What If Elizabeth Had a Three-Year-Old Brother Who Needed Her Help and Protection?
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Source: Gift from Publisher
TYPE OF NOVEL: Pride and Prejudice Variation
THE PREMISE:
The world is a little different at Longbourn – half of the Bennets, (including Mr. Bennet) perished in a fever epidemic that swept through Meryton years ago. Longbourn’s heir is a three-year-old that – because he is a bit delayed with verbal skills – is regarded as “defective” or “an idiot.” And the Phillips, under the guise of helping Mrs. Bennet manage Longbourn, have moved in and are forcefully trying to seize full and permanent control. Fearing for her younger brother’s well-being and future, Elizabeth takes him to live at Longbourn’s old hunting lodge…
MY THOUGHTS:
😮 I love the dramatic deviations in this premise. A new heir, a new living situation, and new challenges. The antagonists are completely new too – evil Mr. and Mrs Phillips?!?
🧒🏻 Dear Neddy! I always love seeing Elizabeth interact and have a relationship with children. And in this story the relationship is even more unique and special as Elizabeth is all Neddy has. We saw Elizabeth as a fiercely devoted sister when she nursed Jane, but now it is even more admirable as she pours all that fierce devotion into her role as surrogate mother.
🧩 I really enjoyed the inclusion and spotlight on neurodivergent characters in this story. I appreciated how Ms. Cooper illustrated various neurodivergent challenges and tendencies. It was interesting to look at it through this time period and see how others understood/misunderstood what was going on.
🎩 Mr. Darcy is took an eager interest in the woman and child he met in the woods…and I loved it! I love that he kept finding reasons to see her again. I also loved his quick understanding, patience, and compassion for Elizabeth’s situation. He immediately wants to help and make it better…he just doesn’t know how. I enjoyed this new and less rocky course for Darcy and Elizabeth, although I wouldn’t have minded them having more development of their romance.
✍🏼 I loved the creative plans to help Neddy with language and understanding. This incorporated another character with neurodivergent tendencies in the best way possible ,and their endeavors to help and support Neddy were everything that is heartwarming and inspiring.
Having raised an autistic son myself, I very much enjoy sympathetic (and accurate) portrayals of neurodivergent characters in the fiction I read. I recall having previously read a JAFF with a neurodivergent Georgiana (“The Swans of Pemberly”); don’t recall the author, though.
It was Laraba Kendig. I recently reread it and it’s a gem. Georgiana is the neuro divergent character.
I read this recently. It’s a wonderful story and written with respect for diversity. I don’t want to get on a soapbox but I wish there were more stories like this. My two sons were/are very bright and were considered gifted in their schools in the ‘80s. However, we did not understand how they could be so intelligent and yet not able to manage executive functions. Turns out they are neurodivergent. Both are in their 40s, married and have good jobs, but they have had challenges and are misunderstood because of high intelligence. People have certain expectations they can’t meet. I also have a beloved grand nephew who is profoundly autistic. Different end of the spectrum…even more challenges. Thank you, Julie, for a wonderful story.
Great Read! Thanks for your review!