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Mr. Darcy Goes Overboard: A Tale of Tide & Prejudice
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a yacht must be in want of a female crew... The balmy seaside resort town of Salcombe boasts the best in bikinis, sandcastle contests, and a fiercely competitive squad of buff local lifeguards as Regatta Week approaches. And if that weren't enough excitement, Mrs Bennet hears that the splendid villa Netherpollock has been rented by a young man of great fortune. She is determined he'll go out with one of her daughters, until Mr Darcy glides in on his stunning yacht Pemberley and she decides he would be the better catch... Jane Austen has never been so hilariously recreated as in this modern seaside retelling of Pride and Prejudice, complete with a Mr Darcy you won't soon forget!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
July 24, 2018
(Update 20/7/2017
Now I have started on my Jane-Austen-retold-summer-reading-spree, I decided to give this book another chance. Review a bit re-structured, but opinion unchanged. Well, at least it is a short read.)
Original review
Book originally published as Prawn and Prejudice.
Another one bites the bandwagon. And here is a crustacean out of water and a story out of its depth.....
This book is a very bad, modern, mishmash makeover on Pride & Prejudice.
The P&P storyline is moulded into/around nautical events but they come off totally ludicrous.
The characters are literally cardboard cutouts with no depth whatsoever. They are from P&P, everybody knows what they are like, so obviously no need to bother about such trivialities as characterisation in a book. That's so unoriginal and then it would require some actual work, I guess.
We learn some crucial facts like Mr Darcy has hair on his chest (yikes) and Lizzy looks good in bikinis and both Jane and Bingley have skyblue eyes. What else is there you need to know about them, seriously?!
Everyone communicates in a style that strongly tries to relate to Austen-times and then suddenly they switch to modern phrases like "hottest tottie" and "muchos love" which is not so much irritating (yesitis) as baffling.
Some characters (even the young ones) are referred to as Mr-Mrs This/That while others are called Caz and Lulu ... umm, OK.
All the fuss about making young girls get married who are studying for exams feels overexaggerated. The Bennet girls seem to have become quintuplets, all of them studying for A-levels at the same time.
Darcy and Bingley are men(boys) of wealth, but not out of university yet and they are seriously contemplating marriage. Darcy sends his explanatory letter as text messages. Isn't that just hilarious and original? (NO.)
Maybe it is just me being prejudiced (I admit I am) and having no sense of humour whatsoever. Can be, but I still don't see the point for any of this.
Now I have started on my Jane-Austen-retold-summer-reading-spree, I decided to give this book another chance. Review a bit re-structured, but opinion unchanged. Well, at least it is a short read.)
Original review
Book originally published as Prawn and Prejudice.
Another one bites the bandwagon. And here is a crustacean out of water and a story out of its depth.....
This book is a very bad, modern, mishmash makeover on Pride & Prejudice.
The P&P storyline is moulded into/around nautical events but they come off totally ludicrous.
The characters are literally cardboard cutouts with no depth whatsoever. They are from P&P, everybody knows what they are like, so obviously no need to bother about such trivialities as characterisation in a book. That's so unoriginal and then it would require some actual work, I guess.
We learn some crucial facts like Mr Darcy has hair on his chest (yikes) and Lizzy looks good in bikinis and both Jane and Bingley have skyblue eyes. What else is there you need to know about them, seriously?!
Everyone communicates in a style that strongly tries to relate to Austen-times and then suddenly they switch to modern phrases like "hottest tottie" and "muchos love" which is not so much irritating (yesitis) as baffling.
Some characters (even the young ones) are referred to as Mr-Mrs This/That while others are called Caz and Lulu ... umm, OK.
All the fuss about making young girls get married who are studying for exams feels overexaggerated. The Bennet girls seem to have become quintuplets, all of them studying for A-levels at the same time.
Darcy and Bingley are men(boys) of wealth, but not out of university yet and they are seriously contemplating marriage. Darcy sends his explanatory letter as text messages. Isn't that just hilarious and original? (NO.)
Maybe it is just me being prejudiced (I admit I am) and having no sense of humour whatsoever. Can be, but I still don't see the point for any of this.
May 20, 2018
What? I had such hopes for this book. I really wanted it to work. I enjoy JAFF and a good retelling, but this was a mess. There were three levels of language, JA language, modern language and then this weird slang or buzz words attempting to be cool or hip. It was a mishmash of contradictions that was confusing. I needed a dictionary to understand half of what was said. Things were mentioned that I didn’t know what they were or what they meant. At least describe what you are talking about. Some of us are landlocked and don’t understand nautical terms. And then I couldn’t figure out why everyone was always falling in the water. I finally speed read the rest of the book because I couldn’t stand the stupid asinine behavior and actions of the cast of characters that were supposed to be our beloved Pride and Prejudice.
