Darcy and Anne: Pride and Prejudice continues in this charming novel

Those who have read Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen will enjoy this delightful continuation of it. With this newest Austen sequel, Darcy and Anne, Judith Brocklehurst picks up the story a few years later, after the Darcys have settled into their new life. This is not focused on Mr. Darcy and his wife Lizzy, though; it is actually about domineering Lady Catherine's daughter, Anne (Darcy's cousin). We were introduced to Anne in Pride and Prejudice, but we only got to know her as the sickly frail one who was destined to marry Mr. Darcy. Of course, Darcy defied Lady Catherine's plans and now Anne needs to find herself a husband. Since it is Darcy and Lizzy's fault that Anne has no one to marry, Lady Catherine sends Anne to Pemberley and tells the Darcys it is their responsibility to find her a husband now. Preferably someone who Lady Catherine can enjoy pushing around conversing with.

Of course this embarrassing situation is a blessing in disguise for Anne, as she is finally free from the confines of her mother and her 'vinegar-faced' servants after 25 years of her subtle prison at Rosings. She meets new people and has a chance to think for herself and finally begins to feel comfortable in her own skin, and shockingly, healthy! She gets to explore her feelings and her talents and discover things she had never known before.

A whimsical moment that must be shared with Pride and Prejudice fans is the simple fact that Mr. Bennet, Lizzy's father, actually goes to an Assembly at the behest of Lady Catherine, when for some twenty years he has refused to do so for his wife. And Georgiana Darcy, the sister to Mr. Darcy whom we met briefly in P. & P., is featured in the novel as a companion for Anne as she is also looking for a husband. Lady Catherine's true colors shine through and is the epitome of the character you would love to hate.

Seemingly obligatory for the romance novels that have daughters bickering with their mother, Anne of course falls in love with someone unsuitable for her rank and drama ensues. "Does he love her? He is going to move to Barbados!" And of course Anne fell in love with the first gentleman that crossed her path. It is a wonder if that is truly how it worked in Regency England; there does not seem to be much actual dating, but rather if one got along all right with the other while dancing then the next step most logically was marriage. What happened to you have to kiss a lot of frogs to get your prince? But such was the way it seems in the olden days.

The storyline may be a bit predictable as a coming-of-age story, although Anne was a bit old to be doing so at age 25, yet the characters involved are still so endearing and lively that it makes the read a worthwhile one. There is some of the Austenian dialogue, though not quite as in-depth as Jane Austen was, but still some conversations were had that certainly had the nuance of the Jane Austen wit and charm. Although the events did not move very fast for the first half of the book, the writing itself is so simple that it makes it an easy read. The story greatly picked up its pace throughout the last half with an ending that tied everything into a neat bow. Brocklehurst's easy style is not nearly the quality of prose of a deeper Austen read, it is actually a bit short at around 200 pages. Yet, Darcy and Anne is still a fun continuation of favorite characters with an outcome that can't be beat. Darcy and Anne (ISBN-10:1402224389) by Judith Brocklehurst releases in paperback on September 1, 2009. You can find it online at the Publisher's website Sourcebooks.com, Amazon or any of your favorite booksellers. Sadly, the author Judith Brocklehurst passed away in October of 2008 and is deeply missed by her fellow Austen fans, but the word is that her sequel to Austen's Mansfield Park may also be published.  Darcy and Anne was self-published under another title "A Letter from Lady Catherine"  in 2007.

 

"I just want to say at this point that I am 72 years old, I have had a wonderful life, and I am not afraid at all of anything that is coming next. I love you all, and want to thank you for all the fun and kindness and love and happiness you have given me". - Judith Brocklehurst, author in a note to her Austen fans a week before her death.