Letters from Pemberley
by Jane Dawkins

Dedicated with humility to the memory of Jane Austen in gratitude for countless hours of reading pleasure.

This book is quite short, simple and pleasant.  It consists of 25 letters written by Mrs Fitzwilliam Darcy to Mrs Charles Bingley  from 3 February 1813 to 8 December 1813.  Our Elizabeth is quite in character throughout; in good humour, witty and observant.  While happy and enthusiastic about her new home, she is also a little anxious about this new experience.  Her Dear Husband is frequently busy with estate and other business matters, but he is unfailingly devoted and attentive to Elizabeth.  And, of course, she and Georgiana develop a close sisterly relationship.

The language of the letters is quite good.  At every opportunity, it appears that Ms Dawkins borrows phrases from Miss Austen.  One can hardly go wrong using those illustrious words!

During the course of the year, there are visits from Mr Bennet, Kitty, Mary, Mr Bingley and Colonel Fitzwilliam and many letters from Lydia requesting financial help.  I found none of the descriptions of these characters to be in conflict with those of Jane Austen.

We also hear about several people who live near Pemberley; and these characters are quite familiar.  For example, Sir Richard Mansfield, a gregarious gentleman, recently provided a home on his estate for his widowed cousin, Mrs Norland, and her daughters.  Sir John Steventon, a Baronet, and his quiet, melancholy daughter, Eleanor, are soon moving to Bath because Sir John can no longer maintain the upkeep of Oakley Hall.  Eleanor becomes quite friendly with Georgiana and Kitty.  They hope for further acquaintance through her visits to Lady Ashton Dennis.  Then there are Mr and Mrs Daley, who invite the Pemberley residents to pick strawberries at Weldon Abbey although they are, at present, residing with Mrs Daley's father.  Plus, there are others.

If you would like a quick and non-stressful read, you may want to give this little book a try.

Dawkins' premise is that the Pride and Prejudice heroine Elizabeth Bennet, now Mrs. Darcy, is in her first year of marriage becoming mistress of Pemberley. Each letter sees Elizabeth gain in confidence as a wife befitting Mr. Darcy should become. She is faced with the concerns that would naturally have presented themselves to a lady of her station. A never ending fascination with Jane Austen is not only happily acknowledged in the introduction, but confirmed by this avid reader of all things not only English, but Austen, and definitely captured by Dawkins in Letters From Pemberley.

Elizabeth's first letter is written on February 3, 1813, "only a few tearful weeks since our joyful nuptials and tearful farewells." We find a dizzy Miss Lizzy; she's awed by the massive reality of Pemberley and the daunting task of taking on its daily care. She rises to the occasion, needless to say. The progression of her letters to Jane shows a growing self-assurance. She is coming to accept that Pemberley is truly her new home--not that she doesn't suffer the occasional bout of homesickness, or a yearning to be near her best friend and sister. On the other hand, there's a new sister and friend, Georgiana. There are also new acquaintances among the young women in Derbyshire.

And what of Darcy? Her love and respect for her new husband is clear, though his business takes him away from Pemberley too often. By her last letter to Jane (dated December 8, 1813), Elizabeth has become in every way the Mistress of Pemberley. She has won the respect of the neighborhood and seen some changes in her new home as well. Does it sound as if there's a general lack of action, twists, and surprises? There's not, but I won't spoil your fun.

I found Letters from Pemberley to be a quick and diverting read. Given its epistolary style, the book lends itself to brief and occasional readings without losing one's grip on the plot--which is kept simple enough without becoming dull or bland. Fans of Jane Austen will probably be amused by Ms. Dawkins' introduction of other characters in Derbyshire--borrowed from other Austen novels with slight changes of names.

The book comes with a few pleasant surprises. The author, who resides in New York but grew up in Wiltshire, a stone's throw from Jane Austen's Hampshire, offers a selection of resources--including Web sites, though not www.pemberley.com, sad to say. The author feels that since individual sites
come and go, she shouldn't be too specific. But there's a fine list of recommended books to help the reader get further into Austen's work. A helpful directory of Jane Austen societies is given, too. It's clear that this book arises from a lifelong love of Miss Austen's work.

To answer my question, do we need another P&P extension? Why not, I say, when it can be done well. Some of us finish another reading of the original and find we can't quite bear to release our grip on its unforgettable characters. We yearn for another Lizzy-fix, and if Miss Austen is providentially hindered from providing it for us, here's the second-best thing. I commend Letters from Pemberley to you with enthusiasm.

       Written by MichelleW (Monday, 14 August 2000, at 10:49 p.m.) This is also my favorite sequel to P&P. One of my favorite letters is the one towards the end when Lizzy informs Darcy that she is expecting. The part where Lizzy writes she had not seen such discomposure since Mr.Darcy's first proposal.  Just wonderful. 

Overall a nice sequel.

I have recommended this book to many of my friends