May 25, 2011
I'm always up for trying a new novel in the Jane Austen fan fiction world. Sometimes they're amazing, sometimes not. Mr. Darcy Goes Overboard unfortunately falls in the latter category. If you don't want to read spoilers about the book, then I suggest you stop reading here. I will be talking about the book from beginning to end, in order to showcase the craziness that was this book. When I first read the back of the book I knew that it was meant to be read by young adults and was meant to make them laugh. I do take these things into consideration when reviewing/reading YA books. Up until now I've always laughed/cried at the right times and really enjoyed the stories I've read for young adults. Unfortunately, the humor that Roberts writes in this book borders on ridiculous.
Mr. Darcy Goes Overboard is a modern-day retelling of Pride and Prejudice that takes place in the sea resort town of Salcombe. The particulars of P&P happen relatively similar to the original: Jane and Bingley meet and have an instant attraction, Darcy and Elizabeth dislike each other at first, Elizabeth meets/becomes attracted to Wickham, Darcy tells Elizabeth how he feels, she is disgusted by him and his pride, and so on and so on. There were some differences in this retelling for the obvious reason that it's a contemporary young adult novel.
My first critique of the novel was with the flow of the writing. The book uses Austen's text one minute then flips to contemporary language the next. It makes for an extremely choppy reading pattern. The characterizations of the characters were really weak as well, with Lydia being the standout example. Throughout the entire novel she is selfish and completely boy-crazy. (Nothing new there) It's the Wickham debacle and the aftermath that is crazy. Wickham brings Lydia to a strip club to work there and make money for them, when they're found by Darcy. When Lydia returns home she's ashamed of what she's done, and two pages later, (I KID YOU NOT) she decides to become a nun and go on missionary trips. I literally re-read those two pages about ten times, trying to figure out what I was missing. There is no way that anyone makes that drastic of a life decision that fast. More ridiculous characterizations: Lady Catherine calling another woman "a hot babe", and a mortifyingly shy Georgiana that hides when people are near. Most of Austen's characters are just sadly unrecognizable.
Like I said earlier, I understand that this was supposed to be a comedic approach to P&P, but I got lost in how nonsensical some of the scenes were. Darcy's second proposal is probably the craziest thing I've ever read. Here is a brief rundown: Darcy and Elizabeth are walking, when Darcy suddenly falls off a cliff (I must pause here and tell you that people are ALWAYS falling off cliffs in this book). Ok back to the proposal scene: Darcy tries to yell up to Elizabeth and ask her if she loves him. Due to a crazy wind storm they can't hear what the other is saying. Darcy just so happens to have a copy of Pride and Prejudice in his back pocket, which he whips out and writes a note to Elizabeth on. He ties it to a rock and throws it over the top of the cliff, unwillingly knocking Elizabeth out. He proceeds to wait for a response by reading P&P while hanging off the side of a cliff. Elizabeth comes to, reads his note, and throws two rocks over the edge of the note. (Darcy's note said if you love me throw two rocks off the cliff, and if you don't love me throw one). Since he was engrossed in the book, he doesn't see how many rocks come over the cliff and writes Elizabeth another note. She then proceeds to throw two BOULDERS over the edge of the cliff. Sound ridiculous?! It was.
I'm so disappointed that the publisher, Sourcebooks, actually published this. They publish so many amazing Austen fan fiction novels that when I see their logo on a book I automatically pick it up. I respect them as publishers so much that I don't need to know the author or anything about the novel. I trust their judgement. This book has put a little bit of a crack in that relationship that will hopefully heal upon finding a new amazing Sourcebook novel.
So here we are at the end of my review. I don't normally tell people not to read a book. I like to let them make their own opinion as everyone's tastes are different. Unfortunately, I have to go against my own policy and HIGHLY suggest that you steer clear of this novel. You will regret the time you wasted reading this trite, weakly written book.
Kimberly (Reflections of a Book Addict)
http://wp.me/p18lIL-oR
Mr. Darcy Goes Overboard is a modern-day retelling of Pride and Prejudice that takes place in the sea resort town of Salcombe. The particulars of P&P happen relatively similar to the original: Jane and Bingley meet and have an instant attraction, Darcy and Elizabeth dislike each other at first, Elizabeth meets/becomes attracted to Wickham, Darcy tells Elizabeth how he feels, she is disgusted by him and his pride, and so on and so on. There were some differences in this retelling for the obvious reason that it's a contemporary young adult novel.
