A light romance read, A Weekend With Mr. Darcy is a quintessential piece of fun by Victoria Connelly. The first in what is deemed to be a trilogy based on Jane Austen fans, A Weekend With Mr. Darcy is simply an entertaining read for people wanting a light pick me up. Full of Jane Austen references, it is a perfect piece of escapist literature, especially for Janeites.
Modern Day Jane Austen Stories
A Weekend With Mr. Darcy completely revolves around Jane Austen and her work. The setting itself is at a Jane Austen conference in Hampshire, exclusive to true Janeites dedicated to the author's works. The primary characters are comprised of a Jane Austen Literature Professor, a smutty Austen-esque author, an avid-almost obsessive-Austen fan, and the brother of a Jane Austen film adaptation actress. The four main characters find themselves in a Jane Austen novel of sorts, their lives interweaving and creating a story that remarkably resembles a collage of Austen work.
Any Jane Austen fan will notice some subtle, and some not so subtle, events that having previously been in Jane Austen's work, now occur for these modern day characters. Whether it was book defensive quotes reminiscent of Northanger Abbey, matchmaking schemes similar to Emma, first impression judging a la Pride and Prejudice or double love stories as in Sense and Sensibility. The Austen-esque moments interwoven in the story line were sweetly written and humorously added all the same.
One of the main, not only, differences in this work and those of Jane Austen, was the time frames in which love bloomed. The love stories that sprang up were over a five day period, where as Jane's romances usually occurred over months. Though there were months of separation involved at the end, the impulsive romances of A Weekend With Mr. Darcy were ultimately hard to relate to and unrealistic. Though this did add to the lightness of the novel, leaning it more severely into category of reads labeled 'just for fun.'
Jane Austen Characters in Today's World
In A Weekend With Mr. Darcy the characters were entirely unique, yet not always likable. Katherine, being perhaps my favorite character, had the appearance of a strong female lead. Her romantic counterpart, Warwick, was an interesting character to me. Perhaps a tad too vulnerable, I liked his make-up and characteristics but often found myself wanting to infuse him with some good ol' Darcy pride. Though I liked the seemingly airy Robyn a great deal, I was a little perturbed by how much she held conversations with herself. Talking to yourself is one thing, but arguing with yourself frequently, and out loud mind you, seemed a little odd.
Robyn's significant others, yes I meant that to be plural, are well written and easily understood. However, I would have liked some more background on Dan. A wealthy hunk, who was once a workaholic, immediately falling for a poor blonde, didn’t have enough depth to help me relate and emotionally invest in his story. I did like some of the sub-characters, Mrs. Soames, for one, was a perfect substitute for Pride and Prejudice's villainous Lady Catherine De Bourgh. I wanted to see more of her spite and more of the spunk found in actress Dame Pamela Harcourt.
Overall, I found the story quite enjoyable and a relaxing break from life and heavy reading. Austen fans will appreciate the recognizable references and similarities, and like me, will be left itching to re-watch Colin Firth's wet shirt scene or listen to Anne read her letter from Captain Wentworth in the BBC adaptation of Persuasion. I highly recommend the story to anyone longing for fun romance and a captivating modern-day salute to the classic Jane Austen.
About the Author
Victoria Connelly first published her books in German and was extremely gifted to find her debut novel, Flights of Angels as a made-for-TV movie from the award-winning Ziegler Films. Now published in not only Germany, but in the UK and recently the US, the author is working on her next installment of the trilogy beginning with A Weekend With Mr. Darcy.
Source
- Connelly, Victoria, A Weekend With Mr. Darcy, Sourcebooks Inc., July 2011, ISBN 978-1-4022-5132-0
Jessica Hastings - Jessica Hastings is a published author/poet, professional reviewer, and avid reader. Schooled in journalism and creative writing, she ...
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