Tag Archives: Based on Jane Austen

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What Up by Emmy the Great

Two years ago I decided to review the movie Austenland twice, one post being a standard film review and the second time with my niece. While I discussed a lot about it from acting, to costumes, to the script, etc…

The one thing I didn’t really write about was the soundtrack, and that’s because I wanted to do individual song posts. Everyone knows that music is extremely important when scoring a movie.

The soundtrack for Austenland was extremely well curated as it included original songs written for the film; along with classics everyone knows and would enjoy. I plan to only review the songs that were written specifically for the film.

So I started off with the first song we hear when we are introduced to the film and our main character: L.O.V.E. D.A.R.C.Y. by Emmy the Great

The next song that was written for the film was “What Up” by Emmy the Great. Emmy the Great AKA Emma Lee-Moss is a musician who first began recording in 2006. She has released multiple albums and collaborated with many artists.

How did she become involved with Austenland? Is she a Janiete? I couldn’t find anything saying she was, but I also couldn’t find anything saying she wasn’t. 

According to an interview I found by Vice at the time, she decided to write the songs after seeing that Jerusha Hess, was directing (who directed one of Emmy’s favorite films), that it was being produced by Stephanie Meyer (yes Twilight Meyer), and seeing who was cast; along with reading the script. It’s a great script.

I think what makes a lot of the songs she wrote so powerful and wonderful is that Emmy really understood the character of Jane Hayes and it clearly shows in L.O.V.E. D.A.R.C.Y. and What Up.

“My songs had to be the voice of Keri Russell’s character Jane. They were supposed to underline the moments when she is thinking about the choices she’s made and how they might not work out. I was sure I was the right girl for the job because I’ve made a lot of bad decisions.”EMMY THE GREAT

Jane Hayes is supposed be an average woman who is also a Janeite/Austenite that has loved Pride and Prejudice with a passion from a young age. She is sweet, quirky, longs to be like Elizabeth, and doesn’t always seem to fit in our modern world. At this time of the film she has spent a lot of money on her trip to Austenland and has been treated as the Fanny Price of the ladies. She seems to always be kept out of the loop, left out of Whist games, walking alone; feeling forgotten. They have a shooting party and she does well, but then everyone has a great horse that takes them back while hers refuses to walk or canter. Martin, the groundsman, takes her horse and promises to return; but tired of waiting she’s decides to walk back and it rains.

Somewhere there’s a book of me
Waiting for someone to read it
And I really believe it
I just wish that I could see it

And I keep losing track of where I’m meant to be
If you know would you repeat it
Cause I know that you’re a good man
But you like to keep that secret

Would you like to go somewhere?
Is this a secret I can share?
Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh
Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh
Ooh ooh

What up what up what up
Tell me
Someone to love
I’ve been looking
Help me out

Under your skin
I know that there’s something
Bigger than us
Come here and I’ll shout it out

I always knew
Something would concur
Under your skin
That’s my neighborhood

I keep losing track of where I’m meant to be
If you know would you repeat it
Cause I know that you are out there
Just wish that I could feel it

Would you like to go somewhere?
Is this a secret I can share?
Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh
Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh

What up what up what up
Tell me
Someone to love
I’ve been looking
Help me out

Under your skin
I know that there’s something
Bigger than us
Come here and I’ll shout it out

I always knew

What up what up what up
Tell me
Someone to love
I’ve been looking
Help me out

Under your skin

Under your skin
I know that there’s something
Bigger than us
Come here and I’ll shout it out

If we look at that first part it perfectly captures how Jane is feeling at this point in the film.

“Somewhere there’s a book of me
Waiting for someone to read it
And I really believe it
I just wish that I could see it”

Before coming she’s felt romantically alone and that no one is interested in the “Book of Jane” and that there are no good men out there. (Her ex was terrible!)

Those feelings have only been magnified as in the Austenland group she’s feels even more alone, unnoticed, and forgotten.

But then we get to the next part:

Cause I know that you’re a good man
But you like to keep that secret

This part is scored right when Mr. Nobley enters the scene. Mr Nobely is the “Mr. Darcy” of the group and comes off a bit standoffish and above it all. But while he is keeping himself apart from them all and seemingly not interested, the whole film he’s become fascinated by Jane, watching her from across the room, coming back to help her when it rained as he was worried for her health and safety.

This song is a bit of foreshadowing, as this isn’t the only time Mr. Nobley helps Jane as he tries to keep her safe from the park’s rapscallion, helps her to not get kicked out, etc.

