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Mr. Bennet's Daughter
Mrs. Bennet fled from Longbourn with her lover and Jane two months after Elizabeth was born, leaving little Elizabeth behind with Mr. Bennet. Mr. Bennet dedicated his life to raising Elizabeth the best he could. Mr. Bennet had loved Elizabeth dearly from the first time he picked his little girl up and she smiled her baby smile at him, and grabbed at his sideburns.
When Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy arrive in the neighborhood, Elizabeth finds herself falling in love with Mr. Darcy. He makes her heart flutter, and he respects her like nobody but her father respects her. What will happen when Elizabeth’s long departed mother returns to Meryton after being absent for twenty years?
A heartwarming and romantic novel about family, love and forgiveness from the author of Mr. Collins’s Widow.
When Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy arrive in the neighborhood, Elizabeth finds herself falling in love with Mr. Darcy. He makes her heart flutter, and he respects her like nobody but her father respects her. What will happen when Elizabeth’s long departed mother returns to Meryton after being absent for twenty years?
A heartwarming and romantic novel about family, love and forgiveness from the author of Mr. Collins’s Widow.
374 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 4, 2019
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October 14, 2025
Sometimes, when one person is missing, the whole world seems depopulated. ~ Lamartine
Elizabeth Bennet has always known that her Mother was unfaithful to her Father.
Fitzwilliam Darcy has only recently learned a similar truth about his own Mother.
Elizabeth’s mother abandoned Elizabeth as an infant when she joined her lover and fled from her husband. Elizabeth has no memories of her mother and is more resentful of her abandonment than her father is – her father has the advantage of knowing the ways he himself was to blame for the failure of the marriage (and his failure to see the subterfuge used to capture his initial interest).
The reader is aided greatly in not assigning blame for the failed marriage by the Prologue from Mrs. Bennet/Yates’ point of view. Her memories are of her own mother, Mrs. Gardiner, plotting to attract the young Mr. Bennet’s notice. Mrs. Gardiner plays the role usually assigned to Mrs. Bennet in these JAFF stories. We do develop some sympathy for young Fanny Bennet and her love for Mr. Yates. We even see that Mrs. Bennet abandons her second daughter out of love for her.
Chapter 1 begins twenty years later when the Bingley party moves to Netherfield. In the absence of Jane, Bingley is attracted to the prettiest girl at the Assembly: Elizabeth. Darcy forms a friendship with Mr. Bennet due to their common interests and education. He is fascinated by Elizabeth’s interests and education also. Their friendship cannot advance, however, as in Darcy’s mind, “Bingley saw her first.”
Have you ever been hurt and the place tries to heal a bit, and you just pull the scar off of it over and over again. ~ Rosa Parks
Elizabeth and her Father are shocked when Mrs. Yates (the former Mrs. Bennet) returns to Meryton with her daughters, Jane and Lydia. Mr. Bennet is civil to the newcomers. Not so, Elizabeth, who suffers from twenty years of abandonment. She verbally attacks her mother and Jane is caught in the fire. Bingley, who had been awaiting an opportunity to propose to Elizabeth, moves his attention to Jane.
Our dear characters must examine issues of understanding; of forgiveness; of illegitimacy; of fidelity; of friendship; of anger; and finally, of love.
The character most changed from our usual JAFF stories is Mrs. Yates. Her experiences with her two marriages have convinced her of the necessity of a marriage for love. She advises her daughters very differently than in canon P&P. Lydia is also a study in contrast to her usual portrayal. In fact, she appears in the story several times before we hear a word from her.
There is salty language (Elizabeth calls her mother a slut and a whore); and an attempted rape where the perpetrator uses the “F” word and the “B” word. The subject is adultery and there are bedroom scenes.
Choose this book when you are ready for a serious look at serious marital issues. There is little angst between Our Dear Couple. The angst between Elizabeth and her mother is enough.
To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you. ~ Lewis B. Smedes
Elizabeth Bennet has always known that her Mother was unfaithful to her Father.
Fitzwilliam Darcy has only recently learned a similar truth about his own Mother.
Elizabeth’s mother abandoned Elizabeth as an infant when she joined her lover and fled from her husband. Elizabeth has no memories of her mother and is more resentful of her abandonment than her father is – her father has the advantage of knowing the ways he himself was to blame for the failure of the marriage (and his failure to see the subterfuge used to capture his initial interest).
The reader is aided greatly in not assigning blame for the failed marriage by the Prologue from Mrs. Bennet/Yates’ point of view. Her memories are of her own mother, Mrs. Gardiner, plotting to attract the young Mr. Bennet’s notice. Mrs. Gardiner plays the role usually assigned to Mrs. Bennet in these JAFF stories. We do develop some sympathy for young Fanny Bennet and her love for Mr. Yates. We even see that Mrs. Bennet abandons her second daughter out of love for her.
Chapter 1 begins twenty years later when the Bingley party moves to Netherfield. In the absence of Jane, Bingley is attracted to the prettiest girl at the Assembly: Elizabeth. Darcy forms a friendship with Mr. Bennet due to their common interests and education. He is fascinated by Elizabeth’s interests and education also. Their friendship cannot advance, however, as in Darcy’s mind, “Bingley saw her first.”
Have you ever been hurt and the place tries to heal a bit, and you just pull the scar off of it over and over again. ~ Rosa Parks
Elizabeth and her Father are shocked when Mrs. Yates (the former Mrs. Bennet) returns to Meryton with her daughters, Jane and Lydia. Mr. Bennet is civil to the newcomers. Not so, Elizabeth, who suffers from twenty years of abandonment. She verbally attacks her mother and Jane is caught in the fire. Bingley, who had been awaiting an opportunity to propose to Elizabeth, moves his attention to Jane.
Our dear characters must examine issues of understanding; of forgiveness; of illegitimacy; of fidelity; of friendship; of anger; and finally, of love.
The character most changed from our usual JAFF stories is Mrs. Yates. Her experiences with her two marriages have convinced her of the necessity of a marriage for love. She advises her daughters very differently than in canon P&P. Lydia is also a study in contrast to her usual portrayal. In fact, she appears in the story several times before we hear a word from her.
There is salty language (Elizabeth calls her mother a slut and a whore); and an attempted rape where the perpetrator uses the “F” word and the “B” word. The subject is adultery and there are bedroom scenes.
Choose this book when you are ready for a serious look at serious marital issues. There is little angst between Our Dear Couple. The angst between Elizabeth and her mother is enough.
To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you. ~ Lewis B. Smedes
April 14, 2019
4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars
This story was an interesting variation. Its premise made much of the relationship between Mr. Bennet and Frances Gardiner. Her mother coached her on conversation centering around Mr. Bennet's interests, going so far as to punish her if her interest in pretend conversations lagged during those practice sessions.
So she "captured him" and bore him two daughters, Jane and Elizabeth, but even before the latter's birth her attention was drawn to a Mr. Yates and so her adultery began. Her deceit as to her interest in Mr. Bennet's interests has been uncovered thus the couple has nothing in common. The affair is discovered by her husband soon after Elizabeth's birth and when Mrs. Bennet decided to run away with Yates, a wet nurse was still being used for the baby. Thus, the baby is left behind.
Elizabeth grows up with a loving and very close relationship with her father but knows the circumstances of his divorce and how some even question if she is, indeed, of her father's blood. She cares not for most of her life for the gossip.
However, then two things happen, Bingley leases Netherfield and seems to be unofficially courting Elizabeth. Darcy comes to visit and he is drawn to her also but Bingley was there first so honor dictates that Darcy cannot admit his interest. Mrs. Yates arrives with Jane and Lydia; her husband having recently died. While all of Meryton expects Bingley to propose to Elizabeth and he has informed Darcy of such plans...well, you can imagine what happens when he sees and meets Jane. Darcy cut his friendship with Bingley as he, too, thinks that Elizabeth is expecting and wanting the proposal from Bingley. He only wants her happiness. He gives up that friendship with Bingley as he thinks Bingley has left her broken hearted.
Mr. Bennet and Elizabeth have developed a friendship with Darcy and he has planned with them to have a correspondence and to have them visit him and use his library.
Darcy's has reasons to not trust this thing called "love". He has learned that his sister is a half-sister and Ramsgate has now tainted Georgiana's character also. In his opinion women cannot be trusted to be true. He knows the Bennet story so his opinion is further reinforced.
Elizabeth is torn. The woman who calls herself her mother is someone she does not want to know. She doesn't forgive her for how she treated her father. Then there is that sister and half-sister, Jane and Lydia. Can she have a relationship with them when she wants nothing to do with the mother? Further complications are that Lydia and Elizabeth have been blessed with generous dowries from their fathers. Jane has been left out as Mr. Bennet's opinion is that Mrs. Yates and her second husband took Jane away so they are responsible to provide for her. Mr. Yates' fortune is limited and he wants it to go to his daughter.
There were many twists to this story. The conversations between Darcy, Mr. Bennet and Elizabeth reveal a depth of education not common for women in the latter. Some of the philosophies of ancient Greek or Roman figures come under consideration as the threesome discuss their own histories.
