Surprising, Unique, and Heartwarming!

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Source: Review Copy from Author

A hungry, lonely, and neglected ten-year-old George Wickham meets a friendly, selfless, and imaginative eight-year-old Lizzy Bennet at a nearby park. For two years the two form a friendship that revolves around reading together, sharing food, and escaping their home lives. But when Lizzy’s family goes through some drastic changes, she can’t continue to meet her young friend and the two sadly are unable to stay in touch.

What will become of George Wickham? How does he survive such a heartbreaking and unhappy childhood? Will he ever cross paths again with the girl who brought him some moments of happiness?

This review is a bit of a challenge to write, because there are plenty of delicious surprises in store for readers and I do not want to spoil any of them! So please excuse any lack of detail or vagueness in my review. What I can tell you though, is that I found so much to appreciate and admire in this modern-day adaptation of Pride and Prejudice by Sarah Courtney – it truly is unlike any other P&P modern I have read. And with that being said, I would caution readers to not expect this story to adhere very closely to the plot points and characters of Pride and Prejudice. This tale is its own original and inspiring variation on Jane Austen’s beloved novel than a scene-by-scene translation.

From the very first page, this story and Sarah Courtney’s sympathetic and sensitive portrayal of George Wickham will touch readers’ hearts. Her descriptions of his emotions and the revelation of his private thoughts were skillfully and perceptively rendered. His narrative voice felt so authentic and endearing. My heart was full of compassion for this sad little boy who has to look out for himself, is ashamed of all his shortcomings, and has learned to expect disappointment in life.  In addition, this story in general, continuously displayed an empathetic and insightful viewpoint on hard situations and children who experience homelessness, neglect, and an unstable home life. It was eye-opening and inspiring at the same time.

Aside from neglected/homeless children, this story also shines a spotlight on the joy and comfort reading brings. I loved seeing all the avid readers in this novel and the literary adventures they embarked upon together. It is obvious that Sarah Courtney is a fan of children’s classics (as well as Harry Potter!). I loved the long list of books featured in this story and was completely charmed by all the imaginative play they inspired.

Now let’s devote a little time to Will Darcy, shall we? I loved the modern parallels Ms. Courtney created for her Mr. Darcy. His overheard insult, his prejudices, and his intention behind his interference with Charles’ and Jane’s relationship – were all cleverly and believably updated. Moreover, in regards to Will Darcy and his external conflicts, readers are in for some dramatic turns of events and surprises. Ones that were so cleverly created!!

A Good Name is a wonderfully pure and heart-touching tale about love. And not just romantic love, but love between friends, parents and children, and siblings. I greatly admire Sarah Courtney’s unique premise, her real and endearing characters, and her well-constructed execution full of delightfully surprising twists. I am all anticipation for Sarah Courtney’s newest release, Beauty and Mr. Darcy!

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