Full Description

Plight of the Darcy Brothers

In this lively second installment, the Darcys and Bingleys are plunged into married life and its many accompanying challenges presented by family and friends.

With Jane and Elizabeth away, Darcy and Bingley take on the daunting task of managing their two-year- old children. Mary Bennet returns from the Continent pregnant by an Italian student promised to the church; Darcy and Elizabeth travel to find the father, and discover previously unknown—and shocking—Darcy relations. By the time Darcy discovers that there's more than one sibling of questionable birth in the family, the ever-dastardly Wickham arrives on the scene to try to seize the Darcy fortune once and for all.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Excerpt

Excerpt

Reviews

Reviews

Book, Line and Sinker Natalie Mancino
Second in a series, The Plight of the Darcy Brothers finds Fitzwilliam Darcy making hasty travel plans to the Continent to save yet another Bennet daughter from scandal.
It’s been an unintentionally (though enjoyable) Austen-esque summer here at Chez Book, Line, and Sinker. In addition to Altman’s terrific sequel, I’ve been (slowly!) working my way through the Spanish version of Pride and Prejudice and finished Prada and Prejudice, at the recommendation of another blogger.
It seems that Jane Austen fans can be divided into roughly two camps: the purists and the rest of us. Austen purists may struggle with contemporary authors serializing Pride and Prejudice (or the other novels), but I think that if the author does his or her research and tells a solid story, these sequels can find success and have a place in the literary world. (Take my poll at the end of this review and tell me how you feel about serializing classics!)
Marsha Altman is one such author, creating a realistic continuation of Pride and Prejudice while seamlessly incorporating new characters without detracting from the original story. The Plight of the Darcy Brothers is the second installment in her continuing series and though I haven’t read the first book, had no difficulty following this story.
The novel follows Darcy and Elizabeth as they travel to the Continent, Italy specifically, in an effort to save the reputation of yet another Bennet sister. Along the way, Darcy comes to learn several shocking things about his father and the Darcy family. As they travel on, Darcy wrestles with internal conflict, trying to come to terms with what he’s discovered.
Altman’s skillful use of narration helps the reader understand what motivates each character. Told in the third-person omniscient, we can see into the minds of the majority of characters and it gives the story greater depth and authenticity. Austen herself also wrote in this narrative style.
Altman doesn’t skimp on details and fills readers in on all the characters from the original novel. The subplots keep the story moving and it’s a quick and entertaining read. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and have plans to read the first book shortly. Readers who can’t get enough of Pride and Prejudice should give Marsha Altman’s series a whirl.
Thanks to Danielle at Sourcebooks for this review copy!

Jenny Loves to Read Jen Ritter
This is Altman’s second book in her Pride and Predjudice Continues series. It does pick up from her first book, The Darcy’s and the Bingleys. You can read my review of that one here.

I really enjoyed this entertaining story. The storyline is inventive and expands upon Austen’s beloved characters. The book begins with a loss in the famil whihc the Darcy’s are having a difficult time dealing with. Therefore, when a situation arises with Mary Bennett it creates the ideal distraction for the Darcy’s, and the perfect story for the rest of the book.

The Darcy’s make some interesting discoveries on their trip to the Continent, that I think tie in nicely with Austen’s original story. Some P&P purisits may find the premise scandalous, but the Darcy family couldn’t have been completely perfect. Humans are flawed after all, and thinking back on their described behaviors, it makes sense. What better way to hide your mistakes than being holier than thou? (Dying of curiosity, aren’t you?)

The characters are less rigid and formal than Austen’s originals and that is what makes these books so great in my opinion. Austen wrote these characters true to her own time and social conventions and Altman modernizes them a bit, yet keeping the original intent. I love picturing Mr. Darcy chasing his son around, like real parents do. Darcy and Elizabeth speak openly and honestly to each other, like most married couples do or at least try to. When I read Altman’s books I feel as though I am sitting down chatting with old friends. It’s fun and comforting.