I enjoyed this variation and recommend it.
This story was an interesting variation. Its premise made much of the relationship between Mr. Bennet and Frances Gardiner. Her mother coached her on conversation centering around Mr. Bennet's interests, going so far as to punish her if her interest in pretend conversations lagged during those practice sessions.
So she "captured him" and bore him two daughters, Jane and Elizabeth, but even before the latter's birth her attention was drawn to a Mr. Yates and so her adultery began. Her deceit as to her interest in Mr. Bennet's interests has been uncovered thus the couple has nothing in common. The affair is discovered by her husband soon after Elizabeth's birth and when Mrs. Bennet decided to run away with Yates, a wet nurse was still being used for the baby. Thus, the baby is left behind.
Elizabeth grows up with a loving and very close relationship with her father but knows the circumstances of his divorce and how some even question if she is, indeed, of her father's blood. She cares not for most of her life for the gossip.
However, then two things happen, Bingley leases Netherfield and seems to be unofficially courting Elizabeth. Darcy comes to visit and he is drawn to her also but Bingley was there first so honor dictates that Darcy cannot admit his interest. Mrs. Yates arrives with Jane and Lydia; her husband having recently died. While all of Meryton expects Bingley to propose to Elizabeth and he has informed Darcy of such plans...well, you can imagine what happens when he sees and meets Jane. Darcy cut his friendship with Bingley as he, too, thinks that Elizabeth is expecting and wanting the proposal from Bingley. He only wants her happiness. He gives up that friendship with Bingley as he thinks Bingley has left her broken hearted.
Mr. Bennet and Elizabeth have developed a friendship with Darcy and he has planned with them to have a correspondence and to have them visit him and use his library.
Darcy's has reasons to not trust this thing called "love". He has learned that his sister is a half-sister and Ramsgate has now tainted Georgiana's character also. In his opinion women cannot be trusted to be true. He knows the Bennet story so his opinion is further reinforced.
Elizabeth is torn. The woman who calls herself her mother is someone she does not want to know. She doesn't forgive her for how she treated her father. Then there is that sister and half-sister, Jane and Lydia. Can she have a relationship with them when she wants nothing to do with the mother? Further complications are that Lydia and Elizabeth have been blessed with generous dowries from their fathers. Jane has been left out as Mr. Bennet's opinion is that Mrs. Yates and her second husband took Jane away so they are responsible to provide for her. Mr. Yates' fortune is limited and he wants it to go to his daughter.
There were many twists to this story. The conversations between Darcy, Mr. Bennet and Elizabeth reveal a depth of education not common for women in the latter. Some of the philosophies of ancient Greek or Roman figures come under consideration as the threesome discuss their own histories.
I enjoyed this variation and recommend it.
April 21, 2019
This is a wonderful, wonderful story that's powerfully told. I was hooked from the first pages, and I couldn't stop reading until I'd finished it. There a lot of wisdom here, with both Elizabeth and Darcy going through their respective emotional journeys. It's way off-canon, with a different kind of pride and prejudice affecting their behavior. They have somewhat parallel family issues that affect their attitudes toward their mothers and siblings. This "what-if" takes the Pride and Prejudice characters and gives them different histories.
Frances Bennet is the source of scandal for the Bennets while Elizabeth is still an infant. Bringing Jane, who is a toddler, she abandons her husband and youngest child, leaving Longbourn to be with her lover. As terrible as that sounds, Mrs. Bennet is presented sympathetically, with good reasons to act as she does. Mr. Bennet wasn't an ogre, but both realized early on that it was a mistake to marry. Instead of making the best of things, he ignored her (except for the marriage bed) or made fun of her. However, the true villain was actually Francine's scheming mother, Mrs. Gardiner.
Mr. Bennet dotes on his Elizabeth. Although she grows up with the stigma of being the child of a fallen woman and never expects to marry, she is intelligent and self-assured due to her close relationship with her father. Mr. Bennet reluctantly chaperones the social events Elizabeth attends, but he does enjoy observing the behavior of others when he isn't in a corner with a book in his hands. He quickly identifies that Mr. Darcy is shy and troubled when he appears at the Meryton assembly, so he strikes up a conversation with him which is joined by Elizabeth. Darcy, in turn, is fascinated by both but especially by this young woman, whose conversation is completely different from any of the Caroline Bingley clones that vie for his attention. He develops a close friendship with both Mr. and Miss Bennet.
Darcy's broodiness has to do with Georgiana, but Ramsgate isn't the focus of his preoccupation. He's just been made aware of a giant skeleton in the Darcy closet, and he's upset, confused, uncertain, and not sure he can trust any woman. He cherishes his friendship with the Bennets, as Mr. Bennet quickly becomes a father figure for him and Elizabeth's laughter lightens his spirits.
Yet it's Mr. Bingley who is considering marrying Elizabeth. This is despite the fact that intellectually she's way beyond him, and he hates any form of disagreement while she loves debate. These two have playful, shallow interactions that Elizabeth doesn't take seriously but Mr. Bingley does.
Elizabeth really goes into a tailspin when Mrs. Yates (the former Mrs. Bennet) shows up at Longbourn with Jane as well as her other daughters in hopes of reestablishing a relationship with her second child. This is a very different woman than we're used to seeing, having had the benefit of a loving marriage for many years. Considering her own experience, she certainly is not a proponent of marrying for social advancement or wealth, and she's far more sensible in general. It's a convincing testimony that a good divorce is better than a bad marriage. Elizabeth doesn't see it that way, of course; she only sees the slut who abandoned her and her beloved father to be with another man.
Although this book centers around the romance between Elizabeth and Darcy, it takes a more thoughtful rather than romantic approach. They learn a lot from each other about how to cope with their demons. In her case, she needs to accept that her mother isn't a horrible person and her father isn't perfect. For Darcy, he needs to accept that his parents were flawed human beings rather than the idols he always believed them to be.
Acceptance and forgiveness. Powerful stuff here.
Mr. Underwood is a gifted writer, and the plot is unpredictably brilliant. It kept my interest to the point that I read through the night; I literally couldn't put it down. The scene where Elizabeth first sees her mother after twenty years gave me chills.
It's very different JAFF and may be too far off canon for some. I loved it and highly recommend it.
Frances Bennet is the source of scandal for the Bennets while Elizabeth is still an infant. Bringing Jane, who is a toddler, she abandons her husband and youngest child, leaving Longbourn to be with her lover. As terrible as that sounds, Mrs. Bennet is presented sympathetically, with good reasons to act as she does. Mr. Bennet wasn't an ogre, but both realized early on that it was a mistake to marry. Instead of making the best of things, he ignored her (except for the marriage bed) or made fun of her. However, the true villain was actually Francine's scheming mother, Mrs. Gardiner.
Mr. Bennet dotes on his Elizabeth. Although she grows up with the stigma of being the child of a fallen woman and never expects to marry, she is intelligent and self-assured due to her close relationship with her father. Mr. Bennet reluctantly chaperones the social events Elizabeth attends, but he does enjoy observing the behavior of others when he isn't in a corner with a book in his hands. He quickly identifies that Mr. Darcy is shy and troubled when he appears at the Meryton assembly, so he strikes up a conversation with him which is joined by Elizabeth. Darcy, in turn, is fascinated by both but especially by this young woman, whose conversation is completely different from any of the Caroline Bingley clones that vie for his attention. He develops a close friendship with both Mr. and Miss Bennet.
Darcy's broodiness has to do with Georgiana, but Ramsgate isn't the focus of his preoccupation. He's just been made aware of a giant skeleton in the Darcy closet, and he's upset, confused, uncertain, and not sure he can trust any woman. He cherishes his friendship with the Bennets, as Mr. Bennet quickly becomes a father figure for him and Elizabeth's laughter lightens his spirits.
Yet it's Mr. Bingley who is considering marrying Elizabeth. This is despite the fact that intellectually she's way beyond him, and he hates any form of disagreement while she loves debate. These two have playful, shallow interactions that Elizabeth doesn't take seriously but Mr. Bingley does.
Elizabeth really goes into a tailspin when Mrs. Yates (the former Mrs. Bennet) shows up at Longbourn with Jane as well as her other daughters in hopes of reestablishing a relationship with her second child. This is a very different woman than we're used to seeing, having had the benefit of a loving marriage for many years. Considering her own experience, she certainly is not a proponent of marrying for social advancement or wealth, and she's far more sensible in general. It's a convincing testimony that a good divorce is better than a bad marriage. Elizabeth doesn't see it that way, of course; she only sees the slut who abandoned her and her beloved father to be with another man.
Although this book centers around the romance between Elizabeth and Darcy, it takes a more thoughtful rather than romantic approach. They learn a lot from each other about how to cope with their demons. In her case, she needs to accept that her mother isn't a horrible person and her father isn't perfect. For Darcy, he needs to accept that his parents were flawed human beings rather than the idols he always believed them to be.
Acceptance and forgiveness. Powerful stuff here.
