Customer Reviews

The Confession of Fitzwilliam Darcy

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have to disagree with the previous (and only other) reviewer. I found this book in my local library and thought I'd see how the author handled Darcy's view. Not well. There was no spark between the characters as shown from Elizabeth's view in the original "Pride and Prejudice". The author tended to repeat herself in both terms and tone often within the same page, and the sentiment of the characters was flat and uninteresting. I skimmed most of the book.

There were so many colons and semicolons it was difficult to understand the meaning of the sentence. Yes, "Pride and Prejudice" is that way, but Ms. Austen knew how to write. Ms. Street still needs polishing.

The book is set up in first person, yet Darcy seems to know things by great leaps and bounds, and offers no explanation on how he knew this, or came to this judgment. Plus, some of the explanations for his behavior were simply unbelievable. He stood up for Wickham because Wickham asked him to? HA! Hardly - he did it to make sure Wickham went through with the wedding to Lydia and didn't take the money and run.

And his epiphany over his feelings toward Elizabeth, and the 'rightness' of her explanation and rejection of his proposal were simply unbelievable. I sensed no tension within him, no real pain over her refusal, and no explanation as to why she was right and he was wrong.

The point of the story was Darcy's Pride, and Elizabeth's Prejudice, not to make Elizabeth completely right and Darcy completely wrong. They both had faults, both were in the wrong, and yet reading this from Darcy's view, one would think that Elizabeth's rightness was nearly as preordained as Jane's goodness and forgiveness.

Ms. Street clearly missed the deep and passionate love Darcy felt for Elizabeth, his need to hide it, and, really, the entire point of the pride he showed so fiercely. She doesn't understand the point of his character, and took giant steps to 'fill in the blanks' to the story, but missed and fell very short.

I tried to order this book for two years from AmazonUK without success. Each time it was on backorder for 6 weeks, then I would get a notice that it was not available. Eventually I just stopped trying. I was very happy to see that it was finally released in the States. This book was originally written in 1999. That by itself was probably a very adventureous undertaking for Ms Street. At that time the flood of Pride and Prejudice look-alikes had yet to hit the market. Now, if you love Jane Austen and her books, you can find plenty of authors who have tried to explain or expound on those original treasures.

I have read many, many variations on the Pride and Prejudice novel. Some are much better than others, some are absolutely dreadful. This book rated four stars from me. It did have its faults but it also had quite a few reasons for enjoyment. This book follows Pride and Prejudice completely. You could actually read them simultaneously if you wanted to perform such a feat. What I wanted to see the most was what Darcy was doing during the times he is absent from Elizabeth. I got some of what I wanted but not in enough detail. This book is written in first person and yet there are no conversations with anyone outside the characters written by Jane Austen. Why not? This device would have been wonderful for letting the reader see Darcy from a whole different viewpoint. A true opportunity missed, from my perspective.

The characters fell somewhat flat for me. Ms Street apparently didn't want to deviate from the narrative established by Ms Austen for Elizabeth, especially, so we don't get any new discourse between her and Darcy. I realize this is a fine line for an author to walk but expanding on the established interactions between Darcy and Elizabeth would have been an acceptable thing. Elizabeth's words are quoted but in italics as rememberances by Darcy. Not as direct, while they were standing toe-to-toe intercourse. Definitely a disappointment for me. Often Darcy could not even gauge Elizabeth's reactions because her bonnet hid her face.

If you've read this far you probably wonder why I gave this book four stars at all. I enjoyed what I was reading. Yes, it did have some problems but I also liked what WAS there. Darcy struggled with his inclination to fall in love with Elizabeth and I was able to believe the change in his personality which made it possible for him to be willing to accept her and her family. When Elizabeth rejected his marriage proposal she spared him absolutely nothing in her criticism. It took a while for him to get over the initial hurt of her rejection but after a while he began to look at himself from her perspective. He had never once questioned his own character and personality. No other person had ever had the courage to point out his flaws, not even his parents. Suddenly he began to know that she was right, he did present himself to the world as arrogant, conceited, stand-offish. He didn't like himself as seen by Elizabeth and others. I liked the interaction between Darcy and Bingley. I thought it was a wonderful moment when Darcy realized that Bingley was probably slightly afraid of him. That was warmer and more personal as was his relationship with Georgiana. I also really liked his reactions to Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst. Those were right where I wanted them to be.

Was this the best Pride and Prejudice variation I've read? No. Was it the worst? Good heavens, no!

Arrogant to a fault, Fitzwilliam Darcy wonders how Elizabeth Bennet caught his attention when they first met. If he was to choose a Bennet female to have him take more than a first look, it would have been the much prettier Jane; although Elizabeth is lovely. Still, Darcy fondly looks back to how he could not prevent himself from constantly seeking her out even in a mob to find her. Furthermore, once he made his mind up to court her, he succeeded only to allow his PRIDE AND PREJUDICE get in his way leading to losing her before finally winning her completely when he gave her his heart.