My first critique of the novel was with the flow of the writing. The book uses Austen's text one minute then flips to contemporary language the next. It makes for an extremely choppy reading pattern. The characterizations of the characters were really weak as well, with Lydia being the standout example. Throughout the entire novel she is selfish and completely boy-crazy. (Nothing new there) It's the Wickham debacle and the aftermath that is crazy. Wickham brings Lydia to a strip club to work there and make money for them, when they're found by Darcy. When Lydia returns home she's ashamed of what she's done, and two pages later, (I KID YOU NOT) she decides to become a nun and go on missionary trips. I literally re-read those two pages about ten times, trying to figure out what I was missing. There is no way that anyone makes that drastic of a life decision that fast. More ridiculous characterizations: Lady Catherine calling another woman "a hot babe", and a mortifyingly shy Georgiana that hides when people are near. Most of Austen's characters are just sadly unrecognizable.
Like I said earlier, I understand that this was supposed to be a comedic approach to P&P, but I got lost in how nonsensical some of the scenes were. Darcy's second proposal is probably the craziest thing I've ever read. Here is a brief rundown: Darcy and Elizabeth are walking, when Darcy suddenly falls off a cliff (I must pause here and tell you that people are ALWAYS falling off cliffs in this book). Ok back to the proposal scene: Darcy tries to yell up to Elizabeth and ask her if she loves him. Due to a crazy wind storm they can't hear what the other is saying. Darcy just so happens to have a copy of Pride and Prejudice in his back pocket, which he whips out and writes a note to Elizabeth on. He ties it to a rock and throws it over the top of the cliff, unwillingly knocking Elizabeth out. He proceeds to wait for a response by reading P&P while hanging off the side of a cliff. Elizabeth comes to, reads his note, and throws two rocks over the edge of the note. (Darcy's note said if you love me throw two rocks off the cliff, and if you don't love me throw one). Since he was engrossed in the book, he doesn't see how many rocks come over the cliff and writes Elizabeth another note. She then proceeds to throw two BOULDERS over the edge of the cliff. Sound ridiculous?! It was.
I'm so disappointed that the publisher, Sourcebooks, actually published this. They publish so many amazing Austen fan fiction novels that when I see their logo on a book I automatically pick it up. I respect them as publishers so much that I don't need to know the author or anything about the novel. I trust their judgement. This book has put a little bit of a crack in that relationship that will hopefully heal upon finding a new amazing Sourcebook novel.
So here we are at the end of my review. I don't normally tell people not to read a book. I like to let them make their own opinion as everyone's tastes are different. Unfortunately, I have to go against my own policy and HIGHLY suggest that you steer clear of this novel. You will regret the time you wasted reading this trite, weakly written book.
Kimberly (Reflections of a Book Addict)
http://wp.me/p18lIL-oR
June 20, 2011
Very cute! I hope the author writes some more modern versions of Austen novels. Maybe Emma?
August 15, 2017
What the hell did I just read?
Okay, look. I'll be honest. When it comes to retellings of P&P, I try to be pretty generous. I've probably read 6-7 in the past couple of weeks ALONE, and I will overlook any NUMBER of sins to enjoy a story about two of my favorite fictional characters.
But this. Let me tell you. THIS.
I brazened my way through some really odd language choices. There is a mixture of "hip slang" that's more "not the way anyone has ever talked ever," actual normal sentence structure, and Austen-era language. So it goes from "Soz Mr. Bonnet!" (Not a typo. Also...My god is Charles stupid in this. So. Very. Dumb.) to "I am all astonishment. When are we to wish you joy?"
If you can get through that without your brain going from fifth to reverse without use of a clutch, you get "modernized" moments of such incredible stupidity... Lizzie snorkels to be with Jane when she has a broken jaw/leg/etc. (which seem to heal quickly). SNORKELS. Then Bingley has to send for clothes because she can't just wear a wetsuit all the time - a consideration which apparently didn't occur to her. (Was she planning on sitting by the sick bed holding her snorkel in one hand and Jane's hand in the other?) But this allows Caroline (Cazza?) and her sister to mock Lizzie for her blue skin from the cold and her untidy hair from the wetsuit. At which point, Darcy remarks, "Even through her mask, I could see [her eyes] were brightened by the exercise."
Oh my god.
I know this book is supposed to be funny, but it really isn't even that. Unless you consider characters falling off of things and onto things and into things funny. In which case, this book is HILARIOUS because it happens ALL. THE. TIME. Not a single one of them knows how to stay vertical for more than ten minutes at a time, I swear.
With increasingly gritted teeth (my dentist will not appreciate my endeavor with this book any more than I did), I forced my way to the end. (The book is, mercifully, fairly short.) Surely, the payoff will be worth all the tortures I endured to get there, right? SURELY. It is a classic love story and SURELY that payoff will make it all worthwhile.
Well, let me tell you. I would call this "spoilers" but let's call it what it REALLY is, shall we? Here's your fair warning.
