It’s not written in quite exactly the light, satirical style that Jane had, (this is Darcy’s viewpoint after all, not Elizabeth’s) but it also has its moments of ironical humour and Pamela Aidan gets the language and manners bang on the mark.

It’s wonderful getting more insight into the nature of Darcy’s friendship with Charles, his relationship with Georgiana and his priveliged position and life. I also loved seeing the character of Lizzie as we know her ‘fleshed out’ through the eyes of an outsider. Something that never really hit me as forcibly before was that, despite being a well-bred, intelligent gentleman’s daughter, she really IS – especially compared to Darcy and the people he knows – a rather simple country miss. Aidan’s made her a bit more ‘sweet and dimpled’ than I’d imagined Elizabeth to be, but she ended up being completely believable to me. Also, although we know that Darcy’s pride is part of the problem and impasse between them, here the role her prejudice also plays in their ongoing misunderstanding is thrown into a bit sharper focus. You see how, at times, she really does enjoy bedevilling him just for devillment’s sake.

Book 2 was not quite as good as the Book 1. I think what the other reviewer meant about it going woo-hoo, is that it veers off into almost Northanger Abbey-type Gothic suspense. Not sure if this was done on purpose, but it threw me off a bit too. Still, I enjoyed it and what I’ve read of #3 suggests it will be just as good as the first one.

Hope it doesn’t break any copywrite laws, but can’t resist including this snippet where Darcy realises for the first time how truly and deeply he is attracted to Elizabeth:

“A more forward, opinionated little baggage I defy anyone to find! Such cheek and impertinence! So ready to do battle on the slightest pretense. He paused a moment, his conscience demanding that he examine his mental outburst for bias. Darcy heaved a reluctant sigh. Ready to battle with himself, to be sure. It was only he who seemed to call forth this rash barrage of penetrating wit. Perhaps, he even encouraged it in some way, for she was certainly most amiable and geniune in her tenderness with those she loved. Her face…when she looked on those others…such warm affection…

Why then, do you continue to attend to her? his inner voice interrupted in demand. Darcy left the window and threw himself down onto the bed. Suddenly, before thought could mitigate its power, the answer thrummed through his whole body. “Because she IS both, and what you have always desired.” For some time it was impossible to ignore the thrill and terror of his confession. But he had been well-prepared from birth for his station in life and what was due his family. As he turned onto his side and grasped a pillow firmly against his cheek, the resolution was already forming that, for both their sakes, no sign of admiration should escape him henceforth. The rapid thuddings of his heart finally quieted, but try as he might, sleep escaped him until the early watches of the morning.”

Darcy’s Diary by Amanda Grange (which the Editrix recently reviewed) is available for preorder from barnesandnoble.com. [...]

Found with http://www.bookbutler.de, a great bookcrowler for english books, too.

Pamela Aidan’s “Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman” trilogy is also good (only the first two books are published at the moment but I believe the third will be out soon). I liked the first two but not as much as Darcy’s Diary or Confession, though I would rank them in the “quite good” category. A lot of Darcy fans really love them. My main quibble is that the second book had this weird supernatural subplot (what mystery readers call “woo-woo”) that I thought did not fit in a Jane Austen retelling. The less cranky picky reader might not be put off by that.

And another I read is “Darcys Story”, which I liked, too.

And the third I read was “Pemberley” by Emma Tennant (no Darcy-Story, a “normal” sequel). And after that I gave it up forever - It’s the most horrible book I ever read.

As Mags sometimes said (to P&P3): It’s Jane; how bad can it be? I must say (to “Pemberley”): It’s Jane and it can be very bad .