Then we have the repeated chorus:

What up what up what up
Tell me
Someone to love
I’ve been looking
Help me out

Under my skin

Jane has completely gotten under Nobely’s skin. We find out at in the middle of the film that he has had his heart broken and is closed off to romance; however, something about Jane has pushed past his defenses. He can’t stop looking at her and thinking about her.

And likewise-while Jane hasn’t fallen for him, like he has for her; at this point of the film something about him also intrigues her. Is it just that he’s the real life Mr. Darcy?

Or is she interested in who the real man under the “act” is?

I like how she doesn’t realize she’s falling for him, but to viewers it’s obvious as she draws a cartoon of Nobley and Martin duking it out over her and Nobley looks much better than Martin.

Hmmm…

For more music, go to L.O.V.E. D.A.R.C.Y.

For more on Austenland, go to Austenland Audiobook Narrated by Katherine Kellgren

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Let Other Pens Dwell on Guilt and Misery

Happy New Year!

Remember how I wanted 2023 to be my Northanger Abbey year, especially as I was going to Ireland. I was full of such hopes and dreams when I made my goals/vision board, but is that how the year went?

Nope! It was full of drama and every vacation I went on went poorly. I’m hoping 2024 is much better. Now on to the year in review!

The Views

This year I had over 50,000 views! That might not seem like a lot to some but I’m thankful for each and every one.

The Top Five Posts

Here are the top five most viewed posts of the year, although again none were posted this year. I guess whatever I post in the actual year is never popular enough? Who knows.

5) Redone Done Right from 2014

This post was from my 30 Day Challenge: Disney edition and I shared about how much I enjoy this remake of The Jungle Book, one of the few remakes I actually enjoy.

4) Who Did I Marry?: The Stranger Beside Me (1995) from 2018 a Part of Horrorfest VII

3) Tea Party Tea Terms Word Scramble from 2021

This is a great tea game to enjoy at a tea party and easy to make.

2)Fulfilling the List: A Walk to Remember (2002) from I Only Want To Be With You: Romance is in the Air from 2013

For the first time in 11 years, this is no longer my number one post. I am shocked!

1) What Happened to Ally Palmer?: The Good Student (2006) from Horrorfest VII from 2018

I’m surprised this beat out A Walk to Remember, but it doesn’t surprise me that it is one of the top posts. The movie is confusing and I’m sure many search the internet for explanations and end up on my site.

Recipes

What Jane Austen fan doesn’t like a few treats when they are reading, viewing, or reviewing Jane Austen stuff?

Tea Parties!

In 2022 a group of friends and I held a tea party every month. We didn’t continue that in 2023, but I shared a few of the parties we held in case any wanted to hold their own.

Catherine Morland’s Reading List

Catherine Morland’s Reading List is a list of gothic books that I recommend for Northanger Abbey and Jane Austen fans.

Jane Austen

It is the name of the blog after all!

Jane Austen

Sense and Sensibility

Pride and Prejudice

Mansfield Park

Emma

Northanger Abbey

Persuasion

210th Celebration of Pride and Prejudice

To celebrate the 210th publication of Pride and Prejudice every month I posted or reviewed something Pride and Prejudice related.

Jane Austen Stuff

If it says Jane Austen I have to have it! 🙂

Non-Austen Reads for Austen Readers:

What do you read after you’ve read all of Jane Austen’s works? That’s why I started making a list of books that have components similar to Jane Austen’s works but are not an exact retelling or a variation.

Non-Austen Films for Austen Fans

Have you watched every version of Jane Austen’s works in film and TV and now wonder what to watch next? That’s why I started making a list of films that have components similar to Jane Austen’s works but not an exact retelling or a variation.

Spill the Tea, Tea Reviews

Reviews of tea shops, cafes, & more!

Giveaway Reviews

I always review my giveaways even if they aren’t Jane Austen related.

Horrorfest XII

31 reviews of horror films, mysteries, monsters, etc.

Catherine Morland’s Viewing List

Similar to Catherine Morland’s Reading List, this is a list of gothic films I recommend for the Henry Tilneys and Catherine Morlands out there who are looking for something spooky to watch.

Ireland Titanic Trip

This trip was supposed to be wonderful but it turned out to be a Titanic disappointment as we ran into Hurricane Agnes. I only posted a few things about the trip but will be sharing more!

The Jane Austen Alphabet

I saw a challenge to read a book for each letter of the alphabet and was determined to accomplish this challenge with Jane Austen books.

