Mr. Darcy Takes the Plunge

by J. Marie Croft

A pun-filled tale featuring Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice characters with some added or addled, missing or missish, modified or mortified, healthier, wealthier, or wiser. Impeccable comportment is mandatory in Regency England, a society governed by strict rules of conduct. The immaculate image of perfectionist Fitzwilliam Darcy is somewhat tarnished when he and his traveling companions arrive, hot and sweaty, at Pemberley and decide to take a fateful plunge into a scummy pond. An embarrassing encounter on the estate's lawn leaves a long-lasting impression on Jane and Elizabeth Bennet, who are new acquaintances of Georgiana and Anna Darcy. With both families in London for the Little Season, Darcy finds himself thrown again into the path of perky Elizabeth Bennet, but a handsome army officer just might blockade further advances. This romantic comedy is a lighthearted adaptation of Austen€™s Pride and Prejudice, featuring a softer, sweeter, sillier side of Au

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Retellings, Historical, Regency, Humor

333 pages, Paperback

First published October 21, 2010

About the author

J. Marie Croft (Joanne) is a life-long resident of Nova Scotia, Canada, but spends a lot of time in Regency England with Jane Austen's beloved characters. She has written a dozen Austenesque stories: three novels, three novellas, and six short stories for anthologies. Joanne shares with her husband a love of their adult twin daughters, a spoiled calico cat, the great outdoors, geocaching, and British crime dramas.

Reviews

[Meredith (Austenesque Reviews) · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this Pride and Prejudice parody, J. Marie Croft presents a lighthearted and amusing tale of pond scum, puns, and punchlines. Proving herself to be a master of puns and word play, Ms. Croft employs the use of countless homographic puns, homophonic puns, impressive bouts of alliteration, and cleverly named characters. Mr. Darcy Takes the Plunge opens with the very famous “lake scene” from the 1995 BBC adaption of Pride and Prejudice, albeit slightly altered. Instead of a refreshing lake, it is an algae-infested pond. Instead of emerging from the lake with wet, clingy clothes, Darcy emerges with wet, clingy clothes covered in smelly green pond scum. Instead of Darcy being alone in this escapade, Bingley, Colonel Fitzwilliam and good friend Ellis Fleming also felt the urge to take a plunge in Pemberley's polluted pond.

To continue reading, go to: http://janeaustenreviews.blogspot.com...

[Alanna Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr Darcy Takes The Plunge is a funny “what-if” version of Pride and Prejudice – there are several differences between this and the original story that allow much more freedom and a completely different approach to the plot. Some of the more notable differences seen in Mr Darcy Takes The Plunge are:
* Darcy’s parents are not dead, meaning that he hasn’t had to shoulder the responsibility of younger family and an estate
* Darcy has two younger sisters instead of one
* the Bennets are wealthy and respected, with mother and father in a happy marriage instead of an antagonistic relationship
* the age differences in the Bennets are larger, with a baby brother also being introduced
* both Elizabeth and Jane have two suitors throughout the story, instead of one – Elizabeth has Darcy and Lieutenant Dun, Jane has Bingley and Colonel Fitzwilliam

These changes made for a happier, less confused version of events. Darcy and Elizabeth’s relationship, while still subjected to a few misunderstandings, took a much smoother route than in the original novel. There was no strife surrounding Jane’s relationship or Wickham’s pursuit of either Georgiana Darcy or Lydia Bennet, meaning that all the surrounding characters were able to bring more vitality and fun to the story, rather than adding drama. The book had me smiling from ear to ear from start to finish, and it was great to see completely rounded characters throughout, rather than having to come an understanding with each of the protagonists – a different experience all together than when reading Pride and Prejudice.

The best aspect of the novel for me was the author’s continued use of puns and word-play to lighten the mood; sometimes they were thrown in as past of the prose, and others they were used as part of the plot – with the Bennet family drawing everyone around them into word games and general pun-play. Some of the puns used were cheesy enough to make me roll my eyes, but they all had me laughing out loud none the less. The tone of the book was genuinely funny and light-hearted and it made for a great easy read. I’d recommend to anyone looking for an easy read and a bit of fun along the way. Anyone expecting a loyal version of Pride and Prejudice will be disappointed, and no Austen-lover should take this novel too seriously – read it for what it is: an author who clearly loves Jane Austen and wants to have some fun with characters they love as much as everyone else.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jane Austen spin-offs are a bit hard for me to review. I love the originals so much that I often find it hard to accept a new voice and especially one that greatly alters the characters Austen so carefully crafted (and yet I keep reading them!).

