Review: The Darcys and the Bingleys
Marsha Altman has some Jane Austen fanfiction that I enjoyed reading. The first in the series (for it appears to be a series) is The Darcys and the Bingleys. Altman continues Pride and Prejudice, picking up Lizzie’s and Jane’s stories right after the proposals.
An engagement drives the plot, as is proper for an Austen sequel. This time, it is Caroline Bingley who is engaged, to someone who is, of course, not who he seems to be. (Do I really need to tell you this? If you are surprised by these sorts of “twists” in a plot, I’m not sure I can do much for you in the way of reviewing.)
The plot has a bit of a mystery, reminiscent of Carrie Bebris’s Mr & Mrs Darcy mysteries. Not quite as mysterious, but there is a little bit of action and suspense.
One of the funnier sub-plots involves Charles Bingley soliciting Darcy for advice on “marital relations.” Several of the Austen fanfiction books I have read do the same — we must assume, I suppose, that Mr. Darcy’s perfection is complete in every way, including this one, and that Charles’s naivete knows no bounds. The allusions to the bedroom are fairly mild, and more amusing than anything else. It still makes me laugh that Darcy is always written as the more experienced one in P&P fanfiction novels (but, of course, much more principled in this area than Wickham).
Some reviewers (see the reviews at the Amazon link below) have pronounced judgment on Altman for allowing Darcy to get too drunk too often, and have called the book a farce. I don’t expect Jane Austen fanfiction to be terribly accurate to the “clear matter,” to be honest. I’m just looking for some quiet diversion while I take a nice bath. This fills the bill. If you are looking for something more than that, might I suggest some Fanny Burney?
The Amazon links:
The Darcys & the Bingleys: A Tale of Two Gentlemen's Marriages to Two Most Devoted Sisters
North By Northanger, or The Shades of Pemberley: A Mr. & Mrs. Darcy Mystery (Mr. & Mrs. Darcy Mysteries)
