Review: Fitzwilliam Darcy, Rock Star by Heather Lynn Rigaud.
Posted in Entertainment, Review on September 14th, 2011
Fizwilliam Darcy, Rock Star by Heather Lynn Rigaud. Sourcebooks Landmark (September 1, 2011). Pages: 566. ISBN: 978-1402257810. Trade Paperback. $14.99 (Amazon: $9.77 / Kindle: $9.28).
Okay, I have to admit that it was the title that got to me. Fitzwilliam Darcy as a rock star. Really, how was that going to work? Well, believe it or not, it does work. Rigaud sets up the entire book in the prologue. The prologue is essentially bits of narration and description of the images of a program called Inside the Music focusing on Slurry. Slurry is the rock band that has Fitzwilliam Darcy as the lead guitarist, Charles Bingley as bass guitar, and Richard Fitzwilliam on drums. Anne De Bourgh works for the record company De Bourgh Records which has a contract with Slurry. This gives the reader the background needed for this modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice.
Our story opens with the information that Slurry has just had their most recent opening group quit the tour and they’re auditioning replacements. They’ve stopped into Meryton Public House to listen to Long Bourne Suffering, an all girl group made up of Elizabeth Bennet, Jane Bennet, and Charlotte Lucas. Their manager Mr. Collins is just what you’d expect from the name but Slurry hires Long Borne Suffering to finish out the tour with them.
As for other characters from the original book. Darcy is of course concerned with the education and care of his younger sister, Georgianna. Mr. Bennet is a music professor. Mary studies music intensively, mostly classical, while Jane and Elizabeth play rock, folk, and blues. There is a Mr. Wickham in the mix also. However, it’s all modern and cleverly done. The attitudes and characteristics of the original book by Austen are surprisingly clear even with the update to modern times and occupations.
I was surprised at how well the entire story came together. You’d need to read it to see for yourself but I believe you’d be pleasantly surprised. Though I do have to warn those more traditional readers that there are sex scenes — after all it is a modern romance.
If you caught the reference to the group’s name — Long Borne Suffering — you’ll be enchanted with all the references to phrases, scenes, places, and people woven into the story. This is really a must read for fans of the original story who really are up to something updated and modern but with the same heart as Pride and Prejudice. It’s also different enough to keep you on the edge of your seat as you read because, with all this change, you can’t really expect the author to sort everyone out to a tidy Austen-like happily every after ending. Or can you?