A lovely collection :)
Often short story anthologies are not my favorite books. Usually, there are several stories I dislike for various reasons; when you have multiple authors, what are the chances that you are going to like them all? With The Road to Pemberley, I had no such problem. I enjoyed every single story in it. There are funny stories, dramatic stories, sweet stories and a couple that are just plain odd. But I loved them all.
The first story, The Pemberley Ball, is actually one of my least favorites, though I still liked it. Elizabeth and Darcy were a little odd, but the story had some interesting possibilities and I really liked the ending. :)
My first impression (and we all know how untrustworthy those are) of But He Turned Out Very Wild was that of displeasure. My Darcy-loving sensibilities were offended in the extreme. Soon, however, I was utterly caught and it turned out to be one of the best stories in the collection. (at least in my humble opinion.)
A Long, Strange Trip was a little too weird for me. It involved hallucinogenic mushrooms. Very odd. And different. And somewhat entertaining. In a weird way.
An Ink-Stained Year is lovely. Col. Fitzwilliam has always been a favorite of mine, so it was fun to get a peek at his private letters. And laugh at him just a little bit.
I love the title of The Potential of Kitty Bennet. I have always thought that she had a great deal of potential, and it was wonderful to see the author make her fulfill it.
Darcy and Bingley can be so funny. A Good Vintage Whine is delightful. It illustrates the brotherly relationship between them perfectly and in such a cute way, too.
Georgiana's Voice is oh so sweet. If you have ever wondered what it might have been like for Georgiana as the intense and protective Mr. Darcy's little sister, this is the story for you. She sees and understands a side to him that we only glimpse.
Darcy once again has to dust off his detective skills in Secrets in the Shade. The idea of Darcy having an illegitimate relation has been explored before, but never in quite this way. This is an interesting and original little mystery that he has to unravel.
I love hearing servant's gossip and what they see from their nearly invisible positions, so A View from the Valet is wonderful. What does Darcy's manservant think of his strange behavior in Hertfordshire, Kent and Pemberley? As a discreet and loyal servant, he would never speak of it us, of course, but that didn't stop somebody from telling his story.
I love the idea of Darcy having shenanigans, so I really enjoyed Beneath the Greenwood Tree. This story is sweet and simple with a beautiful glimpse of what Darcy would be as a father.
Have you ever thought that Darcy and Elizabeth's passion might get the better of them? Then imagine how Mr. Bennet must have felt. Father of the Bride is a fun and humorous tale of his worries and the Grand Plan he comes up with.
Marsha Altman, the editor, contributed a story entitled Pride and Prejudice Abridged to the anthology. What to say about this heady mix of Regency romance and modern language all written in short, snappy sentences? It is silly, odd and downright hilarious. Marsha Altman never fails to make me smile.
I recommend this collection of stories to those who love Jane Austen but don't mind a bit of creative license. Thank you, Alice Riegert and Ulysses Press for sharing this with me.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback.
Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.