P.D. James
Grade: B-
Genre: crime / historical fiction / Austen-inspired
Source: own
TBR RBC 2015: A crime novel
Six years have passed since we
left Pride and Prejudice and all is
well: Elizabeth has transitioned into her role as the new mistress of Pemberley
perfectly and she and Darcy dote on their two young sons, Fitzwilliam and
Charles. She’s revived the annual Lady Anne’s ball, traditionally held to
celebrate the birthday of Darcy’s mother, but which had been dormant since her
death. Preparations are well into the final touches on the eve of the ball in
1803, when death comes suddenly and shockingly to Pemberley … It is Lydia Wickham,
Elizabeth’s younger, unreliable sister who brings the news in her usual state
of hysteria, believing that her husband, George Wickham, is dead. And so
follows an investigation that threatens to rock the Darcy family to its core …
I was first introduced to PD
James’ world of Death Comes to Pemberley through
the 3-part BBC adaptation that graced the country’s screens during Christmas of
2013. It was gripping and well-written and everything that Jane Austen would be
if murder ever did come to Pemberley. Of course there was a book behind it, and
it was only a year later that I picked up the novel to explore how close the
adaptation truly was.
Like I mentioned in my review of
Shannon Hale’s Austenland, I’ve never
been a fan of Austen-inspired novels. I can see why they still appeal to
generations of readers today, but I’ve never personally seen their appeal. That
doesn’t stop me, however, from watching whatever television or film adaptation
happens to be shown on television. When I saw the television adaptation of DCtP, I was intrigued enough by the world
that had been created to seek out the book. I was glad that I did: the
screenplay is wonderfully true to the book and PD James creates a world worthy
of taking a place in the highest ranks of Austen-derivative literature with
complex characters (how adorable are
Georgiana and Henry Alveston?) and a well fleshed-out plot. I’ve watched parts
of the TV-adaptation multiple times now and it’s still as enjoyable as the
first time – though DCtP isn’t my
usual reading material, I think I could definitely see myself reading it again
and again.
Image courtesy of Book Depository.
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