Instagram Stuff

On Instagram (@janeaustenrunsmylife) I try to achieve a Bookish Bingo every month. I usually read whatever I like and then see which slot it fills. I write how it fits the categories in my stories and save them for the month and the one after, replacing it with the new month’s selections. It is a lot of fun, and I recommend trying it out.

I created a 14 Days of Valentean countdown to Valentine’s Day.

I also did a countdown to Halloween by reading a chapter of Northanger Abbey everyday, created 31 Days of Hallotean countdown to Halloween, and a countdown to Christmas with my Advent calendar the 25 Teas of Christmas. 

I also adopted two kittens, Miss Jane Catsandra Pawsten and Mr. Sabastían Purrcy. Every now and then you’ll see them pop up on my Instagram.

July Blogiversary 

I celebrated my 11th Blogiversary this year, my niece and I reviewed the Wishbone Pride and Prejudice epsiode. Thank you to all who have been a part these past 10 years. Also on my Instagram I asked a series of questions and posted the results. I asked the following questions this year:

25 Films of Christmas

I like to watch a Christmas film every day in December. Theses are the ones I watched this year.

That’s it for 2023, here’s hoping 2024 will be a lot more fun!

For 2022 in review, go to If Adventures Will Not Befall a Young Lady in Her Own Village, She Must Seek Them Abroad


For 2021 in review, go to I Always Deserve the Best Treatment, Because I Never Put Up With Any Other

For 2020 in review, go to I Will Be Calm. I Will Be Mistress of Myself

For 2019 in review, go to The Mysterious Affair at Jane Austen Runs My Life

For 2018 in review, go to The Future is Bulletproof

For 2017 in review, go to Life Seems But a Quick Succession of Busy Nothings

For 2016 in review, go to A New Hope

For 2015 in review, go to To Boldy Go Where No Man Has Gone Before

For 2014 in review, go to Where We’re Going, We Don’t Need Roads

For 2013 in review, go to Looking at the Past, Focusing on the Future

For 2012 in review, go to Looking Back, Moving Forward

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Undeceived: Pride & Prejudice in the Spy Game

Undeceived: Pride & Prejudice in the Spy Game by Karen M. Cox

This year I started a challenge to try and read a Jane Austen related book or novella that starts with every letter of the alphabet. At first it was nothing serious, I just read and filled in the slots if any titles fit.

But then October came and I realized I only had a few letters not filled in. That caused my competitiveness to kick into overdrive and I was determined to accomplish this challenge. I have read the following books this year to fill in the alphabet:

All I had left was the letter U and I wasn’t stressed about it as I had a copy of Undeceived on my bookshelf waiting for me to read and review.

I had put off reading and reviewing it for the end as while I enjoy spy stories, I always have a hard time starting them as they don’t usually capture my interest until several chapters in. But 2023 was coming to an end and I was determined that my last review of the year was going to be Undeceived.

Elizabeth Bennet grew up idolizing her father having lost him during the botched CIA operation, the Bay of Pigs. She decides to follow his footsteps, much to the chagrin of her mother and stepfather who want her safe, and heads off to become a linguist for the CIA.

William Darcy’s father was a shipping magnate and a CIA agent (although he was “retired” after the Bay of Pigs). As a counterintelligence spy; Darcy has become adept at taking on identities, hardened at the things he must see and do; and unfortunately has also has become a pinpoint of suspicion. He has lost a coveted position in Russia, and sent instead to Budapest. A man who is known as the incredible “London Fog” master super spy; being sent to an area where has no contacts and can hardly speak the language; not to mention Hungary is not high risk area? He knows he is on someone’s bad side. Fortunately. they have finally sent him a translator, a beautiful translator known as “Fine Eyes”, Elizabeth Bennet.

Elizabeth Bennet has been tapped for CI (counter intelligence) due to her mastery of Hungarian. There is a group that suspects Darcy of being a mole and they want her to watch him and discover the truth. Her liaison is George Wickham, an expert on Darcy as he worked with him on several missions and knows he is a terribly cold man; willing to sacrifice anything by or anyone for himself. Elizabeth makes no arguments for Darcy’s character, having disliked him when the attractive man insulted her and her class years earlier when he was tasked to guest teach a class. Darcy has no memory of the event, and Elizabeth continues to dislike him as she finds his mentorship bossy and condescending (although she does learn a lot from him).

When a meeting with an asset goes south and they have to quickly come up with a plan to save all of them; Elizabeth starts to doubt whether Darcy is a double agent. Why go through so much trouble? Why risk his identity? However, after some convincing by Wickham-she has not settled on his guilt or innocence.