Mr. Underwood is a gifted writer, and the plot is unpredictably brilliant. It kept my interest to the point that I read through the night; I literally couldn't put it down. The scene where Elizabeth first sees her mother after twenty years gave me chills.
It's very different JAFF and may be too far off canon for some. I loved it and highly recommend it.
April 11, 2019
Pride and Prejudice variation.
A unique and intriguing take on PnP where Mrs Bennet took Jane and fled with her lover, leaving Elizabeth behind to be raised by her father.
Rated: M for attempted sexual assault.
Enters with a prologue on events that lead to Mrs Bennet's departure.
The Netherfield party arrived but it was not Mr Darcy who initially caught the most of Elizabeth's attention. As there were no Jane, Bingley found the second Bennet daughter quite alluring...
Mr Bennet and Mr Darcy developed a friendship which put the illustrious gentleman much in company with the daughter.
The former Mrs Bennet entered the fray with her daughters and created havoc in Elizabeth's life, just as Darcy journeyed to Pemberley. It made headway for the deprived Mr Wickham to work his wiles upon Elizabeth.
A dark ambience with a lot of literary references to the classics made this a distinctive read.
A unique and intriguing take on PnP where Mrs Bennet took Jane and fled with her lover, leaving Elizabeth behind to be raised by her father.
Rated: M for attempted sexual assault.
Enters with a prologue on events that lead to Mrs Bennet's departure.
The Netherfield party arrived but it was not Mr Darcy who initially caught the most of Elizabeth's attention. As there were no Jane, Bingley found the second Bennet daughter quite alluring...
Mr Bennet and Mr Darcy developed a friendship which put the illustrious gentleman much in company with the daughter.
The former Mrs Bennet entered the fray with her daughters and created havoc in Elizabeth's life, just as Darcy journeyed to Pemberley. It made headway for the deprived Mr Wickham to work his wiles upon Elizabeth.
A dark ambience with a lot of literary references to the classics made this a distinctive read.
April 9, 2019
What if Lizzy was raised by her father?
The what if for this very interesting story is what would Lizzy turn out to be if raised by Mr. Bennet only? From that jumping off place the author invents a quite original plot of how that happens beside Mrs. Bennet dying.
Throw in all the original P&P characters, then a few more to enable the chosen plot, shake well, add a touch of whimsy and you have a fun, original story, told well.
I recommend this book.
The what if for this very interesting story is what would Lizzy turn out to be if raised by Mr. Bennet only? From that jumping off place the author invents a quite original plot of how that happens beside Mrs. Bennet dying.
Throw in all the original P&P characters, then a few more to enable the chosen plot, shake well, add a touch of whimsy and you have a fun, original story, told well.
I recommend this book.
March 2, 2023
Original
An excellent plot with unexpected events that create an interesting story. Elizabeth grows up as an only child and gets an out of ordinary education. I really liked this Darcy, more approachable and caring. Highly recommended!
An excellent plot with unexpected events that create an interesting story. Elizabeth grows up as an only child and gets an out of ordinary education. I really liked this Darcy, more approachable and caring. Highly recommended!
May 19, 2023
Not my favorite of this author. Elizabeth and Darcy spent a large portion of the book apart.
April 18, 2019
This Pride and Prejudice variation is unique in multiple ways. However, first and foremost, this is not a light and easy story. It contains a lot of discussion of philosophy and comparison from Regency era ideas to those of the Greeks and Romans. There is a deep current of "what defines me" as a person - your genetics vs your environment.
Mr & Mrs Bennet have an orchestrated courtship resulting in two children, but alas after the first is born, she finds she loves another man. She runs off (scandal!) with her love and her oldest child, leaving the youngest behind. As a result, Elizabeth and Mr Bennet have a unique relationship.
Enter Darcy & Bingley into the picture, with no Jane. All parties must learn to accept themselves and others in order to find their happiness. The return of "Mrs Bennet" certainly adds a lot of drama which must be dealt with!
The author does a great job expressing the emotion and personal devastation that some of the revelations reveal. Luckily, there is such love and support that someone is there to pick up all the necessary pieces for a wonderful happily ever after.
Mr & Mrs Bennet have an orchestrated courtship resulting in two children, but alas after the first is born, she finds she loves another man. She runs off (scandal!) with her love and her oldest child, leaving the youngest behind. As a result, Elizabeth and Mr Bennet have a unique relationship.
Enter Darcy & Bingley into the picture, with no Jane. All parties must learn to accept themselves and others in order to find their happiness. The return of "Mrs Bennet" certainly adds a lot of drama which must be dealt with!
The author does a great job expressing the emotion and personal devastation that some of the revelations reveal. Luckily, there is such love and support that someone is there to pick up all the necessary pieces for a wonderful happily ever after.
April 9, 2019
Avid Reader
This was probably one of the unusual plots for Darcy and the Bennet family. Mrs. Bennet never loves Mr. Bennet. In fact, she was only 15 when she ensnared thanks to her mother 's teachings. A 26-year old Bennet took the bait. Unfortunately, this particular Mrs. Bennet had no intention of being miserable the rest of life. Mr. Underwood truly changed the context and dynamic of the plot! 20 years later Elizabeth confronts her mother with some very strong language that turns Bingley towards Jane. Some reviewers stated that Elizabeth should not know words such as slut and whore, but Elizabeth tears Greek and Latin as well as books many aristocratic man didn't read unless they were scholars like her father. Such words would not be foreign to her. Although Wickham causes some problems for Elizabeth, it only happened because her mother stunned her with a confession that turned out to be a lie. No one seemed to be able to Elizabeth except Darcy, and he was tending to his sister. Wickham took advantage of the situation until Lydia brought her back to earth with shocking news. Elizabeth holds her own against Wickham. Underwood focuses on infidelity about women who are unhappily married and betray their husbands. Some may not like the subject matter, but I enjoyed reading about a Mr. Bennet who actually provided for Elizabeth making sure she had a 15 thousand pound dowry instead of a one thousand pounds.
This was probably one of the unusual plots for Darcy and the Bennet family. Mrs. Bennet never loves Mr. Bennet. In fact, she was only 15 when she ensnared thanks to her mother 's teachings. A 26-year old Bennet took the bait. Unfortunately, this particular Mrs. Bennet had no intention of being miserable the rest of life. Mr. Underwood truly changed the context and dynamic of the plot! 20 years later Elizabeth confronts her mother with some very strong language that turns Bingley towards Jane. Some reviewers stated that Elizabeth should not know words such as slut and whore, but Elizabeth tears Greek and Latin as well as books many aristocratic man didn't read unless they were scholars like her father. Such words would not be foreign to her. Although Wickham causes some problems for Elizabeth, it only happened because her mother stunned her with a confession that turned out to be a lie. No one seemed to be able to Elizabeth except Darcy, and he was tending to his sister. Wickham took advantage of the situation until Lydia brought her back to earth with shocking news. Elizabeth holds her own against Wickham. Underwood focuses on infidelity about women who are unhappily married and betray their husbands. Some may not like the subject matter, but I enjoyed reading about a Mr. Bennet who actually provided for Elizabeth making sure she had a 15 thousand pound dowry instead of a one thousand pounds.
April 16, 2019
Genetics and Gentry
Take flighty, foolish Mrs. Bennett out of the child rearing process and what becomes of Elizabeth Bennett when her only parental influence is her father? A bluestocking, yes but what else? And is this the woman who can still mesmerize Fitzwilliam Darcy? Seems a simple question with an obvious answer but what about the rest of the scenarios? Without the familiar framework, Mr Underwood constructs a whole new series of background and foreground obstacles to be mounted.
Another excellent variation, well thought out and fluent.
Take flighty, foolish Mrs. Bennett out of the child rearing process and what becomes of Elizabeth Bennett when her only parental influence is her father? A bluestocking, yes but what else? And is this the woman who can still mesmerize Fitzwilliam Darcy? Seems a simple question with an obvious answer but what about the rest of the scenarios? Without the familiar framework, Mr Underwood constructs a whole new series of background and foreground obstacles to be mounted.
Another excellent variation, well thought out and fluent.
April 27, 2020
It is an interesting variation, but definitely not my favorite. My three stars are entirely for Mr. Bennet because he is the only character in the book that I like. He is not perfect, but he is relatively complex and well written.
Still, this is supposed to be a P&P variation and the original is about Elizabeth and Darcy mostly. Here we have basically no love story and Mr. Darcy is absent for a big part of the book. This is a book about adultery, the relationships between fathers and daughters, and the deceitful nature of women. It is written by a man and if normally it doesn't necessarily mean that a male author would have a slightly misogynic vision of women, in this case, it's evident. I don't say that the author hates women, but he shows very accurately how women were treated back then and I don't really appreciate people in Regency England for their behavior towards women. Almost all female characters are deeply flawed and selfish with no evolution until the end of the story. Those who are more positively described are made to be stupid or vapid. Jane is such a good example. She is basically a simpleton. Her reactions are those of a five-year-old child and since she only likes to read novels she is condemned to stay stupid in Mr. Bennet's eyes. His reaction to his oldest daughter is the only thing I hate about his character.
