Hey guys,
As one of the world's biggest Jane Austen fans and an even bigger fan of Pride and Prejudice, there was no question of me not buying this book (of course the offer of 2 for £7 did have some influence).
It's like Downton Abbey has come to Longbourn and I love it! The servants perspective is so interesting as they are from different social backgrounds and give us the insight that Austen tries to hide. Especially when Lydia Bennet runs away, Austen skirts over the details of Lydia's time with Wickham in London, yet Baker gives us the bare-faced facts. We see a different side to many of the family members including Mr Bennet, Mrs Bennet and Elizabeth.
Mr Bennet has an illegitimate son with one of the servants which is the fore-running theme throughout the novel and also stems our pity of Mrs Bennet. We have an insight into her still-born son and it's aftermath. Basically Mr Bennet is a bit of a player and it's Mrs Bennet who suffers through a lack of affection and a lust based relationship.
Elizabeth's position is different altogether, seen as a modern, independent women in Pride and Prejudice is shrank to a naive and selfish young woman. She does not think of her actions nor their consequences, such as walking in mud means extra work for her servants who have to wash her stockings and suffer greatly for it. Her relationship with Darcy is explored when one of the servants Sarah, moves with her to Pemberly. Here, Elizabeth is depicted as uncomfortable in her new found wealth, marriage and nervous with her pregnancy, less of a woman and more of a girl.
The story itself shows how the servants are treated, their health issues and their individual love-lives and journeys. What struck me about the story was how disposable the servants are, one is missing for months and not one of the ladies seemingly care or even remembers he was there.
The mystery of James Smith consumes the novel and the reader, keeping the interest firmly where it should be, on the servants. Mr and Mrs Long's marriage gives us an insight into the standards of which people were expected to live even the lower classes. Polly and Sarah who were both rescued from the poor house, give us their perspective on their situations and the state of society. Mainly that of the work house and the underbelly of society that is skirted over in Pride and Prejudice. Through this we are given descriptions of 'flogging' that makes the readers skin crawl and how all their possessions in the world can fit into one small box.
If you like Downton Abbey and are an Austen fan but are not afraid of the nitty gritty then this fresh new take on Pride and Prejudice is for you!
Annie x
As one of the world's biggest Jane Austen fans and an even bigger fan of Pride and Prejudice, there was no question of me not buying this book (of course the offer of 2 for £7 did have some influence).
It's like Downton Abbey has come to Longbourn and I love it! The servants perspective is so interesting as they are from different social backgrounds and give us the insight that Austen tries to hide. Especially when Lydia Bennet runs away, Austen skirts over the details of Lydia's time with Wickham in London, yet Baker gives us the bare-faced facts. We see a different side to many of the family members including Mr Bennet, Mrs Bennet and Elizabeth.
Mr Bennet has an illegitimate son with one of the servants which is the fore-running theme throughout the novel and also stems our pity of Mrs Bennet. We have an insight into her still-born son and it's aftermath. Basically Mr Bennet is a bit of a player and it's Mrs Bennet who suffers through a lack of affection and a lust based relationship.
Elizabeth's position is different altogether, seen as a modern, independent women in Pride and Prejudice is shrank to a naive and selfish young woman. She does not think of her actions nor their consequences, such as walking in mud means extra work for her servants who have to wash her stockings and suffer greatly for it. Her relationship with Darcy is explored when one of the servants Sarah, moves with her to Pemberly. Here, Elizabeth is depicted as uncomfortable in her new found wealth, marriage and nervous with her pregnancy, less of a woman and more of a girl.
The story itself shows how the servants are treated, their health issues and their individual love-lives and journeys. What struck me about the story was how disposable the servants are, one is missing for months and not one of the ladies seemingly care or even remembers he was there.
The mystery of James Smith consumes the novel and the reader, keeping the interest firmly where it should be, on the servants. Mr and Mrs Long's marriage gives us an insight into the standards of which people were expected to live even the lower classes. Polly and Sarah who were both rescued from the poor house, give us their perspective on their situations and the state of society. Mainly that of the work house and the underbelly of society that is skirted over in Pride and Prejudice. Through this we are given descriptions of 'flogging' that makes the readers skin crawl and how all their possessions in the world can fit into one small box.
If you like Downton Abbey and are an Austen fan but are not afraid of the nitty gritty then this fresh new take on Pride and Prejudice is for you!
Annie x
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