BOOK REVIEW: Fitzwilliam Darcy Rock Star

“A modern Pride & Prejudice that will rock your world … Sex, Drugs, Rock ‘N’ Roll” – Book cover

I picked up this 2011 modern retelling of our Pride and Prejudice from Glebe’s Sappho Books secondhand for $12 the other week – I spotted it straight away on the shelf (I think my brain is tuned into anything with the words ‘Darcy’, ‘Pride and Prejudice’ or ‘Bennet’ on it). I have struggled about where to begin with this review as I really enjoyed some aspects of it, and yet completely disliked other parts. Heather Lynn Rigaud has certainly succeeded in writing a book that will divide opinion, and my feelings are definitely mixed. By the end of it, you’ll feel as though you’ve gotten to know all the characters well, but you’ll also feel like you’ve run a marathon. Let me explain.

BOOK REVIEW: The Pursuit of Mary Bennet: A Pride and Prejudice Novel

“The day of the ball allowed no tranquility, no peace of mind. What I had hoped would be a time of sweet anticipation turned rapidly into a nightmare,” – Page 102, Chapter 11

I was honestly blown away by how much I liked this book. The first Austen-inspired book to come from Pamela Mingle (who wrote Kissing Shakespeare), and potentially one of my favourite Mary Bennet remakes out, The Pursuit of Mary Bennet is how I like my Austen fiction written. It may even surpass most other Mary Bennet versions just due to how inkeeping it is with what is expected from Mary, and the multiple pursuits happening within the book – emotional/love pursuits, actual chasing pursuits of scandalous characters and a deeper more personal pursuit for a place and meaning in life.

Q&A with Jane Austen Society of Australia’s Susannah Fullerton

As a Sydney-sider, I find it particularly fun when I come across Australians with a Jane Austen side to them. Even more so when they release Pride and Prejudice-orientated books (see my review from yesterday) that have me gushing.

Book Review: Death Comes to Pemberley, P.D. James

“They wanted dancing and merriment… They got murder” – Back cover

I have been tweeted and recommended this book by many people since (and before) it came out in December last year.  However, I was put off, expecting darkness to seep in, and “guilt and misery and such odious subjects” (as Austen herself said about her pen not dwelling on such) to become the focus. However, now I have read it, devoured it perhaps, I can safely say that this sequel is believable, faithful to Pride and Prejudice and an exciting, easy read.

Pemberley or Manderley?

Sitting in Palmer and Co., a prohibition-style bar in Sydney’s Merivale area that blares 1920s music in sepia-toned mood lighting, we began discussing Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier as our latest book club read. Around us are shelves filled with strange objects – grey top hats, cage-looking iron implements, and walls covered with black and white photographs and mug shots of convicts. It’s strangely fitting for the book, and while the cocktail ‘Fire and Brimstone’ (which would have been perfect for Manderley, and actually had earl grey in the mix) was sold out, we drank and watched as patrons donned fascinators and crept in and out.

Somewhere in-between updating each other with our lives in the month past and trying to hear each other over the music, the question “Manderley or Pemberley?” came up.

Q&A with book cover designer, Laurén Magda

“Pride and Prejudice is definitely my favorite Austen novel… I just think it’s an amazing piece of literature that has so many facets and dimensions.” – Laurén Magda

Having been looking for new Pride and Prejudice covers to showcase on this blog, I stumbled upon a beautiful design from graphic designer, Laurén Magda, a 23 year old recent graduate (College of Creative Studies – Detroit, Michigan). I just couldn’t say no to asking her more about it, and she agreed to share some of her thoughts about the book, her life, her design and Pride and Prejudice with The Bennet Sisters.

If only the Pride and Prejudice characters were on Facebook…

And other P&P related boredom busters on Facebook.

In a Facebook-addicted world, it’s hard to imagine life without a profile, a list of friends and tagged photos.  This leads for a lot of social issues, but it’s quite interesting to speculate about what Mr. Darcy and Lizzy’s profiles would be like.  Well, as strange as it sounds, they’re already on facebook.