Although Jane Austen has been told, retold, and untold so many ways in the past decade, Mary Street provides a fresh perspective with her gender twisting the classic PRIDE AND PREJUDICE by switching viewpoints from Elizabeth to Fitzwilliam. The novelty comes from new segues as the hero lays out his heart to the audience. Fans of Ms. Austen will relish this latest spin while agreeing that Ms. Street deserves more than just a chutzpah award as Darcy comes across as a full blooded confused suitor in love.

Harriet Klausner

Pride and Prejudice is mostly Elizabeth Bennet's story. We may hear of events that took place out of her view but only when these events are told to her. So, Mr. Darcy's thoughts, feelings, and actions outside of Elizabeth's view are unknown to us or only known by shrewd guessing. There's also the additional problem that Elizabeth, in the manner of Mr. Darcy, is not a reliable narrator. She has her own prejudices about him and his behavior and it colors her view of him and all his actions. So, we're left wondering what Mr. Darcy thought of Elizabeth Bennet. What could make this man of wealth, education, and position fall so in love with Elizabeth that he'd go against his family and his social connections to marry her.

Luckily, Mary Street has given us a Mr. Darcy's side of the story in The Confession of Fitzwilliam Darcy. Street retells Pride and Prejudice from Darcy's point of view. Where the two books overlap, Jane Austen's version is paramount as to action and conversation but with the added interest of Mr. Darcy's thoughts and insights. Where events take place out of Elizabeth's view (not in Austen's work but hinted at, such as the events in London after the ball at Netherfield and the conversation with Wickham about Lydia) the narration and action matches what we'd expect of a gentleman of Darcy's station. Street keeps well within the canon of story and characterization.

What is missing is the passion of the characters. Elizabeth is engaging and exciting the most often when the book intersects Pride and Prejudice and there is a blueprint to follow. Darcy's character, even though we are often in his thoughts, is still wanting. This is a man that is comfortable in the highest levels of society, yet his passion for Elizabeth Bennet is such that he willing takes the chance that he and his new wife could be shunned by society because of the disparity of their socio-economic status. He is gentleman and she is a gentleman's daughter, but there is still a gulf between them of more than an obnoxious mother and wild sisters. There's no sign here of a love or passion that could account for Darcy's proposing marriage not just once but twice to the same woman.

It seems that in trying so hard to maintain the tone and style of the original Austen novel, that the lively wit and by-play that are the hallmarks of Austen's work got smoothed out. So, while this book does fill a gap that so many of us want filled, it does leave us still wondering about Mr. Darcy's inner most thoughts and feelings.

Worth reading? Yes, definitely. The author did a remarkably good job with the material, it just left this reader wishing that the characters had a bit more life to them. Of course, I'll freely admit that the lack may be totally in the eye of the reader rather than the author, for I truly want to know the inner workings of Darcy and what makes him tick. Street gave me hints and teases but I felt unsatisfied but not dissatisfied with the book.

This would rate as one of the better "sequels." Interesting insight of Darcy's attitude and opinions, especially regarding his famous encounters with Elizabeth.

Very quick read, perhaps predictable in some areas, but overall one the the better ones. I would keep this one.

I cannot usually bear to read expansions, continuations, revisions, or prequels of Jane Austen -- I tend to hurl them down before I reach page three. They all fail miserably to sound like Austen, and I'm appalled at the hubris the authors exhibit in attempting it.

But this book sneaked around my prejudice by being -not- in the voice of Austen, but in the voice of Darcy, and I enjoyed it very much. It was funny; it followed the original, but from a different point of view; it sounded like Darcy to me -- young, proud, passionate, uncertain, and a little humor-challenged.

Street even came up with a reason for Darcy to have attended that first ball, though he doesn't enjoy it or expect to: he knows that if he stays home, Caroline Bingley will find an excuse to stay home too!

Get it. Read it. Enjoy it.

I liked the way it starts out, and stays in Darcy's point of view and perspective. Very good imagry as you could see youself there with him.
His interactions and view of Elizabeth Bennet exactly as F. Darcy would view her as well.

I read this almost at the same time as The Diary of Henry Fitzwilliam Darcy and I really enjoyed them both. Someone complained that it seemed more like a porn? Not as I remember it, and I just read it last week. I don't remember lots of graphic details that were offensive. It is so much better than some of the newer books that are in print, that I gave it 5 stars. I like it when an author stays within the framework of the story and the characters, but covers new ground our fleshes in details. When it's just a re-hash of the original, then why not re-read the original? If you can find this book for less than $30 (yikes! for a paper back, are you kidding me??) then I think you will be pleased you gave it a shot.

This book was out of print for quite a long time, but websites devoted to Jane Austen prequels, sequels and parallels have cited it as the best of the Pride and Prejudice parallels from Darcy's point of view. I found my copy in the giftshop of the Jane Austen centre in Bath and was pleased to spirit it home to the colonies.

Don't let the title or the dated cover illustration dissuade you. This is a very enjoyable read, in true Jane-Austen-style.

This is a quick and entertaining read as Mr. Darcy tells his and Elizabeth's story from his point of view. The language and details follow Jane Austen's tale very closely and the author is very clever at reversing the action as Elizabeth sees it to what Mr. Darcy can know or see. For a real Pride and Prejudice fan, this book is fun and just the thing for a rainy day.