Pemberley

By: Emma Tennant

Narrated by: Anne Dover

Pemberley is Mr Darcy’s splendid house, and it is there that, amidst their relatives one Christmas, his pride and his wife Elizabeth’s prejudice find themselves once again provoked. Told with stylish irony combined with insights into the emotions and mores of 18th-century English high society, Pemberley is an elegant and diverting social comedy, a novel of genuine originality.

©1993 Emma Tennant (P)2014 Soundings

Pemberley's Secrets......3 STARS~

PLOT: follow up to Pride and Prejudice .....not bad....

Christmas at Pemberley~ and Lizzie is so happy with her marriage but feels the pressure of not producing an heir. Soon the gathering of all the Bennett's and Darcy's under one roof has a child seen with Darcy has everyone speculating. Could this be a illegitimate child by a "French woman" Elizabeth has some one "confide" in her? This is a good story but worth listing too about once. This Lizzie is not spunky or lively. I give it 3 stars.

Really, really confusing.....

First let me start with the positive, the narrator, Anne Dover, is very good. I enjoyed her part enough to finish the whole strange, confusing story.

Now the not so good. Pemberley is supposed to be a P&P sequel but if you have even the smallest notion of the original, this story will drive you nuts! Just a few points:

1. This story is supposed to be about a year after the marriage of Elizabeth and Darcy, "coming up on a year" is how it is mentioned more than once, yet Elizabeth is worried because she is not pregnant as of yet, but Jane, who married on the same day, has already had one child who I walking (think at least 1 year) and is ready to give birth to a second child. Lydia who married before them both but not too far ahead now has 4 children under the age of 4...whaaattt???? How is this timeline even possible?

2. Georgiana and Caroline Bingley are BFF's. Georgiana is a brat.

3. Lady Catherine and Caroline are BFF's. Lady Catherine brings a distant cousin that is the supposed heir of Pemberley should Darcy not have a son. Anyone assumes there will not be an heir because it has been a year and one hasn't been produced yet.....really, a whole year!!

4. Elizabeth listens to very piece of gossip and believes it all without question, i.e. Darcy has a love child therefore he can't bare to think of having another, he is going to run off to France b/c that is where the said love child's mother is from and he wants to live with her memory.

5. Darcy goes behind Elizabeth's back and changes/cancels all her plans without word one to her, but is supposed to be doing it "to save Elizabeth the trouble". He also comes the goes with no a word to Elizabeth, she finds all this out from the servants or the other guests.

6. Darcy calls Elizabeth "Eliza" and the Bingley sisters call her "Lizzie"...seriously???

I could go on, but I think the point is made!