What becomes of Georgiana Darcy is the focus of Mr. Darcy’s Little Sister by C. Allyn Pierson. It is an interesting plot line to develop, considering she is at the cusp of coming out when we leave off during Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy’s wedding in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Dare we hope for another wedding at the end of Pierson’s novel?
Georgiana is not your typical teenage girl, although she exhibits some of the more common attributes of her age, Pierson holds Miss Darcy true to the characteristics she exhibited in Jane Austen’s original novel. She is shy, accomplished at the piano, excited with the idea of having a sister and deeply devoted to her brother. On top of all of this she is mortally terrified of her ‘coming out’ season in London set to happen shortly.
Read my interview with C. Allyn Pierson here.
Learn more about the author here.
Pierson paints Miss Darcy as a girl terribly ‘gun shy’ regarding love. The entire idea of engaging her heart is almost too much to bear because of her past mistake with a certain gentleman named Wickham. Add to that the lack of parental guidance, Georgiana has only her brother, Mrs. Annesley, her companion and her handsome cousin Fitzwilliam as guardians, she feels woefully inadequate to the task of the London season. Her new sister, Elizabeth decides it is her express purpose to take her under her wing!
The book starts a little slowly, but soon we are shown how women like Georgiana, with vast fortunes, were objects of prey before and during their marriage. Gentleman start demanding her attention, but it is becoming clear that her eyes are turned toward someone particular and probably has been all along.
When Darcy deduces who she has fallen for, he approves and as a brother he wants to make the match final. Elizabeth forcefully intercedes, ‘She is in love with him and wants him to marry her because he loves her, not because he feels a family obligation,’ she said crisply, ‘If you talk to him about her feelings for him, it is tantamount to asking him to marry her. He probably will agree because he feels a responsibility toward her and the match is very eligible for the both of them as far as fortune and background.’
Ahh Lizzy, ‘tis a good thing you married Darcy. Although, his instinct to take the matter in hand is not just a Darcy trait, but a trait of all men, I believe. It seems true love is contagious and now that Elizabeth and Darcy have had a taste, everyone wants it!
Characters only hinted at in Austen’s novel are given life in the book as well. Colonel Fitzwilliam’s older brother is someone who makes a somewhat scandalous appearance and while other notable characters from Pride and Prejudice fall to the background, the focus of the minor character’s struggles and growth makes up for any loss this may have caused.
While the book focuses a great deal on Georgiana and her coming of age, Pierson does treat the reader to some interesting history as well. The Prince Regent is a secondary character, sending Darcy on an errand of great importance (one of interesting consequence). There are also literary figures and members of the infamous haute ton that were of the fast set during the day that make appearances in the book.
I would recommend this book to a purist with no hesitation.
You can order your copy for Kindle September 1st and your paperback version September 7th, 2010.
You can find the book at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.
4 out of 5 stars!
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Comments
Nicely done, unbiased review of Mr. Darcy's Little Sister. I'm impressed, especially as you interviewed the author C. Allyn Pierson; I would imagine it's difficult to handle a book review objectively after (?) interviewing such a gracious interviewee. Well done.
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