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Reviewed by Stephanie Dagg for Readers Favorite
Jane Austen’s novels in general, and "Pride and Prejudice" in particular, are some of the works of literature that have been rewritten the most. Author Collette Saucier offers her contribution with "Pulse and Prejudice" and makes a brilliant substitution. Instead of an honorable and custom-stifled gentleman, Fitzwilliam Darcy is now a relatively honorable vampire with a complicit valet. This depiction of Darcy is a stroke of genius! Now he is not just after Elizabeth Bennet’s hand in marriage but her blood too. He is not the only vampire. The roguish Wickham is a much less pleasant fellow bloodsucker that Darcy has to keep a close eye on. How will Elizabeth cope with this? She is one of the feistiest and most confident heroines ever depicted but could this be too much for even her? Could Mrs Bennet, always eager for grandchildren, welcome a dhampir?
This is a very imaginative and clever novel. Faithfully following the main events of Austen’s work, Saucier inserts her paranormal element and creatively relates the consequences of this. She also injects a large dose of sensuality which is sexy and fun. Saucier is also mainly true to the atmosphere, language and mannerisms of Austen and her times. The anonymous shires that are referred to and the obsession with how many thousand a year someone is worth keep their place. What would Jane Austen have thought? It is well known that she had a sharp, dry sense of humor, so I think she would have loved this book. She might even have written it herself had she lived in a less constrained age.
ReadersFavorite2
Posted January 21, 2013
Reviewed by Alice DiNizo for Readers Favorite
With the plethora of books about Jane Austen's ever popular tales of Regency England, "Pulse and Prejudice" is a really good addition to the growing field of Austen book versions. Darcy, based upon the famous male character in "Pride and Prejudice", is a vampire in "Pulse and Prejudice", but he is a nice vampire who works with his aide, Rivens, to make certain that he drinks only the blood of animals. He travels from London society with his friend Charles Bingley, Bingley's sister Caroline, and the Hursts who are Bingley's in-laws, to the country county of Hertsforshire. There Darcy encounters Elizabeth Bennet who troubles him. Darcy is attracted to her but has never considered a woman of no fashion and low connections which is what Elizabeth Bennet seems to be with her loud mother and silly sister Lydia. Then Elizabeth's older sister, Jane, lies dying and Darcy sees teeth marks on her neck. Darcy knows that another vampire who thinks nothing of attacking humans is nearby. Will true love between Darcy and Elizabeth triumph over all the problems between vampires and humans?
"Pulse and Prejudice" is a delightful version of the original "Pride and Prejudice", this time from Darcy's point of view. The basic theme of Darcy and Elizabeth overcoming their differences is wonderfully redone in this story as Elizabeth begins to desire Darcy and his vampire ways. The characters stay basically true to the original Jane Austen version and the plot line flows smoothly and truly in vampire version to the end. What is especially interesting in "Pulse and Prejudice" is Darcy's allusion to Lord Byron and his attack upon the Lake poets. It is interesting to see how this plays out in the story. A huge bouquet of daffodils to author Colette Saucier!
ReadersFavorite1
Posted January 21, 2013
Reviewed by Brenda Casto for Readers Favorite
After being turned, Fitzwilliam Darcy decided that the only way to survive was to feed on tenant farmers and vagabonds, only taking what he needed but never ending or transforming a life. When he becomes the guardian of his sister Georgiana, he finds this unacceptable and decides to forsake human blood, and with the help of his valet, Rivens, he has managed for years. Something changes though after he spends some time at a country estate where he meets Elizabeth Bennett. He longs for Elizabeth, but long ago he decided he could never marry, and even if he could she is beneath him in social class, so it could never be. However, he finds himself drawn to her. He decides to put distance between them, but when he does so he finds himself with an unquenchable craving. Is it a thirst for blood or perhaps something more that Darcy longs for?
I hate to admit it but I have never read Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" but I feel as if I got a real taste of the Regency Romance as retold by Colette Saucier! She brings the time period to life, but more than that she pulled me right into the lives of the characters. I really enjoyed seeing the story unfold through the eyes of Darcy, a true gentleman, who has been successful at hiding what he really is. Though I soon learned what Mr. Darcy was, I really enjoyed the way Ms. Saucier eases the reader into what his affliction really is, slowly revealing how he lives. The vampires in this story aren't dark or scary; instead the author allows us to experience them without all the gore. I enjoyed the turmoil within Mr. Darcy. He needs blood, but has come up with a way to exist without human blood. I actually felt empathy for Mr. Darcy, as he learns that he too can love someone else. I was anxious to find out what would ultimately happen to him and Elizabeth. I have never been a fan of the classics, but Ms. Saucier's retelling has really changed my mind. Her paranormal twist gave this book an exciting edge that made it hard to put down. The ending of "Pulse and Prejudice" has left me anxious to read the next book in this series!
ReadersFavorite3
Posted January 21, 2013
Reviewed by Ellen Hogan for Readers Favorite
Elizabeth Bennet meets William Darcy the same time that her sister Jane meets Charles Bingley. Jane is enamored of Charles but Elizabeth is not so with Mr. Darcy. Between Bingley's sister and Darcy they conspire to end the potential romance between Bingley and Jane. Elizabeth's opinion of Mr. Darcy takes a further plunge when she learns of his interference in her sister's affairs. However, Mr. Darcy offers for Elizabeth's hand and is turned down in an instant. He writes Elizabeth a letter and explains his acquaintance with Wickham, who slandered him to Elizabeth. He also tells her that like Wickham he is a vampire. When next they meet he is afraid that Elizabeth will be frightened of him, which she is not. Wickham then takes off with her sister Lydia and Darcy goes and handles the situation. Not long after he learns from his aunt that Elizabeth still has feelings for him, so he sets out to reunite her sister Jane with Bingley and obtain Elizabeth's good favor.