After Lady Catherine de Brrr (not a typo - her actual stupid ass name) decamps by attaching her belt to a rope and being hoisted into a flying helicopter mid-rant (I am not making that up), Darcy and Lizzie try to come to a meeting of the minds, but he falls off a cliff (I am not making that up, either) and they decide they simply MUST continue to communicate on whether she wants to date him again while in this tenuous position. So he keeps yelling up to her, she apparently is unable to rephrase a single damn sentence to give him a simple answer. So he pulls a copy OF PRIDE AND PREJUDICE OUT OF HIS POCKET AND USES IT TO SEND HER A STUPID NOTE TO GET HER ANSWER. (I didn't make that up either.) He BEANS HER IN THE HEAD with the rock he ties it around (not made up), KNOCKING HER ASS FLAT OUT (or that). And then, to kill time until she regains consciousness (still not making this up), he READS P&P and remarks how amazing it is it can still be applied to modern situations, but he doesn't notice a remarkable similarity in, you know, character names. (None of that was made up. None. In fact, I'm probably leaving out some of the stupid.)
If you read all of that and thought "this sounds like a fun frolic!" then this book is definitely for you and I wish you joy of it.
If you read all of that and thought "dear god, why?" then do yourself a favor and read a different modernization of P&P. There are at least dozens of them.
As for me, I'm still trying to figure out what the hell I just read, let alone why or how I managed to get all the way through it without knocking myself unconscious from banging my head against the wall.
Okay, look. I'll be honest. When it comes to retellings of P&P, I try to be pretty generous. I've probably read 6-7 in the past couple of weeks ALONE, and I will overlook any NUMBER of sins to enjoy a story about two of my favorite fictional characters.
But this. Let me tell you. THIS.
I brazened my way through some really odd language choices. There is a mixture of "hip slang" that's more "not the way anyone has ever talked ever," actual normal sentence structure, and Austen-era language. So it goes from "Soz Mr. Bonnet!" (Not a typo. Also...My god is Charles stupid in this. So. Very. Dumb.) to "I am all astonishment. When are we to wish you joy?"
If you can get through that without your brain going from fifth to reverse without use of a clutch, you get "modernized" moments of such incredible stupidity... Lizzie snorkels to be with Jane when she has a broken jaw/leg/etc. (which seem to heal quickly). SNORKELS. Then Bingley has to send for clothes because she can't just wear a wetsuit all the time - a consideration which apparently didn't occur to her. (Was she planning on sitting by the sick bed holding her snorkel in one hand and Jane's hand in the other?) But this allows Caroline (Cazza?) and her sister to mock Lizzie for her blue skin from the cold and her untidy hair from the wetsuit. At which point, Darcy remarks, "Even through her mask, I could see [her eyes] were brightened by the exercise."
Oh my god.
I know this book is supposed to be funny, but it really isn't even that. Unless you consider characters falling off of things and onto things and into things funny. In which case, this book is HILARIOUS because it happens ALL. THE. TIME. Not a single one of them knows how to stay vertical for more than ten minutes at a time, I swear.
With increasingly gritted teeth (my dentist will not appreciate my endeavor with this book any more than I did), I forced my way to the end. (The book is, mercifully, fairly short.) Surely, the payoff will be worth all the tortures I endured to get there, right? SURELY. It is a classic love story and SURELY that payoff will make it all worthwhile.
Well, let me tell you. I would call this "spoilers" but let's call it what it REALLY is, shall we? Here's your fair warning.
After Lady Catherine de Brrr (not a typo - her actual stupid ass name) decamps by attaching her belt to a rope and being hoisted into a flying helicopter mid-rant (I am not making that up), Darcy and Lizzie try to come to a meeting of the minds, but he falls off a cliff (I am not making that up, either) and they decide they simply MUST continue to communicate on whether she wants to date him again while in this tenuous position. So he keeps yelling up to her, she apparently is unable to rephrase a single damn sentence to give him a simple answer. So he pulls a copy OF PRIDE AND PREJUDICE OUT OF HIS POCKET AND USES IT TO SEND HER A STUPID NOTE TO GET HER ANSWER. (I didn't make that up either.) He BEANS HER IN THE HEAD with the rock he ties it around (not made up), KNOCKING HER ASS FLAT OUT (or that). And then, to kill time until she regains consciousness (still not making this up), he READS P&P and remarks how amazing it is it can still be applied to modern situations, but he doesn't notice a remarkable similarity in, you know, character names. (None of that was made up. None. In fact, I'm probably leaving out some of the stupid.)
If you read all of that and thought "this sounds like a fun frolic!" then this book is definitely for you and I wish you joy of it.
If you read all of that and thought "dear god, why?" then do yourself a favor and read a different modernization of P&P. There are at least dozens of them.
