I had no intentions of reading this book (or the entire series) even though I’m already looking ahead to Manslaughter Park, the adaptation of Mansfield Park I’ve decided to read this year.
HOWEVER, the cruise we went on in early March had an honest-to-god library. Like an entire room with books you could take out and read on the ship and we just happened to sit right beside this and it was too much of a coincidence to NOT read it.
I stuck to my plans and finished up two ARC’s prior to starting, but the second I started I flew through this one thanks to my familiarity with the source material and Price’s great adaptation.
Price did an excellent job of distancing herself just enough from the source material to make this believable AND readable. All of the main characters were here and for the most part worked really well in their new storylines. Instead of Pemberley and Longbourn being estates they are law firms and Darcy and Lizzie are both trying to work their way up to the top. Lizzie has a lot more trouble due to societal expectations of women and I appreciated Price’s sticking to that and not bucking too many societal trends of the time.
The story revolves around the case of Bingley’s other sister (not Caroline) and her husband being murdered and Charles being accused. Lizzie is convinced if she solves it her dad will have to employ her, and Darcy wants what’s best for Charles as his friend and client.
I found myself laughing throughout the novel and truly appreciated Price’s reverence and humorous take of Mrs. Bennet in particular:
Both father and daughter sat up marginally straighter, as if simply mentioning Mrs. Bennet might summon her from thin air. The idea was quite absurd, since Lizzie couldn’t remember her mother ever setting foot in Longbourn & Sons. The very act of entering the business might actually bring on one of those dizzy spells she was always on the verge of succumbing to. (9)
Talking in court was like a social call, Lizzie realized suddenly. Certain words were spoken in a certain order, the appropriate inquiries and responses must be made, and everything unfolded according to unspoken rules. She believed that her father’s education had been preparing her for this moment, but she was surprised to learn that her mother had an equal hand in providing Lizzie the tools she needed for this day. (326)
Lizzie sat up and drew the covers around her. “Fine. Has everyone settled down?”
“Hardly,” Jane said, handing her the tea. “Lydia and Kitty are devastated that Wickham turned out to be a criminal and Mary is trying to read them Bible verses as consolation. I wouldn’t be surprised if Mama wasn’t trying to figure out how she might convince Darcy to marry you now, since he saved your life.” (289)
For as much of a caricature as Mrs. Bennet is, she has been handed a hard lot in life. Sure she’s decently well off, but without a male heir and five daughters she has no way to secure their future other than to train them (on a shoe-string budget) to find husbands and make sure they do find them. The second quote above stood out to me particularly due to the “soft skills” Lizzie will have absorbed just being in her mother’s presence over the years.
What I think I have a problem with is the vilification of Mr. Collins. WHOA, I can’t believe I just wrote that. I think there are different levels of villainy in the source material ranging from Wickham’s outright hostility and shady dealings to Darcy’s well-intentioned but horrible separation of Jane and Bingley. Price took a different approach with Wickham, Collins, and de Bourgh, which I can appreciate, but this is the second novel to tie Wickham’s dastardly deeds directly to Collins and de Bourgh.
Don’t get me wrong they are despicable characters, but they aren’t on the same level as Wickham. If anything they are products of their time and unwilling to bend or be flexible to it, whereas Wickham is just evil. I think this one did a better job than Most Ardently, but yeah, I think Collins deserves some shade and judgement for his bland over-pleasing general horribleness, but not as much as these last two heaped upon him.
Recommendation: 100% recommend. The story is well written and I appreciated the way Price adapted it to a murder mystery/thriller novel set in London and brings a different aspect of Austen’s England to life via trade and business. I thoroughly enjoyed this retelling of Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and I’ve already requested Sense and Second-Degree Murder, before I even get to Manslaughter Park, from the library because why not? It’s her 250th birthday so we may as well go big this year!
Opening Line: “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a brilliant idea, conceived and executed by a clever young woman, must be claimed by a man.”
Closing Line: “‘Because,’ she said, eyes dancing as she drew her lips to his, ‘they brought us together.'” (Whited out to avoid spoilers, highlight to read.)
Additional Quotes from Pride and Premeditation
“Her laugh interrupted him. “People will gossip. They may still invite your friend to dinner parties and raise a glass to you for clearing his name, but they’ll secretly wonder, What if he got away with it? They won’t want their daughters to meet him, just in case. They won’t do business with him, for fear that maybe, just maybe, they’ll be next. A good opinion, once lost, is lost forever.” (161)