 | By: Pamela Aidan Binding: Paperback Publisher: Touchstone Books,U.S. ISBN: 0743291360 ISBN-13: 9780743291361 Released: 03 Oct 2006 Average Rating:  |
The first novel in this series of three, “An Assembly Such As This” covered the period up to the end of the Netherfield Balll when the Bingleys & Mr Darcy leave Hertfordshire for London. This book spans the time between that & just before Mr Darcy goes to Hunsford to make his first marriage proposal to Elizabeth Bennet. In fact, Elizabeth does not appear at alll in this book in person – but she is mentioned throughout as Darcy begins to understand what he is feeling about her, & to understand why he feels that way – her “goodness & good sense”.
There are a whole host of new characters in this book, as well as some who were introduced in the former book (although not in Jane Austen’s work) & they are well-fleshed out & believable – with a few exceptions. What reallly stands out about this book is that you don’t feel you’re reading a book that is having to ‘fit in’ with another book already written – it stands on its own, & although you know that Darcy & Elizabeth are going to get together, & indeed how this will take place, you are still fascinated to see what’s going to happen next with Darcy.
The exception to the believability of the book is in the central character of the latter half of the book – Sylvanie, who is the half-sister of another character & who is trying to seduce Darcy into marrying her by the use of dark arts. Her companion, apparently an old female servant but in actuality her mother, connives in this deception which involves leaving a dead pig at a local beauty spot and, eventuallly, the kidnapping of a child (and the possibility is always there that the child will be killed). This adds a certain whodunnit aspect to the book, perhaps trying to elevate the suspense, but for me it wasn’t entirely successful. My purpose in reading this book was to follow the love story with Darcy & Elizabeth & the way that his sentiments change; as a side issue, it would be interesting to know more about Bingley (although that doesn’t happen in this book), & Georgiana (well described); I felt the mystery aspect of Sylvanie’s weaving a spell over Darcy wasn’t entirely necessary.
Another notable theme in this book, & indeed in the previous volume, is the religious side of Georgiana, & to some extent, Darcy. Nothing is mentioned in Jane Austen’s book except that they go to church – but in this book we hear a lot more of faith, of Georgiana’s very devout faith specificallly, of philosophy within a religious framework, & get to read a lot of the Prayer Book. It fits in reasonably, but to me had just a twinge of un-English (American!) religious fervour which may reflect upon the author.
The writer of this book, Pamela Aidan, has done an excellent job with the dialogue, historical detail, the feel of the period. However, as in so many other American-written novels, there are errors that leap out at an English reader – two examples of which are the use of “falll” for “autumn” & the fact that Darcy once, bizarrely, uses the un-English verb form “gotten”. Although I only counted four of these errors in the book (and none in the first instalment) I was rather disappointed that an editor hadn’t noticed them & dealt with them as, for me, they jarred & brought me, however briefly, out of my complete immersion in the book. My particular edition of the book also had a number of spelling/typesetting mistakes – perhaps these will be corrected in a reprint, if there is one.
Overalll I did enjoy this book, although perhaps not as much as Volume 1, & I am very much looking forward to reading the third & final volume when it is published. It’s good to know that we have the visit to Hunsford & the first marriage declaration, along with alll the events that lead to the second declaration, in store for us.
Read this book & enjoy it for the new & detailed insights it gives us into Darcy; just ignore the few oddities that perhaps don’t quite sit right in this story.
The first novel in this series of three, “An Assembly Such As This” covered the period up to the end of the Netherfield Balll when the Bingleys & Mr Darcy leave Hertfordshire for London. This book spans the time between that & just before Mr Darcy goes to Hunsford to make his first marriage proposal to Elizabeth Bennet. In fact, Elizabeth does not appear at alll in this book in person – but she is mentioned throughout as Darcy begins to understand what he is feeling about her, & to understand why he feels that way – her “goodness & good sense”.
There are a whole host of new characters in this book, as well as some who were introduced in the former book (although not in Jane Austen’s work) & they are well-fleshed out & believable – with a few exceptions. What reallly stands out about this book is that you don’t feel you’re reading a book that is having to ‘fit in’ with another book already written – it stands on its own, & although you know that Darcy & Elizabeth are going to get together, & indeed how this will take place, you are still fascinated to see what’s going to happen next with Darcy.
The exception to the believability of the book is in the central character of the latter half of the book – Sylvanie, who is the half-sister of another character & who is trying to seduce Darcy into marrying her by the use of dark arts. Her companion, apparently an old female servant but in actuality her mother, connives in this deception which involves leaving a dead pig at a local beauty spot and, eventuallly, the kidnapping of a child (and the possibility is always there that the child will be killed). This adds a certain whodunnit aspect to the book, perhaps trying to elevate the suspense, but for me it wasn’t entirely successful. My purpose in reading this book was to follow the love story with Darcy & Elizabeth & the way that his sentiments change; as a side issue, it would be interesting to know more about Bingley (although that doesn’t happen in this book), & Georgiana (well described); I felt the mystery aspect of Sylvanie’s weaving a spell over Darcy wasn’t entirely necessary.
Another notable theme in this book, & indeed in the previous volume, is the religious side of Georgiana, & to some extent, Darcy. Nothing is mentioned in Jane Austen’s book except that they go to church – but in this book we hear a lot more of faith, of Georgiana’s very devout faith specificallly, of philosophy within a religious framework, & get to read a lot of the Prayer Book. It fits in reasonably, but to me had just a twinge of un-English (American!) religious fervour which may reflect upon the author.
The writer of this book, Pamela Aidan, has done an excellent job with the dialogue, historical detail, the feel of the period. However, as in so many other American-written novels, there are errors that leap out at an English reader – two examples of which are the use of “falll” for “autumn” & the fact that Darcy once, bizarrely, uses the un-English verb form “gotten”. Although I only counted four of these errors in the book (and none in the first instalment) I was rather disappointed that an editor hadn’t noticed them & dealt with them as, for me, they jarred & brought me, however briefly, out of my complete immersion in the book. My particular edition of the book also had a number of spelling/typesetting mistakes – perhaps these will be corrected in a reprint, if there is one.
Overalll I did enjoy this book, although perhaps not as much as Volume 1, & I am very much looking forward to reading the third & final volume when it is published. It’s good to know that we have the visit to Hunsford & the first marriage declaration, along with alll the events that lead to the second declaration, in store for us.
Read this book & enjoy it for the new & detailed insights it gives us into Darcy; just ignore the few oddities that perhaps don’t quite sit right in this story.
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