Gratia's Reviews > Honour, Decorum & Prudence: A Pride and Prejudice Variation

The secrets we keep

3.5* rounded down. *SPOILERS AHEAD*

As a fan of this author's books, I found this one somewhat disappointing. It could have benefited from an additional edit to eliminate repetition and errors. At one point, Charlotte talked with Elizabeth "as they had done since they were young children." In my opinion, that scenario would not likely have happened with the 7-year age gap. Later in the story, guests at Netherfield, having already taken their seats and finished the first course, receive a call to dinner.

And the shades of Longbourn! I find it difficult to understand how Elizabeth can be sanguine about the inheritance lineage, knowing and despising the father as she does. With her knowledge of Charlotte's actions and immoral behaviour, I'm surprised that Elizabeth kept up a correspondence with her.

Elizabeth's character seems to have similar nerves as her mother, but the expression of them is more subtle—she has an excessive number of headaches and deals with any trouble by going to bed. Darcy doesn't correct himself until his uncle questions him. Despite these criticisms, I did enjoy this fairly low-angst story with this version of Lord Matlock and his relationship with Mr. Bennet.