Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark (August 11, 2009)Paperback: 320 pages
Price: $10.19 from Amazon
Summary: A married man in posession of a dark fortune must be in want of an eternal wife...
Rating:
Summary: A married man in posession of a dark fortune must be in want of an eternal wife...
Rating:
Review: Who's dark, aloof, and handsome with a pair of fangs? You guess it: Mr. Darcy. The heartthrob everyone knows from Pride and Prejudice returns in a sequel, married and undead. The book is in third-person and told from Elizabeth's perspective. Props to Amanda Grange for taking the risk and incorporating the paranormal in a beloved classic!
However, though the idea was good, I felt it could have been carried out better. I felt the "suspecting vampire" part was dragged out too long as Elizabeth does not find vampires are real until the final third of the book. For over 200 pages, Mr. Darcy is tormented over his being a vampire, while Elizabeth manages to accept it in a matter of a few pages, which I find very unrealistic. On the other hand, the ending felt a bit too rushed; everything worked out a bit too perfectly and conveniently. Though, despite being anti-climatic, I have to admit the ending was not what I expected at the start of reading.
However, though the idea was good, I felt it could have been carried out better. I felt the "suspecting vampire" part was dragged out too long as Elizabeth does not find vampires are real until the final third of the book. For over 200 pages, Mr. Darcy is tormented over his being a vampire, while Elizabeth manages to accept it in a matter of a few pages, which I find very unrealistic. On the other hand, the ending felt a bit too rushed; everything worked out a bit too perfectly and conveniently. Though, despite being anti-climatic, I have to admit the ending was not what I expected at the start of reading.
I did get a little bored when reading and had to force myself to get through some parts where I felt nothing was happening. The fact that I did not believe for one second that they were in danger proably didn't help. For instance, though Elizabeth was frantic when she believed Darcy did not love her, she manages to be calm when an Ancient vampire wants to drink her blood. I also found myself with some unanswered questions and a couple unexplained quotes (which I'm not sure if I should post due to spoilers), though I can live with them.
On the positive side, Amanda Grange really managed to capture the essence of Elizabeth and Mr.Darcy, and I found it enjoyable reading about their post-marriage experiences. I really liked the occasional small references back to Pride and Prejudice. The settings and clothing were vividly depicted, and the conversation was witty. I can tell a lot of research was put into the book, something I always respect, and I felt like I was actually there with Elizabeth, visiting Paris, Italy, the Alps, and more.
Bottom Line: Mr. Darcy, Vampyre is an enjoyable and very attractive book (my weakness) with a good idea, great setting, flowing writing, and not-so-great plot. I would say that if you are a fan of Pride and Prejudice and the paranormal, you might want to give this one a try. However, if you're just looking to know what happens to Darcy and Elizabeth post-marriage, there are definitely better sequels out there.
