Death Comes to Pemberley

When it comes to re-writings or new versions of classical novels and classical characters, I am the least open-minded person imaginable, especially when we are talking about Pride and Prejudice. However, I really enjoyed P.D.James' treatment of Elizabeth, Darcy and Georgiana, because it is clear that she respected Jane Austen's creations and tried to breathe new life unto them, presenting their lives after their marriage. I liked the descriptions of the trials that took place, having the chance to see how justice was conducted at the time, something that I haven't come across in any other book I have read in such detail.

The mystery itself was nothing special, but it was enjoyable and ccomplex enough to keep my interest, and not have me roll my eyes every five minutes. The characters of Elizabeth and Darcy are well-written, and it wasn't difficult for me to picture them as if they'd sprung out of Jane Austen's book. I still would like to see more of Elizabeth's input, and less of the rumblings of her sister and Georgiana's lovesickness, but this is just me. Overall, it was a very good effort with respect to the original material, and for me, that is what mattered the most.

“You are mounting quite an impressive expedition to satisfy one hysterical woman.”

Started out okay but slowed down too much for me.

I assume there’s some good research done and there’s plenty of facts on how the legal system is working at the time. Which isn’t great fun.

Also some repetition from the original book and the characters are not popping. Jane Austens characters are coming straight at you but not here, flat.

So. . . Looking through the other reviews, I can see this has been a polarizing book! I wouldn't be as tough as some of the other critics out there, but I will say that I didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped.

I'm not a serious Austen fan–I preferred the Brontes, haha–so I mostly picked up this book out of curiosity. It is, indeed, a little repetitive if you've seen the BBC adaptation of Pride & Prejudice . . . And I personally just couldn't get a feel for the narration. In a lot of classics like Austen's works, the narrator has a distinct flair, almost to the point of being another character. I think I was missing that. Of course, that narrative style isn't as common these days, so maybe that's just one area where a modern telling of an Austen ‘sequel' runs into trouble!

In any case, if you're very invested in P.D. James or in Austen, this is a cool crossover idea . . . Just make sure you're in the right mood first!

4 stars! I expect no less from a sequel for Pride and Prejudice!

A very satisfying read. I almost had the mystery figured out.

Disappointingly dull and not much of a mystery at all. Serves me right for trying to relive the magic that was P&P through any other author but Miss Austen.

P.D.James writes well, but she describes people very differently than how I understood them from Pride and Prejudice. When I forgot whom she was writing about, the story was interesting, but every now and then I thought “For heaven's sake!”, “How could it be like that?” “but... she wouldn't have thought that!”
And then the romantic crap! Especially the last chapter and afterwords... could have let be unread. Syrup. I can't!
When one sees it as a Regency romance novel with some additional color from the murder, it's OK.
But I won't read this again.

I thought the writing style and the use of Austen's characters was fine, but it never really gripped me and the pace was patchy at times. Although Darcy looks into the crime, I'm not sure that he could really be called a detective as such, considering the way that the book turns out. There are great chunks of novel devoted to the legal system of the time, which although interesting did slow the plot down somewhat.

Yikes. I admit to giving up on this book about 1/4 of the way through. I found this book almost insulting to Austen fans in its obsequious imitative style. Plus it's boring.

As a general rule, I am usually quite fond of any Jane Austen fan-fiction (especially Pride & Prejudice!). However, I found this book incredibly slow and caught up in characters us Janeites are unfamiliar with and trial details that no one wanted to read about in such detail. I was really hoping for more interaction amongst the characters, and on the whole I found this book rather dull. Carrie Bebris' “Pride & Prescience” is a much better alternative than than “Death Comes to Pemberley”!