Just finished my next Jane Austen Challenge.This was challenge #5 out of 6. (Listed I think as item #4 on my to do list)
I was so excited about this book, I bugged and bugged the guy at the book store for a month till they got it in.
I pushed everything else aside to read this, and I read it in 2 days.
I was hyper to see the author added the character of Count Polidori based loosely on Dr. Polidori who in real life had written "The Vampyre".
Only, this book left me dry mouthed. That's not good.
It tried too much to be Anne Rice.
There were a few plot holes, and I thought the ending was just thrown together. As if the author didn't have a real ending and just let the chips fly where they may.
I wanted to love this story I really really did, but I just couldn't.
Another issue I had with it was that it is told through Elizabeth's point of view and not Darcy's. There are too many characters running around that have no purpose, they are mire window dressing, and the tease of Wickham at the very end was meaningless.
Too many unresolved questions that have you sitting there going "but why? and how?"
The author gives Elizabeth these vivid flashbacks that end up not linking to anything, and a myth connected to the first vampires that is never explained or returned to.
Too many loose ends.
Plot: It's the wedding tour for our Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth. But just as they step foot into the coach Darcy changes their plans and takes her off to Paris. The wedding night does not happen, and Elizabeth fears Darcy regrets the marriage. As the days turn into weeks, Elizabeth is introduced to people from Darcy's past who seem to have strange habits even for people who live outside of England. In the chaos she learns her husband is not what he first seemed.
She is then seduced and abused by someone from Darcy's past.
The metaphor of Darcy's vampirism being used to represent repressed sexuality has been used more often then I can count in the vampire genre.
Too predictable.
Having a guy who is Darcy's rival seducing Elizabeth in much the same way Wickham did, was just a poor spin off.
As someone who has been reading vampire novels since 1985, I found this repetitive and moldy.
Mmm...too bad! I've got this in my 'to read' pile, and I've been saving it (okay, holding off on reading it) for a crisp fall day. I'm hoping I won't be too disappointed. Better luck with the rest of your Everything Austen challenge items!
ReplyDeleteSo many mixed reviews! I'm so nervous to read it! Hope you enjoy your other challenge reads, etc!
ReplyDeleteInteresting. I just read and reviewed this book as well. I saw and noticed all of the same things as you. I was disappointed at the ending, but overall, I enjoyed it. I think you are right. There were several plotholes that I forgot about until I read your review. So, thank you for being more thorough than I was! :)
ReplyDeleteIf you don't mind, I would like to post a link to your review in my post. I love having differing views. Here is the link to my review.
http://jennifermorrill.wordpress.com/2009/10/07/mr-darcy-vampyre-book-review/
Thanks!
I was coming at this as both an Austen fan and a vampire fan and just felt gritty afterwards.
ReplyDeleteI would love to see a few of the minor characters expanded on. But it was still 10 times better then Twilight
I read this one for the EAC... I enjoyed it, as I've enjoyed other books by Amanda Grange.
ReplyDeleteI do think, however, that the book could have had a different title. I mean, it kind of gives everything away, know what I mean? I think with a different title and let it somehow come as a surprise to the reader, maybe some of the questions wouldn't be there...