Isn’t that what good stories are supposed to do?

As far as the secondary charaters go, the Bingleys and the Maddoxes had their own little adventures in this story. Altman has made Caroline Maddox (nee Bingley) a very likable character. So much so, that one can see a little past her treatment of the Bennetts in the original. You could say that Caroline has been humbled by her own experience with love and marriage. She gets it now.

My Rating: 95/100. Overall this was a delightful book. I totally enjoyed it. I can see myself reading these books again in the future. Probably after I re-read Austen :)

A Curious Statistical Anomaly Gayle Surret
The Plight of the Darcy Brothers begins several months after the ending of The Darcys & the Bingleys. Elizabeth has miscarried. She and Darcy are devastated but they have their son, Geoffrey, who is very much like his father, and they are assured that there will be more children.
Starting with such sadness, you’d expect this book to be much darker than its predecessor, but there is hope. Jane and Bingley live nearby and the visits are frequent. Elizabeth begins to come out of her depression. Even Mrs. Bennet surprises us with her common sense advice — who knew she had it in her.
Then a mysterious letter comes from Mary Bennet who has been studying in Paris, asking Jane to come to her in Brighton. It’s mysterious because it’s not like Mary to be so uninformative and secretive. Jane, of course, asks Elizabeth to come with her. When they arrive at the Fitzwilliams’ home, Mary isn’t there. They don’t know where she is staying or how to find her. But then Mary shows up and breaks her bad news. Jane and Elizabeth, while shocked to their core, immediately offer Mary all the assistance they can and the trio sets off for Chatton, Jane’s home.
The entire family gets involved and begins to come up with a plan to save Mary’s reputation. Someone must take charge and we all know that someone will be Darcy. He’d been looking for a way to help Elizabeth get over the loss of her child and the journey they must take would be the perfect opportunity. Also, it seems from Mrs. Reynolds that there is also some unfinished business of his father’s in France. Hopefully, they can handle it and Mary’s problem at the same time.
While The Darcys & the Bingleys, took us from the marriage at the end of Austen’s Pride and Prejudice to the two couples settling down and adapting to married life, The Plight of the Darcy Brothers moves us into unknown territory. Many sequels to Pride and Prejudice move us beyond the wedding, Altman manages to do so by adding additional characters and by allowing the characters to grow and change in accordance with the events that have happened to them since the wedding. Yet, she is still working with the characters that we have grown to love — she doesn’t deviate from the integrity and moral values that Austen imbued them with in her work. However, they’ve moved on–grown. Kitty and Georgiana have become friends with the result that Kitty is more calm and responsible and Georgiana is less shy. Caroline Bingley has found happiness with Dr. Maddox and lives in London.
This story, while about Mary, has Mary only as the driving force of the plot and mostly off the page. It’s Darcy and Elizabeth that take center stage. They are trying to save Mary’s reputation and, by extension, Kitty’s. They make some new friends and find some unexpected allies and family along the way.
Altman manages to move between the story lines — Darcy and Elizabeth in Europe and Bingley and Jane and the rest of the Bennets in Chatton, and Caroline and Dr. Maddox in London — deftly. As with the first book there is humor, always apt, sometimes silly but always fitting to the occasion and circumstances and, if we’re honest, resonating with our own lives. There are also some moments of extreme poignancy that actually brought tears to my eyes (even on rereading the book a second and then a third time).
Altman manages to stay true to the original characters, tell a whopping good story, make us laugh and cry in all the right places, and make us want to read it again and again. It’s that ability that makes her follow-ons to Pride and Prejudice, ones that we will impatiently await like the coming of a new season.

Bookfoolery & Babble Nancy Horner
"It belongs to the abbey," his brother protested. "Not to me."

"I will personally pay for the abbey to acquire a new one if they press me on it," Darcy said. "You will have to find a new way to torture yourself. Try falling in love with a woman who despises you."

