Meryton Vignettes: Tales of Pride and Prejudice in Austenesque Lovers TBR Pile Reading Challenge 2016

Dec 21, 2016 Debbie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: jaff

Lots of interesting shorts here, each focusing on the point of view of a different female character from Pride and Prejudice. All are very well written.

It starts off with "Charlotte Returns," an intriguing character study of Charlotte Collins after 17 years of marriage. She reflects on the course her marriage has taken over the years, the children she's had with Mr. Collins, and the way she has handled her relationship with him. Now that she is the new mistress of Longbourn, she has some guilt o Lots of interesting shorts here, each focusing on the point of view of a different female character from Pride and Prejudice. All are very well written.

It starts off with "Charlotte Returns," an intriguing character study of Charlotte Collins after 17 years of marriage. She reflects on the course her marriage has taken over the years, the children she's had with Mr. Collins, and the way she has handled her relationship with him. Now that she is the new mistress of Longbourn, she has some guilt over having pursued Mr. Collins as doggedly as she did after Elizabeth refused him, knowing that Mary would have accepted him and the Bennet family would not be displaced now. It is clear that she has done her best to make the transition easier for them than her husband would otherwise have permitted. Despite that, her Meryton neighbors seem to be more judgmental and stand-offish than she expected.

The next, "Life After Darcy," is Caroline Bingley's story. Considering how she made no secret of expecting to marry Mr. Darcy among her social circle, how does she pick up the pieces and move on when he marries someone else instead? We read her private musings about what went wrong, as she wonders why she is still on the shelf even though she's such an attractive, fashionable woman, and she fantasizes about Mr. Darcy coming to his senses and regretting letting her go. She holds her head high, though, and determines she will rise above this. She accepts an invitation to a winter house party and tries not to notice the smirks and disparaging glances from those she has considered friends.

"First Attachments" is particularly interesting. Elizabeth Bennet, currently a guest at Hunsford, is reflecting about Charlotte's assertion that Mr. Darcy is interested in her. She considers her maturing attitude about what true love actually is, and she reminisces about her longstanding relationship with a childhood playmate, Jack Turner. They were best friends growing up. Unfortunately, he was the son of a tenant farmer rather than her social equal.

We move back to Longbourn for "To Do Her Duty" and a story about Mrs. Bennet. Her two eldest daughters and her youngest are now married. But she's about to experience an unexpected surprise that will have long-term effects on the future of the Bennet family.

Many JAFF readers dislike the idea of Elizabeth ever marrying Mr. Collins, but in "To Fool A Fool," that's what has happened. This is a very humorous account of how she handles the distasteful duty of the marriage bed.

"He Had It Coming" is the longest and most serious of the stories. Lydia has been married to Mr. Wickham for 9 years, and she is a battered wife. She finally has the courage and finds the means to reach out to her sisters for help. We can clearly see how she's grown from a silly, spoiled child to a mature adult who is now wise beyond her years. I really love the happy ending she's given here.

The short stories end at 92% on my kindle, with the last part of this download being excerpts from Unwilling: A Pride and Prejudice Vagary and The Houseguest: A Pride and Prejudice Vagary, also by this author. ...more

17 likes · Like · see review

Nov 26, 2016 J. W. Garrett rated it really liked it

Shelves: jaff-pride-and-prejudice, era-6-regency-1811-1820, 2016, stored-book-bazaar, anthology-collection-vignettes, loaned, source-own-won

Series of shorts stories that can be read quickly

1) Mistress of Longbourn: Charlotte Returns:
We have Charlotte’s POV as she walks through Longbourn and contemplates her new station in life. We see her thoughts as they assume possession of Longbourn. Her feelings on birthing the heir to Longbourn and her feelings toward her husband. Mary walks through the Longbourn Estate one last time as she finishes packing the last of their possessions. Mary’s behavior toward Charlotte is considered the bares ...more

15 likes · Like · see review

Mar 23, 2017 Meredith (Austenesque Reviews) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: jane-austen, pride-and-prejudice

Sensitive and Thoughtful Snapshots

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars!