So here are the positives for Mr. Darcy Takes The Plunge.

1. The author obviously has an excellent grasp on the English language and is able to twist and turn the words into a vast number of puns, some very witty.

2. The author did create an interesting book.

And for the negatives.

1. The puns come in spurts and distracted me from being fully immersed in the story.

2. New characters were added, old characters were changed, and it seemed like the author was relying on the BBC production too much. It just didn’t feel like Austen anymore.

3. It also felt tiresome. I love good puns as much as anyone, but over 300 pages of them? I think I would have liked the book more if it had been half as long.

So overall, this is not a book for casual readers, but for the Austen-obsessed who have an insatiable desire for all things Austen and are willing to subject themselves to any form of pun ishment.

Note: I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

[Haley Whitehall · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is made up of word plays and puns and dry humor. There are so many word plays and puns that it became overwhelming and difficult to read. This is the most different Austenesque literature I've ever read.

As a history buff, I was shocked at how different their lives are from the Darcy and Elizabeth we know in Pride and Prejudice. I don't believe in changing the classics that much! For example, Darcy's parents are alive and Darcy has not one but 2 sisters so you can imagine how that will alone change his character. I don't want to tell too much but other than Darcy and Elizabeth as characters, no one else is the same as in Pride & Prejudice.

I think it would have been presented better as an original work of fiction -- just rename Darcy and Elizabeth. By making it a take on Pride & Prejudice it sets readers expectations high.

[Kasia Burlakoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brilliantly written, full of puns story with some characters from P&P. If you are looking for another P&P variation, that is not a book for you. Not much similarity to canon P&P, but it's a great read if you are looking for a very clever play with words, farcical characters and events. I loved Mrs. Croft's humor and style in her other books, so I was not so surprised.

I listened to an audiobook, and the narration was brilliant. But it is a long book, and after a while the number of puns got a bit too much.

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of the most unique spinoffs I have ever read. The prose is impressive to say the least. I could never write a novel with that many puns, or paragraphs filled with alliteration. You have to be in the right sort of mood for it, I could see someone becoming frustrated over the prose if it wasn't their thing. I was surprised how much I enjoyed it - especially with the way the male characters were introduced and where it deviated from canon regarding Jane's affections and the Bennet's change in family situation. Essentially everything is different.

It's a jovial sort of book, but with none of the needed pride and prejudice that makes the original so captivating.

[Heff]

Can't wait to read this one, it sounds like great fun!!

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this inventive and puntastical re-imagining of Austen's Pride and Prejudice, the handsome Mr. Darcy and his cohorts are quite unexpectedly introduced to Elizabeth Bennett and her companions after the group of ladies witnesses the gentlemen frolicking in a weed-choked pond at Pemberly. The young women and men immediately become smitten with each other, and throughout the days and weeks that follow, their attachment and regard for each other only grows. For Elizabeth and Darcy, the initial attraction is soon replaced by affection and furious desire, and when another suitor threatens to interfere with Darcy's plans to ask for Elizabeth's hand, great lengths must be gone to in order for the two to be reunited. For Jane Bennett, the meeting at the pond turns into a love triangle between herself and Messrs. Fitzwilliam and Bingley, and for Georgiana Darcy the event culminates in a formidable attachment with the eligible Ellis Fleming. There are trips to the country and journeys to the city, parties where misunderstandings abound, and decadent and scandalous waltzes. Through it all the Darcy and Bennett girls and their suitors astound and aggravate their current and prospective families with abundant wordplay and pernicious puns. When the three women finally succeed in snaring the eligible and handsome bachelors, the story concludes with an extraordinary and unusual wedding that will leave romance lovers with warm and moving feelings for the happy couples. In this, Croft's debut, Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy and friends are re-imagined and reinvigorated with playfulness, tenderness and aplomb that will leave readers enticed and hungering for more.

