Book review: Jonathan Pinnock's 'Mrs Darcy versus the Aliens'
Beginning Jonathan Pinnock's Mrs Darcy versus the Aliens, I was disappointed. I was hoping for a more Austenesque prose style, more Austen-style jokes. Quickly, I realised this was ridiculous. For one thing, it's not easy to emulate the masters. For another, the title of this book is Mrs Darcy versus the Aliens.
I continued, thinking, This is going to be a drag. The writing's plain. The sentences are too short. Maybe I should send this book back rather than giving it a terrible review. And then something happened. Reluctantly, and against my will (because of some mad loyalty to/defense of Jane Austen's memory), I got into it.
What gripped me was the mention of Lydia. She is missing, and I read on to see what fate Pinnock has come up with for the silliest of the Bennett sisters. The book became more fun (or I stopped trying to take it seriously), and I turned the pages quickly, keen to uncover what role Mr Darcy had to play in all this, whether Lydia really was some kind of spy and what the deuce Mr Collins was doing with all those prostitutes.
Once I accepted and understood the intentions and mood of the book I enjoyed it. Wildly self-indulgent, it is fan-fiction at its silliest, and it is obvious that Jonathan Pinnock had a marvellous time writing it. The tone is uneven in places, which prevented me from suspending my disbelief somewhat, but I suspect plausibility was in a long forgotten corner of Pinnock's mind as he worked on this book.
The jokes are relentless, and though frequently too bawdy for me, in its absurd moments the book is funny. More than paying homage to Jane Austen, Mrs Darcy versus the Aliens pays homage to British comedy: from the Pythons to the Fast Show, many nods are given. In fact, this novel has such a wide variety of laughs that there is something for every sense of humour – as well, perhaps, a fair amount of groans.
Comedy highlights are when, on being hit in the face by a tentacle of something Wickham has slain, Elizabeth retorts:
"Once again, sir, I find myself showered with the debris of your encounters."
And the novel's logline:
"The truth is out there though it is not yet universally acknowledged." Mrs Darcy versus the Aliens is only in the flimsiest way possible a sequel, and readers approaching it with a serious desire to see how their beloved characters have fared might be better off having their heads investigated, or reminding themselves of the book's actual title. It really is quite the clue. Fans of Carry On, Dennis Potter and Have I Got News For You will likely love this book, as will readers who find Austen's prose style ridiculous in the first place.
Find out what others thought of the book at the Mrs Darcy versus the Aliens website. Find out more about Jonathan Pinnock's writing projects at his blog.Buy a copy of the book from Amazon.
I continued, thinking, This is going to be a drag. The writing's plain. The sentences are too short. Maybe I should send this book back rather than giving it a terrible review. And then something happened. Reluctantly, and against my will (because of some mad loyalty to/defense of Jane Austen's memory), I got into it.
What gripped me was the mention of Lydia. She is missing, and I read on to see what fate Pinnock has come up with for the silliest of the Bennett sisters. The book became more fun (or I stopped trying to take it seriously), and I turned the pages quickly, keen to uncover what role Mr Darcy had to play in all this, whether Lydia really was some kind of spy and what the deuce Mr Collins was doing with all those prostitutes.
Once I accepted and understood the intentions and mood of the book I enjoyed it. Wildly self-indulgent, it is fan-fiction at its silliest, and it is obvious that Jonathan Pinnock had a marvellous time writing it. The tone is uneven in places, which prevented me from suspending my disbelief somewhat, but I suspect plausibility was in a long forgotten corner of Pinnock's mind as he worked on this book.
The jokes are relentless, and though frequently too bawdy for me, in its absurd moments the book is funny. More than paying homage to Jane Austen, Mrs Darcy versus the Aliens pays homage to British comedy: from the Pythons to the Fast Show, many nods are given. In fact, this novel has such a wide variety of laughs that there is something for every sense of humour – as well, perhaps, a fair amount of groans.
Comedy highlights are when, on being hit in the face by a tentacle of something Wickham has slain, Elizabeth retorts:
"Once again, sir, I find myself showered with the debris of your encounters."
And the novel's logline:
"The truth is out there though it is not yet universally acknowledged." Mrs Darcy versus the Aliens is only in the flimsiest way possible a sequel, and readers approaching it with a serious desire to see how their beloved characters have fared might be better off having their heads investigated, or reminding themselves of the book's actual title. It really is quite the clue. Fans of Carry On, Dennis Potter and Have I Got News For You will likely love this book, as will readers who find Austen's prose style ridiculous in the first place.
Find out what others thought of the book at the Mrs Darcy versus the Aliens website. Find out more about Jonathan Pinnock's writing projects at his blog.Buy a copy of the book from Amazon.
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