The timeless story of Elizabeth Bennet and William Darcy is told but this time with a twist. There is still antagonism between the two from the first time they meet. However, this time the story is told through Darcy's eyes and how he tries to handle his affliction and his struggle with his affection for Elizabeth. Trusting her with his secret and her ability to keep that secret shows the true love between them. This is a love story like no other, author Colette L. Saucier successfully creates a new tale while maintaining the core integrity of the original classic. Her story of vampire-ism flows very well with the rest of the book, almost like it was there from the beginning. The kind of story to curl up with on cold or rainy day, to be lost in the pure enjoyment of a really good book.
Anonymous
Posted January 6, 2013
I would like to have rated this story higher but some of its scenes were lacking completeness or did not seem to fit the story.
Darcy's character was very similar to the original story except he is a vampire. The author did a great job explaining the reason he was a vampire which added to the story. As far as his vampirism it was used to explain his emotions towards Elizabeth and the struggle he went through after leaving her to go to London. It also worked well with the eroticism at the end of the book but other times it came up,it almost seemed forced like discussing something adding in to it I am a vampire and than going back to the subject being discussed.
Wickham's being a vampire turns out to Wickham being Wickham blackmailing someone to get his way.
The way Elizabeth is portrayed in the story is the one I understand the least. It seems she has three distinct personalities and I am not sure which one is the real Elizabeth. In the majority of the story she is the same Elizabeth in the original story kind, compassionate, but also opinionated and a quick temper that does her harm instead of good. The second is after Darcy makes his second address to her and she accepts it she enters into a flirtation with a Lord Calmet and cannot understand why Darcy becomes jealous and angry infact getting angry at him because he does. This scene to me makes her look fickle. Another thing that didn't make sense is did she not suspect that by howling this preference towards Lord Calmet that she would rise his hopes and expectations for a permanent relationship with her? She explains it Darcy as well he is just a child but the problem with that is Elizabeth and Lord Calmet are the same age so is she really that oblivious to the dangers of what she is doing? To me this part of the book shows Elizabeth's character is worse than lyddia because her actions have the possibility of hurting both and possibly ruining her sister's chance of marrying Mr. Bingley. The other personality she shows is the eroticism her and Darcy share. This just doesn't sound like Elizabeth in the original story but this is a vampire book so it is expected to have some level of eroticism in it.
Evenness with the above I would rate the story a 3 but the ending had me wondering what actually caused Elizabeth to become so passionate? She wasn't passoniate before talking Darcy into taking blood from her to see what it was like. Afterwards she became passoniate so was her passion due to love or because his vampirism mesmerized her? To me that question left the story with a question mark.
juliesbookreview
Posted August 10, 2012
Pulse And Prejudice
Author: Colette L. Saucier
Mr. Darcy has a secret that he has kept for the past 6 years. Only 3 others know of it and he plans to keep it that way. Upon getting to the country they have the unfortunate opportunity to meet the Bennet family. Excpet the eldest (Jane) and possibly the second eldest (Elizabeth), they seem to be a loud, brash group that have yet to master the art of decorum or the rules of the ton. And his friend, Mr. Bingley seems to be taken with Jane. While visiting the Bingley household, Jane takes ill and is unable to travel back home. So her sister Elizabeth comes to care for her. During their visits to see how their daughter and sister are doing, Mr. Darcy vows that they are beneath his friends station and he plots to break the budding relationship apart before it goes any further. To this puropse he hurries Mr. Bingley back to London. His friend is feeling very blue since they returned and he is glad that he got him away before he was of the thinking that he might be in love with Jane. But not long after their return, Mr. Darcy discovers that he is also missing one of the Bennet sisters, Elizabeth, very much. He cant care for her, he has been so careful these past 6 years to keep himself apart from attachments that could never be. So now what..... Should he leave for the continent, where there wont be a chance he will see her again and feel the emptiness. Or should he trust her with his secret and if she doesnt run away from him, give their feelings a chance.
This is a historic romance with a touch of a paranormal element. It started off a bit too close to Pride and Prejudice for me, as I did not care for Pride and Prejudice, but then it grabbed my attention and imagination in the twists and turns of the main characters and I was quickly engrossed in the story and truly enjoying it. The main characters offer an array of personalities that all seem to work great for the story. This book was a nice change of pace from the typical romance with just enough of the paramormal. Overall a really good book.
5 of 5 stars
Anonymous
Posted July 9, 2012
I have not read Austin in the past, so this novel was a bit of a stretch for me to pick up.
But, I was hooked in the first few pages.
The charters were so alive and I loved the way Darcy's vampire personality drove the plot.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and can't wait for the sequel.
Anonymous
Posted June 17, 2012
A lot of the book follows the original story to a T, however the added vampire details enhances it without being all about the paranormal. Enjoyable read.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Scotiagirl
Posted May 22, 2012
I've never written a review before.....and I'm not into Vampires but I really enjoyed this book. It makes me want to go read Pride and Prejudice all over again. This is an intriguing adaptation of the original story. The Vampirism spin on this 19th century classic novel seems so fitting and really gives you insight into that dark world. It was so interesting that it was written from Mr. Darcy’s tortured struggle to be both a man and vampire. I loved the way Colette was able to preserve the integrity of the love affair between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy and she leaves you wanting more. I can’t wait for the sequel.
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Overview
Set against the vivid backdrop of historical Regency England, this adaptation of Pride and Prejudice follows the cursed Mr....