Review: Missed potential.
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 08 2, 2013
The plot is very different from other variations--and I've read many. I won't go into too much detail but suffice it to say that the whole Austen timeline is completely re-arranged in a way that works well, for the most part. The writing, while not polished or professional isn't laughably bad--a little awkward with many indications that a professional editor was never consulted, but I've seen worse. You do have to give the author credit for originality and imagination.However, change for change's sake is often harmful. I didn't like some of the personality changes especially when dealing with our much-loved hero and heroine. Elizabeth is moody, controlling and a tease (at least until the visit to Rosings). Mr. Darcy is a bit of a wimp and a glutton for punishment. At times, it's hard to like either one of them, and next to impossible to figure out what they see in each other.Other characters change as well. Mrs. Bennet takes noticeable control of her nerves and general behavior after just one talk with Mr. Bennet. It's strange that in so many years of marriage, it had never before occurred to him to ask her to modulate her behavior--especially considering how involved he is as a parent and citizen. Mr. Collins is not only annoying, but mean as well (which I've always suspected). Georgiana, while still shy, is less in awe of her brother, but still harbors a secret yen for Wickham, which is pretty odd and doesn't contribute to the plot.Some changes were welcome. Mary is much more pleasant and less didactic.  Jane has a more defined personality and is more intelligent and assertive than in the original in which she appears to only be a sweet and beautiful blob. Mr. Bingley actually has a backbone. He speaks and Caroline listens, at least for a while.There are a lot of social blunders and inconsistencies, such as Elizabeth introducing herself to the maid as "Lizzy."I lost track of how many times the Austen passage about her courage rising on attempts to intimidate her was inserted but, believe me, it was too many--though not as many as Lizzy's raised eyebrows. I was rather envious of Lizzy because, although I've been married for 40 years, my husband still doesn't understand all my facial signals and Darcy understood what she was 'saying' every single time!Although the book was long and convoluted and went into a lot of detail from everybody's perspective, when we finally reach the climax--let's face it, the moment we were waiting for--the author decides that she's running out of paper or patience, and wraps things up too fast. Those were the moments the reader has been trudging through over 400 pages for. This is when we won't mind wordiness or angst or ecstasy or too much detail. No such luck: a lucky accidental meeting; a bump on the head; an unbelievably quick clearing up of misunderstandings; engaged; married; lived happily ever after; the end.I wouldn't say it was a complete waste of time and money, but there are so many ways in which this very original plot could have been improved (but wasn't) that it doesn't rise above the level of average.