REVIEW: Darcy’s Diary by Amanda Grange
Writing a story in the first person is the purest form of character study. The writer does not even have the comfort of authorial omniscience to fall back upon; she must soldier on with telling the story despite her protagonist’s personal quirks (such as pride and vanity) through which the events of the story must filter.
Amanda Grange is not the first intrepid author to shoulder the task of retelling Pride and Prejudice from Mr. Darcy’s point of view, nor is she the first to employ first person or even the journal format. Previous such attempts have resulted in works that ranged from quite good to puerile nonsense, but Darcy fans may rest easy, for Darcy’s Diary is an enjoyable journey into the mind of one of the most popular characters in literary history.
The book expands upon P&P somewhat, beginning when Darcy makes plans to send Georgiana to Ramsgate and continuing for a few months after his wedding, tying up some loose ends from subplots unique to this retelling. Fortunately, Ms. Grange does not fall prey to the temptation to lift sections of Pride and Prejudice wholesale to insert them into her novel; however, the areas where the two stories cross (such as Darcy and Lizzy’s battle of wits at Netherfield during Jane’s convalescence) tend to drag a bit, probably because the reader already knows what happened and even possibly has committed it to memory *cough*. Ms. Grange assumes the reader’s familiarity with the source material, cutting here and there and adding enough of Darcy’s private thoughts on the proceedings to keep the reader interested.
Like most such retellings, the story picks up when the action moves away from the original. Darcy’s relationship with Bingley is examined, placing him in the role of a helpful older brother, advising his friend on everything from the lease of Netherfield to the propriety of marrying Jane Bennet; later, as we know, Darcy learns in which areas such advice is more welcome and more properly given. We are also treated to a couple of hilarious encounters with society debutantes in London that not only serve to provide a counterpoint in Darcy’s mind with Miss Elizabeth Bennet but are also extremely diverting for the reader. The scenes in which Darcy chases down Wickham and his wayward future bride in London are the best part of the book, well-realized and well-written and all fully in character. We could wish for more of this “original” material, though what we are given is all quite good.
There were a few details about Georgian culture and references to the original that did not agree with our understanding, but they are very few, and it is clear that Ms. Grange studied Pride and Prejudice closely. The style does not have the easy flow of the original, though we attribute that at least partly to the personality of the narrator as well as the limitations of the diary format.
Those Darcy fans who are looking for an angsty, melodramatic Darcy who beats his breast from the torture of unrequited love (even whilst recalling a history as ravisher of Pemberley maidservants and scourge of London lightskirts–or, Jane help us, adolescent fantasies about Mrs. Reynolds) will find no satisfaction here. Ms. Grange’s Darcy is an intelligent and slightly stiff young man who takes a personal journey that teaches him a great deal about himself and brings him what he needs, and what he is unconsciously seeking: to love life again after suffering loss and shouldering immense responsibility. It is this trait that is most delicately painted, and one which we are told is brought to the fore in the new film of P&P, making us think that the volume will be a fine companion piece for the new film as well as the novel. Darcy’s Diary is a gift to a new generation of Darcy fans and a treat for existing fans as well.
Read an excerpt of the book on Amanda Grange’s Web site. The book is available now from Amazon.co.uk and should be available in the rest of the world in October 2005.
August 25th, 2005 at 4:49 pm
For those of us new to this obsession (me), could you list a few of the better “quite good” previous attempts? Thanks!
August 26th, 2005 at 3:27 am
For example: “The Confessions of Fitzwilliam Darcy” is said to be good. I read it. Actually I don’t like any sequels, but this one is worth reading.
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 ;).
August 26th, 2005 at 9:18 am
I wasn’t crazy about Darcy’s Story (too much of it was right out of P&P, without additions or changes of any kind), but I agree with Sonja that The Confessions of Fitzwilliam Darcy is a good one. Rumor has it the publisher is re-releasing it in paperback soon. Do NOT pay the outrageous sums asked by the used booksellers for this item. (Incidentally, it’s the same publisher as Darcy’s Diary.)
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.
August 28th, 2005 at 9:45 am
I think you can order “Confessions”. May be they deliver it on demand.
countrybookshop.co.uk
Found with http://www.bookbutler.de, a great bookcrowler for english books, too.
October 16th, 2005 at 12:06 pm
[...] Mags @ 12:06 pm
Darcy’s Diary by Amanda Grange (which the Editrix recently reviewed) is available for preorder from barnesandnoble.com. [...]
November 11th, 2005 at 4:14 pm
I really liked Fitwilliam Darcy: Gentleman. I’ve read 1 & 2, and up to chapter 9 (on internet) of the third and last volume which is going to be published this month.
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.”