A Father's Sins

A Pride and Prejudice Variation

By: J. Dawn King

Narrated by: Catherine O'Brien

Length: 8 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's Summary

How do Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet overcome the consequences of poor decisions made by their fathers when Darcy and Elizabeth were young? In A Father's Sins, Mr. George Darcy, father of an illegitimate child raised by his steward, Mr. Wickham, agreed with his wife, Anne, that the firstborn son of their marriage would be heir to Pemberley. However, Mr. Darcy loved his eldest son, George Wickham, and indulged him by bringing him to Pemberley to live after the death of his wife. His heir, Fitzwilliam Darcy, paid a heavy price for this decision. Mr. Thomas Bennet, an educated gentleman and father of five daughters, favored his second born, Elizabeth. Unexpectedly, his wife gave birth to a son and heir. Mr. Bennet, at the persistent urging of his wife, chose not to have his youngest children vaccinated for smallpox. When the plague hit Longbourn it devastated their family. Elizabeth paid the heaviest price for this decision of her father. What happens when Darcy and Elizabeth meet? Will they be able to overcome the consequences of the choices their fathers made? When George Wickham, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Mr. William Collins, and the Fitzwilliam family arrive in Meryton, how will that impact their growing attraction? How does the same decision by Mr. Bennet influence the relationship between Jane Bennet and Mr. Bingley? Will love have a chance?

©2014 Quiet Mountain Press (P)2014 Quiet Mountain Press

fun story, annoying narrator, but its fixable!

The story is nothing out of the ordinary in this P&P genre, but still good fun. Imagine Elizabeth as a doctor! Or at least an apothecary. Not really a spoiler but be aware Mr Bennet is the villain of the piece, so there are quite a few character licenses to be had.
The story has a lot of great historical background, for the time. and the tone is generally light and fun. a few of the plot twists made me think more of a Charles Dickens impersonation, ala Nicholas Nickleby, than Jane Austen. It pokes fun at the times, the characters occasionally feel like caricatures, and event generally feel either too good or too bad to be true.
Now about the narrator, I'll just say listen to sample. If you don't mind her, great! If you do get as annoyed as I did, be aware that if you listen to this at 1.25 to 1.5 times speed she becomes completely tolerable.

Just okay

Always like to listen to P&P variations, especially ones that stay true to certain characters I like most. This was a good variation but not one I would purchase. Glad to find it on escape plan <3

very good

loved it, truly enjoyed this book it has such truth to it and also because they did do the items that were taken from true stories but this was a very good book totally a keeper.

Fun listen

Overall I enjoyed this. The story was a bit trite but I thought it was a fun ride overall. I felt like resolutions were reached too easily in some cases making the story a bit 2-dimensional. There are some slight errors regarding the time period (for instance Georgiana went to her fathers funeral), but nothing was off to the point where it detracted from the story. I loved this adventurous and well traveled Elizabeth. Overall worth listening too.

a favorite book by an amazing author

J Dawn King has been one of my favorite authors and this book in particular is at the top of my list of best stories.

very enjoyable

be prepared because things have changed. I thought it would bother me but instead I couldn't wait to see what was happening next.

Such a waste

I LOVE this story, and have reread it many times. I finally thought to look for it on Audible, and I wish I hadn’t. The English accent is gratingly bad, and the voices for the characters (particularly Darcy) are a form of punishment.

Unique Variation

I enjoyed the story, although it was hard to have Mr. Bennet acting the way he did. Of course, it allowed Lizzy to grow into the accomplished woman of this story. Loved this Darcy, as well as the Gardiners. Definitely a worthwhile listen!

Elizabeth's family

What was up with the Jane? I can not beklive the way she was portrayed in this!

Great story and awesome narration.

Love the story and the narration was wonderful to listen to. I highly recommend this book. I love Elizabeth's spirit.

A lovely debut novel

I'd half-forgotten how much I enjoyed Ms. King's debut novel (sorry Joy!). Her Mr. Bennet is far from canon and a truly detestable character, and her Wickham is lot worse too.

On a lighter note, I loved that Elizabeth got to travel far and wide with the Gardiners after being cast out by her father. Now that's not really a spoiler as it happens quite early on. Some of the things she learns on her travels come into good use when she's called upon to nurse Jane after she's taken ill at Netherfield and in another situation which I won't mention - spoilers this time! A good deed she did whilst away also has repercussions for later in the story.

This is a sweet re-telling of Darcy and Elizabeth's story, suitable for all ages, and Catherine O'Brien's narration is pretty good too.

Enjoyable story, poor narration

Not for JA purists, but an entertaining JAFF. Unfortunately, Catherine O'Brien's narration is flat and stilted and her voice quickly becomes grating.