Book Review and Giveaway - The Future Mrs. Darcy by Maria Grace

With the regiment come to camp in Meryton, many young ladies are pleased. Not all share their enthusiasm. Among them, Mr. Carver, who removes his family from Meryton's savage society. He blames, not on the militia officers, but the Bennet family. The flirtations and boisterous ways of the youngest sisters are too much to be borne. Not even Jane’s renowned beauty and charm can make up for them.   Elizabeth denies the allegations at first, but rapidly uncovers the shocking truth. The Carvers are not the only family to cut the Bennets from their acquaintance. Their reputations materially damaged, the family borders on social ruin.   The news is too much for Mrs. Bennet who collapses from the shock. So, Elizabeth and her sisters must manage the estate until she recovers, a task for which none of them is prepared.   Warned by Mr. Pierce, the local curate, that several of the officers have unsavory designs on the local girls, Elizabeth must find a way to honor her father, rein in her sister and salvage the family’s reputation, all in the most ladylike way possible. 

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In the first volume of the Given Good Principles series, Darcy’s Decision, we are introduced to Fitzwilliam Darcy in a sort of prequel/retelling of Pride and Prejudice.  The focus is on the Darcy and Wickham families, and Elizabeth Bennet is not a part of their lives yet. Near the end of the novella, Darcy’s heart for his unknown future bride is revealed; he hopes to one day marry a woman of integrity, not necessarily one of position or wealth.

In the second volume, The Future Mrs. Darcy, the same concept is applied. It’s a bit of a prequel/retelling, and almost the entire focus is on one side of the Pride and Prejudice world. This time we are privy to the family life of the Bennets. Mrs. Bennet has taken ill due to her frequently fragile nerves, and the girls are left to fend for themselves in running the household.  They learn about the management of the meager estate, and we witness how the girls (Lydia in particular) are functioning in society.

The Future Mrs. Darcy is an interesting peek into the life of the Bennets, and in particular the character of Elizabeth.  She shows strength and leadership, stepping up to helm the inner workings of the household during a difficult time.  She more than proves to the reader that she is worthy of becoming Darcy’s future bride.  Conversely, Lydia shows the opposite characteristics as usual, displaying selfishness, immaturity and an insatiable desire to pursue military men in town. As was seen in Pride and Prejudice, her antics put the future marital chances of her sisters in jeopardy.

As with Darcy’s Decision, Maria Grace’s writing and excellent, with many educational footnotes throughout the text.  Although she acknowledges some adult content, her choice of words is always kept clean and family-friendly.  She characterizes Austen’s personalities respectfully, taking them a bit away from the source material, but staying true to how Austen saw them.  Jane is kind and sweet, Elizabeth is responsible and smart.  Mr. Bennet does his best to shepherd his gaggle of women, especially the over-the-top Lydia, who seems to bring nothing but trouble to the family. These characters certainly aren’t infallible, and Maria’s presentation of them keeps the story interesting and colorful.

The Future Mrs. Darcy, while short, was another enjoyable Maria Grace novella for this Janeite. Because of the way the stories are presented, Darcy's Decision or The Future Mrs. Darcy could be read in any order. I eagerly look forward to the next combining volume, All the Appearance of Goodness, where our two story lines presumably merge. My expectation is that it will be a fine addition to this delightful series.

Post Update:  Read my review of Book 1, Darcy's Decision

 
         

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Giveaway: The Future Mrs. Darcy
(U.S. Entrants Only)

I enjoyed The Future Mrs. Darcy very much, and I would like to share my gently-read review copy with one of my U.S. readers.  Be sure to read the guidelines below, enter via the Rafflecopter widget, and good luck!

• The contest period ends at 12:00am EST on Saturday, June 1st.
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