As for me, I'm still trying to figure out what the hell I just read, let alone why or how I managed to get all the way through it without knocking myself unconscious from banging my head against the wall.
September 11, 2011
This is a really funny, witty read. Love the way it follows the Jane Austen story but in modern times. Fast moving and some real laugh out loud moments - the perfect read for anyone who loves 'Pride and Prejudice' and has a sense of humour!
August 22, 2012
Don't read this if you like Pride and Prejudice.
June 19, 2011
What a fantastic book! As a passionate fan of Pride and Prejudice, I am usually furious at the how badly Jane's wonderful world of Bennets and Darcys is treated by modern authors. HOWEVER, this book stands out as a real exception! In a blissful English seaside setting, this modern world of Austen's classic is written with intelligence, insight and, most importantly of all, wit! Belinda Roberts clearly appreciates the brilliance of Austen. This is no feeble follow-on but a wonderfully entertaining version that will charm any Austen fan who has a good sense of humour! If you are going to buy any Pride and Prejudice related novels, this is the one! Thank you Belinda for providing such a fresh, exciting interpretation of Austen's classic.
no-thank-you
February 8, 2013Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
September 9, 2011
I loved this - very funny, intelligent and witty. Highly recommended to all Jane Austen fans.
October 23, 2011
A very hit-or-miss Pride and Prejudice. It's a very odd mix of phrases and sentences lifted verbatim from the original, and very bland prose. Not worth it in my opinion.
June 2, 2011
If you are a Jane Austen purist, read no further, my gentle friend. Mr. Darcy Goes Overboard will likely send you into a fit which will require smelling salts, The Six (all Jane Austen's literary efforts) and a nice tub of Ben & Jerry's eaten in front of the Colin Firth version of Pride & Prejudice in order to recover.
If you are open minded and don't mind your Jane Austen adaptations with wit, savvy and modernization, you will get a kick out of Mr. Darcy Goes Overboard. I know I did.
The premise to this modern day on the beach retelling of my beloved Jane Austen classic is very similar to the original, with Mrs. Bennet being shrill and anxious for her five daughters to marry well, Mr. Bennet just wanting some quiet, Jane being loyal and steadfast, Mary being a studious bookworm (physics this time around), Kitty and Lydia being boy crazy and Elizabeth being spirited and energetic. Into this crazy summer house of estrogen comes Mr. Bingley, his snooty sisters and good friend Mr. Darcy. Not to be left out, Charlotte Lucas and Mr. Collins make their unromantic match, George Wickham pays a visit to the Bennet ladies, charming and impressing both Elizabeth and Lydia, and Lady Catherine de Brrr (here so named) becomes supremely vexed over the pretentious Elizabeth.
Author Belinda Roberts takes Jane Austen's original text and intersperses it with modern speak, slang and text messages. It's an interesting combination and I thought it made for a fun, light and original read.
Her modern day Elizabeth is a gal you can root for. She doesn't take herself too seriously and she plans on going to university. She's not silly, as are Kitty and Lydia, she's not as reserved as Jane and she's a loyal friend to Charlotte (better known as Lottie here). She's also a superb athlete who can keep up with and outdo even Mr. Darcy.
Mr. Darcy is a bit more of a gray area for me here. Despite the liberties with other changes and characters I felt that I didn't know him quite as well as I would have liked. I understood why he fell for Elizabeth but what exactly caused her to change her opinion of him was a bit of a mystery. I didn't particularly care for the "second proposal" scene as Ms. Roberts rewrote it and felt that although it was meant to be lighthearted and humorous it bordered on the ridiculously silly.
Likewise, the absolute about face that both Lydia and Wickham committed were completely out of character and very rapid. Perhaps I just prefer my Lydia to remain as Jane Austen wrote her - - selfish, flighty and immature.
Charlotte Lucas remained very true to the original, deciding that marriage to an insufferable yet respected enough man was preferable to being a spinster. Mr. Collins was appropriately boorish and hellbent on finding a suitable wife to impress his benefactor, the wonderfully blunt Lady Catherine.
I found it great fun to compare Ms. Roberts' version of events, happening in the modern day, of course, to Jane Austen's original, such as the post and the letters being replaced by text messages and shopping for ribbons in Meryton now being shopping for bikinis in Salcombe.
Basically, fun is what Mr. Darcy Goes Overboard is. It's a book not meant to be taken seriously and takes the popular genre of Pride & Prejudice retellings and turns it on its ear by not only modernizing it but setting it seaside. The chapters are relatively short, some even one or two paragraphs, and the reading as light as a helium filled balloon. I chuckled and laughed out loud in places. I found it to be great entertainment and as such, you can't go wrong. Mr. Darcy Goes Overboard is a perfect beach read and just in time for the summer.
