prejudice variation...what if, Elizabeth is compromised by Mr. Darcy during his proposal at Hunsford? Assuming Elizabeth will consent to the marriage Darcy kisses her before she has a chance to answer....more I saw a conversation on twitter a while back between some friends, and they were discussing a scene in The Last Man in the World by Abigail Reynolds. I had read the book a few years back, and I couldn’t remember the scene. So I thought, wow, I really should re-read it, and I did!

In this Pride and Prejudice variation...what if, Elizabeth is compromised by Mr. Darcy during his proposal at Hunsford? Assuming Elizabeth will consent to the marriage Darcy kisses her before she has a chance to answer. Just at that moment Colonel Fitzwilliam comes along and witnesses the kiss. Elizabeth is horrified, but to protect her sisters she marries Darcy. With the resentment Elizabeth feels toward Darcy, their marriage is bound to have problems!

Because Elizabeth never rejects Darcy, she never receives that letter he writes her while at Rosings. As a result, she still believes Wickham’s lies. It was breaking my heart that Elizabeth didn’t love Darcy. As she gets to know the good man that he is, she begins to fall in love with him, but will it be too late?

Georgiana is at Pemberley with Darcy and Elizabeth. Witnessing their odd behavior and not understanding what is going on between them, poor Georgiana is so confused! If this is what it is like to be married, she would rather be a spinster!

This time I enjoyed the story a whole lot more! You might ask," Why would that be?" Well, I’m not sure. It might be that I can handle the angst much better than I used to. Oh, the rejections and heartache! First, I want to shake some sense into Elizabeth, then I want to throttle Darcy! The story is so good!

What I love about Reynolds’s writing is that she really knows how to make you feel the emotion of her characters. She always pulls me into her stories. It had been a couple weeks since I had read this and I wanted to re-read something real quick before I wrote my review, and I was pulled right back in!

If you haven’t already read Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy: The Last Man in the World, you need to do so quickly!
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Oct 18, 2010 Donna rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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

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Aug 18, 2010 Kristian rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book, as with most of Renyolds' books, fills a very specific niche in the literature industry. It a Pride & Prejudice related book, specifically a sequel. Elizabeth Bennett has often been called one of the most delightful creatures in prose, and certainly it is true that people want to read all about her. An entire sub-genre of Austen related books has sprung up. Whether you call it trash, fan-fiction or love it to death, it is important to look at Renyolds' book in context of this sub-...more

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Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy: The Last Man in the World (Pemberley Variation Series)

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