Darcy's Diary
by Amanda Grange

amazon.co.uk Hardcover - 224 pages (August, 2005) Robert Hale; ISBN: 0709078609

amazon.ca Hardcover Largeprint edition - (2005) Robert Hale; ISBN: 0709078609

I have just finished reading the latest sequel release. Darcy's Diary by Amanda Grange. I really loved this book. You see a lot of the early things through his eyes especially the Ramsgate bit with Georgiana, his pain of that incident is felt through his writing. He really feels that he did not protect her well enough and it also shows the reaction of Mrs Younge at that time also later on when he is looking for Lydia. You can also read how upset he is regarding Elizabeth's refusal of his first proposal and his elation at her acceptance of his second proposal.

I also liked the way he prepared Bingley to go back to Longbourn before he told him about Jane Bennet as he wanted to make sure she had not gotten over him as it was nearly 12 months since they had been in Hertfordshire.

In his early paragraphs I could have almost liked his Caroline Bingley, at first he sees her in a different light l ooking at her like a sister, but once she starts to call Elizabeth and being bitter in the things she does and says he sees her for what she is and he begins to dislike her.

I was slightly disappointed with the life after marriage as it seemed to end abruptly I hope that she will write a sequel to it as to me it seems she has left it open for that.

All I can say is it is a truly enjoyable book. It reminded me of The Confessions of Fitzwilliam Darcy in many ways but even better, as it gave some idea of the future.

I recommend it highly if you gave a scale of one to ten I would rate it as a nine and a half.

Another novel that tells the story of Pride and Prejudice through the eyes of Mr. Darcy. I think that she got it right.

The action starts the summer before JA's novel. We get to see the thwarted elopement of Mr. Wickham with Georgiana and how Mr. Darcy handled it.

As the Bingley party enters Meryton, we learn that Mr. Darcy is attracted by Elizabeth Bennet almost immediately. From the time of the Meryton Assembly, he can scarce get her out of his mind.

Mr Darcy does not write a great deal about his time between leaving Netherfield in November and traveling to Rosings in April, but we do see a little of his social life during this time. He does tell us that he hopes that Charles Bingley and Georgiana will form an attachment.

After the proposal, we see how much he takes Elizabeth's words to heart. He examines his actions and attitudes and sees that there are other more generaous and gentlemanly ways to act.

Ms Grange tells us how Mr Darcy secures the marriage between Lydia and Wickham. She also gives us the conversation between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth after they are betrothed. And we get to see a wee bit of the life at Pemberley after their marriage.

The book does not really seem to be much of a diary because there is a great deal of dialogue; much of it is JA's. To me, this seems more like a novel told in the first person. I found nothing that was inconsistent with the original P&P.

I found this book to be a very pleasant read. Give it a try.