Normally I would cringe at so many split infinitives and modernish phrases and assumptions. But the story was just SO good and the characters SO TRUE to original that I loved it despite them.
This book, unlike other variations I have read, kept me laughing and guffawing with a similar sense of humor, archness, sweetness and sense of the ridiculous as the original. Also...99% of variations rely on changing the character of one person drastically to create a plot. In Abigail Reynolds, who I otherwise enjoy, it's often Mr. Bennett that gets made into an awful villain. Another similarly cheap trick is eyeroll-worthy misunderstandings (sometimes also Abigail Reynolds and definitely everyone else) to drive the plot. This plot, miraculously, despite its whimsical beginnings, keeps the integrity of ALL the characters and even integrity of the original plot while giving a fun, awesome, adventurous new twist on things.
Yes, the beginning was a tad bit contrived, as several other reviewers have mentioned. Perhaps I didn't expect much from it so it surprised and delighted me. Somehow though, I found Mr. Darcy's unusual plot to be believable while Elizabeth's gave me maybe 2 eyerolls before I got over it and moved on to enjoying the story and getting quite engrossed in it.
I also found that this "sweet and clean" version was awesome and believable. I often steer clear of sweet and clean versions because I find most are ridiculous in their inhumanness. Leenie Brown is the worst. Don't read any of her books if you resonate with what I'm saying here. They're awful drivel. I mean, even Jane Austen, 200 years ago, wrote about kisses, scandals, adultery and other "mature" themes. There's a kiss in Mansfield Park (much written about) but there's also a very obvious kiss in P&P. At the end of the original, when Mr. Darcy
"expressed himself on the occasion as sensibly and as warmly as a man violently in love can be supposed to do"
it is obvious that he kissed her. Men and women have not changed since the beginning of time, let alone in the last 200 years. And if that were not enough to get the point across, she goes on:
"Had Elizabeth been able to encounter his eye, she might have seen how well the expression of heartfelt delight, diffused over his face, became him"
and then Austen REPEATS the point that she can't see his face:
"but, though she could not look, she could listen, and he told her of feelings, which, in proving of what importance she was to him, made his affection every moment more valuable."
It is obvious that in the original, they had a good mash and then he crushed her to his chest. We know he is very tall, and since he would have been holding her close after a kiss, her face would be pressed against his chest. Therefore, she cannot look, but she can listen.
Austen then continues to expound on this moment by saying:
"They walked on, without knowing in what direction."
Jane Austen DID NOT say this because he doffed his hat, they continued walking and they then refused to look at each other! She means they had a mash, a snuggle and then continued walking, totally disoriented from the delight of it all. All the movie and TV variations are so silly about the end. Jane Austen would be rolling in her grave at the thought of leaving out the best part. Honestly, our modern prudish interpretation of Jane Austen puts me in mind of Cinema Pardiso. Who knows, maybe Jane Austen has reincarnated as Diana Gabaldon? Think of that.
Anyway, this is an absolutely wonderful version that does justice to the original characters, the spirit of the original plot and best of all is a delight in and of itself. Bravo, Kara Louise!
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Pirates and Prejudice
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