•from the uncorrected Advanced Copy of The Plight of the Darcy Brothers (changes may have been made)

I just whipped through The Plight of the Darcy Brothers and since we have a 90% chance of thunderstorms, tomorrow, I thought maybe I should go ahead and type up my review, while I’m waiting to become sleepy (I’m not very good at the sleep thing).

Last year, I read The Darcys and the Bingleys by Marsha Altman (click on the title to read my review) and I loved it so much — in spite of the fact that Mr. Darcy was definitely not entirely Jane Austen’s Darcy and there was an inordinate amount of giggling about the marital bed — that I requested the next book in Altman’s series the moment it became available. I certainly hope Marsha Altman’s going to continue with this series.

As with its predecessor, one has to be willing to set aside the real Jane Austen and let the author take the reader on a wild ride. And, truly, The Plight of the Darcy Brothers is just that. It’s a wild ride. In this installment, pious Mary finds herself in a heap of trouble. Darcy and Elizabeth set out for the continent in order to help her ("to clear her reputation", it says on the book cover). While they’re in France, Mr. Darcy discovers that his father kept a terrible secret from him and Georgiana. Actually, two secrets.

At Chatton, the Bingleys’ country home, the house is brimming with activity as Jane and Bingley take in Darcy and Elizabeth’s precocious 2-year-old, Geoffrey. Jane and Bingley have, at this point, a daughter Geoffrey’s age and a younger set of twins. With the addition of Mary and Mr. & Mrs. Bennet, the house is bursting with activity.

In town, Caroline Maddox (née Bingley) is expecting her first child and her husband, Dr. Daniel Maddox, finds himself in the midst of a bit of a royal mess, literally, as he treats a wounded man in a brothel and then discovers the true identity of the man he treated.

I can see why the cover blurb is a little bit vague. I’ve written the description in my own words and skipped the bleak opening, but I find myself choosing to be equally shifty because there is so much that happens in The Plight of the Darcy Brothers that is surprising and adventurous that I hesitate to give anything away. Let me just say this:

4/5 - Another rollicking fine adventure with the Darcys and Bingleys, well-written (but not perfect — expect a bit of American vernacular to creep in) and ridiculously fun reading. The author has written notes on the historical inaccuracies contained in the two books at the end. Read this if you like a lot of plot twists and don’t mind a book that goes off on dramatic tangents from the original Austen. Like her first book, Altman managed to inject a fair amount of wit and humor.

Snitched from the author’s website:

"Marsha’s first book was a story about an alien who came to earth because he won a contest. It was 24 pages long (about 25% bad artwork) and written in fourth grade. It was never published because it was written by a 4th-grader."

I thought that was hilarious, not only because . . . well, it is funny . . . but also because my first book was roughly that length, written in the 4th grade, never published for the same reason, and was quite the opposite — the story of three young girls who travel to Mars, where they set up a space station and become friends with the aliens. If it hasn’t been destroyed in one of our many floods, I probably still have it somewhere. I thought my aliens were really cute, though.

Many thanks to Danielle of Sourcebooks for this advanced reader!