Elizabeth is even worse than her older sister. She has no female reactions at all. That's not uncommon when male authors are depicting female characters. Of course, there are a lot of lady authors who could have the same problem, but it is definitely much more present with men. Elizabeth's reactions to her mother, to Wickham, or even to Darcy are often hysterical and absurd which is in contrast with her excellent education. They are based on what a man THINKS a woman would do in a certain situation. Or, as we know that vision is rarely accurate. It is like the author tries to tell us that no matter how much education a woman receives she still can not control her emotions properly. That being said, I've already read a few man-written variations and some of them were quite good with women's characters.
I won't even start with Mrs. Bennet. No matter if we are supposed to like her more because she claims to love her Lizzy immensely she is difficult to admire. She is even more selfish and egoistic than canon Mrs. Bennet. She basically stole Jane from his father and only by chance she decided to leave Elizabeth with Mr. Bennet. She even tried to further ruin Lizzy's relationship with her father with her paternity claims and had the audacity to be distressed because Elizabeth was actually her father's daughter and apparently "made without love".
I won't comment much on Darcy because he is mostly absent and I have a big problem seeing him as a man crazy and ardently in love. What we do know about him is that he estimates that "women can not be trusted". His initial thoughts concerning his mother and sister are awful and so uncharacteristic for canon Darcy that it hurts to actually read what is in his head. Darcy would never watch "if his sister is pregnant" with disdain, as his uncle recommended. He would never blame Georgiana for Whickham's dishonorable actions. He would blame himself because he was unable to guide her well enough. That is "the" Darcy we all love. His unconditional love for his sister is one of his most redeeming qualities, that is what initially gives us a hint that he is actually a decent person. So, it was not easy to like that version of Darcy and his religious nonsense about women's slutty nature and sinful behavior.
Still, my biggest problem was with Bingley. HE was an idiot and his character was impossible to redeem, which is a pity because he ended up marrying Jane at the end. I know that most authors are not charitable to canon Bingley because of his inconsistencies, but he has never been dishonorable. I actually hated him more than his sister and that is saying something.
All in all, it was a disagreeable variation to me and I did not enjoy it. I skipped some of the boring Ancient Greece and Rome dialogue since it had no place in a romance novel. I mean, I get it Elizabeth and Darcy are intellectually superior to almost everyone, but their exchange was not relevant to the story and it was not helpful to determine if they actually like each other. The writing was pompous, full of long sentences that lacked the witty, funny quality of Jane Austen's original. I won't recommend for Austen's purists, but if you want to see a deeper relationship between Lizzy and her father it could be worth a try. Mr. Bennet's adoration and love for his little girl are heartwarming.
Still, this is supposed to be a P&P variation and the original is about Elizabeth and Darcy mostly. Here we have basically no love story and Mr. Darcy is absent for a big part of the book. This is a book about adultery, the relationships between fathers and daughters, and the deceitful nature of women. It is written by a man and if normally it doesn't necessarily mean that a male author would have a slightly misogynic vision of women, in this case, it's evident. I don't say that the author hates women, but he shows very accurately how women were treated back then and I don't really appreciate people in Regency England for their behavior towards women. Almost all female characters are deeply flawed and selfish with no evolution until the end of the story. Those who are more positively described are made to be stupid or vapid. Jane is such a good example. She is basically a simpleton. Her reactions are those of a five-year-old child and since she only likes to read novels she is condemned to stay stupid in Mr. Bennet's eyes. His reaction to his oldest daughter is the only thing I hate about his character.
Elizabeth is even worse than her older sister. She has no female reactions at all. That's not uncommon when male authors are depicting female characters. Of course, there are a lot of lady authors who could have the same problem, but it is definitely much more present with men. Elizabeth's reactions to her mother, to Wickham, or even to Darcy are often hysterical and absurd which is in contrast with her excellent education. They are based on what a man THINKS a woman would do in a certain situation. Or, as we know that vision is rarely accurate. It is like the author tries to tell us that no matter how much education a woman receives she still can not control her emotions properly. That being said, I've already read a few man-written variations and some of them were quite good with women's characters.
I won't even start with Mrs. Bennet. No matter if we are supposed to like her more because she claims to love her Lizzy immensely she is difficult to admire. She is even more selfish and egoistic than canon Mrs. Bennet. She basically stole Jane from his father and only by chance she decided to leave Elizabeth with Mr. Bennet. She even tried to further ruin Lizzy's relationship with her father with her paternity claims and had the audacity to be distressed because Elizabeth was actually her father's daughter and apparently "made without love".
I won't comment much on Darcy because he is mostly absent and I have a big problem seeing him as a man crazy and ardently in love. What we do know about him is that he estimates that "women can not be trusted". His initial thoughts concerning his mother and sister are awful and so uncharacteristic for canon Darcy that it hurts to actually read what is in his head. Darcy would never watch "if his sister is pregnant" with disdain, as his uncle recommended. He would never blame Georgiana for Whickham's dishonorable actions. He would blame himself because he was unable to guide her well enough. That is "the" Darcy we all love. His unconditional love for his sister is one of his most redeeming qualities, that is what initially gives us a hint that he is actually a decent person. So, it was not easy to like that version of Darcy and his religious nonsense about women's slutty nature and sinful behavior.
Still, my biggest problem was with Bingley. HE was an idiot and his character was impossible to redeem, which is a pity because he ended up marrying Jane at the end. I know that most authors are not charitable to canon Bingley because of his inconsistencies, but he has never been dishonorable. I actually hated him more than his sister and that is saying something.
All in all, it was a disagreeable variation to me and I did not enjoy it. I skipped some of the boring Ancient Greece and Rome dialogue since it had no place in a romance novel. I mean, I get it Elizabeth and Darcy are intellectually superior to almost everyone, but their exchange was not relevant to the story and it was not helpful to determine if they actually like each other. The writing was pompous, full of long sentences that lacked the witty, funny quality of Jane Austen's original. I won't recommend for Austen's purists, but if you want to see a deeper relationship between Lizzy and her father it could be worth a try. Mr. Bennet's adoration and love for his little girl are heartwarming.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 15, 2021
CAWPILE rating: 6.57
January 14, 2026
Wonderful
I read this book so long ago originally that I had really forgotten most of the plot.
It's a fabulous story really well written (no surprise there) very original
I am have a good time rereading Mr Underwood's books and enjoying myself immensely. IMO he is a stand out author very well worth your time.
I read this book so long ago originally that I had really forgotten most of the plot.
It's a fabulous story really well written (no surprise there) very original
I am have a good time rereading Mr Underwood's books and enjoying myself immensely. IMO he is a stand out author very well worth your time.
February 3, 2021
Prendete tutto quello che sapete di Orgoglio e Pregiudizio e mettetelo da parte perché Timothy Underwood, con La figlia di Mr Bennet, ci presenta uno scenario completamente nuovo, con dinamiche familiari particolari, personaggi ricchi di sfaccettature, una spolverata abbondante di filosofia e tanto amore.
Il libro La figlia di Mr Bennet appartiene al filone del “What If”, che traduciamo come “cosa sarebbe accaduto se” e appartiene al genere letterario ucronico, dal greco “senza tempo”. Un romanzo ucronico racconta, infatti, quello che sarebbe potuto accadere se un determinato avvenimento storico fosse andato diversamente. Timothy Underwood, quindi, prende tutto ciò che conosce di Orgoglio e Pregiudizio di Jane Austen, modificandolo e plasmandolo a suo piacimento, cambiando alcune cose e lasciandone invariate altre. Il risultato è sorprendete.
Sono diversi gli aspetti che mi hanno colpito di questo romanzo, primo fra tutti le diverse dinamiche familiari che l’autore ha deciso di toccare, affrontando argomenti sensibili ma perfettamente consoni al contesto da lui stesso creato. Ogni personaggio incontrato porta con sé tratti originali e variazioni interessanti, ambivalenze che rendono ancora più ricco e colorato l’universo creato da Jane Austen.
L’intero libro ruota attorno alla storia d’amore tra Darcy ed Elizabeth, tuttavia ho apprezzato anche la particolare cura che è stata data anche ai vari rapporti familiari e non. Risulta lampante il rapporto speciale che lega Elizabeth al padre, inoltre il lettore assiste anche alla nascita del rapporto tra Jane ed Elizabeth e tra Elizabeth e l’ex signora Bennet. Allo stesso modo vediamo anche l’atteggiamento di Darcy nei confronti della propria famiglia, specialmente nei confronti della madre e di Georgiana.
Sono tanti gli argomenti che l’autore tocca, non solo l’adulterio e le sue conseguenze, specialmente morali, ma anche l’accettazione e il perdono, attraverso una crescita personale.
