Sheila Kaye Smith who wrote a couple of very enjoyable "easy reading" books about JA siad that she felt Brandon was a failure as a character. I am inclined ot agree with her, she puts it much beter than I can.. but one of the things is that seh says that Brandon hardly ever says anythign to Marianne, He seems to be stricken with silence.. so it is difficult (in the book) to see him emerging as the hero and having a relationship with the girl he is in love with.... True Darcy jsut looks at Elizabeth at first but still we do get examples of witty conversation between them and the sense of something developing.