Kitty Emerges From the Shadows and Finds Herself

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Source: Review Copy from Author

TYPE OF NOVEL: Pride and Prejudice Sequel, Secondary Character

TIME FRAME: Begins less than two years after the close of Pride and Prejudice

SYNOPSIS: After remaining many months at Longbourn with only Mary and her parents for company, Kitty is growing impatient for her life to change – she wants to escape Lydia’s shadow and be amongst new people that don’t think of her as silly, missish, and ignorant. The Darcys were secretly waiting for Kitty to come to them for her launch into society, and are thrilled to invite her to spend the summer at Pemberley. With Georgiana and other neighboring families with young people Kitty’s age, they know Kitty will be able to enjoy a broader circle of friends, a summer full of diversions, and the chance to grow.

What adventures will befall this young lady when she seeks them abroad…

WHAT I LOVED:

• Kitty: I am an avid-lover of secondary character stories in the Austenesque genre, so I was very happy to see this sequel is all about Kitty! In this story Kitty transforms into a heroine readers can admire, and I really appreciate how Sallianne Hines portrayed and developed Kitty’s character. I especially enjoyed Kitty’s self-awareness and earnest desire to reform her behaviors, improve her knowledge and skills, and act in a way that is a credit to her family. She immediately earned my admiration!

• Horses and Riding: I love that Kitty is a lover of horses and riding and is a spirited and capable rider. Sometimes Austenesque works spotlight a heroine’s interest in music, art, or reading; seeing a story that featured riding so prominently felt very unique. I especially loved seeing Kitty connect with and share her passion for horses with other characters in the story – as well as with the author!!

• New Young People: There are several prominent families nearby with young people and Kitty is able to join Georgiana in forming friends, earning admirers, and spotting some intrigues! I loved all the new characters introduced in this tale, they were a lively and diverse bunch! I thought all these original characters were well-drawn and I appreciated all the various relationships that developed between these characters! And bonus points for Ms. Hines for including a handy characters list at the beginning!

• Kitty and the Darcys: Speaking of relationships, Kitty’s relationships with both Darcy and Elizabeth are something very special in this story! I loved seeing Kitty’s awe and respect for the Darcys and how badly she wants to earn their respect and approval. Elizabeth is just wonderful at nurturing and supporting Kitty’s endeavors and ambitions, and I loved how fastidious Mr. Darcy could smile about and delight in Kitty’s adventurous spirit and unladylike interests! It was especially lovely to see such an affinity grow between these two since it very rarely is done.

• Diversions and Drama: With balls, riding parties, and an important trip to the royal stables there is quite a lot of exciting activity to continuously bring these characters together! Not to mention the romances, flirtations, and suspicious activities observed! I thoroughly enjoyed all the action and eventfulness of this story – it was perfectly balanced and plausible for the time period, situation, and setting.

WHAT I WASN’T TOO FOND OF:

• Indecisiveness: (SPOILER ALERT!) This may be my own personal preference, but I sometimes struggle with stories that portray a heroine who can’t decide between her suitors. While I can understand Kitty being torn between the two men she admires, and appreciate how she analyzes and questions her own indecisiveness, I thought her own feelings of love felt less strong and steady because of her vacillation and confusion. Especially because one suitor hinted about his heart’s leadings and basically exited the playing field…

• Small Quibbles: There was just a couple sections in the middle that I thought could use some trimming. and perhaps some of the new siblings that were briefly introduced were a little superfluous – it did start to get confusing to keep all these characters straight. And lastly, I think there was some threads and characters’ fates left unresolved at the end.

CONCLUSION:

Written with thoughtfulness, sensitivity, and reverence Sallianne Hines delivers a delightful and diverting tale about Kitty Bennet, and transforms her into a heroine who can engage, endear, and hold her own in any society or situation! Brava, Kitty! And Brava, Sallianne Hines! Congratulations on this splendid and skillfully-composed debut! I am looking forward to seeing more works from your pen soon!

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