Lo stile di scrittura di Timothy Underwood mi è piaciuto molto: scorrevole, vivace, a tratti più cupo, quasi malinconico, che sa toccare le corde giuste del lettore, facendolo ridere e commuovere al momento giusto. Il libro è un susseguirsi di scene che corrono veloci, un’alternanza di momenti toccanti e commoventi, ad altri più leggeri e divertenti. I dialoghi sono ben bilanciati e interessanti, ho particolarmente apprezzato i momenti condivisi tra Elizabeth e Darcy e quelli tra Elizabeth e il padre. Molto speciale il rapporto che si crea tra questi tre personaggi.
La trama, così distante dall’originale e innovativa, mi ha catturata sin dalle prime pagine e ho letto il libro in pochissimo tempo, spinta soprattutto dalla curiosità di scoprire quale piega avrebbero preso certi eventi. I colpi di scena di certo non mancano, così come non mancano quei momenti in cui è facile sbarrare gli occhi e trattenere il respiro per ciò che sta capitando.
Recensione completa: https://virtualkaty.blogspot.com/2021...
Il libro La figlia di Mr Bennet appartiene al filone del “What If”, che traduciamo come “cosa sarebbe accaduto se” e appartiene al genere letterario ucronico, dal greco “senza tempo”. Un romanzo ucronico racconta, infatti, quello che sarebbe potuto accadere se un determinato avvenimento storico fosse andato diversamente. Timothy Underwood, quindi, prende tutto ciò che conosce di Orgoglio e Pregiudizio di Jane Austen, modificandolo e plasmandolo a suo piacimento, cambiando alcune cose e lasciandone invariate altre. Il risultato è sorprendete.
Sono diversi gli aspetti che mi hanno colpito di questo romanzo, primo fra tutti le diverse dinamiche familiari che l’autore ha deciso di toccare, affrontando argomenti sensibili ma perfettamente consoni al contesto da lui stesso creato. Ogni personaggio incontrato porta con sé tratti originali e variazioni interessanti, ambivalenze che rendono ancora più ricco e colorato l’universo creato da Jane Austen.
L’intero libro ruota attorno alla storia d’amore tra Darcy ed Elizabeth, tuttavia ho apprezzato anche la particolare cura che è stata data anche ai vari rapporti familiari e non. Risulta lampante il rapporto speciale che lega Elizabeth al padre, inoltre il lettore assiste anche alla nascita del rapporto tra Jane ed Elizabeth e tra Elizabeth e l’ex signora Bennet. Allo stesso modo vediamo anche l’atteggiamento di Darcy nei confronti della propria famiglia, specialmente nei confronti della madre e di Georgiana.
Sono tanti gli argomenti che l’autore tocca, non solo l’adulterio e le sue conseguenze, specialmente morali, ma anche l’accettazione e il perdono, attraverso una crescita personale.
Lo stile di scrittura di Timothy Underwood mi è piaciuto molto: scorrevole, vivace, a tratti più cupo, quasi malinconico, che sa toccare le corde giuste del lettore, facendolo ridere e commuovere al momento giusto. Il libro è un susseguirsi di scene che corrono veloci, un’alternanza di momenti toccanti e commoventi, ad altri più leggeri e divertenti. I dialoghi sono ben bilanciati e interessanti, ho particolarmente apprezzato i momenti condivisi tra Elizabeth e Darcy e quelli tra Elizabeth e il padre. Molto speciale il rapporto che si crea tra questi tre personaggi.
La trama, così distante dall’originale e innovativa, mi ha catturata sin dalle prime pagine e ho letto il libro in pochissimo tempo, spinta soprattutto dalla curiosità di scoprire quale piega avrebbero preso certi eventi. I colpi di scena di certo non mancano, così come non mancano quei momenti in cui è facile sbarrare gli occhi e trattenere il respiro per ciò che sta capitando.
Recensione completa: https://virtualkaty.blogspot.com/2021...
July 12, 2019
Good blok
This was a new twist, Darcy and Lizzy were very interesting characters. Glad no elopement, glad not much Caroline or Lady Catherine. Good book loved the literary references.
This was a new twist, Darcy and Lizzy were very interesting characters. Glad no elopement, glad not much Caroline or Lady Catherine. Good book loved the literary references.
April 8, 2019
Not really bad
This story isn't really " bad" as much as possibly the most boring in huge sections. It's impossible to really get into each character and the arguments about whether adultery and child abandonment are " sins" go on and on. Jane is more of a simpleton than ever while Lydia is not the overly headstrong and impulsive girl. Of course greed raises its ugly head with the former Mrs Bennet thinking that Elizabeth should give her sister half her dowry and Wickham trying to get his hands on the same dowry.
This story isn't really " bad" as much as possibly the most boring in huge sections. It's impossible to really get into each character and the arguments about whether adultery and child abandonment are " sins" go on and on. Jane is more of a simpleton than ever while Lydia is not the overly headstrong and impulsive girl. Of course greed raises its ugly head with the former Mrs Bennet thinking that Elizabeth should give her sister half her dowry and Wickham trying to get his hands on the same dowry.
February 3, 2026
Very Good
Reviewed in Canada on March 6, 2020
Very enjoyable read. A non-canon story, I loved the relationship Darcy had with Mr. Bennet and Elizabeth, thereby avoiding all the usual misunderstandings from canon. Another good Pride and Prejudice variation from this author. Well done!
Audiobook - February 2, 2026
I was very glad to see this older book come to audio. The story still pleases me, and the performances by Harry Frost and Stevie Zimmerman are excellent, as always. Unfortunately, the sound quality on Stevie’s end sounds off—like she’s talking from behind a closed door, her voice somewhat muffled and not as loud as Harry’s.
Reviewed in Canada on March 6, 2020
Very enjoyable read. A non-canon story, I loved the relationship Darcy had with Mr. Bennet and Elizabeth, thereby avoiding all the usual misunderstandings from canon. Another good Pride and Prejudice variation from this author. Well done!
Audiobook - February 2, 2026
I was very glad to see this older book come to audio. The story still pleases me, and the performances by Harry Frost and Stevie Zimmerman are excellent, as always. Unfortunately, the sound quality on Stevie’s end sounds off—like she’s talking from behind a closed door, her voice somewhat muffled and not as loud as Harry’s.
December 30, 2021
La vostra Tany si fa volentieri scorpacciate di retelling e quindi potevo forse farmi sfuggire questo romanzo? Certo che no. Underwood ha creato un 'what if' (che significa 'e se...'), cioè una storia alternativa a quella originale, che fa riflettere su varie cose e omaggia allo stesso tempo l'insuperabile Jane Austen.
Una notte, Mr Bennet si ritrova da solo a crescere una bimba di soli due mesi. Sua moglie, una donna che credeva migliore di quello che era, ha abbandonato il tetto coniugale con la primogenita Jane, per poter stare con il suo amante. Da allora la vita dell'uomo ha ruotato solo e interamente per la sua adorata Lizzy. La figlia prediletta, l'unica rimastagli, a cui ha trasmesso il suo sapere, in barba alle convenzioni sociali dell'epoca. La loro esistenza pacifica, però, giungerà al termine quando la ex Mrs Bennet ritorna riportando a galla dolori e vecchi rancori. Da aggiungersi a ciò sembra che Mr Bingley e Mr Darcy, due amici gentiluomini, abbiano messo gli occhi su Lizzy ma solo uno è veramente sincero.
Elizabeth, detta Lizzy, è la protagonista indiscussa del romanzo ma di pari importanza abbiamo suo padre, Mr Bennet, che l'autore ci descrive come un uomo asociale che preferisce stare in compagnia dei libri e della filosofia piuttosto che partecipare a balli e thè. Un uomo segnato dal tradimento della moglie ma anche disilluso che si è sposato con una donna solo per il suo fascino senza vederla per quello che era veramente. Non ha avuto un matrimonio felice ma da ciò sono nate due figlie tra cui la sua Lizzy, per cui ha una predilezione fin dalla nascita. Lei diventa il suo sole, il suo intero universo. Le insegna ad amare materie che tutte le donne trovano noiose, come il latino, il greco e la filosofia. Condivide con lei molti interessi e fa in modo di assicurarle una buona dote per il futuro. Sono due personaggi decisamente diversi da quelli originariamente creati dalla Austen ma è stato molto interessante leggere queste variazioni. Ritroviamo tutti i personaggi che abbiamo imparato ad amare in Orgoglio e Pregiudizio ma in un contesto più innovativo e audace. Mr Bingley e Mr Darcy sono sempre due amici molto uniti ma qui li vediamo prendere le distanze per i sentimenti che provano per le sorelle Bennet.
Quello che ho amato di più di questo libro è l'evolversi della storia tra Elizabeth e Darcy, oltre al fatto che si va a trattare temi davvero delicati come il tradimento, l'abbandono e il perdono. L'amicizia, l'intenso legame, che nasce tra la coppia principale di Orgoglio e Pregiudizio si sviluppa a suon di punzecchiate e di scambi culturali poi si trasforma in un amore sincero e duraturo.
