Book Review : Bewitching Darcy
A Pride and Prejudice Paranormal
By Cass Grix
ebook
Spoiler Alert!
Summary
Fitzwilliam Darcy has never met a woman like Elizabeth Bennet. He finds her fascinating, irritating, compelling, inspiring, maddening, and absolutely beautiful. If he didn’t know better, he would think he was bewitched.
Bewitching Mr. Darcy is a paranormal variation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, a long novella. It was previously published with Jane Grix as author.
(Courtesy of goodreads.com)
Adult Point of View
I did not realize this was a paranormal version of Pride and Prejudice. I quickly had to adjust the lens of my perception when I realized that Elizabeth was a witch. With that quick turn around, I had decided to just embrace magic in the novel.
Any author who takes on writing a new version of a revered classic is working an uphill battle. The novella, Bewitching Mr. Darcy, had a hard time because the book can’t help, but be compared to the original. The author based her novella on a line about how Elizabeth was bewitching, which was a good idea. There were some charming moments and it is a fun, light read. It is not my favorite re-written version.
My main disappointment was when the original plot and scenes were changed. I would have liked to have seen the magic woven into the original.
1- The famous proposal was changed! I would have liked to have Darcy rejected by Elizabeth because of his rudeness, instead, she explained how she was a witch. Darcy was horrified. He didn’t get the chance to explain the actions of the nefarious Wickham, and I missed the scene.
2- Lydia is convinced to NOT marry Wickham. I just can’t picture Lydia making any wise decisions because she was such a silly, incorrigible flirt. Elizabeth had no forewarning that Wickham was trouble, and no ability to feel sorrow over not having tried to prevent Lydia’s rash behavior.
3- The set-down by Catherine was ineffectual because Elizabeth was already engaged to Darcy. In the original, this was the moment when Darcy finally had hope that Elizabeth had changed her mind. It was disappointing to miss out on the angst brought out in Darcy and Elizabeth relationship.
I hate to do it, but I’m knocking this one down to 2.5 stars. I want something with more punch! Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth deserve more sizzle.
2.5 out of 5 stars
-Michelle
I would recommend An Assembly Such As This by Pamela Aidan, an alternate version from Darcy’s perspective.
Try Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor by Stephanie Barron and Austenland by Shannon Hale.
For a regency novel that incorporates magic try Sorcery and Cecilia, or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot by Caroline Stevermer and Patricia Wrede. It doesn’t include characters from Pride and Prejudice, but it is an excellent read. It will have you swooning!
Tales Untangled 