There seem to be hundreds of Austen re-imaginings, sequels and prequels out in the book world nowadays, and though I've been interested in a few of them, this was really my first experience actually reading one. I think these types of books can be tricky, not only because Austen is such a beloved and accomplished author, but because often these types of books can devolve into a form of fan fiction that's not widely appreciated by purists. While this first attempt at reading Austen-inspired fiction was rather successful for me, there were a few points that niggled me in my final thoughts and reactions to the book.

Though Austen's work in her original form can be sobering and serious, this was more playful and happy than any of the Austen I've read. Of course there were misunderstandings and conundrums, but the feeling of tension that usually accompanies these types of things was curiously missing. I think the light-heartedness of the writing ensured that no stone would be left unturned in relation to the match-ups in this book, and though I did feel there was some internal conflict within the pages, there seemed to be a lack of serious drama when it came to the bare bones of the story. At its heart, this was a playful book, and one that didn't seek to question the whys and wherefors of the relationships within it. Rather it was a book that felt light and unencumbered and the main feeling I got from it was one of high-spiritedness and amusement.

At first the heavy use of puns and wordplay was amusing, but after it wore on for awhile, my eyes began to glaze over. Every type of wordplay you can imagine was used here, from alliteration to simile to riddles, and of course, puns. While I did think it was increasingly creative that Croft was able to keep up the stamina with this throughout the book, I felt that it did start to overburden the story she was trying to tell. Fun for a time, yes, but also repetitive and taxing after awhile. I began to look ahead in my reading, searching for the wordplay, and that took away from my enjoyment of the story. It was so heavily done that I found multiple examples on every page. This may not be a problem for other readers, but in my case, I've never been particularly appreciative of excessive wordplay, and while I admit it was exceedingly clever, it also detracted from what the story was trying to do.

What I really liked was the way the author aligned all the couples in their quest to find their perfect partner. I don't need a whole lot of drama and pathos when it comes to the relationships in the books I'm reading, and for some reason, there was a feeling of comfort and ease in the permutations of couples and their adventures. I also liked that each section of the book payed homage to specific books in Austen's canon, and felt that it was rather clever and well-managed that cameo appearances and storylines were grafted in pieces and parts from their original sources. I also liked the romance angle of this book, and while it seemed that it was a modern construct, it also felt like it had an appropriate Regency feeling to it. I was a little bemused that Darcy was portrayed as such a romantically passionate character, for in the original Pride and Prejudice, he was a lot more restrained and circumspect with his emotions. Elizabeth Bennett was true to form though, full of spunk and charisma, and it was certainly easy to see why Darcy held her in such high regard.

This was a book filled with mirth and joy, and while it did wrap up every last loose end imaginable, it was a very easy book to get caught up in. I would have to say the biggest detractor for me was the excessive and overabundant wordplay, but other readers would possibly be more appreciative of that aspect than I was. One thing I learned is that I quite like Austen spin-offs, which is very good for me because I happen to own a lot of them! If you're looking for a romp of a read that features some of Austen's most beloved characters, you need look no further. A more cozy and playful read would be hard to come by.

[CharlotteReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most assuredly alliteration announces all alleged aged agents of literary adjustments.... this is a most fun and silly book. Puns, alliteration and wordplay abound. The tale has a delightfully intoxicated Lady Anne DB, and some silly scenarios of sound seeking of sweethearts. There's a HEA for everybody...no angsting at allor you, dear REader. Happy Reads.

[Nicole Hoskins · Rating 3 out of 5]

I applaud the author for the clever use of words. Unfortunately, I used the text to speech function to help me focus and found my brain shortcircuiting. I can't tolerate this type of humour in real life so this is my first DNF where I didn't even skip to the end to see the outcome.
This book can be explored for other purposes but might miss the mark with true Austen fans.

[Megan Calloni · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pun-filled tale of Darcy, Fitzwilliams, Bingley, and Fleming taking a swim in a slime covered pond and making quite an impression.

[Liz · Rating 1 out of 5]

Imagine if the plot of Pride and Prejudice didn't start with a young man renting a house in Hertfordshire, but rather, with the lake scene from the 1995 BBC production. If that change upsets you, dear reader, do not proceed any further, for what I have to say will shock you.

