The Darcy's and The Bingley's

Once again I am reading a book that deals with Pride and Prejudice. I seem to be stuck on this subject, but can promise you that one day I will move away from it, or not read so many. Finding one good sequel seems to have opened my eyes to all of them :) This time around I have been brought to Marsha Altman.

The Darcy's and the Bingley's picks up before the wedding of our hero and his lady love. We see how Darcy and Elizabeth deal with impending matrimony and with Mrs. Bennete as she nears the finish line. As with all of the continuations of this great story we see our four main characters married. They set out to begin their lives as newly weds, and the reader watches as Darcy and Elizabeth move onto Pemberly and Jane and Bingley settle in at Netherfield park.

But what sets this continuation apart from the rest?

It has to be in the way that Ms. Autlman deals with her characters. The characters speak as they would in this time period, but there is not the formality of Austen. The characters are altogether a bit more loose with each other. The reader feels more of a personal connection with these charecters. Ms Altman has brought them to the level of the modern reader. You see Darcy and Elizabeth joke, Jane taking out the pains of Childbirth on poor Charles Bingley, and you see Caroline Bingley smile and make a joke. Perhaps one of the most shocking things you see in this story is Darcy giving Bingley a copy of the Kama Sutra.

It is also the development of the characters that a lover of Pride and Prejudice can expect, and love. You see characters such as Caroline Bingley come front and center. You see how she deals with the expectations that have been set upon her by society and her parents. The reader just may be surprised by how she deals with this. You will see Jane and Bingley come to the fore front and be a little surprised by the former Ms. Bennette. These characters help develop the story and lets the reader see just how much Darcy and Elizabeth love each other. Some readers may even be surprised to find that they can understand Mrs. Bennette and can even come to love her.

Through the development of characters that were merely mentioned by Austen, Ms. Altman has put her own stamp on this story. If the reader comes to this book with an open mind, and realizes as with all continuations, this is another story by another author, they will be able to enjoy Ms. Altman's book. They may even be able to enjoy the fact that the Kama Sutra pops up in this story.