Monday, March 15, 2010

Book Review of Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy: The Last Man in the World by Abigail Reynolds

Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy: The Last Man in the World

Review:
In Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth Bennett tells the proud Fitzwilliam Darcy that she wouldn't marry him if he was the last man in the world. Abigail Reynolds's Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy: The Last Man in the World, she asks the question, "What if Elizabeth hadn't refused Darcy? What would their story have been like if she had said yes?"

The book builds on this interesting premise. Even though Lizzie Bennett has agreed to marry Darcy, she still carries her uncertainties and doubts. George Wickham's insinuations are still unanswered at the time of the wedding and Lizzie hasn't formed a good opinion of Darcy.
In this Pride and Prejudice variation, Fitzwiliam Darcy is particularly interesting: It is clear that he loves Lizzie but he doesn't know her well. It never occurred to Darcy that Lizzie Bennett would refuse his proposal or that she wouldn't be honored and excited to become Mrs. Darcy. The two discover that they'd been blind in their own ways and as Lizzie and Darcy gradually see beyond their prejudices and expectations, they find love.

Overall, I found Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy: The Last Man in the World a fun read. The Lizzie Bennett and Fitzwilliam Darcy seemed to be closer my own impressions of Jane Austen's characters and thoroughly likeable. I enjoyed the ups and downs of their love story and its satisfying conclusion.

ISBN-10: 140222947X - Paperback $14.99
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark (January 1, 2010), 256 pages.
Review copy provided by the publisher.

A big thank you to Danielle and SourceBooks for this review opportunity!

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