After the death of his parents, Mr. Darcy struggles with the responsibility of his five Jane, Mary, Catherine, Georgiana, and Lydia. He could manage his grand estate with ease, but he finds that being the guardian of young ladies is exceedingly difficult. Then the Misses Darcy befriend Miss Elizabeth Bennet, the lonely sole daughter of Longbourn, and they are not the only ones who have great affection for her. She is bright, she is bewitching, and he is in love with his sisters' friend.Roots and Reversals is a novel based on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice (1813). Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth’s love story is told in a world where he is the one with many sisters!
A very unusual premise for this variation. What if Darcy had not one sister but 5? It was rather amusing watching him to try to herd that many young ladies. Some odd plot points but an enjoyable story.
Darcy’s family has 5 daughters and Elizabeth is an only child. Darcy’s mother disappearances on a sea voyage leaving her family. Years later Mr Darcy leaves to find his wife and never returns. This leaves Darcy with sisters care and all the responsibilities for their care. Darcy is overwhelmed and he cannot seem to understand his sister’s personalities. Which leaves him vulnerable to the mischief of his sisters. Enter Elizabeth and the Darcy sisters change along with Darcy. The state has a lot going for it, we get to see the interactions of Darcy and his sisters. We see how Darcy’s fears and uncertainty rule his life and how sisters see him. Darcy falls for Elizabeth and his reaction is somewhat out of character but he comes across as more likable. I liked how Mr and Mrs Bennet had more of a role by accepting the miss Darcys into the family without hesitation. Jane’s character was a bit dim but portrayed as I imagined if she was raised as a Darcy. Mary’s character was a bit rough for me I imagined she might be a bit more intelligent but still remained too preachy for me but then again she didn’t get the love and attention she needed growing up with her parents gone. Kitty and Lydia were as expected but their aunt Lady Catherine cared for them in a strange kind of way. It was funny. There was a review that mentioned the mystery and I found I was sorely disappointed with that so no 5 stars. While the book was entertaining the mystery ruined it for me. Might there be a sequel I don’t know but the author should consider it to explain the mystery or rewrite the end to explain where the plot was going.
I enjoyed the writing in both of Ms Wyn's previous books, and this one is no different. Although the canon characters are present, the shuffle in the Darcy and Bennet families do have an impact on their behaviors. Some aspects in this story baffle me. I don't understand the underlying thread about the Darcy parents - is there to be a sequel to this, or are their (possible) presences just a method to indicate that Darcy doesn't yearn for the sea? I also don't understand how Elizabeth could be so lenient towards Jane - Jane doesn't really demonstrate any virtues but for her beauty! To think so well of everyone that Jane is blinded to all else is, to me, evidence of her stupidity. Despite my questions, I did enjoy reading this story, and look forward to more.
Interesting storyline. Well written with only minor grammar errors. The reversal of the number of family members is a unique development. The writing style is from a telling standpoint, not my favorite since as the reader you don't experience it with the characters. Enjoyable read.
This is without a doubt a very interesting and creative reworking of our beloved classic. All of the expected characters are here presented in a way that I have never seen before. I was intrigued by this, and very much entertained by it too. Give it a try, you will not be sorry that you did.
I enjoyed this book so much I am following the author. Don't expect canon, but a few characters are true to type. I do hope Lady Catherine will get over herself.