Delightfully written + best narrator

This story is deep, complex, moving, sweet and entirely believable. One of the best JAFFs I’ve ever read. Harry Frost’s narration is undeniably the best I’ve heard yet: not only does he successfully create different voices for each of the characters (including believable ones for the female characters), but doing so doesn’t prevent him from the inflections and delivery the author describes. I personally hate when the a narrator’s voices always sound the same, regardless of what is happening in the scene or how the author has written the dialogue.

With Harry Frost, when a character is described as rushing through their speech, he does just that; when another’s emotions are supposed to be evident in their speaking, he brings those emotions forth in his voicing of the character. It truly feels as if the characters and the scenes have come to life with all the depth and nuance the author wrote in the original story.

I will gladly seek out more of Lucy Marin’s and Harry Frost’s works, and hope to see them collaborate more in the future.

6 people found this helpful

Wonderful!

I read this novel in its fanfiction form and loved it then - its complexity & ultimately likability of character, innovative plot, and Lucy Marin”s fabulous prose.

So so glad that the audiobook delivers on that promise with deft editing and an ideal narrator. I listened in a single sitting despite its length.

I truly hope the author is working on the edit of her modern P&P classic - that would be an audiobook preorder for me!

5 people found this helpful

An excellent "what if?" P&P variation

This is a favorite "forced marriage" version of P&P. In this variation, Elizabeth, Mr Bennet, and Jane are in Ramsgate for Jane's health. By chance, Elizabeth sees Wickham trying to elope with Georgiana and sees the distress and fear in Georgiana. While she detains them long enough for Darcy to arrive, the resulting scandal forces a marriage between Darcy and Elizabeth. The book is about them learning how to deal with each other, as well as a petulant, spoiled Georgiana.

There are several things I like about this.

1. Georgiana is a sneaky, spoiled teenager. In Austen's book, she is not talked about much. You hardly see her and she is shown as very shy. However, there had to have been too high a level of indulgence from her guardians for her to think it fun to elope with Wickham. When you study her and Lydia in Pride & Prejudice, you see that the two girls are much the same. The difference is their station in life. In this, we get to see more of that spoiled nature.

2. Mr Bennett is much more harsh than usual. He is angry at Elizabeth for helping Georgiana and lashes out at her because this makes his life harder. He, like Georgiana in this story, shows a selfish petulance to his character that uncovers his indolence. In the P&P novel, Mr Bennett is an extremely flawed character who is not interested in exerting himself for the betterment of his family. In this book, he exerts himself because he must but he punishes Elizabeth in the process because HIS life has to change.

3. The personal changes take a while. Too many "forced marriage" P&P variations have them in love with each other in a matter of weeks, if not days, and everything is peachy. This one shows that it would take months for those changes to be made. In Austen's novel, the changes Darcy makes to his own character happen between Hunsford and the reopening of Netherfield. While we don't get to see these changes happen, they still happen over a few months. In this book, we see them as they happen. We hear Darcy and Elizabeth's own thoughts as time goes on. We even occasionally hear Georgiana's thoughts. For them to adjust to this marriage and to learn to fall in love would take a lot of time. They come from very different backgrounds and have much to learn about compromise.

4. Jane's story is different. I am so happy about this! I always want her to have someone stronger than Bingley. He is too easily influenced in Austen's novel and I always want him to either be written with more strength or for Jane to have someone better. Her story is delightful.

5. Harry Frost's narration is wonderful. I've owned the book on Kindle for quite a while and have read it numerous times. I had hoped for an Audible version with either Mary Jane Wells or Harry Frost and am very happy. He does not disappoint.

2 people found this helpful

Enjoyable

Thought provoking. Harry Frost never disappoints. A few times Darcy was too verbose while examining his behavior
and story dragged a little

2 people found this helpful

To long

The story line really didn't go anywhere, it's long and just repeated it's self over and over in different words. Nothing other than Darcy didn't like her than realized he did her not trusting him than did. Not much of a story for the length of the book. I found my mind drifting while listening. Maybe it would be better to read than listen too.

2 people found this helpful

Emotional rollercoaster

I love P&P and many of the adaptations of this wonderful story. I struggled through the first 10-20 chapters of this book. It is a difficult one if you do not appreciate your favs being out of character (as I do not). Georgiana, Darcy, and Mr. Bennett’s character were hard for me to accept for good portions of the book. Overall, the story came together nicely but it was a journey for emotions to get there.
The narration was good and for the most part I was able to distinguish which person was speaking.
Would I listen again? Nope. But I am glad I was able to get through it. There have been other adaptations that I was unable to finish because they were so off script. So it was nice to finish this one and be pleased with the ending.

Regency romance with characters who happen to have the same names as P &P characters

This P &P “variation” is a very long series of misunderstandings and poor behavior. The characters have a vague resemblance to the Jane Austen characters, but the only thing you will recognize is the character names and locations.
A better description of the story would be this:
A regency romance between a man (whose name happens to be Darcy) and a woman (whose name is Elizabeth - but who’s behavior is more like Austen’s Jane Bennet) marry (for reasons that do not feel authentic). Darcy and his sister Geogiana (who behaves like a modern day Lydia Bennet) are horribly unkind to Elizabeth (who tolerates it). Elizabeth struggles to fit in to her new family and social class while battling loneliness and depression. In the end all is forgiven.

Elizabeth’s goodness changes her life

Elizabeth saves an unknown girl from a dangerous situation and had her life turned upside down. Not only does her father ignore her the man she is forced to marry dislikes her. His family is no better.
This book has difficult parts that made it hard for me not to hate Darcy and his family.
The narrator was awesome and made the story come to life.

most memorable

I love how the ending was different but still romantic in every way. they changed a few things and made it work.

A good tale told differently

Started slow, but was riveting by the end. I was surprised by the story. Excellent.