If you are open minded and don't mind your Jane Austen adaptations with wit, savvy and modernization, you will get a kick out of Mr. Darcy Goes Overboard. I know I did.
The premise to this modern day on the beach retelling of my beloved Jane Austen classic is very similar to the original, with Mrs. Bennet being shrill and anxious for her five daughters to marry well, Mr. Bennet just wanting some quiet, Jane being loyal and steadfast, Mary being a studious bookworm (physics this time around), Kitty and Lydia being boy crazy and Elizabeth being spirited and energetic. Into this crazy summer house of estrogen comes Mr. Bingley, his snooty sisters and good friend Mr. Darcy. Not to be left out, Charlotte Lucas and Mr. Collins make their unromantic match, George Wickham pays a visit to the Bennet ladies, charming and impressing both Elizabeth and Lydia, and Lady Catherine de Brrr (here so named) becomes supremely vexed over the pretentious Elizabeth.
Author Belinda Roberts takes Jane Austen's original text and intersperses it with modern speak, slang and text messages. It's an interesting combination and I thought it made for a fun, light and original read.
Her modern day Elizabeth is a gal you can root for. She doesn't take herself too seriously and she plans on going to university. She's not silly, as are Kitty and Lydia, she's not as reserved as Jane and she's a loyal friend to Charlotte (better known as Lottie here). She's also a superb athlete who can keep up with and outdo even Mr. Darcy.
Mr. Darcy is a bit more of a gray area for me here. Despite the liberties with other changes and characters I felt that I didn't know him quite as well as I would have liked. I understood why he fell for Elizabeth but what exactly caused her to change her opinion of him was a bit of a mystery. I didn't particularly care for the "second proposal" scene as Ms. Roberts rewrote it and felt that although it was meant to be lighthearted and humorous it bordered on the ridiculously silly.
Likewise, the absolute about face that both Lydia and Wickham committed were completely out of character and very rapid. Perhaps I just prefer my Lydia to remain as Jane Austen wrote her - - selfish, flighty and immature.
Charlotte Lucas remained very true to the original, deciding that marriage to an insufferable yet respected enough man was preferable to being a spinster. Mr. Collins was appropriately boorish and hellbent on finding a suitable wife to impress his benefactor, the wonderfully blunt Lady Catherine.
I found it great fun to compare Ms. Roberts' version of events, happening in the modern day, of course, to Jane Austen's original, such as the post and the letters being replaced by text messages and shopping for ribbons in Meryton now being shopping for bikinis in Salcombe.
Basically, fun is what Mr. Darcy Goes Overboard is. It's a book not meant to be taken seriously and takes the popular genre of Pride & Prejudice retellings and turns it on its ear by not only modernizing it but setting it seaside. The chapters are relatively short, some even one or two paragraphs, and the reading as light as a helium filled balloon. I chuckled and laughed out loud in places. I found it to be great entertainment and as such, you can't go wrong. Mr. Darcy Goes Overboard is a perfect beach read and just in time for the summer.
October 29, 2012
First of all let me say that I can't believe I'm saying this about a book, I couldn't read it all the way through. Pride and Prejudice is my favorite book of all time. The characters are all dearly loved - yes, even Mr. Collins and Darcy's busy body Aunt Catherine. And I've read several of the Mr. Darcy's version of the story and they have been respectful of the characters and of the story. You know Jane would have loved them. I felt like this particular author was making fun of the original book in some way, it was almost disrespectful. Mr. Bingley in this version is an absolute air head, all the characters were just silly. She threw in a lot from the original and than when she used her own... it was agony! I wasn't going to waste my time and read it all the way through. I have a stack of books I'm trying to get through and this just wasn't worth finishing.
November 6, 2011
I thought it was brilliant! A wonderful combination of Jane Austen's classic story set today in a picturesque seaside town in England, of her formal language with modern phrases and subjects - but the same young people, the same excitement and tension of young love, the same snobbishness and ambitious parents as there were in Jane Austens time. The same plot but today! Its witty and frothy and clever and I was laughing out loud. What would Jane have thought? - I think she would have loved it - especially the puns and saucy touches - she loved to shock! But that's English humour for you. And England too, all politeness and buttoned up restraint but underneath....! Well - do read it!
October 10, 2011
I like humor as much as the next person, and I do find it amusing that Lizzie snorkeled her way among the sharks on her way to Bingley's Netherfield yacht to check on her ill sister Jane, but this was one way too long fanfic joke. I didn't realize how tongue-in-cheek the book was before I bought it - or I might not have done so - and I felt a tad mislead that I'd spent good money on something that was worth a five minute chuckle, but no more. As a short SNL skit, I'd give it five stars. As an entire novel, one is my generous rating.
