Review: The Confession of Fitzwilliam Darcy by Mary Street
Several years ago (more than I want to admit to), I decided to give Jane Austen a try since so many people had recommended her writing to me. My first try was Pride and Prejudice. It was okay, and then I watched the A&E movie version staring Colin Firth. Once I saw the movie, I reread the book and enjoyed it even more. I’ve since gone on to read most of the Jane Austen’s works but Pride and Prejudice is still my favorite.
Pride and Prejudice is mostly Elizabeth Bennet’s story. We may hear of events that took place out of her view but only when these events are told to her. So, Mr. Darcy’s thoughts, feelings, and actions outside of Elizabeth’s view are unknown to us or only known by shrewd guessing. There’s also the additional problem that Elizabeth, in the manner of Mr. Darcy, is not a reliable narrator. She has her own prejudices about him and his behavior and it colors her view of him and all his actions. So, we’re left wondering what Mr. Darcy thought of Elizabeth Bennet. What could make this man of wealth, education, and position fall so in love with Elizabeth that he’d go against his family and his social connections to marry her.
Luckily, Mary Street has given us a Mr. Darcy’s side of the story in The Confession of Fitzwilliam Darcy. Street retells Pride and Prejudice from Fitzwilliam Darcy’s point of view. Where the two books overlap, Jane Austen’s version is paramount as to action and conversation but with the added interest of Mr. Darcy’s thoughts and insights. Where events take place out of Elizabeth’s view (not in Austen’s work but hinted at, such as the events in London after the ball at Netherfield and the conversation with Wickham about Lydia) the narration and action matches what we’d expect of a gentleman of Darcy’s station. Street keeps well within the canon of story and characterization.
What is missing is the passion of the characters. Elizabeth is engaging and exciting the most when the book intersects Pride and Prejudice and there is a blueprint to follow. Darcy’s character, even though we are often in his thoughts, is still wanting. This is a man that is comfortable in the highest levels of society, yet his passion for Elizabeth Bennet is such that he willing takes the chance that he and his new wife could be shunned by society because of the disparity of their socio-economic status. He is gentleman and she is a gentleman’s daughter, but there is still a gulf between them of more than an obnoxious mother and wild sisters. There’s no sign here of a love or passion that could account for Darcy’s proposing marriage not just once but twice to the same woman.
It seems that in trying so hard to maintain the tone and style of the original Austen novel, that the lively wit and by-play that are the hallmarks of Austen’s work got smoothed out. So, while this book does fill a gap that so many of us want filled, it does leave us still wondering about Mr. Darcy’s inner most thoughts and feelings.
Worth reading? Yes, definitely. The author did a remarkably good job with the material, it just left this reader wishing that the characters had a bit more life to them. And, while some of the scenes, such as a short bit where Col. Fitzwilliam and Darcy decry the potential name for the Fitzwilliam’s brother’s child, were bright and witty, I wish the author had let loose her fancy a bit more because while those small additions show that the ability to make the characters come alive exists, it was just held in check and most likely in honor of the original and fear of stepping too far out of bounds. I enjoyed the book but wish there had been more depth to Mr. Darcy.