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Netherfield Park Revisited: The acclaimed Pride and Prejudice sequel series (The Pemberley Chronicles) |
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| Author: Rebecca Ann Collins Published: 2008-09-01 |
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List price: $14.95 Our price: $10.17 |
Usually ships in 24 hours As of: December 01st, 2008 12:18:44 PM |
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Customer comments on this selection. Well written, but read the Chronicles in order!The Synopsis Netherfield Park Revisisted takes up the story of Jonathan Bingley, the forty-two year old son of Charles Bingley and Jane Bennett. (Yes, Jane and Lizzie are grandmothers in this novel!). The time is the mid 19th-century and the winds of political change are sweeping through England. The reform movement is well underway and Jonathan is to play a pivotal role. But Jonathan's marriage is disintegrating and it is his quiet strength, so very much like his mother Jane, that will bring him through the intrigues and even betrayals that try his spirit. Through it all, many familiar Austen characters make recurring and enjoyable appearances; their lives, too, are effected by the events that take place. By not reading the first book in the series, I missed out on the first quarter-century of Darcy and Lizzy's marriage, which was covered in The Pemberely Chronicles: A Companion Volume to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. This in itself would be of little importance were it not for the recurring references to that time period throughout the novel. The result was a frustrating reading experience as I was continually obliged to fill in the gaps with not enough information to adequately do so. There can be no doubt, though, that author Rebecca Ann Collins has the enviable talent of writing in Jane Austen's own voice. She admirably attempts to maintain the spirit of Pride and Prejudice and by and large succeeds. The original Pride and Prejudice characters who weave their way in and out of Jonathan's life are true to character - a tribute to the respect the author accords Ms. Austen. The sheer volume of characters, however, led me to pull out a notebook and create a pedigree chart in order to keep them all straight. The convoluted politics of the time, however, are succinctly presented and illuminating for the reader -- I enjoyed that particular facet of the novel most of all. Ms. Collins demonstrates skillful navigation of the political eddies of the times and the social changes that were sweeping through Europe. The Recommendation If you enjoyed the tone of Jane Austen's original works, you'll enjoy the work of Rebecca Ann Collins. I would suggest, however, that you start with Book 1 of The Pemberely Chronicles and read them in order so as to avoid the confusion and frustration I experienced by jumping into the series mid-stream. I refuse to give up on this book, however, and fully intend to read it once again after obtaining the first two books. If the previous two books of the series are as well written as Netherfield Park Revisited, it should be a much more enjoyable read.  Second time around is not a charm.My vision of Netherfield Park with the former inhabitants, Charles and Jane Bingley, will never be the same after reading this version of the family. Netherfield Park Revisited is too centered in the next generation to suit me. The story line is slow and predictable. Netherfield Park is just an obscure spot on the English landscape where Jason Bingley, we are led to believe, desires to live more than anything else. The author does present the older generation of Pride and Prejudice in their true character, but their actual role in the story was not enough to want me to read any of the other Pemberley Chronicles.  Ms. Collins has done it againMs. Collins has done it again, writing yet another fine companion novel to Pride and Prejudice, third in her series. Having read both The Pemberley Chronicles, and The Women of Pemberley (respectively), it was a thrill to delve yet again into the lives of our beloved characters and their families, as the continuing story unravels in Netherfield Park Revisited. Collins has given Pride and Prejudice lovers a chance to learn what has happened to their favorite characters after the famous Austen ending. Just as enjoyable is the story-telling involving the "next generation" of characters - as the author brings their experiences tto life. The existence of Jonathan Bingley is one of change, that will keep you reading until you're finished. Better and Better, Ms. COllins!Netherfield Park Revisited brings us back once again to the familiar haunts of Hertfordshire, Kent, London, and Derbyshire. In this volume, young Jonathan Bingley has grown into a fine man, an excellent father, and an earnest if imperfect husband. Like his mother Jane, Jonathan sees only the good in those he loves. And like Jane he strives to please everyone. Unfortunately, his ability to be all things to all people proves faulty. And we are then witnesses to a sad and crumbling marriage as well as of the concentric ripples of pain which emanate from it, engulfing his children, his parents, and even Darcy and Elizabeth. However, before we can sink too far into melancholy, our author presents us (as she has in her previous books) with yet more proof of the remarkable resiliency of the human spirit. Despite his sadness, Jonathan never loses hope that better times will come, and he continues to seek the good in all around him. Jonathan's spirits are continually shored-up by the strong and caring women in his life, including his mother, his aunt Lizzy, his eldest daughter, Anne-Marie Bingley, and a new character - Miss Anna Faulkner - whose strength and friendship open up new worlds for him. Jonathan's reward is a second chance at happiness, and that candle, once lit, warms the souls of many. This time our story is set not against a backdrop of political change (although it continues to take place), but rather the changing movements in European art and culture. The Impressionist painters are making their way onto the art scene. It is no surprise that the traditionalists are unable to appreciate the interpretive lines of this new school. The realism of their age is giving way to the ideas, as expressed through Impressionism, that nothing is perfect and nothing is strictly good or bad. Rather, most things are open to interpretation, and most things are as changeable as the shifting of light and shadow. Netherfield Park Revisited is a beautiful story about imperfections - even in those whose lives seem perfectly charmed. Okay, Ms. Collins... I'm hooked. What's next in the saga? |
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