Not Worth It?

It's so rare that I don't get into a P&P continuation. So very rare. But here it is: The Pemberley Chroniciles by Rebecca Ann Collins is not keeping my attention right now. In fact, it is so bland that I after reading only one chapter, I skipped to the last few and tried to read the end to see if it might be worth reading the rest of the book. One could argue that you can't tell much by reading the end when you haven't really read much of the beginning or any of the middle, but I'd argue otherwise. Here again, the book didn't not intrigue me. It was rather blazee. So, I guess I'd have to say maybe 1 Bonnet in the grand scheme of things. I am so disappointed. This one was the first in a series, too! Sigh...Guess it's time to request the next piece of JA fanfic from the library.

Pride & Prejudice: The Musical

Through the glass of my crystal ball I foresee another trip to NYC just to see Price and Prejudice: The Musical in 2010!!! I'm a bit behind in reading the AustenBlog, but one of the recent posts caught my attention, that concerning the musical of P&P. It received rave reviews in a pre-Bway performance in October in Rochester, NY. See the musical website for more info. and a short video clip with a song. I think it has a good chance of being a good show and it's been awhile since seeing P&P on the stage. (The Guthrie's performance several years ago was well done, but wasn't a musical and we all know my thoughts on musicals...!)

P&P as a muscial! Happy Thought, indeed!

Trends in Reading & Blogging

I've noticed a trend lately with me: Not really wanting to read or blog on what I "should" be reading or blogging about.

Case in point: I reallly, and I mean, REALLY, need to start the next bookclub book. But I can't seem to open the book. I've even been told it's pretty good. But I can't seem to push myself to do it. Instead, I start scanning the latest piece of JA fanfic I picked up from the library. Hmmm....

Another case in point: Anyone reading this blog (Is there anyone out there, really? Besides Mom and Dad. Btw, Hi!) will also notice the lack of More Things on a Stick/Library-ish shorts of things. I can't seem to summon the time or the energy to do them. But, I do seem to find time to read all of my friends blogs (of which there is a growing number) and catch up on their Facebook status. Hmmmm...

Possible reasons for this lack of "what I should be doing" motivation: A 4-month old smiley little girl who coos and razes when you walk into the room? Working full-time and then having a fairly mushy brain that can't handle any more library or technology issues after a day full of them? Spring fever? Hmmmm...

Btw, I am needing to come up with a book suggestion for bookclub and nothing sounds good (even things that have been on my 'to read' list for eons). Any suggestions, dear readers?

Pemberley By the Sea

Pemberley By the Sea: A Modern Love Story, Pride & Prejudice Style by Abigail Reynolds was a delightfully quick read.

Summary: Cassie Boulton, marine biologist, meets aloof, handsome & rich Calder Westing one summer while she does research and he visits a friend. They fall for each other, but Cassie feels that Calder doesn't really care for her due to his aloof manner, while Calder struggles to figure out how to get her attention. They lose touch and only after Cassie reads Calder's latest novel, a modern telling of P&P where she is Elizabeth and he, Darcy, does she realize how much he loves her and she him. There is also the side stories of their two friends (Jane & Bingley) and Calder horrific family (Lady Catherine anyone?).

Reynolds found modern counterparts to D & E in both Cassie & Calder. While I found the side story dealing with Calder's family and Cassie's troubled past a bit boring & overdone, it fit into the Lady Catherine/Lydia plot of P&P. Reynolds could have tidied that story up a bit to make it a bit shorter. Otherwise, it was such an enjoyable read that I stayed up late to finish it on a Friday evening.

4 out of 5 Bonnets.

Impulse & Initiative

Impulse & Initiative: A Pride a Prejudice Variation by Abigail Reynolds.

Plot: After Darcy proposes to Lizzy at Hunsford, he goes to London and broods for several months. Colonel Fitzwilliam urges him to return to Hertfordshire to win Lizzy's heart. He returns with Bingley, and while Bingley and Jane are quickly reunited, Darcy and Lizzy agree to start over and from there Lizzy quickly falls in love with Darcy.

The plot is a logical turn to the actual events in P&P. It definitely fits into the "could have happened" category. However, the characters do not fit Jane Austen's characters. Darcy is pretty forward with affection for Lizzy and Lizzy allows this affection as she falls in love with him. I don't think these actions are true to D & E. I doubt that D would have acted in such a way--rumors of their improper behavior abound and that Lizzy would have allowed it. All propriety is lost and that detracted from the book for me. While it was an enjoyable read (one would rarely hear me say that Jane Austen fanfic isn't enjoyable), this one strayed too far from the original characters for me.

3 out of 5 bonnets.