Pride, Prejudice & Secrets

By: C. P. Odom

Narrated by: Katherine Anderson

One of the turning points in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice is Miss Elizabeth Bennet's passionate refusal and denunciation of the equally passionate but infinitely more repressed Fitzwilliam Darcy. However, unforeseen events can lead to the most unexpected consequences.

During a visit with her friend, Charlotte Collins, at Hunsford, Elizabeth falls prey to illness for almost the first time in her life just as Mr. Darcy comes to call. Befuddled by her illness, she misinterprets his proposal of marriage, and a simple nod of acknowledgment is mistaken for acceptance of his suit by a joyous Darcy.

By the time Elizabeth regains her health, it seems every one of her acquaintances - and many outside of it - accepts she is engaged to the last man in the world she would ever consider. Elizabeth knows that her life will be forever changed, and the consequences will spread further than she imagines.

From the author of A Most Civil Proposal and Consequences

©2015 C. P. Odom (P)2019 C. P. Odom

Lovely story!!! One of the best!

One of my top five P&P variations! Wonderful story, very interesting and satisfying, without a lot of angst like other variations. Truly enjoyable read/ listen!

WWJAD: What would Jane Austen do?

The premise of this Pride and Prejudice reimagining was to see how Jane Austen would have continued the story, if one key moment at the beginning went differently. Turns out, everything would have gone a lot smoother! Not that Elizabeth lost her prejudices easily, it was more of an internal thing in this version. Less drama :D And many other characters got a bit more satisfying storyline. Caroline Bingley, especially.

It was an enjoyable listen, I recommend it.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Good variation.

I would have liked this story more if there had been some conflicts between ODC. Lizzy’s ire with Darcy, how it’s resolve, and how they come together are the JAFF I like best. This has some of those elements but not enough to tempt me to give it 5 stars. It was nice to hear minor character stories. Worth the 10 hours if you are an Austen variations fan.

Fun book. Never get enough of Pride and Prejudice

So the book is great. I love Pride and Prejudice retellings. This one is done very well and keeps in mind how the original characters would react in situations. Nice to see how Darcy and Elizabeth end up together, but also an alternative reality for the other sisters. This book is well thought out and plotted. I very much enjoyed it. The narrator on the other hand, well I don't know if this is her first book but I heard every breath she took, her stomach gurgles and spit in her mouth. The story was enjoyable enough that I just gritted my teeth with all the unprofessional noises. I would still recommend this story if not the narrator. I've never really came down on a narrator this much, but its was beyond a few breaths here and there. I've listened to dozens of audiobooks, never have I heard a stomach rumble until now.

Pretty good but plodding at times

This book starts out quick and compelling enough, with Elizabeth ill and in a dreamlike daze when Darcy proposes and she says yes without thinking. Things proceed from there, though it does drag a little after Elizabeth decides she wouldn't mind marrying Darcy. Still, even as the plot winds down, it's a nice slice of life look into the characters' lives.

What makes this variation sparkle is that it's not just a take on the Elizabeth and Darcy relationship, giving other background characters needed development. I especially appreciate how Caroline and Wickham are humanized without overlooking how they were also pretty terrible, ending up with happy endings of their own.

I think, if there's anything I want to hold against this variation, is that it does seem to not give Darcy the character development he had in the original. Mild spoilers, but his role in breaking apart Bingley and Jane goes largely unaddressed, and Jane even winds up with an original character she's attracted to for his decisiveness, a marked departure from Bingley. I don't have a problem with the last point, but even though the narration kind of makes a point at the end how it wasn't important for Elizabeth to know and acknowledge that Darcy did this, it still bothers me. Still, I was pretty happy with this review copy and enjoyed listening to it.