Studying the Many Facets, Faces, and Forms of Mr. Darcy!

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Source: Review Copy from Publisher

OVERVIEW:

Centuries later Jane Austen’s ardent, aloof, and aristocratic hero is still gaining fans, sustaining romantic ideals, and inspiring writers and film-makers. In Jane Austen’s eyes, it was Elizabeth Bennet who was “delightful a creature as ever appeared in print,” and the epicenter of her “light, bright, and sparkling” tale. And yet two hundred years after first appearing in print, it is Mr. Darcy who has emerged as arguably one of the most iconic, talked about, and reincarnated literary creations in the history of English literature. It is clearly evident that indeed “there’s something about Darcy…”

With it’s fun, feminine, and eye-catching exterior, Dr. Gabrielle Malcolm’s examination of “Darcymania” proves to be a thoughtful study of Mr. Darcy’s creation, the romantic heroes that came before and after him, and his many reincarnations on film and in print.

MY ASSESSMENT:

First off, I love that Dr. Gabrielle Malcolm set out to pen this work all about our dear Mr. Darcy, I appreciate the depth and breadth of her study (it is extensive!), and I love the title (a perfect choice!). Dr. Malcolm gives readers a full scope about Mr. Darcy from his creation to where/how/why Mr. Darcy exists today.

Dr. Malcolm is very well-versed on the subject of Mr. Darcy. She brings to light interesting findings about possible influences and origins for Mr. Darcy, many of which will be new to readers. Whatever topic Dr. Malcolm introduced in this work (well-known or obscure), she made sure to canvass it thoroughly. I often found myself admiring Dr. Malcolm’s word choice and playful tone. Her prose is filled with scholarly eloquence, and yet it is light, accessible, and entertaining.

My favorite chapters were the ones where Dr. Malcolm breaks down and analyzes the various portrayals of Mr. Darcy on screen (all the movie and series adaptations) and in print (sequels, alternative takes, and other JAFF). It was fascinating to understand the widely divergent themes screenwriters were interweaving into their adaptations of Pride and Prejudice. And I absolutely adored reading about various Austenesque works – the early days (Emma Tennant), the well-known authors who introduced new slants to Jane Austen (Jo Baker, P.D. James, Curtis Sittenfeld) and the inventive stylings of beloved Austenesque writers (Jane Odiwe, Alexa Adams, Marilyn Brant). I took great pleasure in these studies and appreciated the insightful and objective commentary by Dr. Malcolm.

While I did enjoy the chapters that outlined and discussed the various romantic heroes that followed Mr. Darcy – Edward Rochester, Heathcliff, Mr. Thornton, Dracula, Edward Cullen, Christian Grey, and various other Regency romance heroes that bear the similar Mr. Darcy archetype – I did feel that some of these chapters were a little too lengthy and a little less pertinent. Each story was described in detail with key plot points, analysis, and reactions (which ended up comprising almost a third of this work altogether). And although a comparison of Mr. Darcy and Mr. Rochester is fascinating to consider, the fact that Mr. Rochester most likely was not influenced/inspired by Mr. Darcy (Charlotte Brontë first read P&P just after publishing Jane Eyre) means that their similarities carry a little less significance.

CONCLUSION:

With There’s Something About Darcy, Dr. Gabrielle Malcolm delivers a thought-provoking and compelling comprehensive study of Jane Austen’s aloof and proud hero from Derbyshire! This work will entertain and enlighten readers who are new to Jane Austen as well as die-hard Darcyholics! Who wouldn’t want to spend more time analyzing the many facets of Mr. Darcy?

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