The book is essentially a parallel universe version of Pride and Prejudice which is an interesting idea .. in theory. In practice, this is executed with so many puns as to be distracting. It's hard to actually get to the story through the mire of bad humour and alliterations. However, even stripped of the jokes, the plot is fairly weak and drawn out, with very little conflict or real reason to get invested in the relationships of Elizabeth and Jane Bennett.

There are many changes to the story, including the ages of existing characters and the entire addition of characters never previously known to Austen. Darcy and Elizabeth never have anything to argue about. There is no misunderstanding between them at all, except a momentary hiccough with another suitor (not Mr Collins!) which is so quickly resolved as to hardly even be considered a plot point. Bingley doesn't marry Jane. The Bennetts are wealthy and are in possession of a legitimate heir, meaning the union of Bennetts and Darcys is perfectly acceptable to all parties. Part of the charm of Pride and Prejudice apart from its enduring love story is the idea that love really does conquer all, and that you can actually marry up and improve your circumstances, all while being true to yourself. This book does nothing to promote such ideas.

I wanted to like this book, but between all the puns and paucity of plot, it was a struggle even to get to the end.

[Katherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Its a funny book if you like to read a paragraph uses all words of the same first letter or filled with puns. What I must say though cause it shocked me as I was reading until I finally had no choice but to accept it was how different their lives are from the Darcy and Elizabeth we know in Pride and Prejudice. Firstly, Darcy's parents are alive and Darcy has not one but 2 sisters so you can imagine how that will alone change his character. Another shocker is that Elizabeth's youngest sibling is a brother so their family is not in despair, her parents actually love each other so Mrs Bennet is actually a nice woman, not embarassing and Elizabeth has a bit of dowry since her house isn't entitled to Mr Collins. You must accept all this reading the book because other than Darcy and Elizabeth as characters, no one else is the same as in Pride & Prejudice, they are all so different. Jane is not shy and I was shocked that (SPOILERS BEWARE...) that she is not attracted to Charles Bingley but someone else... I will not say who... Cute story but very unlike the trueness of Pride & Prejudice, there is no reason for prejudice at all and Darcy is not proud either - all so very different! I nice read at least once though if you can get past the word-plays/dry-humor.

[Serena · Rating 2 out of 5]

J. Marie Croft’s Mr. Darcy Takes the Plunge is filled with alliteration, puns, and word play, which can take away from the unique story she’s attempting to tell. While plays on words and puns can be amusing, there are entire paragraphs and sections of alliteration that take away from the pace of the novel, such as one scene between Darcy and Lizzy viewing an art exhibit.

“Elizabeth was preoccupied with attempting to espy a certain gentleman and said, ‘Yes, but fashion is something that goes in one era and out the other.’” (page 141 of ARC)

Rather than have Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy meet at a ball in Hertfordshire, they meet at the Pemberley estate when her aunt brings her to visit an old friend Mrs. Reynolds, the Darcy’s housekeeper. Jane meets Bingley and Colonel Fitzwilliam, and there is a new man on the scene for Georgiana — Ellis Fleming. How they meet is unconventional to say the least and a bit embarrassing for each of the men, though it does raise the sexual tension beyond the norm of other Pride & Prejudice spinoffs or retelllings.

Read the full review: http://savvyverseandwit.com/2010/11/m...

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actually not a Pride and Prejudice sequel as on my shelf but a Pride and Prejudice rewrite. I loved it....absolutely loved it. It was so different. Ms. Croft pairs our characters with not the typical characters but still ones we are familiar with. The puns she's known for are scattered thruout and very very funny. There were a few moments where I thought okay we need a little serious stuff now and sure enough it was provided just when you think you can't take any more humor. It was so much fun. If you need a little lift in spirits this is the book for you. It's not sexually graphic in any way but there is innuendo. I love who ends up with who...things I'd never thought about (or outside the box) but it really makes sense. This is one I'll keep to read over and over. You can never have too much laughter in life.

[Wanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A charming take on Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice, Mr. Darcy Takes the Plunge is a gem. The fun, and puns, begin when Fitwilliam Darcy and his friends decide to take a plunge in a pond on their estate. When a rather wet and disheveled Darcy encounters his sisters and their new friends on the lawn of Pemberley he leaves a lasting impression. Elizabeth Bennet can't quite get the image of the "Handsome Barbarian" out of her mind. When both families find themselves in London for the Little Season a romance soon develops.