Hmmm…

Darcy enjoyed his time with Elizabeth, while a rookie she had a certain charm and toughness about her that he found appealing. With his Hungary identity burned, he never expects to see her again; pleasantly surprised when their paths cross again in Germany. Even though it is very dangerous, he can’t seem to keep away from her or keep her out of his mind. But while falling for her, he is ever the professional and continues to keep up his identity and focus on his mission. That is until they are compromised. Not willing to risk her life, Darcy breaks protocol to try and save Elizabeth, getting shot in the process. At death’s door he does all he can to try and protect her.

Elizabeth finds herself second guessing Wickham as his explanations could work, but her gut says that Darcy while constantly changing his personality, being extremely talented at lying, and probably is the scum Wickham says he is; he is not likely to be a double agent. She ends up saving his life in Germany but is punished (or rewarded depending on your view) with having to live with Darcy in a safe house. While the two do okay together, Elizabeth has a lot of prejudice and anger at Darcy, refusing him when he makes a play for her. The only good thing to come out of the debacle is that Elizabeth does clear Darcy’s name; although the smoke of suspicion still surrounds this “London Fog”.

The two are separated but in a Pride and Prejudice variation you know they will meet up again, despite the KGB, double agents, and communism doing their best to keep them apart.

Both parties continue searching for the mole. Could it be the person who outwardly hates Darcy? Or could there be a more shadowy person in control? Someone they would never suspect?

Hmm…

I did enjoy the story as it reminded me of Alias, something I was a fan of (the book series and the TV show). I liked how Cox was able to recreate the Austen characters in a different way, especially as the storyline provided some unusual constrictions. For example, as a spy unless they wanted to go the full Alias route and have a secret KGB sister, there wasn’t any opportunity to have much of an interaction between Elizabeth with her sisters. Instead the other Bennet girls found different reincarnations: an asset/informant, a fellow student, a German girl, etc. Same with Lady Catherine, Anne de Bourgh, etc. At first I wasn’t sure how it would turn out but Cox was able to weave it very well, the Anne de Bourgh incarnation was extremely clever.

Wow!

I did figure out who the mole was along with his handler. It’s nothing against the author, it’s just the way my mind works and I was rewarded with my suspicions being 100% on pointe.

There is more I could say but I don’t want to give away the mystery’s solution so I think it is better if I stop here and now.

I definitely recommend this if you are a fan of thrillers, spy stories, or Pride and Prejudice.

For more by Karen M. Cox, go to Elizabeth-Obstinate Headstrong Girl: Part II, Other Eras

For more on Pride and Prejudice, go to Mrs. Bennet is a More Understandable Character if You Imagine Her as the Dad in Jingle All the Way

For more Pride and Prejudice variations, go to X-Mas Greetings!:A Fan Fiction Lizzie Bennet Diaries Christmas Story

For more mysteries, go to The Intrigue at Highbury (Or, Emma’s Match)

For more spy stories , go to A Spy Ring, A Killer Virus, and a Body Double Trying to Steal Carolina’s Life: High Seas Season Three (2020)

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X-Mas Greetings!:A Fan Fiction Lizzie Bennet Diaries Christmas Story

X-Mas Greetings! by Whosepride

This year I started a challenge to try and read a Jane Austen related book or novella that starts with every letter of the alphabet. At first it was nothing serious, I just read and filled in the slots if any titles fit. 

But then October came and I realized I only had a few letters not filled in. That caused my competitiveness to kick into overdrive and I was determined to accomplish this challenge. So far this year I have read the following books to fill in the alphabet:

I knew X was going to be difficult and started searching for a title that had X in it somewhere (such as unexpected, excused, etc.) I had one suggestion with a titular word UneXpected, but then binanitanvi on instagram suggested this fan fiction short story.

This short story takes place after The Lizzie Bennet Diaries series, a series I plan to review, eventually. You know me, I have 301 currently started posts (drafts) and that doesn’t even count the ones I haven’t started.

The Lizzie Bennet Diaries came out the second year I was in college and they really were something unique to the time period. There had been some webisode productions of books but they were always very small, only a few episodes and had some company fund them that caused their producer to have constant screen time.

The Lizzie Bennet Diaries not only took the novel and transformed it into webisodes but it decided to take a classic novel and update it to modern times, utilize the webisode/vlog format, and took advantage of all social media (YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and tumblr.)