Underwood ci trasporta in un classico dal sapore moderno. Il suo stile è molto più disinibito di quello a cui ci aveva abituato Jane Austen e andiamo a leggere anche di pensieri peccaminosi e accenni di sesso in un'ambientazione storica dove ciò era tabù. L'autore ha di molto stravolto la storia originale ma il suo è stato un esperimento ben riuscito, a mio parere, che rende sia giustizia alla Austen che ai lettori di adesso. Dobbiamo dimenticarci la storia originale e assaporare questa variazione dove l'amore può fare tutto, anche superare l'odio e qualsiasi dubbio.
Una notte, Mr Bennet si ritrova da solo a crescere una bimba di soli due mesi. Sua moglie, una donna che credeva migliore di quello che era, ha abbandonato il tetto coniugale con la primogenita Jane, per poter stare con il suo amante. Da allora la vita dell'uomo ha ruotato solo e interamente per la sua adorata Lizzy. La figlia prediletta, l'unica rimastagli, a cui ha trasmesso il suo sapere, in barba alle convenzioni sociali dell'epoca. La loro esistenza pacifica, però, giungerà al termine quando la ex Mrs Bennet ritorna riportando a galla dolori e vecchi rancori. Da aggiungersi a ciò sembra che Mr Bingley e Mr Darcy, due amici gentiluomini, abbiano messo gli occhi su Lizzy ma solo uno è veramente sincero.
Elizabeth, detta Lizzy, è la protagonista indiscussa del romanzo ma di pari importanza abbiamo suo padre, Mr Bennet, che l'autore ci descrive come un uomo asociale che preferisce stare in compagnia dei libri e della filosofia piuttosto che partecipare a balli e thè. Un uomo segnato dal tradimento della moglie ma anche disilluso che si è sposato con una donna solo per il suo fascino senza vederla per quello che era veramente. Non ha avuto un matrimonio felice ma da ciò sono nate due figlie tra cui la sua Lizzy, per cui ha una predilezione fin dalla nascita. Lei diventa il suo sole, il suo intero universo. Le insegna ad amare materie che tutte le donne trovano noiose, come il latino, il greco e la filosofia. Condivide con lei molti interessi e fa in modo di assicurarle una buona dote per il futuro. Sono due personaggi decisamente diversi da quelli originariamente creati dalla Austen ma è stato molto interessante leggere queste variazioni. Ritroviamo tutti i personaggi che abbiamo imparato ad amare in Orgoglio e Pregiudizio ma in un contesto più innovativo e audace. Mr Bingley e Mr Darcy sono sempre due amici molto uniti ma qui li vediamo prendere le distanze per i sentimenti che provano per le sorelle Bennet.
Quello che ho amato di più di questo libro è l'evolversi della storia tra Elizabeth e Darcy, oltre al fatto che si va a trattare temi davvero delicati come il tradimento, l'abbandono e il perdono. L'amicizia, l'intenso legame, che nasce tra la coppia principale di Orgoglio e Pregiudizio si sviluppa a suon di punzecchiate e di scambi culturali poi si trasforma in un amore sincero e duraturo.
Underwood ci trasporta in un classico dal sapore moderno. Il suo stile è molto più disinibito di quello a cui ci aveva abituato Jane Austen e andiamo a leggere anche di pensieri peccaminosi e accenni di sesso in un'ambientazione storica dove ciò era tabù. L'autore ha di molto stravolto la storia originale ma il suo è stato un esperimento ben riuscito, a mio parere, che rende sia giustizia alla Austen che ai lettori di adesso. Dobbiamo dimenticarci la storia originale e assaporare questa variazione dove l'amore può fare tutto, anche superare l'odio e qualsiasi dubbio.
July 10, 2019
Another winner from the author
Mr. Underwood is a reliably entertaining writer, and he's done it again. This is a complete reworking of P&P, and the changes in characters, situations and events is profound. All of the important family dynamics are different. Mr. Bennett is divorced from his wife, who commits adultery and marries the man she cheated with. Jane and Elizabeth are separated for 20 years, as Mr Bennett has raised Elizabeth, while Jane lived with their mother. Darcy and Bingley meet Elizabeth and her father at the assembly, and Bingley is at first drawn to Elizabeth. Darcy has his own family troubles, discovering that Georgiana is only his half sister, the product of an illicit liaison his mother had with another man.
The theme of the story seems to be acceptance of a person even if they're the product of an adulterous relationship, and the abiding strength of a parent's love of their children. Both Elizabeth and Georgiana experience an identity crisis and confusion about just where and to whom they belong. This is a serious topic, but the story is infused with enough subtle humor and clever philosophical argument that it's not too heavy. It's funny to read about a Jane character who is sweet and serene, but also simple minded in the extreme. Bingley is also portrayed as a doofus with a bad case of inconstancy. Darcy, Elizabeth and Mr. Bennett are so philosophical with each other that it's kind of ridiculous.
I deducted a star for a couple of reasons. One is Elizabeth's extreme and violent reaction to meeting her mother after the long separation. I felt this was way out of character for our Lizzy, even if it was supposed to be a traumatic and pivotal occurrence. She seemed to be having a temper tantrum, and was a bit too irrational.
Second was a deduction for editing. There were enough errors to result in some confusion in places, with a lot of missing words.
However, it's an enjoyable read and I recommend it highly.
Mr. Underwood is a reliably entertaining writer, and he's done it again. This is a complete reworking of P&P, and the changes in characters, situations and events is profound. All of the important family dynamics are different. Mr. Bennett is divorced from his wife, who commits adultery and marries the man she cheated with. Jane and Elizabeth are separated for 20 years, as Mr Bennett has raised Elizabeth, while Jane lived with their mother. Darcy and Bingley meet Elizabeth and her father at the assembly, and Bingley is at first drawn to Elizabeth. Darcy has his own family troubles, discovering that Georgiana is only his half sister, the product of an illicit liaison his mother had with another man.
The theme of the story seems to be acceptance of a person even if they're the product of an adulterous relationship, and the abiding strength of a parent's love of their children. Both Elizabeth and Georgiana experience an identity crisis and confusion about just where and to whom they belong. This is a serious topic, but the story is infused with enough subtle humor and clever philosophical argument that it's not too heavy. It's funny to read about a Jane character who is sweet and serene, but also simple minded in the extreme. Bingley is also portrayed as a doofus with a bad case of inconstancy. Darcy, Elizabeth and Mr. Bennett are so philosophical with each other that it's kind of ridiculous.
I deducted a star for a couple of reasons. One is Elizabeth's extreme and violent reaction to meeting her mother after the long separation. I felt this was way out of character for our Lizzy, even if it was supposed to be a traumatic and pivotal occurrence. She seemed to be having a temper tantrum, and was a bit too irrational.
Second was a deduction for editing. There were enough errors to result in some confusion in places, with a lot of missing words.
However, it's an enjoyable read and I recommend it highly.
August 9, 2019
Beware: hysterical scenes abound.
I started out enjoying what I was reading , but things began to pall for me after the former Mrs Bennet, now Mrs Yates, came back on the scene. Strangely though, it wasn’t Mrs Yates I objected to, but Elizabeth. She had several hysterical outbursts that were very jarring to me. I know anyone can have a bout of hysteria if provoked enough, but we had been shown just how levelheaded a young lady Elizabeth was—lady being the operative word—but the behaviour and language she displayed were to me, very OOC.
And then there was the whole business of heredity... not giving away too many spoilers: Mr Bennet and Elizabeth, and, it is eventually shown, Jane, suffer from a rare condition, and yet, when Elizabeth is given some distressing news by her mother (whom she has finally decided to have a relationship with) more hysteria ensues and both she and Mr Bennet forget about the amazing coincidence of three members of the same family having this condition, particularly Lizzy and Jane. It takes Mr Darcy to throw a spotlight on the matter.
Apart from an hysterical and at times, very foolish Elizabeth, a young lady who has been bought up on a regular diet of Greek, Latin and Shakespeare, the story does tend to drag, particularly when it comes to conversations between Lizzy and Darcy. It is all very deep, if not meaningful, because very little romance actually ensues between the pair. In fact, perhaps a quarter of the book has them separated by several counties.
There is not very much Wickham, but still he manages to leave near devastation in his wake. Very little Lady Catherine and there is no interaction between the great (in her own mind) lady and Elizabeth. No Mary or Kitty, nor indeed Gardiners. Mr Bennet is generally delightful, Bingley is not a paragon of goodness, at least for a while.
I realise I am very much in the minority with my low star (3) rating, but I am afraid Elizabeth’s antics were, to me, very OOC.
I started out enjoying what I was reading , but things began to pall for me after the former Mrs Bennet, now Mrs Yates, came back on the scene. Strangely though, it wasn’t Mrs Yates I objected to, but Elizabeth. She had several hysterical outbursts that were very jarring to me. I know anyone can have a bout of hysteria if provoked enough, but we had been shown just how levelheaded a young lady Elizabeth was—lady being the operative word—but the behaviour and language she displayed were to me, very OOC.