June 18, 2011
this modern P&P was a little nonsensical. It was done with tongue in cheek, but I found it hard to take. I like a good laugh but this story didn't make sense in parts. I cringed too many times to count. Breaking a leg and in traction then in the next scene at the water???? Just didn't make much sense and though the story was suppose to be light and funny, I found it quite jarring. Maybe I just don't understand English humor. sorry, thought it was a waste of my time.
September 19, 2011
Lady Catherine de Brrr in a bullet proof vest ... Mr Collins in a wet suit ... this is strictly for readers with a sense of humour! Loved it and yes it made me laugh out loud many times. Lighthearted yes - but loved the way it followed the original story - if in brief! - so interesting, intelligent and well written. Enjoy it!
May 18, 2023
I expected this book to be a little cheesy but it went way beyond that. Too many things were way over the top.
**Spoiler**
Anyone that has Lydia and Wickham change and become missionary types does not really understand the characters.
**Spoiler**
Anyone that has Lydia and Wickham change and become missionary types does not really understand the characters.
October 19, 2012
I've rated it 2 stars because I think it's a parody, and not a serious attempt at a P&P sequel. It was a very quick read, with an odd mash up of prose from the original P&P mixed in with "modern" terms. Not exactly one of my favourite modern variations, but not terrible.
September 14, 2011
Whoa! This was funny, witty and yes, laugh out loud. A great mix of Austen language with contemporary. If you want a good read without having to think too much go for this!
October 8, 2011
Cool, very entertaining!
:) I love it!!!
Very happy ending for Lydia, quite unique actually!
And I love the twists and turns made from Jane Austen, and
of course the Darcy-Elizabeth "cliff scene"
:) I love it!!!
Very happy ending for Lydia, quite unique actually!
And I love the twists and turns made from Jane Austen, and
of course the Darcy-Elizabeth "cliff scene"
July 7, 2016
Only motivated to finish by curiosity of what further horrors the book offered, plus it was a quick read.
Read
November 3, 2017Mr. Darcy Goes Overboard by Belinda Roberts is a fun take on Pride and Prejudice that brings Jane Austen’s beloved characters to the present day and to the English seaside resort town of Salcombe. Roberts parallels the events of Pride and Prejudice but with a modern and comedic twist.
The Bennet family spends much of their time on the beach or the water, Fitzwilliam Darcy and Charles Bingley are rich university students spending the summer at Bingley’s villa, Netherpollock, located across the estuary, and Pemberly is a yacht. Letters are replaced with text messages, and balls and after-dinner pianoforte playing are replaced with group swims and sandcastle contests.
If you don’t like authors messing with Austen’s characters or prefer more serious re-tellings of Austen’s work (which, on some levels, ignores the fact that Austen’s novels are actually very humorous), you’ll want to steer clear of Mr. Darcy Goes Overboard. But if you sometimes like your Austen with a side of ridiculous humor, you should give this one a try. I found myself laughing out loud many times, especially with Mrs. Bennet sending Jane off to Netherpollock in a dinghy as a storm approaches, Lydia and Kitty Bennet streaking across the crowded beach, Mr. Collins bulging out of a wetsuit and unable to swim, and Wickham as a lifeguard.
But the biggest laughs came from Roberts’ description of Lady Catherine de Brrr as a sort of Dolly Parton, without the sweet disposition.
My only complaint about the book was the pacing in the middle of the story — right around where Mr. Collins turns his attentions from Lizzy to her friend Charlotte (“Lotte”) Lucas — is a bit rushed. Also, there’s no good explanation for why Mrs. Bennet needs to marry off her daughters. The Bennet property is still entailed, but if they’re considering colleges for their daughters, the girls obviously could support themselves.
Mr. Darcy Goes Overboard is all about the laughs and the ridiculousness. You can’t and shouldn’t stop to contemplate any of the events in the story; just go with the flow and enjoy it for what it is. One could say Roberts goes overboard with all the silliness, but I must admit I rather enjoyed it. At just over 200 pages, it’s a book that can be devoured in just a few hours.
Review posted on Diary of an Eccentric
The Bennet family spends much of their time on the beach or the water, Fitzwilliam Darcy and Charles Bingley are rich university students spending the summer at Bingley’s villa, Netherpollock, located across the estuary, and Pemberly is a yacht. Letters are replaced with text messages, and balls and after-dinner pianoforte playing are replaced with group swims and sandcastle contests.
If you don’t like authors messing with Austen’s characters or prefer more serious re-tellings of Austen’s work (which, on some levels, ignores the fact that Austen’s novels are actually very humorous), you’ll want to steer clear of Mr. Darcy Goes Overboard. But if you sometimes like your Austen with a side of ridiculous humor, you should give this one a try. I found myself laughing out loud many times, especially with Mrs. Bennet sending Jane off to Netherpollock in a dinghy as a storm approaches, Lydia and Kitty Bennet streaking across the crowded beach, Mr. Collins bulging out of a wetsuit and unable to swim, and Wickham as a lifeguard.
