The Most Revealing and Heartfelt Darcy POV I’ve Ever Read!
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Source: Review Copy from Author
OVERVIEW: In this thoughtful and illuminating trilogy, author Stanley Hurd tells the story of Pride and Prejudice from Mr. Darcy’s point-of-view. Revealing the inner workings of Darcy’s mind – his analytical thought process, his reflections on love and marriage as well as his interactions with close friends and family, and private correspondence with his sister – Mr. Hurd gives readers a very complete and intimate depiction of Fitzwilliam Darcy with these three phenomenal volumes.
Volume One – Into Hertfordshire
Time Frame: Just before Bingley begins his lease to the departure of the Netherfield party to London
What We Learn:
- The Darcys are introspective – in this volume Georgiana is reflecting on the incident in Ramsgate, her mistakes, and the nature of love. While Darcy ponders the married state, his parent’s happy union, and his years out in society.
- The Netherfield Ball was a night of acute torment for Mr. Darcy. Wow!
What I Loved: How it felt to be inside Darcy’s head. To see him work out ideas and analyze, react, contemplate – we learn everything! We learn the truth about Mr. Darcy! I also loved how I will now never look at the Netherfield Ball the same again, poor Darcy, what a night of disappointment, stress, and frustration!
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars!
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Volume Two – Into Kent
Time Frame: Darcy’s arrival in London after the Netherfield Ball to Darcy giving Elizabeth his letter after the first proposal.
What We Learn:
- Darcy repeatedly misunderstood and misinterpreted practically every interaction he had with Elizabeth. Poor Darcy imagined hidden subtext where there was none, interpreted her blushes and smiles incorrectly, and assumed Elizabeth’s open candor and teasing was a sign of her partiality for him!
- Darcy is very awkward and inexperienced around women! He doesn’t see through their machinations, is unsure of how to make normal conversation with them, and is very bad at flirting (but that is kinda cute!) While in London, trying to forget Elizabeth, he almost falls into a trap set by a very devious lady. Loved how he revenged himself though!
What I Loved: I loved everything! Such wonderful insight into this character! But what I loved most was seeing the proposal, refusal, and letter from Darcy’s point-of-view. The intense despair and heartache Darcy experiences are palpable and profoundly moving!
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars!
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Volume Three – The Way Home
Time Frame: Darcy returning to London after receiving a devastating rejection from Elizabeth to Christmas Day (an epilogue!)
What We Learn:
- Darcy is a man of action! There is a lot scenes devoted to Darcy’s “hunts and confronts” Wickham sequence in this volume. With the precision, strategy, and skill Darcy uses to negotiate Wickham, you’d think he had experience in the military!
- Darcy is a matchmaker! Darcy involves himself in two other couples’ love affairs. Love how he lent them his assistance!
What I Loved: Corporal Sands (a brilliant comic relief character!) And of course I loved Darcy with all his strength and manliness as he expertly handled Wickham! *sigh* I also enjoyed Darcy’s relationship with his aunt, Lady Andover.
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars!
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CONCLUSION: This series is brilliant and a MUST-own for every Darcy fan! I love how Mr. Hurd gives us an objective view of this iconic hero (Darcy’s flaws aren’t completely explained away) and how closely he pays attention to and doesn’t stray from Jane Austen’s vision of this beloved iconic hero (he truly is very much what he ever was!). Mr. Hurd has done a marvelous job with Mr. Darcy and I am all eager anticipation to see what he does with Colonel Fitzwilliam and Captain Wentworth next!!
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GIVEAWAY TIME!!!
Today Stanley Hurd generously brings with him 3 BRAND NEW paperback copies of Darcy’s Tale, Volume I: Into Hertfordshire + 1 ARC (uncorrected proof) of Darcy’s Tale: Deluxe Edition for me to giveaway to some lucky readers!!
To enter this giveaway, leave a comment about my review!!
- This giveaway is open worldwide. Thank you, Stanley!
- This giveaway ends December 17th!
Want to double your chances of winning?? Come check out my interview with Stanley Hurd and leave him a comment!
I loved reading your books from Dracys pov they were wonderful thanks for the giveaway!
Weren’t they? I can’t wait to see what he does with Captain Wentworth and Colonel Fitzwilliam.
What a great idea for a fresh perspective on P&P! And from the pen of a neurochemist – wow! Now I have to hop to the interview and read it right away.
You will love this series, Elaine! Definitely a fresh perspective!
Although I have these all on kindle and LOVED them I would love to have paperbacks to lend to friends who don’t have kindle and just because I do love to have the paperback copy in hand. So much easier to flip to the section you want to read if you are not re-reading the whole book from start to finish. And I do want to re-read them.
I can definitely understand that! Yes, they are definitely the kind of books you have to reread! 😉
Great envies, Meredith! You have me eager to find out what his tortured thoughts are at the Netherfield ball, how he seeks revenge against the lady trying to compromise him, and his attempts at flirting!
