Everything Austen Challenge: Book Review: The Private Diary of Mr. Darcy by Maya Slater

The Private Diary of Mr. Darcy by Maya Slater (2009)

One Line Review: He catalogs his own books, hangs out with Lord Byron, and sleeps with prostitutes and serving girls.

I like the idea of a diary from Darcy's perspective, but though it was more detailed than The Confession of Fitzwilliam Darcy, it portrayed my beloved Darcy as rather boring and a bit too free with the opposite sex than I would ever imagine, and the friendship between him and Lord Byron was a bit too much. I don't think they would have ever gotten along; it seemed forced.

And from this Darcy I can't understand why Lizzy would have ever fallen for him! Oh, well. I still have Pamela Aidan's novels on Darcy's perspective to keep my company and I have yet to read Amanda Grange's Mr. Darcy's Diary. So hopefully there are others out there worthy of my Mr. Darcy!

Everything Austen Challenge: Book Review: Intimations of Austen by Jane Greensmith

Synopsis from Goodreads:

This collection of nine short stories includes backstories, sequels and what-ifs to Jane Austen's beloved novels. Greensmith provides sympathetic insights into characters you love to hate. Her what-if stories are realistic, true to Austen’s characters, and delightful to sink your teeth into. And always, Greensmith, Romantic that she is, calls forth the power and beauty of the natural world to heal, bless, and nurture the wounded, the misunderstood, the lonely, and the confused on their journeys through life.

My Review:

These short stories were amazing!

1. Rainbow Around the Moon-

The snow has stopped and the cold has set in. It's growing dark. I light the lamps and make the fire roar. I stop my work and go outside to read the skies and pay my homage. And there, low on the horizon, hangs the moon, still full but waning. Its halo speaks of coming snow, or sore, rain. Its halo is iridescent, a rainbow around the moon. A promise of peace. Peace at last.

Just a taste of her beautiful imagery. This story was inspired by Persuasion.

2. 3 Sisters- Is a bit of a mish-mash of all of her novels!

3. The Last Baby- We learn more about Mrs. Bennett and her side of the story and how she fell in love with Mr. Bennett and her anguish over losing her only son; a very touching story.

4. Bird of Paradise- Inspired by Mansfield Park. We learn more about Fanny and her relationship with Edmund and how she grows into her role as Mrs. Bertram.

And by this stream, Edmund kissed me as if for the first time. He ran his fingers through my hair, catching them in the curls that bobbed about my neck and throat. We went inside and went upstairs, and used up three candles complete that night. My feet never got cold.

5. Color of Love- Inspired by Pride and Prejudice.

His marriage banns were blue, and gold , and green. He never took for granted the kaleidoscope that was Elizabeth. Even in old age, when his eyes began to fail him and he had to squint to see the contours of her sweet, loving face, Darcy felt her yellow candle warmth caress and love his blues away until all the world was Eden once again, and all the light was the soft green of newly mown hay. Sunrise, sunset. Waterfalls in dark forests. A meadow filled with flowers. Craggy heights and distant vistas. Elizabeth was the color of his love.

6. Remember We Are English- Inspired by Northanger Abbey. We learn more how Henry defied his father and fell in love and married Catherine! It's very romantic.

7. When the Fates Conspire- Inspired by Persuasion. This one is pretty humorous! Two fates actually conspire to bring back together Anne and Frederick!

8. Heaven Can Wait- Pride and Prejudice. We learn about Jane's first love who wrote her poetry and how Bingley helped her to move on.

9. All I Do- Pride and Prejudice. This puts a different twist on the events of P&P. Lizzy marries Col. Fitzwilliam rather than Darcy! That's all I'll give away!

This book was such a treasure to find. My only complaint is I wish Jane Greensmith would write all of these short stories into actual novels! They are amazing. I recommend this book of short stories for any fellow Janeite!

Everything Austen Challenge: Book Review: The Confession of Fitzwilliam Darcy by Mary Street

The Confession of Fitzwilliam Darcy:

Pride and Prejudice retold through the eyes of Mr. Darcy. I love seeing what other authors will do when it comes to Mr. Darcy.

The beginning was a bit slow and Darcy was pretty boring and broodish and arrogant. But by the middle it was starting to get pretty good. I liked hearing his thoughts, but I thought she rushed the book a bit and left out details I would have liked to known. She just gave brief summaries of what he was doing when he wasn't with Elizabeth...so I would've liked to have seen and heard and experienced what he was doing. That's why I really enjoyed the Fitzwilliam Darcy Gentleman Series by Pamela Aidan.

It was a quick read and fun, overall.

Everything Austen Challenge: Book Review: Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict

Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler, Grade: C+

The story starts out with Courtney Stone waking up two hundred years in the past and in a new body, that of Jane Mansfield. She's trying desperately to figure out how to get back to her own time and yet not screw up Jane's life too much in the process. She can't stand Jane's mother and isn't sure about Jane's suitor Mr. Edgefield either. Does she get back and can she assimilate while she's here in Jane's time? Her only comfort is the two published books of Jane Austen Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice.

SPOILER ALERT

I really wanted to like this book since I'd heard a lot of great things about it, but I hated the ending, absolutely hated it. Does Courtney get back to her life, does she get together with the person she should be with in her own time? NO! Basically, once she lets go of her individuality then she forgets really who she is and she falls in love with Edgeworth and gets married and then says that she has a vague dream of being somebody else, but she's not sure what it means or what it was. Sorry, but gag. I don't like the idea of us all being one and our individual lives are nothing. I assume it's the same way in her sequel Rude Awakenings..., but with Jane Mansfield in Courtney's body and life. I'll still be reading it, however grating it'll be...

I like being me and I would be devastated to have to be someone I'm not. I know it's just a novel, but I hate the idea of her philosophy...grrrr....

END SPOILER ALERT

But on a good note, it was still fun to see her reactions as a modern woman in a society where women don't have a lot of real power.

Everything Austen Challenge: Movie Review: Lost in Austen

Lost in Austen (2008) (UK TV miniseries), Grade: A-

I loved this miniseries! I've always wondered what it would be like to go back in time to the land of Austen having all my modern ideas and manners. What fun!

Amanda Price is obsessed with Jane Austen and specifically her book Pride and Prejudice. She wishes she could find her own Darcy (her boyfriend proposes to her drunk and with a bottle cap)! Finally one night Elizabeth Bennett shows up in her bathroom claiming that there is a door from her home in Longbourne that has led to Amanda's bathroom and as such the trade places. Amanda assumes she'll be able to get back through the same door...nope!

She arrives in Longbourne at the beginning of the novel! She tries to do everything she can to make sure the novel proceeds as it is written, but alas, all heck breaks loose!

It's fun to see how things turn out differently with Amanda in the picture and Lizzy gone! I don't want to give anything away, but there are surprises for all of Austen's beloved characters! And the wet scene with Darcy is just, well, yummy!!!! Plus plenty of good kissing in the end and I'm happy!

This movie actually isn't on my original list, but it looked too good to pass up so I think I'm up to 13 or 14 now on my challenge. So enjoy!

Read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

vvb32 reads is hosting a giveaway: To enter you must read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith by September 5, 2009. I just read this book about a month ago and found it very hilarious! I love pure Austen, but I adore Austen-inspired lit. as well! And this one was too good to pass up when I saw it sitting on the shelf at Target! For more info on what to do to enter the giveaway click here. I hope you enjoy!