The show chronicles Lizzie’s life in vlogs as she begins the project for her thesis project but of course it blossoms into something much larger. It was supposed to just be her with her best friend/camerawoman/editor Charlotte Lu, but somehow her sisters and friends keep getting in her shots. The best was waiting for Mr. Darcy, they always kept him out of view and had him only described by others, forcing you to keep watching to see him.

You could also follow the characters online and read their posts/tweets and some of the characters had their own side stories that you could follow on social media and YouTube. It really was very unique to the time and extremely enjoyable.

If you’ve read Pride and Prejudice then you know how it ends, so I’m not ruining anything by saying Darcy and Elizabeth end up together.

Whosepride was feeling a little down about the series coming to an end that she decided to write a little “after” Christmas story. It was written before the final episode so it doesn’t actually track with the Lizzie Bennet Diaries ending; but it is still very cute. It’s written in the style of the Lizzie Bennet Diaries writers and done very well.

It takes place after the series ended around Christmas with Lizzie doing a short little video with Darcy wishing everyone a Merry Christmas. Then she and the viewers get a Christmas surprise when Darcy presents his gift, an engagement ring!

A cute quick read perfect for Pride and Prejudice and Lizzie Bennet Diaries’ fans.

Read the full short story here

Merry Christmas!

For more Pride and Prejudice, go to The Other Bennet Sister Audiobook Narrated by Carla Mendonça

For more Christmas and Jane Austen, go to Non-Austen Films for Austen Fans: A Christmas Movie Christmas (2019)

For more based on Jane Austen, go to The Gentlemen Are Detained

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The Other Bennet Sister Audiobook Narrated by Carla Mendonça

The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow

Narrated by Carla Mendonça

I found this challenge online to read a book that starts with every letter of the alphabet and thought, wait…I’ll do you one better I’ll read a Jane Austen book that starts with every letter of the alphabet. I started off just reading as I normally would, filling in the squares whenever I would read a book who’s title fit the letter.

I had only three slots empty and went searching for something that began with the letter O. One person on my Instagram suggested a book, but this popped up on Libby and I felt it would be easier to listen to this and read an additional slot.

This book follows the story of Pride and Prejudice from Mary Bennet’s point of view, along with extra chapters afterwards about what happened to her after the original story closes. Now Mary Bennet, not much has been devoted to her in retellings, at least not many that I have read so far.

I had a roller coaster of like/dislike for this book. First I didn’t enjoy it, then I became very invested, but then I felt it became tedious…but then some things happened and I was invested again…only for it to then drag on too much and my interest waned.

That’s another reason I was thankful for it being a library book, the due date prompted me to keep reading and get this review finished.

I do not feel as I can recommend this book as some parts and viewpoints into Pride and Prejudice from a different POV I really did enjoy, while others parts I had to really push myself to continue.

We start off with Mary being mistreated by her mother. To be fair, I have said this before and will say it again; I think people misunderstand the character of Mrs. Bennet in and treat her badly in their adaptions. Most of the original story is told from Elizabeth’s POV who was influenced by her father’s constant criticism, dislike, and mistreatment of her mother. Mrs. Bennet is doing the best she can with what knowledge she has and on the only method she knows will work for her children. After all she was a beautiful woman with no real dowry who was lucky that her beauty scored a gentleman. Therefore the only commodity she believes will help women with no dowry is beauty and unfortunately Mary , while a pretty woman, doesn’t fit the beauty standard of the day and in comparison to her sisters is found lacking. If Mr. Bennet had done a proper job of looking out for his family and not being a grasshopper about the whole things believing the future will take care of itself (a boy will come), they would be in a different place entirely. At least Mrs. Bennet is doing something instead of burying her head in the sand.

Most of the beginning of the book is Mary clashing with her mother and feeling bad about herself and her looks. This part was hard for me to listen to, as when she describes her plainness and having to get glasses it was giving me flashbacks to when I first had to get glasses, they were not a cool accessory as they later become and are now.

Mary was close to Elizabeth and Jane, but life and relationships change as siblings grow and everyone has paired off to have best friends with their sisters: Jane and Elizabeth along with Kitty and Lydia; leaving Mary alone.

Mary does have Mrs. Hill on her side who tries to help her find her place in all this. Mary tries to channel her loneliness into self improvement and thrusts herself into her piano playing and reading. She tries to connect to her father with their shared love of reading, but again her father is a truly terrible. He basically mocks her reading choices, but when asked fails to make any suggestions as what she should read. This make Mary feel stupid and terrible as she had planned a him a book of her favorite quotes. A gift better off destroyed then to prompt further jeers.