And then there was the whole business of heredity... not giving away too many spoilers: Mr Bennet and Elizabeth, and, it is eventually shown, Jane, suffer from a rare condition, and yet, when Elizabeth is given some distressing news by her mother (whom she has finally decided to have a relationship with) more hysteria ensues and both she and Mr Bennet forget about the amazing coincidence of three members of the same family having this condition, particularly Lizzy and Jane. It takes Mr Darcy to throw a spotlight on the matter.
Apart from an hysterical and at times, very foolish Elizabeth, a young lady who has been bought up on a regular diet of Greek, Latin and Shakespeare, the story does tend to drag, particularly when it comes to conversations between Lizzy and Darcy. It is all very deep, if not meaningful, because very little romance actually ensues between the pair. In fact, perhaps a quarter of the book has them separated by several counties.
There is not very much Wickham, but still he manages to leave near devastation in his wake. Very little Lady Catherine and there is no interaction between the great (in her own mind) lady and Elizabeth. No Mary or Kitty, nor indeed Gardiners. Mr Bennet is generally delightful, Bingley is not a paragon of goodness, at least for a while.
I realise I am very much in the minority with my low star (3) rating, but I am afraid Elizabeth’s antics were, to me, very OOC.
March 22, 2021
Che dire?
Fin dalle prime pagine mi sono innamorata di questa storia meravigliosa.
Ammetto di essere tra quelle che ancora non si sono approcciate ad “Orgoglio e pregiudizio” di Jane Austen, però posso dire con fermezza e fierezza di aver colto ogni piccola parte della vita di Elizabeth Bennet e della sua storia familiare.
L’autore ci presenta una storia rivisitata del grande classico e, per me che ancora non l’ho letto, è stata una grande scoperta e mi ha suscitato la voglia di leggere subito il capolavoro originale.
Mi ha colpito particolarmente l’amore che esce da ogni pagina, l’amore di un padre per la propria figlia (e viceversa), l’amore di una madre assente ma che cerca in ogni modo di riappacificare i rapporti con la figlia.
E poi c’è l’amore con le sorelle ritrovate, Jane e Lydia.
E poi ancora c’è l’amore filosofico, letterario, l’amore di cuore, quello che tutti sognano e che ha fatto sognare milioni di lettori negli anni, l’amore tra Mr Darcy e Miss Bennet.
Tra le cose che ho apprezzato maggiormente vi sono le evoluzioni dei personaggi.
Mr Darcy ed Elizabeth sono quelli che hanno avuto una crescita maggiore e mi hanno fatto apprezzare ancora di più i due.
Ma abbiamo uno sguardo anche su tutti gli altri personaggi, ognuno con il proprio fondamentale ruolo.
Il romanzo ci porta a fare un viaggio sensoriale e specialmente visivo, con i suoi dettagli sui luoghi e sulle emozioni, ci fa assaporare l’essenza di un’epoca romantica e complicata ma che ci fa ancora sognare.
La lettura scorre veloce, l’ho divorato in pochi giorni nonostante le sue quasi seicento pagine.
Non risulta pesante e, anzi, ho provato un senso di tristezza quando sono arrivata alla fine.
Posso dire che è tra i miei preferiti, una delle letture che ho apprezzato di più, ad oggi.
Fin dalle prime pagine mi sono innamorata di questa storia meravigliosa.
Ammetto di essere tra quelle che ancora non si sono approcciate ad “Orgoglio e pregiudizio” di Jane Austen, però posso dire con fermezza e fierezza di aver colto ogni piccola parte della vita di Elizabeth Bennet e della sua storia familiare.
L’autore ci presenta una storia rivisitata del grande classico e, per me che ancora non l’ho letto, è stata una grande scoperta e mi ha suscitato la voglia di leggere subito il capolavoro originale.
Mi ha colpito particolarmente l’amore che esce da ogni pagina, l’amore di un padre per la propria figlia (e viceversa), l’amore di una madre assente ma che cerca in ogni modo di riappacificare i rapporti con la figlia.
E poi c’è l’amore con le sorelle ritrovate, Jane e Lydia.
E poi ancora c’è l’amore filosofico, letterario, l’amore di cuore, quello che tutti sognano e che ha fatto sognare milioni di lettori negli anni, l’amore tra Mr Darcy e Miss Bennet.
Tra le cose che ho apprezzato maggiormente vi sono le evoluzioni dei personaggi.
Mr Darcy ed Elizabeth sono quelli che hanno avuto una crescita maggiore e mi hanno fatto apprezzare ancora di più i due.
Ma abbiamo uno sguardo anche su tutti gli altri personaggi, ognuno con il proprio fondamentale ruolo.
Il romanzo ci porta a fare un viaggio sensoriale e specialmente visivo, con i suoi dettagli sui luoghi e sulle emozioni, ci fa assaporare l’essenza di un’epoca romantica e complicata ma che ci fa ancora sognare.
La lettura scorre veloce, l’ho divorato in pochi giorni nonostante le sue quasi seicento pagine.
Non risulta pesante e, anzi, ho provato un senso di tristezza quando sono arrivata alla fine.
Posso dire che è tra i miei preferiti, una delle letture che ho apprezzato di più, ad oggi.
August 4, 2019
A different sort of P&P
What would happen if Mrs Bennet was and adulterer and ran away with the other man taking only Jane with her?
To me I felt this was almost 2 parts of a story put together. The first part, which was the aftermath of Mrs B’s leaving and life going on was well written and flowing. Mr B and Elizabeth had structured ways of doing things, though this Mr B was more conscious of doing right by Elizabeth, he also did not want to spend too much on the house that would eventually go to Mr Collins (who is worse in this story). Elizabeth is well educated, but because of her mother’s adultery, some of the residents put the same expectations on her.
The second part was when Mrs B (Yates) returned with Jane and her younger daughter Lydia, and I felt that things and conversation became a bit repetitive. I felt that Elizabeth relapsed at this point and was not as refined or sure of herself. Mrs Yates, Jane, and Lydia were very simple is their speeches, often repetitive. Jane was still the sweet and innocent person. Lydia was much better, not as uncouth as in the original.
I loved the relationship between Mr B and Darcy!!! It was so heart warming, though I will confess that some of the conversations between the two and with Elizabeth had my head spinning at times with no full understanding.
Overall this was a good read and enjoyable. I would recommend it to other JAFFers, only had minor allusion to rape but no actual M rated scenes, any can read.
What would happen if Mrs Bennet was and adulterer and ran away with the other man taking only Jane with her?
To me I felt this was almost 2 parts of a story put together. The first part, which was the aftermath of Mrs B’s leaving and life going on was well written and flowing. Mr B and Elizabeth had structured ways of doing things, though this Mr B was more conscious of doing right by Elizabeth, he also did not want to spend too much on the house that would eventually go to Mr Collins (who is worse in this story). Elizabeth is well educated, but because of her mother’s adultery, some of the residents put the same expectations on her.
The second part was when Mrs B (Yates) returned with Jane and her younger daughter Lydia, and I felt that things and conversation became a bit repetitive. I felt that Elizabeth relapsed at this point and was not as refined or sure of herself. Mrs Yates, Jane, and Lydia were very simple is their speeches, often repetitive. Jane was still the sweet and innocent person. Lydia was much better, not as uncouth as in the original.
I loved the relationship between Mr B and Darcy!!! It was so heart warming, though I will confess that some of the conversations between the two and with Elizabeth had my head spinning at times with no full understanding.
Overall this was a good read and enjoyable. I would recommend it to other JAFFers, only had minor allusion to rape but no actual M rated scenes, any can read.
March 14, 2021
A distanza di tempo ritrovare i miei personaggi preferiti in una rivisitazione del romanzo di “Orgoglio e Pregiudizio” mi ha fatto un certo effetto. Inizialmente ero un po scettica, amavo la mia Lizzy della Austen talmente tanto che quasi mi rifiutavo di poterla vedere sotto un’altra veste ma questo libro mi ha veramente stupita. Mi è piaciuta la Elizabeth determinata ma anche tanto in crisi da mettere tutto in discussione e ad arrivare addirittura a mettere in pericolo la sua vita. Troviamo un papá Bennet dolcissimo e tanto preso dalla sua piccola, il modo di esporre la cultura è stara molto apprezzata e fa pensare anche al fatto che non è detto che le donne dovevano essere viste come delle sciocche in cerca di marito. Bingley inizialmente non lo apprezzavo molto ma poi si è rivelato un vero amico sia con Elizabeth che con Darcy. È stato singolare vedere Darcy impacciato, insicuro e tormentato ma deciso a seguire i suoi sentimenti senza problemi. Il modo in cui è stato descritto il rapporto tra madre e figlia mi è molto piaciuto, aveva fatto un grave errore la madre e se n’è presa tutte le conseguenze senza peró lasciar perdere dicendo, anche insistendo, la propria verità e dimostrando il suo amore infinito per la figlia. Devo dire che è un libro che fa molto pensare su molti argomento come ad esempio il pregiudizio che se riflettiamo troviamo tutti i giorni anche ai nostri tempi. Lo consiglio a tutti!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 25, 2020
My favourite book by this author. The early chapters about Mrs Gardiner and Mr Bennet and the courtship were very funny and cleverly written. It felt like this is most likely exactly what happened! I really enjoyed the relationship between Lizzy and her father. I thought Darcy’s thoughts and fears and reasonings for some slightly stupid decisions were well conveyed. The two scenes between him and Bingley in the library and the club felt very much in character. His friendship with Lizzy was beautiful. I love stories where friendship and acceptance are the first steps to love, and in general I really liked everyone’s attitude to love and marriage in this. Mr Bennet’s insightfulness (about Mrs Yates, his marriage, and his own shortcomings) made him so much more likeable as a character, redeeming him in many ways despite his faults, and making him recognisable from the original and yet also improved. I found the soul searching and comparisons very emotionally moving and I liked that the characters had to deal with these things, rather than simply move on. It was realistically done. The only part I didn’t really feel sat right was Wickham and in particular the impact of what he did and how it all worked out. A well written book, though I did think there were occasionally some modern sounding words/phrases - particularly American sounding to me - and the occasional mistake like Sir Lucas, etc.
