The Man Who Loved Jane Austen by Sally Smith O'Rourke
I haven't exactly finished the book yet, but after two days of reading and already halfway through I know how it's going to end.
I don't regret buying the book, but this is definitely a one-time read kind of book. Like some movies out there - you watch it in the theaters or rent it and you were entertained, but it doesn't really stick with you after you're finished.
The story is about an artist who buys an antique and finds two letters inside of it. One is a letter from Fitswilliam Darcy to Jane Austen, the other a sealed letter from Jane Austen to Darcy. She gets the letters authenticated and stumbles upon a millionare of the name Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberly Farms. At first the book leads you to believe that Darcy is Jane's Darcy's descendent, but then it twists and the book's Darcy is THE Darcy that inspires the Darcy in Pride and Prejudice. He goes back in time, they fall in love with each other, a week later he goes forward in time and she bases Darcy on him, writes him a letter that the heroine finds in an antique mirror/dresser thing. Eventually they'll open the letter and read it and the book'll end happily ever after.
Personally, I would have enjoyed the book more if, instead of trying to complete two love relationships involving the same man with TIME TRAVEL, that the modern Darcy was a reincarnation or descendent of Jane Austen's Darcy than ACTUALLY Darcy. Plus he doesn't act anything like Darcy. He's too... I don't know... happy. Not arrogant or domineering enough.
The point of the book is to have Jane Austen fall in love, experience what she writes about, withouth it interfear with the known reality that she dies young and a spinster.
A fun read, but not for those expecting something profound and thought-provoking.
posted by Icegaze at 10:53 AM
