The Pemberley Chronicles
Rebecca Ann Collins
386 pages
Hard copy edition
First read April 2008
From the Publisher:
The weddings are over.
The guests (including millions of readers and viewers) wish the two happy couples health and happiness. As the music swells and the credits roll, two things are certain: Jane and Bingley will want for nothing, while Elizabeth and Darcy are to be the happiest couple in the world!
The couples’ personal stories of love, marriage, money, and children are woven together with the threads of social and political history of nineteenth century England. As changes in industry and agriculture affect the people of Pemberley and the neighboring countryside, the Darcys strive to be progressive and forward-looking while upholding beloved traditions.
Rebecca Ann Collins follows them in imagination, observing and chronicling their passage through the landscape of their surroundings, noting how they cope with change, triumph, and tragedy in their lives.
Throw Back Review:
April 19, 2008
Preface: Wow. I started this book immediately after finishing re-reading the Harry Potter series and while I loved this book in the end, it took a day or two for me to get with the pace of things and not expect anyone to pull a wand from their pocket and stun someone. Can you imagine that? Mr. Darcy with a wand. Funny, but true.
If you love Pride and Prejudice and love Jane Austen novels you will not be disappointed with The Pemberley Chronicles. I think that this is one of the only novels I have read that really stayed true to Austen’s style and voice.
The first half of the book was really slow moving for me but had very good character development. I enjoyed seeing some of the extended Bennett family and friends develop. Part two of the story had much more of interesting story lines to follow and moved much faster for me. It was during part two of this story that I fell in love with this story and decided I really needed to find The Women of Pemberley, the second book of the series.
There was a lot of political history in this book. Some parts were very interesting, while at other times I found myself skimming through those passages.
I recommend this book to anyone and know I will find myself re-reading it over again. I literally laughed out loud at parts and cried over passages as well.
Update Review:
This is one of the first books I recommend to people when they tell me they love Pride and Prejudice. It’s the first book in a 10 book series that I adore them! I read them over a couple years as they were published. At the end of the series I remember crying that they were over. I loved the characters and development. I really grew to love them over the years, the books span 50 years in the family’s life. There is so much rich history. My only complaint is that sometimes the history gets a little long, but that’s really not a horrible thing. They are clean too…I love a good clean book I can read without worrying. If you love historical fiction, if you love Pride and Prejudice, you should really give this book (and this series) a try. It’s one of my all time favorites.
