Top Ten Austen Retellings



I have had a few friends ask me my favorite Austen retellings and Austen related literature. According to Goodreads these are my highest rated ones! These are in no particular order, all being 4 star ratings. My standards may be getting higher because I haven't given a 4 star review for awhile. * means it is currently reviewed on the blog. 

The trilogy by Pamela Aiden (not reviewed yet--I must remedy this soon!): An Assembly Such as This, Duty and Desire; and These Three Remain 
This story is told from Darcy's perspective. The first and third books are wonderful because they parallel the story closely; the second goes pretty far off cannon.

* The trilogy by Stanley Michael Hurd: Into Hertfordshire, Into Kent and The Way Home 
This set is also told from Darcy's perspective and told in three sections like the original P&P. I loved seeing his side of the story. He wasn't always as likable, but we can feel his devastation and resolve to become a better man. 

Only Mr Darcy Will Do by Kara Louise (also not reviewed yet!)
Elizabeth is forced to become a governess when her father dies during her visit to Pemberley. The family she works for is acquainted with the Darcy family and, even worse, one member has her own plan for Mr Darcy. Elizabeth must revisit Pemberley with an even lower status than before with all the misunderstandings still remaining between the couple. 

* Stranded with Mr Darcy by Mei Wei Lin 
Bingley returns to Netherfield and shortly marries Jane. They decided to go on a wedding tour in Italy after a friend offers the use of his boat. They want to bring Elizabeth and of course the friend is Darcy. He is fleeing to his house in France to forget about Elizabeth. They are dismayed to find they will be on the same boat for days. When a storm come and strands them on an island, Elizabeth is forced to reconsider her feelings for Mr. Darcy. When they eventually return, they must deal with the consequences of being stranded together.

Mr. Bennett and the elder Mr. Darcy (old college friends) have a long standing agreement that their two eldest children will marry one another provided they reach a certain age without marrying. Jane, Elizabeth, and Mr. Bennett travel to Pemberley for Jane and Darcy to meet, knowing this arrangement. Others visiting the house (Caroline and Charles Bingley) are not aware of the arrangement and this complicates the situation.

* Miss Darcy's Companion by Joana Starnes
Mr Bennett dies before Darcy and Elizabeth have a chance to meet. Miss Darcy meets a grieving Miss Bennett, working as governess to her cousins. When Georgiana takes a dislike to the proposed new companion Mrs. Younge, she proposes Miss Bennett as the solution. At Pemberley, Miss Bennett gets to know her new employer and the best man/brother/master he is and Darcy can see Elizabeth for her true (although more subdued) self.

* A Wife for Mr Darcy by Mary Lydon Simonsen
Darcy realizes he has insulted Elizabeth at the assembly and goes to apologize to her. Upon getting to know her, he likes her but still imagines that she is not the right woman for him due to their wildly different stations. He plans to court a well, connected heiress in London. However, Darcy's best laid plans may not overcome his heart.

* Bitterness of Spirit by Lory Lilian
Mrs. Gardiners long lost brother returns to England, having made his fortune abroad. He arrives just after Bingley leaves Netherfield, but the story continues close to the cannon until just after the Hunsford proposal. Elizabeth returns to London to the Gardiners, only to find they have been displaced from their home and are staying one street over from Darcy. Running into each other at the park, their extended families become acquainted and the couple is able to slowly get to know each other. Mr Wilson, the long lost uncle, adds his own drama that causes the couple confusion too. Note the cautions around the steaminess of the last chapter.

* Mr Bennett's Dutiful Daughter  by Joana Starnes
Mr. Bennett falls ill while Elizabeth was at Hunsford and Mr. Darcy proposes in the midst of his illness. A shocked Elizabeth must make a much different decision for her family and her future.

* The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner (An Austen related story, but not a retelling)
The tiny village of Chawton was once home to Jane Austen where she worked on several of her novels. Just after World War II, an unlikely group of Austen fans join together to create a society to preserve her legacy and memory. The members include a farm hand, a young teacher widow, the town's doctor, the town lawyer, a movie star and the last remaining Austen relative. The quest pulls the members together as friends to help them work through their own lives and disappointments.

* Austenland by Shannon Hale  (An Austen related story, but not a retelling)
Set in modern times. Jane is secretly obsessed with Pride and Prejudice, specifically the Colin Firth miniseries. She knows she has unrealistic expectations about her love life, but can't seem to move past them. When a rich aunt dies, she is bequeathed a vacation to Regency England and the promise of an Austen experience like no other.

* Reviewed on the blog 


Related Posts: 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Challenge of Entail

Image
Title and Author: The Challenge of Entail by Jann Rowland Type: P&P Variation Perspective: Elizabeth and Darcy Romance Level: P&P Recommended: yes, 3 stars Summary: In this P&P variation, Mr Phillips had discovered how to end the Entail on Longbourne and so that Mr Bennett can bequeath it to Jane. With increased security, each of the members of the family each are a better version of himself, Mr Bennett putting more care into the home and family, Mrs. Bennett with no need for nerves or scheming for husbands for her daughters, Kitty and Lydia have a governess and are not "out" and so on.  Things I Liked: * I enjoyed seeing Mr. Bennett more engaged with his family. This is one place where the original story bothers me. * I liked how Mr. Collins was put in his place. * Darcy also is his best self, giving Georgiana more freedom, but also more power and assertion. * We see more of Colonel Fitzwilliam in this retelling and he gets his o
Read more

Mr. Darcy's Diary

Image
Title and Author: Mr. Darcy's Diary , Amanda Grange Type: P&P Parallel (true to the original plot, told from a different perspective) Perspective: Darcy Romance Level: Austen-esque Recommend: Yes, 3.5 stars This book is true to the orginal P&P storyline, but is told from Darcy's perspective. It does start before Darcy meets Elizabeth, but still covers events well known from the story.  The main parts of their story are covered, meeting in Hertfordshire, time at Netherfield, time at Rosings/Hunsford, at Pemberley and then back in Hertfordshire. It also extends several months into their marriage. I enjoyed this book, but not as much as some other Darcy retellings. Things I liked: * The diary format gave us Darcy's inner thoughts about the people in the novel. I did enjoy seeing how he is drawn to Elizabeth because she is unlike the other ladies of his acquaintance. * I enjoyed getting to know some of the lesser characters more (especailly Colonel Fitzwill
Read more

The Jane Austen Society

Image
Title and Author: The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner Type: Austen Related Perspective: Many characters Romance Level: Kissing Recommended: Yes, this was a charming story recommended by the Modern Mrs. Darcy Access: I listened to this one on Audible and it was delightful! Summary: The tiny village of Chawton was once home to Jane Austen where she worked on several of her novels. Just after World War II, an unlikely group of Austen fans join together to create a society to preserve her legacy and memory. The members include a farm hand, a young teacher widow, the town's doctor, the town lawyer, a movie star and the last remaining Austen relative. The quest pulls the members together as friends to help them work through their own lives and disappointments. Pros: * The characters are so real yet flawed. I really enjoyed the small town dynamic of people caring for each other. * The characters were quirky but did not seem like caricatures of people in a small town.
Read more