Again, I say.

A part of me wanted this to be Mary’s evil super villain backstory, but that doesn’t happen.

You made me stop and let other girls have a turn.

Mary and Charlotte become quite good friends as they feel a kinship with each other. Charlotte warns Mary that if she ever sees a chance at marriage to take it, as she doesn’t want to end up like Charlotte, waiting around at another ball with no prospects.

Mary takes this to heart and decides to make a play for Mr. Collins when he comes to Longbourn. But while a man of the cloth, unfortunately Mr. Collins isn’t thinking of Proverbs 31:30 when selecting his bride and is instead focused on winning the beautiful Jane or Elizabeth; even though he and Mary have more similar interests.

Mary decides to show off her piano skills at the Netherfield ball to get Mr. Collins’ attention and ignores her teacher’s warning not to sing. Her plan does not go well as she is utterly humiliated and hurt by both Elizabeth and her father.

You made me stop and let other girls have a turn.

Suffice to say Mr. Collins does not choose her and ends up with Charlotte, who “apologizes” but is also a bit rude about the whole thing. That’s my problem with this book, everyone is so mean and cruel to Mary. I know this is Mary’s POV but did everyone but Mrs. Hill need to be such jerks.

After Lydia, Jane, and Elizabeth marry, it’s not long until Kitty finds someone and is also gone from their house too. It’s now just the three of them (Mr. Bennet, Mrs. Bennet, & Mary Bennet), but then Mr. Bennet dies and Mary finds herself stuck with her mother at the Bingleys. Life would be pleasant except the rain cloud of Caroline Bingley, as she takes great joy in tormenting Mary as she doesn’t have Elizabeth to inflict her anger on. Listening to this, Mary brings up a point about th Bingley’s father being merchants and all I can think is Caroline talks big game to Elizabeth and Mary about class when their grandfather (Mrs. Bennet’s father) was a merchant; making them much farther away then Caroline, the George Warleggan of the Austen world.

Mary finds herself being chipped away every day by this verbal abuse, and Jane and Mr. Bingley are blind to it (as they are too full of each other). After suffering for quite some time she decide fo flee to Pemberley

At Pemberley she and Elizabeth find themselves becoming friends again. The two fall into a wondeful routine with Elizabeth’s son. But that all comes crashing down when Mr. Darcy and Georgiana return. Elizabeth forgets all about Mary and excludes her when it comes to her new family. I get that Elizabeth is in a love bubble and focusing on her new family; but wouldn’t they encourage Mary to join her and Georgiana for music time as she too loves the piano? Wouldn’t they want to have Gerogina befriend Mary? Wouldn’t this be a great time to help Georgiana get out of her shell? Like it seems weird for them to ignore this possible help on developing Gerogiana’s emotional state.

As the days drag on Mary writes to Charlotte and goes to stay with them. She finds happiness with the Collins as she helps watch their son, spends time with Charlotte, studies in the library, etc. In fact, her studying brings her notice to Mr. Collins and soon they are discussing literature, as he teaches her Greek and the fine classics. Everything is great here too…until Charlotte grows cold and distant and Mrs. Hill warns Mary that if she continues in such a sway with Mr. Collins there will be talk about them. Mary decides she must move on and there is a sweet but sad scene that she shares with Mr. Collins in which he apologizes for overlooking her and she encourages him to try afresh with his wife. No one deserves to be lonely.

Mary decides to go with her Aunt Gardiner, which is what I have said from the beginning as it will open her up to more prospects. There she finds contentment as the Gardiners heap love and affection on Mary and she begins to settle into herself. Also being removed from an area when she is not being compared constantly to her sisters has also brought a bloom on to her. She even finds herself falling for a lawyer friend of the Gardiners as he awakens her to a love of fiction and poetry.

Guys who don’t are not.

But while these two find each other, the book slogs on with another man becoming fascinated by Mary and creating an unnecessary love triangle, Caroline Bingley has an evil return, and we have quite a bit to go through until we reach the end.

As I said, parts of this were good but it also was very sad and unhappy that it made me unhappy reading/listening to it. Again I give it a mixed review, some parts were good, while others I did not enjoy. I know I will not be reading it again. Once was enough for me.

For more audiobooks, go to Sanditon by Jane Austen and Finished by Kate Riordan Audiobook Narrated by Alexandra Roach

For more Pride and Prejudice, go to The Gentlemen Are Detained

For more based on Jane Austen, go to The Intrigue at Highbury (Or, Emma’s Match)