But the biggest laughs came from Roberts’ description of Lady Catherine de Brrr as a sort of Dolly Parton, without the sweet disposition.
My only complaint about the book was the pacing in the middle of the story — right around where Mr. Collins turns his attentions from Lizzy to her friend Charlotte (“Lotte”) Lucas — is a bit rushed. Also, there’s no good explanation for why Mrs. Bennet needs to marry off her daughters. The Bennet property is still entailed, but if they’re considering colleges for their daughters, the girls obviously could support themselves.
Mr. Darcy Goes Overboard is all about the laughs and the ridiculousness. You can’t and shouldn’t stop to contemplate any of the events in the story; just go with the flow and enjoy it for what it is. One could say Roberts goes overboard with all the silliness, but I must admit I rather enjoyed it. At just over 200 pages, it’s a book that can be devoured in just a few hours.
Review posted on Diary of an Eccentric
June 18, 2017
dnf... not a great book
October 25, 2011
A really cute retelling of Pride and Prejudice that takes place in a small Hamptonsish beach town in England. The characters are modern, instead of letters they receive text messages, and they are college students. I love Pride and Prejudice, and this book made me laugh and love the story even more!
May 16, 2011
Interesting. Fun to read while drinking, in case you were wondering.
Review to come.
Review to come.
December 3, 2011
This is a funny satire for those who can appreciate a send-up of Jane Austen's famous tale.
August 30, 2012
This was a fun read for Jane Austen fans.
May 11, 2019
This was truly awful. I get what Roberts was trying to do: she wanted to recreate the original P&P, only with a modern setting.
But by attempting to recreate the entire book chapter for chapter, scene for scene, she had to try too hard to come up with modern approximations of the original events, which made it seem unrealistic and awkward. And her modern approximations are often positively ridiculous, like when Jane heads over to visit Bingley and, instead of getting caught in a storm and catching cold, gets stuck in a storm and knocked overboard and ends up with a broken jaw and a leg in traction, among other maladies.
In the parts where she did depart from the original plot, she went in really weird directions, like the way in which she chose to resolve the Lydia/Wickham escapade. And her portion with Darcy hanging from a cliff and pulling out P&P to read while he waits is just weird.
In addition to the plot issues, Roberts mixed modern language with portions that are either original or intended to feel like it, which made for really awkward juxtapositions. (For example: "Oh, she is the hottiest tottie I ever beheld! But there is one of her sisters sitting down just behind you, who is very pretty and, I dare say, splendidly agreeable.")
Finally, her characters were rather flat and disappointing when compared to the originals. She took Austen's brilliant caricatures and turned them into cardboard cutouts, overdone and lacking in any realism.
I'm not even sure why I finished this one, though I speed-read and skimmed large portions. I guess I kept hoping that some of the brilliance of the original would save it, but that was not the case.
But by attempting to recreate the entire book chapter for chapter, scene for scene, she had to try too hard to come up with modern approximations of the original events, which made it seem unrealistic and awkward. And her modern approximations are often positively ridiculous, like when Jane heads over to visit Bingley and, instead of getting caught in a storm and catching cold, gets stuck in a storm and knocked overboard and ends up with a broken jaw and a leg in traction, among other maladies.
In the parts where she did depart from the original plot, she went in really weird directions, like the way in which she chose to resolve the Lydia/Wickham escapade. And her portion with Darcy hanging from a cliff and pulling out P&P to read while he waits is just weird.
In addition to the plot issues, Roberts mixed modern language with portions that are either original or intended to feel like it, which made for really awkward juxtapositions. (For example: "Oh, she is the hottiest tottie I ever beheld! But there is one of her sisters sitting down just behind you, who is very pretty and, I dare say, splendidly agreeable.")
Finally, her characters were rather flat and disappointing when compared to the originals. She took Austen's brilliant caricatures and turned them into cardboard cutouts, overdone and lacking in any realism.
I'm not even sure why I finished this one, though I speed-read and skimmed large portions. I guess I kept hoping that some of the brilliance of the original would save it, but that was not the case.
May 16, 2022
Not really sure why I finished reading this other than that I try to only quit books that I hate. This one I was merely indifferent. Most of it was a bare bones retelling of the original but in a more modern setting, and without much character development at all. Few attempts were made at original dialogue, and the majority of exact or near to exact quotes from the original seemed extremely out of place. Most scenes were shortened almost to the point of nonexistence. Then suddenly near the end it turns absurd, and I could only be glad I was almost done. I have read a number of modernized or plot-twist versions and this was one of the worst.
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