Mr. Darcy's Daughters

MR. DARCY'S DAUGHTERS: A NOVEL: Elizabeth Aston: Touchstone, 2003: Fiction: 360pgs.

Pride & Prejudice: the next generation. Coincidentally (or not) the married Darcys’ are the proud parents of five daughters--all with strong personality traits reminiscent of the original five sisters. The novel follows the girls as they leave Pemberly for London, where the sisters experience a whirlwind season of balls and evening soirees. Delightfully, the Darcy daughters manage to embroil themselves in all sorts of mischievous, romantic adventures. All the more mischievous because the girls find themselves barely chaperoned by family relations. And adventures of the sort that their dutiful parents, who happen to be on a diplomatic mission in Turkey, might not quite approve! (Book Club sets available)

Readers will notice familiar characterizations and similar/identical plot development to the beloved classic favorite. Inventive enough to be entertaining; however, and only slightly more liberal than an Austen novel, Aston should ring fairly true to Austen fans. Perhaps not quite as witty. (And does anyone else find the similarity in the authors’ last names somewhat suspicious?)

DLA