Op zich leuk concept maar zo saai wat hij doet als hij niet bij Lizzy is. En dat gedoe met Byron... ( )

So, umm, I didn't hate it? Read this on the recommendation of a friend, and it just didn't really work for me. The diary conceit works, as it wouldn't have made much since for him to sharing his feelings all over the place in any other venue. Even if it made sense, I definitely could have done without the elaboration of the Georgiana/Wickham storyline and I don't see the point of the Byron addition. Anyway, worse ways to spend a Sunday morning, I guess. ( )

Okay, I'm a sucker for Jane Austen. Still, this book seemed to fill in the blanks better and felt more accurate than other Jane-Austen's-Darcy-inspired works. I appreciated that we didn't hear the exact phrases from the book repeated and instead experienced Darcy's reaction to them (and other experiences). ( )

It was really cool, I was amazed on how it matched
with the occurrences in the Pride and Prejudice,
and how it made possible to know Mr. Darcy's thoughts
during those times.. ( )

I didn’t like it. And it wasn’t good enough to merit much of a review. Of course, the usual caveat applies: I generally don’t think well of books done in diary format.

But my dislike goes beyond format. The whole purpose of this type of format is to introduce the reader into the characters psyche, and yes that includes some deep dark secrets. But this was just, well, well all wrong.

Ms. Slater’s Darcy is a lecher–but a lecher with a softer side. On the one hand he diddles the help on the other he catalogs his vast library by creating, wait for it, a card catalog. He is supposedly dearest friends with the poet Byron and while he doesn’t “approve” of Byron’s general behavior, he ends up in the midst of an orgy at Byron’s manner.

The rest of the characters are off as well–Bingley is utterly spineless, much more so than the original would imply and yet he ends up with more moral character than Darcy. Understand, I am intrigued by the whole dark side potential of the brooding Darcy, but this isn’t it.

I just don’t have much more to say. It’s boring. The writing is weak. Darcy is weak. Save yourself some time and money. Pass. ( )