The Darcy Monologues - Christina Boyd (ed) Audiobook

Written by Christina Boyd (ed)
Read by Harry Frost
Format: MP3
Bitrate: 64 Kbps
Unabridged

Christina Boyd (ed) - The Darcy Monologues

Stories by Susan Adriani, Sara Angelini, J. Marie Croft, Karen M. Cox, Jan Hahn, Jenetta James, Lory Lilian, KaraLynne Mackrory, Beau North, Ruth Phillips Oakland, Natalie Richards, Sophia Rose, Joana Starnes, Melanie Stanford, Caitlin Williams

· Series: The Quill Collective, Book 1
· Length: 14 hrs and 53 mins
· Release date: 12-21-17
· Publisher: The Quill Ink, LLC

“You must allow me to tell you…”

For over 200 years, Jane Austen’s Mr. Darcy has captivated readers’ imaginations as the ultimate catch. Rich. Powerful. Noble. Handsome. And yet, as Miss Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is established through Elizabeth Bennet’s fine eyes, how are we to know his mind? How does Darcy progress from “she is tolerable: but not handsome enough to tempt me” to “I thought only of you”?

The Darcy Monologues is a collection of 15 stories told in Mr. Darcy’s point of view. The book is divided into two—”The Regency” and “Other Eras”. The Regency features eight stories, some happening in the middle of P&P’s timeline, others sequels. Other Eras has seven stories set in the modern day, the 1860s, 1940s, and the 1960s.

“It is your turn to say something now, Mr. Darcy.”

These summaries in detail.. http://babblingsofabookworm.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/the-darcy-monologues-spotlight-on.html

‘Death of a Batchelor’ by Caitlin Williams opens the book. Be not afraid, angst-weenies, at the title of this story, nothing bad happens! This story takes a look at the type of thoughts that Darcy may have been having as his marriage with Elizabeth Bennet approaches.

‘From the Ashes’ by J Marie Croft. This short story starts many years after the events of P&P with Mr Darcy reminiscing. He thinks back to the time directly after the Hunsford proposal and scornful refusal.

‘If Only a Dream’ by Joana Starnes this story picks up at just about the same point as the previous story, although this is a variation story rather than an alternate point of view. Darcy is reeling after having his proposal so rudely dismissed, and, having delivered his letter to Miss Bennet he wants nothing more than to leave Kent as soon as possible.

‘Clandestiny’ by Karalynne Mackrory, picking up at the Netherfield Ball, with Darcy fighting against his attraction to the unsuitable Miss Bennet.

‘The Beast of Pemberley’ by Melanie Stanford takes us on a timely journey into a fantasy land. Here, the Wizard Wickham has cursed the inhabitants of Pemberley, Lumiere, Cogsworth et al, but the worst affected of them all is Mr Darcy. Knowing that his disfigurement makes him an object of ridicule and pity, the proud Darcy keeps to Pemberley, but he keeps an eye on the local town with the help of his magical mirror, which is how he comes to know and love Elizabeth.

Mr Darcy described himself as ‘A Resentful Man’ at Netherfield, but when Elizabeth visits Pemberley and meets with him again, she doesn’t find him to be so….by Lora Lilian

‘In Terms of Perfect Composure’ by Susan Adriani is another excellent story, full of romantic yearning. Here, we have Darcy getting some encouragement from the Gardiners to renew his suit, and ending up back in Hertfordshire just in time to catch the end of Lady Catherine’s visit to Elizabeth.

‘Without Affection’ by Jan Hahn is the last of the Regency stories, and explores a real danger in those times – the danger of dying in childbirth and how the fear of this could affect a relationship.

‘Hot for Teacher’ The first of the modern era stories, by Sara Angelini sees Mr Darcy as the principal of a school, Ms Bennet as the art teacher he thinks slightingly of, and George Wickham as his nemesis-slash-literature teacher-slash-resentful half-brother.

“You Don’t Know Me” by Beau North takes us to the early 1960s in the USA.

‘Reason to Hope’ by Jenetta James takes us back a little further, to WW2, and to England. This was a good chance to pick up some of the flavour of the era. Elizabeth in this has a bit of a chip on her shoulder, which can be hard to resolve in time to make us warm to a character in a short story.

We find ourselves in the old West, and straight into an old fashioned ambush, kidnapping, disguises, brothels, and attempted rescue! ‘Pemberley by Stage’ by Natalie Richards was a very exciting read. There is both pride and prejudice in this tale, though not the sort we are used to.

‘Darcy Strikes Out’ by Sophia Rose moves us to modern day baseball in the US. As is stated in the story, Baseball is generally not a thing loved in the UK, but stick with it and find this story neatly touched on many of the key points of P&P.

‘The Ride Home’ by Ruth Phillip. Darcy is woken by a drunken Bingley in the middle of the night to drive to pick up Elizabeth, who has had a bad date (with a Mr Collins). Darcy is reluctant to do so, having been turned down without ceremony by her very recently, but being a true gentleman, he does so. We meet a drunken Elizabeth (having turned to martinis as a crutch to see her through her date!) and it turns out that not only is a drunken Elizabeth an affectionate Elizabeth.

‘I, Darcy’ by Karen M Cox pokes a little fun at our Mr Darcy. William Darcy has been named after Fitzwilliam Darcy from the novel ‘Pride & Prejudice’. He is sick of comparisons, and sick of seeing Mr. Darcy being held up as the perfect man

“Frost captures Darcy’s tone perfectly, bringing a heart and soul to the character that readers get only a glimpse of in the original novel. The remaining half of the audiobook contains stories from other eras, re-imagining Darcy as a baseball player, a school principal, and an Old West traveler, to name but a few. Frost portrays everything from New York sophisticate to grizzled cowboy, never falling into caricature. A delightful listening experience.” —AudioFile Magazine