April 9, 2019
Interesting read
In the world of P&P most stories tend to have a Bennet family. This was about Mr. Bennet being taken in by a young woman and their marriage falling apart just after Elizabeth was born .
Surprisingly Mr. Bennet gets a divorce and raises Elizabeth on his own making changes to his life that benefit not only Elizabeth but the estate.
Darcy comes to Netherfield with ghosts of his own and learns to overcome his demons with the help of Bingley’s current fixation Elizabeth Bennet. Falling in love with her Darcy is furious when Bingley turns his attentions toward Jane Bennet upon meeting her for the first time.
The return of Elizabeth’s mother, older sister Jane and half sister Lydia send Elizabeth on a path that has her world falling apart.
Darcy finally comes to terms with his family secrets and returns for Elizabeth to find her world has changed. They work together to find happiness and forgiveness.
I’ll be honest this was not a happy read and I was uncertain how E&D would find their happy ending. To my surprise it turned out better than I thought. You really have to have a sense of adventure when reading P&P variations that take such a twist as this one, overall it was interesting and I enjoyed it.
In the world of P&P most stories tend to have a Bennet family. This was about Mr. Bennet being taken in by a young woman and their marriage falling apart just after Elizabeth was born .
Surprisingly Mr. Bennet gets a divorce and raises Elizabeth on his own making changes to his life that benefit not only Elizabeth but the estate.
Darcy comes to Netherfield with ghosts of his own and learns to overcome his demons with the help of Bingley’s current fixation Elizabeth Bennet. Falling in love with her Darcy is furious when Bingley turns his attentions toward Jane Bennet upon meeting her for the first time.
The return of Elizabeth’s mother, older sister Jane and half sister Lydia send Elizabeth on a path that has her world falling apart.
Darcy finally comes to terms with his family secrets and returns for Elizabeth to find her world has changed. They work together to find happiness and forgiveness.
I’ll be honest this was not a happy read and I was uncertain how E&D would find their happy ending. To my surprise it turned out better than I thought. You really have to have a sense of adventure when reading P&P variations that take such a twist as this one, overall it was interesting and I enjoyed it.
August 28, 2020
I didn't hate it..
I'm not going into details of what this is about,you can read that for yourself elsewhere. There is a bit of language and sexual activity. I don't like that Elizabeth was made to think Mr. Bennett might not be her father. Also, that Mr. Darcy was not Georgina 's father. I didn't pay attention time to the author was,but,it didn't feel like it was from a woman. Which it's not. St first I felt that the author hated women because he wrote strongly in the negative about them. Even poor Charlotte Lucas was made into a bitter old spinster (until the epilogue). There was far too much conversations about Plato, Aristotle, and the like. It actually have me headaches. When I read these types of books it's to relax, not have to over think. Mrs. Yates, previously, Mrs. Bennett did mature into a less shrill, greedy woman. Which I did like. However over all, I didn't find it to my liking. There were a few good aspects about it. However, if this is way he portrays those of the original, I doubt I'll read another of his book. BTW, if memory serves me,no one referred to Elizabeth as Eliza,but Caroline Bingley and it wasn't as a positive.
I'm not going into details of what this is about,you can read that for yourself elsewhere. There is a bit of language and sexual activity. I don't like that Elizabeth was made to think Mr. Bennett might not be her father. Also, that Mr. Darcy was not Georgina 's father. I didn't pay attention time to the author was,but,it didn't feel like it was from a woman. Which it's not. St first I felt that the author hated women because he wrote strongly in the negative about them. Even poor Charlotte Lucas was made into a bitter old spinster (until the epilogue). There was far too much conversations about Plato, Aristotle, and the like. It actually have me headaches. When I read these types of books it's to relax, not have to over think. Mrs. Yates, previously, Mrs. Bennett did mature into a less shrill, greedy woman. Which I did like. However over all, I didn't find it to my liking. There were a few good aspects about it. However, if this is way he portrays those of the original, I doubt I'll read another of his book. BTW, if memory serves me,no one referred to Elizabeth as Eliza,but Caroline Bingley and it wasn't as a positive.
September 5, 2022
What if? su Orgoglio e Pregiudizio che smentisce l'opinione superficiale che Jane Austen sia una scrittrice adatta ad un pubblico unicamente femminile. La figlia di Mr. Bennet è un piccolo gioiellino che rielabora i personaggi del classico e costruisce una trama del tutto originale, incentrata sul tema dell'amore paterno. Quali elementi rendono un genitore tale? Su questo interrogativo si articola una trama complessa, dove vengono affrontati argomenti per nulla banali. Timothy Underwood parla dell'amore di un padre per sua figlia, un sentimento che va al di là di qualunque legame di sangue e che altro non è che il riconoscimento di un legame che si crea tra due individui che si vogliono bene. L'amore di Mr. Bennet per Lizzy è vero e palpabile in ogni pagina, ed è forse questo l'elemento che traspare maggiormente in questa opera. Io ho apprezzato molto questa lettura perché è un romanzo che merita.
February 19, 2025
I'm struggling to review these a little. While they are enjoyable little stories, and I first discovered them on ao3 with Mr Collins Widow, I feel odd reviewing them here because in my mind they are still Fanfiction.
Now, I'm reviewing them together as they have provoked similar thoughts and feelings, there is nothing wrong with Fanfiction. Many books are Fanfiction, and I will praise them to the ends of the earth. But Fanfiction is ultimately free, and I think I regret spending money on these.
While decent reads, though quick, there is a hefty amount of repetition which gets old very quickly. In Mr Bennet's daughter especially the characterisation of certain characters seems very off. There also seems to many breaches of etiquette that are so different from the source that it makes me uncomfortable.
On the whole however, they're not bad little stories, but I think I have read enough now.
Now, I'm reviewing them together as they have provoked similar thoughts and feelings, there is nothing wrong with Fanfiction. Many books are Fanfiction, and I will praise them to the ends of the earth. But Fanfiction is ultimately free, and I think I regret spending money on these.
While decent reads, though quick, there is a hefty amount of repetition which gets old very quickly. In Mr Bennet's daughter especially the characterisation of certain characters seems very off. There also seems to many breaches of etiquette that are so different from the source that it makes me uncomfortable.
On the whole however, they're not bad little stories, but I think I have read enough now.
May 3, 2019
I didn’t enjoy this as much as I anticipated. The premise — what if Mrs. Bennett ran away with a lover when Elizabeth was a baby leaving Lizzie to be raised by Mr. Bennett alone — was very promising. And, in many ways, it held up. The changes in Mr. and Mrs. Bennett produced by the early dissolution of their unequal marriage were fascinating and completely believable. The book was a bit on the angsty side, which isn’t my favorite, but lots of Austenations are angsty, so I could deal with that. The real problem was the pages and pages of dialogue about ancient history and philosophy and literature... a bit of that was useful, showing that this iteration’s Lizzie was more of a bluestocking that the original, but it was taken way too far. I did a lot of skimming. It was just a bit disappointing.
June 23, 2025
this is a very angst heavy book. not angst for our couple but Elizabeth due to her abandonment by her mother when she is just infant after she runs off with her lover taking Jane with her
Its a book where bingley's latest angle is Elizabeth and when he is about to propose to her, he sees Jane. Mrs. Bennet/Yates also advises the girls to marry for love. Elizabeth makes some mistakes in her depression/grief but the people who care for her stand up with her
D is also disillusioned with women and thinks every woman will ultimately betray him. Book has many moral dilemmas and no one is completely white or black (except Wickham who is as usual creepy)
Its a heavy book and questions lots of things. But a good read
Its a book where bingley's latest angle is Elizabeth and when he is about to propose to her, he sees Jane. Mrs. Bennet/Yates also advises the girls to marry for love. Elizabeth makes some mistakes in her depression/grief but the people who care for her stand up with her
D is also disillusioned with women and thinks every woman will ultimately betray him. Book has many moral dilemmas and no one is completely white or black (except Wickham who is as usual creepy)
Its a heavy book and questions lots of things. But a good read
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