Sounds like a great book! Thanks for the giveaway, too! 🙂
Sorry, autocorrect. Should be “great review, Meredith.” *SMH* 😉
Jakki – you’ve got to read this series! I think you will love it! 😉
I was the lucky winner of one of the volumes in a previous giveaway so please don’t include me in this one….
I enjoyed this series and think it should be on every JAFF readers must read list!
Congrats on your lucky win! I definitely echo your thoughts. 😀
I completely agree with your review. Stanley Hurd did a great job of showing the inner workings of Mr.Darcy’s mind. I felt for him through out. It changed my view of the Netherfield Ball as well. Would love to have the Deluxe Edition.
Thank you, Sagan!! It is amazing how Stanley doesthat…I’ve read/seen those sequence of events dozens of times. Now I have a whole new view of them!
Thinking that this book may contain a different Darcy since the author is a male and I have always read female authors’ books…in my opinion something in the point of view is different…
Very true, Loren! Mr. Hurd definitely understands and has had experience with the workings of the male mind! 😉
This looks really interesting and I love books written from the Darcy POV.
This one is very special! Hope you like it!
Your enthusiasm for these just leaps off the page. I look forward to encountering the original characters like Corporal Sands in them. I love that it has been bound together all in one book now.
🙂 Thanks, Sophia! I don’t think you will find my enthusiasm unwarranted…at least I hope you won’t!
I would a chance to read these and your review makes them sound so wonderful
I hope you get the chance to read them soon, Katie! They ARE wonderful!
Well done, Meredith. Spot on!
Thanks, Joy! I appreciate you saying that!
I loved volume 1. It was great as others mentioned to see the inner workings. You don’t need to enter me in the drawing. I am still working on getting volume 2 and 3.
I hope you get the other volumes soon! I think volume 2 is my favorite. 🙂
Oh Meredith, I completely agree with your review. Mr. Hurd has done a brilliant job. I have all 3 books on my Kindle, but I would love to be entered into the draw for the deluxe edition. Thank you!
That’s great to hear! I’m glad you didn’t think I was talking it up too much! 😉
Love your review Meredith! Makes me even more excited to read the series!
Thanks, Dung! I hope you get to read it soon!
I’ve been waiting to read this until all volumes were out, so it seems I can start now! Very nice!
Thanks for the giveaway!
Yes you can! Happy reading!
I love the Darcy point of view stories. This series sounds like my cup of tea! Thanks for offering this give-away.
If you love Darcy POVs you will definitely think this one is great! A must add to your collection!
Meredith, with this review I am now chomping at the bit to read this series. I have 2 other , must reads, to complete first, but then comes this series. I have the eBooks and so there is no excuse. Again, thank you for the interview and thanks to Stanley for the give away.
Hope you get to read it soon! And that your enjoyment of it matches my own! 🙂
I am so happy to have found this blog. I love Austen universe stories, especially those told from alternative viewpoints. It’s fun to crawl inside the mind of a great character and see the story unfolding through his or her eyes and feelings. These Darcy-centric novels sound to be a great addition to my Austenesque collection.
Welcome, Julie! 🙂 I agree, everyone perceives things differently. It is especially fun to see a familiar sequence of events or conversation but understand it in a new way. Hope you enjoy this series!
OMG!!!!! I so need to read this!!!!
Thank you for the giveaway!!!
Yes you do! LOL! 😉
The old adage rings true. A boy chases a girl until she catches him. Sounds like something I’d like to read.
🙂 Very true indeed! Best luck in the giveaway, Dan!
Ooo!!! A book from Darcy’s POV *_* I need it now. It would be awesome to know what is going on in that stupid yet loving head of his. 🙂
LOL! Yes, poor man – famous for being a haughty and aloof, but in actuality is just very awkward and inexperienced around women!
Great review for a great trilogy! Please don’t enter me in the giveaway, I just wanted to pop by to say how much I liked it!
Thank you, Joana! Greatly appreciate you saying so and popping by! 🙂
I thought I had commented on this already but I think my comment went missing! Commenting again then! 🙂
Thanks for stopping by, Brenda!
5 out of 5 stars for all 3 books, I haven’t had a chance to read these yet, but look forward to at some point after reading such glowing reviews.
I think this might be a first! I’ve read other trilogies before, but I don’t think I’ve ever given out all 5 stars for each book. 😉 Hope you get the chance to read these books soon!
What an enticing set if teasers to lure readers in. Thanks for the highlight tour.
LOL! Mission accomplished. Glad you are enticed!
Terrific review, Meredith. This is definitely going to my wish list. I have the first volume but waiting to get the complete set before diving into the books.
Thank you, Sylvia! Hope you get the rest soon! I’m looking forward to rereading the whole series back-to-back one day.
I am soooo looking forward to reading these books. I waited until all three were out, too. Loved your review Meredith! And I loved the interview with Mr Hurd. Can’t wait.
Thank you, Michelle! Stanley did such a remarkable job with these books, I cannot but help sing his praises!!