Grace’s Book Blog Grace Loiacano
The Plight of the Darcy Brothers was a great sequel to The Darcys and the Bingleys. It was humorous, dramatic, romantic and touching—all things I love in a Jane Austen sequel. I also love when sequels attempt to delve into the past of the very mysterious Darcy family and/or take the reader away from Pemberley. I was very happy to find that this novel does both.
I began reading with extremely high expectations. I loved The Darcys and the Bingleys and could not wait for more. I loved the humor and wit of the first book and was expecting the same of the second. The humor definitely lived up to expectations in the form of little Gregory, Darcy and Elizabeth’s son. He is such a little scamp and he runs Darcy ragged. My favorite escapade is when he dyes Georgie, Jane and Bingley’s daughter, and himself blue. I couldn’t stop chuckling. He is adorable. This sequel also adds more drama in the form of a foolish decision made by Mary Bennet. I know! Mary Bennet! Shocked me too. I love Mary and, trust me, I never anticipated her making a Lydia-style folly but Altman was convincing in Lydiafying my innocent Mary Bennet. I love how she didn’t make Mary look foolish even through her mistakes but simply unfortunate. I would have loved to see a more typical happy ending for Mary in this one. I have always wanted her to find someone to love her and I suppose she did, in a way. She, for some reason, is my favorite character apart from Lizzy and Darcy. I suppose I identify with her.
The canon and new non-canon characters were treated well by Altman. Gregoire was an amazing addition to the Jane Austen group of characters. I was quite unsure as to how a monk would work in relation to Darcy but he did have a great chemistry with Darcy and Elizabeth and I loved watching them travel together. I loved watching Darcy take care of and worry over Gregoire when he learned that he was fasting and flagellating himself. He also added a new dimension to Darcy that I didn’t expect. Maddox, one of my favorite character from The Darcys and the Bingleys, acts like the reader’s eye into the outside world of Regency England, that Austen would never have shown us. He takes us from whorehouses to the Prince Regent himself. He also shows us the realities of childbirth before advanced medicine made it safer. Even Wickham is treated well. He gains a bit of humanity. Not a lot but enough so I don’t want to strangle him till his eyes pop out.
This is an excellent sequel. I would read The Darcy’s and the Bingley’s first before picking this one up. I will read any Jane Austen sequels that Marsha Altman writes. This goes on the shelf with my favorites.
Grade-A

A Bibliophile’s Bookshelf Bella McGuire
The Plight of the Darcy Brothers is the second book in the Darcys and the Bingleys series by Marsha Altman.
Fitzwilliam Darcy is settling into a comfortable life with his wife, Elizabeth, and their toddler, Geoffrey, when he is called upon to save another Bennet girl. Mary Bennet has returned from the Continent, pregnant and alone. It is up to Darcy, with the help of a new close friend, to help save Mary’s reputation.
In The Plight of the Darcy Brothers, Marsha Altman writes a beautiful tale of our most beloved of literary couples, the Bingley’s and the Darcy’s.
This tale is so beautifully written with the same subtlety and intriguing plots, that fans of the incomparable Jane Austen might mistake it for a Jane Austen novel.
The plot doesn’t rest for a moment, as the reader takes a journey from England to the Continent and back again, as Elizabeth and Darcy set about to restore Mary’s reputation, and that of their families. The change of scenery as the story takes us to the Continent is very enjoyable, and while Pemberley is often described as a beautiful estate, I found it very refreshing to have the majority of the story take place in a new setting.
With the deftness and ease, that we must consider to be a Marsha Altman-style move, new characters are included, characters that could have been in Jane Austen’s mind from the beginning. They fit that well into the storyline.
One of my favourite characters was little Geoffrey, the fun-loving toddler of Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy. He is always full of energy, and with a new prank on his mind. Especially when he gets in trouble for putting a bottle of ink in his cousin’s bath water.
“So there is a very good explanation -”
“-a perfectly, perfectly good explanation-” Bingley broke in.
“-as to why our children are blue.”
The whole story came out after much questioning and demanding of specifics. Geoffrey had crept into Georgiana’s early morning bath and dumped a bottle of ink in the water. Georgie had been most amused at the concept and had gotten it all over the top half of her body before Nurse returned… Georgie had gotten her revenge the next day by adding ink to the bucket of water to be dumped on Geoffrey in his tub.
Overall I must say I really enjoyed this book. As a long-time fan of Darcy and Elizabeth, the touching, romantic moments between them, had me reaching for the tissues, and the funny moments, amongst the children, had me holding my side from laughing so hard.
The Plight of the Darcy Brothers is available August 1, 2009 from bookstores everywhere.
Be sure to check back at “A Bibliophile’s Bookshelf” on August 4, as Marsha Altman will be here as a guest blogger, and there will be a chance to win your very own copy of The Plight of the Darcy Brothers.
Authors Website: http://www.marshaaltman.com/
** A big thankyou to Sourcebooks for forwarding this book to me to review **