Full of charm and wit, even to the point of being corny at times, I found myself not wanting to put it down. The characters draw you in and leave you wanting more. It was definitely worth reading. A book you'll want to read again and again. If you like to be entertained, I highly recommend it.

[Amy R · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having never read ANY Jane Austen before, I didn't really know what to expect. The first 50 pages or so were overly filled with puns. They felt forced and the story didn't flow as well. Then, it all settled down for an enjoyable story in the middle, only to become overly pun-filled again at the end. All in all, I think this would have been a winner if the author had stopped with the marriage of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet.

Now, I simply must read some Jane Austen so I fully understand the context of this book.

[Karin · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't mind retellings, in fact, I often enjoy them. Unfortunately, I am not a big fan of puns. Perhaps if I were, I might have enjoyed this book more. This is Pride and Prejudice in a parallel universe, but, for me, this retelling just didn't do it for me.

However, if you like puns and that type of wordplay and don't mind massive changes to the characters, circumstances, and plot of the original work, then it may ring your bell. I am happy to have read the book as I now know that I prefer retellings that are based on tweaks as opposed to significant changes.

[Allissa · Rating 1 out of 5]

J. Marie Croft may have taken the puns a little far in this one. By the second chapter of the book, I no longer found them amusing, and simply found them irritating as they often distracted me from the plot. The story (and the characters) were so far removed from the original that I found myself wondering why the author bothered to use Austen's material at all. On another note, I found this book useful for the ten or twenty minutes before bed when I needed something light and relatively conflict-free to read. I received a copy of this book through the Goodreads First Read program.

[Carol Perrin · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a hilarious variation of Pride and Prejudice. The bantering between everybody in this story was sensationally written. The author's use of alliteration was comical and thought-provoking because you have really focus on what the words were saying, especially in Chapter VI where almost every word starts with the letter e for 3 pages. Use of homonyms throughout made the story even funnier. I especially liked the way the Bennett Family were portrayed in this book. Although not keeping with Austen 's original story, I enjoyed the variation.

[Shelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a little difficult to get sucked into the book because of the literary language used and then there was the issue of figuring out the many pun's but once I understood the take on words, I began to really enjoy the book and character's. While I absolutely adored Darcy and Elizabeth, my favorite character was elizabeth's little brother, Robert. He was a brought many boisterous laughs my way! Very fun read!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was great! Those who gave it low marks were forewarned of the puns and plays on words from the cover. They shouldn't take their literature so seriously! The author is very talented to be able to write in such a way, it is amazing. It was a fun read with wonderful alterations to the characters and the addition of others that only added to the story.

[Lynette · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't hate this book, but I didn't really like it either. Despite the warning of a plethora of puns, I was not prepared for the nauseating amount of puns, wordplay, cliches, and overall bad jokes. The story would have been passable if it weren't for all the puns. They were just too difficult to wade through to get to any story of value.

[Charlotte Wiebe · Rating 4 out of 5]

So excited to have won this book from Good Reads First Reads!!! Yeah!!! Excited to receive it and read! Thank you!!!! Fun filled book with a lot of alliterations and puns. Might annoy some people but I found it well written and witty. The story gave me a real giggle!!!!!

[Melanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really tried to get into this book. Though I love puns, the amount in Mr. Darcy Takes the Plunge was overkill and distracting. I really hate to leave a book unfinished, but there are too many good books out there to suffer through a painful read.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book made me giggle. I'm no good with puns, but I appreciate them in all their glory, and boy, was this book full of them!

A take off of Pride and Prejudice, this puts a new spin on what would've happened had Lizzy met Mr. Darcy in another manner...

[Marijayne Stegman · Rating 2 out of 5]

odd little book that definitely turns Austen on her ear. It was entertaining to see where the author took the story but the incessant rhyming and alliteration games between the characters was annoying after awhile. Didn't really contribute to the story.

[Mandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was a very funny take on this lovely story. Mr. Darcy is great and it was a good read.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!! Five starts!! :)

[Shannon]

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.