Scenes from Married Life
By: Phyllis Furley
Written by LynneRobson , (April 9, 2004)
What a wonderful book well researched out and thought out in areas JA left blank such as Darcy's past. After reading a book on life in the regency era for both men and women I can now understand how men were expected to live life to the full, so when she gives Darcy the background of when he was younger as being a member of the Carlton House set you can see why he had become fed up with his own circle and was looking for a bride that had more about her than these women. It showed how Lizzy to me softens Darcy's character and how she became excepted by his family.
I loved the Otterburns colonel Fitzwilliams parents the Earl was a bit of a rogue and his Lady reminded me of a Elderly Lizzy who was resigned to her position. I also loved the way Lady Catherine came to except Lizzy still rude and condisending but eventually she excepted her. Many of the new characters are well thought out but I felt could be developed even further in a sequel to this hopefully.
I can recommend this sequel as a delightful read and hope that Phyllis will write a sequel to it as she has left it open for development of a follow up sequel.
Written by Patty Bennett (April 10, 2004)
[Major spoilers]
It is far from others I have read. Maybe I haven't an understanding of "the Times",altho' have read a lot about them. It surprised me...Elizabeth wanting to watch over her baby and feeling she couldn't because of the babynurse. But later saying she was glad she didn't have to decide on severity of illness, nurse did that...she, as the author wrote, was not of a maternal bend. I disliked that very much, how could she love her husband so but not the child of that love? And the less said about Darcy's mistress the better...age, relationship with Elizabeth; oh, I did not like that. Another author covered the same ground as with Bingley's lovechild so much better. Sorry I would pass on a sequel to this book. In fact I'm having trouble finishing this one.
Written by LynneRobson (April 18, 2004)
{major spoilers}
The difference between this mistress in this book was that she was someone whom loved Darcy for himself and that he had gone into the relationship with her because he wanted to take his mind off the infatuation for Lizzy at the time.
I found because she gave Darcy that bit of a background by mentioning that as a younger man in his late teens to early twenties he was part of the Carlton house set you could understand why he felt that women of the ton were not for him. Like JA mentions in P&P (as I understood) that he was sick of the people in his social sphere because of the way he was treated as a commodity rather than a person. That was why he found Lizzy so different she looked at him the man behind the mask. I also like the fact that she has Darcy confess this to Lizzy before they marry and explain about his background, he did not need to do this but he did to explain why he was trying to keep their courtship chaste.
I did not like the fact that he did not like Lizzy to go on her solitary walks but it seems that through the book he never stopped her. When they were first married in this book as they decided not to have children straight away, it mentions that Darcy uses the knowlege he had gained to prevent this. When they did have a daughter both Lizzy and Darcy doted on her. You could tell by the way they kept her with them all the time.
If you did not like the Bar Sinister's idea of a mistress (she was not actually his mistress in TBS as he did not provide for her in such away and she also went with other men because she earned her living in the brothal (or such place) this person in this book is more respectable and does not let anyone know that they are having this affair. He ends it once he as been to see Lady Catherine in quite a blunt way by writing to her before his proposal to Lizzy as he fully expects her to accept him.
The only thing I did not like in this book and in tbs was that Bingley has an illigitimate child. This time the child was born before wedlock not after and to an actress he got mixed up with.
Review by Linda Waldemar 17 May 2004
I am really not sure how I feel about htis book. Actually, I did not particularly like it but I cannot pinpoint my reasons.
The characters act pretty much like themselves. Lizzy is not nearly so witty, but, of course, Ms. Furley is no Jane Austen.
Mr. Darcy has not completely changed. He still likes to have the privileges of rank preserved. The affection between the Darcys is considerable, but early in the marriage, Mr. Darcy is anxious about Elizabeth's tendency for solitary walks; what is okay for Miss Bennet is not always appropriate for Mrs. Darcy. He also does not like her independence.
Ellizabeth, on the other hand, has a period of discomfort as she adjusts to the formality of the life at Pemberley. Lord Otterburn, Colonel Fitzwilliam's father, and the Derbyshire neighbors grudgingly like Elizabeth although they deplore her connections, or lack thereof.
Although completely undemonstrative berfore the servants, and even family, Mr. Darcy is the opposite in private. He even sings with Elizabeth when the two of them are alone together.
Mrs. Darcy and Mrs. Bingley learn of their respective husbands' previous alliances. The new characters introduced by the author include mistresses and a child born outside the marriage.
While I still cannot make up my mind about it, I suggest that you try this book and decide for yourself.
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