To be terribly cliché, I’m going to borrow the box of chocolates analogy from Forrest Gump because I feel anthologies truly are like a box of chocolates! One box contains several petite, individual pieces that are distinctive, delectable, and filling if you eat more than one. Oh and yes… “you never know what you’re gonna get.” And that is why I love them so much! I was so happy to see that Elizabeth Adams put together an anthology of h ...more

7 likes · Like · see review

Jul 27, 2018 Sheila Majczan rated it really liked it

Down the Road/Mistress of Longbourn - Charlotte Returns: Yes, Mr. Bennet has died and the new Mistress of Longbourn remembers how it all came about that she is now there. She wants to make her own mark and not be compared to Mrs. Bennet who knew how to set a find table and so she plans a picnic. It is a day which will be long remembered by the residents of Meryton.

@16% Life After Darcy: Caroline Bingley opines about how she should have been the one to marry Mr. Darcy. But as life goes on and she Down the Road/Mistress of Longbourn - Charlotte Returns: Yes, Mr. Bennet has died and the new Mistress of Longbourn remembers how it all came about that she is now there. She wants to make her own mark and not be compared to Mrs. Bennet who knew how to set a find table and so she plans a picnic. It is a day which will be long remembered by the residents of Meryton.

@16% Life After Darcy: Caroline Bingley opines about how she should have been the one to marry Mr. Darcy. But as life goes on and she is running out of options and even having to think about life on her own she finds a man who is “a male version of herself”! They spend time at dinners and at dances looking down on and taking apart the physical characteristics, wardrobes and even the connections of all upon whom they gaze. Caroline is then shocked when she asks Brook if he knows of any man who might be a good match for her and he becomes quite cold and distant.
The put-down from a friend makes a mark and she begins to think seriously about her actions. And in the end she is surprised by what she did not know about him.

Alternate Paths/@32% First Attachments: I did not care for this story as it has Elizabeth Bennet with a “First Love”…a boy, then teen, then man of the servant class who goes away to apprentice as a carriage maker. He also bestows on her that first kiss. Maybe I am at fault but I only want Darcy to be her first kiss and her first love.

@44% To Do Her Duty: Mrs. Bennet, late in life, has one of those “after- thoughts” – a child in her older years and I actually cried reading about the result. She would be forty-one and she knows the risks but “duty” makes her thinks that if it can be a boy it will be worth it…the pain and the risks.

In The Dark/@54% To Fool a Fool: “On her wedding night, Elizabeth Collins, nee: Bennet…” I was repulsed at the idea of Elizabeth being married to Collins but you may find it amusing as to how this wife actually “managed” him. Ugh!
There are always those papers both her father and her husband signed which might make it worthwhile – the entail is to end with Collins’ death and she would inherit Longbourn.

@60% He Had It Coming: Married nine long years Lydia devises a way to finally communicate with her sisters without Wickham censoring her letters. Elizabeth and Jane had their suspicions but when they view Lydia’s face those are not only confirmed but added to the oral report just one part of the abuse she has suffered. Even Jane is on board to take matters into their own hands. And as the story progressed Lydia has some sunshine on her horizon.

@93% excerpt from Unwilling
@95% excerpt from The Houseguest

The two vignettes I did not care for but they were all well written if you can accept those premises among the others. I have read her other books and enjoyed those. I want to read her newest one: The 26th of November: A Pride and Prejudice Comedy of Farcical Proportions ...more

7 likes · Like · see review

Jun 21, 2020 Sophia rated it really liked it

Shelves: jane-austen-austenesque, historical-romance-english-welsh

What happened when the Collinses finally move into Longbourn? What became of Caroline Bingley after her wedding dreams for Darcy vanish? What if Lizzy had a childhood sweetie before she met Darcy? What if... what if... I sure wanted to explore all these avenues and happily reached for this collection that has sadly been waiting awhile for my attention.

Meryton Vignettes are six short stories that explore sequels and alternate paths within the Pride and Prejudice story for main characters and side ...more

5 likes · Like · see review

Apr 19, 2018 Dung rated it really liked it

Shelves: austen-inspried

What a great collection of short stories. I wouldn’t mine reading a bit more on some of the stories.

5 likes · Like · see review

Jul 30, 2017 Talia rated it it was amazing

I have no idea why this book has received so few stars. I loved it. So clever and entertaining. Just wonderful.

Reread: I absolutely love this book.

Reread: Short but wonderful.

Reread: So many great stories in this one.

3 likes · Like · see review

Apr 05, 2020 ana darcy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: jaff

What a variety of stories!

Different protagonists: with different paths or after the story as it happens with Lydia.
I have enjoyed all the stories and loved most of them.

3 likes · Like · see review