Review-Darcy's Voyage, by Kara Louise

DARCY’S VOYAGE: A Tale of Uncharted Love On the Open Seas
by Kara Louise
Sourcebooks Landmark
9781402241024
Historical Fiction
September 2010
$14.99/$17.99/£7.99 UK
505 pages




Summary
Elizabeth Bennet is off to America to visit her aunt and uncle. Her father, is loathe for her to go, but after placing her in the care of the competent captain, he acquiesces and waves goodbye from the docks. Elizabeth is sailing in steerage on Pemberley’s Promise, and soon discovers that the dark and close quarters are undesirable. She walks on deck in the early morning to breathe the clean air. She gives up her bed to a woman with sick children, leaving her only place left to sleep on the floor. The handsome and aloof Mr. Darcy, sailing in one of the most elegant cabins, has taken notice of the unconventional and attractive Elizabeth. In true Pride and Prejudice style the characters of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet banter back and forth as they stroll the boards of the ship. They met once before several years ago in a carriage ride. It was clear then as now their social circles were completely opposite, yet drawn to each other. This is the story of the marriage, between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy that occurred while on board the ship. A marriage on paper only, for propriety’s sake, as they both agree to a future annulment upon Darcy’s return to London.

Review
With the countless retells of Pride and Prejudice on the shelves these days, I was not sure I wanted to sit down for another version. With welcomed delight, this one is full of life, honors the memory of the original and offers a scenario of happenstance that works. I did notice that this Elizabeth is a little more agreeable, with a little less of an edge to her colorful conversations. Her personality is softer in the beginning, than the original Elizabeth, but perhaps she is characterized this way on purpose. Traveling alone without the security of family surrounding her, she is more vulnerable. I fell in love with Mr. Darcy all over again and it is painful to read his despair upon losing Elizabeth in America. In fact their separation caused me frequent anxiety reading the story, hastening my pace to find out how it all works out. The love between the two is prideful and the prejudice still remains. As they once again appear to be star-crossed, these memorable lovers from historical literature are presented by Kara Louise with endearment. Darcy’s Voyage takes you beyond the continent and back, and with her responsible portrayal, you still feel the depth of their passion, their desire and their need for one another. Loved it!



What were they thinking.....

Mr. Darcy

“Wrought with anxiety, he paced back and forth up on the deck for some time, compelled to rush into his room and declare his love, and yet held back by the apprehension of how she would receive it. Those little voices with whom he had argued earlier surfaced again, but this time more meekly, and he was able to rid his mind of them. He knew he could not live without her, and it was worth it to take the risk: the risk of what his family would say, what his friends would say, and most importantly, what she would say.”(Chapter 12)

Elizabeth Bennet

“She sat still, fervently keeping an eye to the door, wondering when he would return. She absently fingered the coverlet that lay on her bed, sketching in her mind what she would say to him wondering what she should say to him. As each minute ticked away she could not decide if she more greatly feared his prompt return or desired it.” (Chapter 13)

Disclosure: I am an Indiebound Affiliate. I received this review copy from Sourcebooks for free.


© [Wisteria Leigh] and [Bookworm's Dinner], [2010].