Riley’s Reviews Jennifer Riley
Last year, I was lucky enough to be introduced to Marsha Altman’s wonderful sequel to Pride and Prejudice, The Darcys and the Bingleys. This year, I got lucky again: I scored an advanced copy of the next book, The Plight of the Darcy Brothers. I am happy to report that this book was delightful as well.

The story picks up not terribly long after the previous book ends, and it starts on a sobering note for Darcy, Elizabeth, and readers: Elizabeth has miscarried for a second time. Darcy particularly feels helpless — this is one situation he can’t fix by throwing around his clout as the master of Pemberley — so when a scandalous situation with yet another Bennet sister arises, Darcy’s almost grateful, because it’s the distraction his beloved wife needs to bring her fully back into the swing of things.

Together, the Darcys go off to the Continent to avert social disaster for, of all people, Mary Bennet, but on the way, they discover an even bigger scandal in the Darcy family tree. So they really have a lot on their plates.

Meanwhile, precocious Geoffrey Darcy has been left in the care of the Bingleys, where he and his cousins delight in playing pranks (some seriously funny ones, I might add) on Charles, Jane, and pretty much every other adult resident of Chatton. Mary and the elder Bennets wait for the Darcys’ return, fully aware that her reputation and future, as well as Kitty’s, are on the line. Mrs. Bennet persuades Mr. Bingley into hosting the Wickhams as well, taking advantage of the fact that Darcy isn’t around to gainsay her wishes. And over in town, Caroline (Bingley) Maddox awaits her confinement while her doctor husband has an interesting run-in with the Prince Regent himself.

There are a lot of balls flying around in this book, but Ms. Altman juggles them well, with a deft and subtle touch Jane Austen herself would appreciate. As with The Darcys and the Bingleys, Ms. Altman stays true to the characters, but makes them her own, as well as adding her own characters who fit in seamlessly, along with real historical figures in a whimsical but respectful way.

I’m not quite sure what the “plight” of the title is, although the former literary student in me has imagined elaborate metaphors about how the Darcy brothers are at the mercy of their family history, no matter how much they do not want to be, and how each of them ends up is a reflection of their characters.

The Plight of the Darcy Brothers is a solid follow-up to The Darcys and the Bingleys, with a proper Austen-like feel. I do hope this isn’t the final entry in this refreshing take on literature’s favorite couple — personally, I’d love to see Georgiana Darcy find her happily ever after (hint, hint). If you’re an Austen fan, check Marsha Altman’s series out — though I advise you to do so in order. You’ll thank me.
4.5/5 Rating

This Book For Free Shoshana Ashley
I’m quite new to Pride and Prejudice. I don’t think I read it in high school. I was more of a Harlequin Temptation and Mills and Boone. My mother didn’t know. I read when I’m supposed to be sleeping.
I have read a few more version of P&P staring Mr. Darcy’s point of view. Namely:

DARCY’S STORY by Janet Aylmer
THE CONFESSION OF FITZWILLIAM DARCY by Mary Street
ME AND MR DARCY by Alexandra Potter
Mr. Darcy’s Diary by Maya Slater
Pamela Aiden’s trilogy
MR DARCY TAKES A WIFE by Linda Berdoll
THE LAST MAN IN THE WORLD by Abigail Reynolds
and a few more I can’t quite remember. My favorite kind of version is when the story is also in Mr. Darcy’s point of view.

I like Marsha Altman’s version. It seem very fitting. Darcy and Elizabeth came together to rescue Julia in Jane Austen’s book. This time, Darcy and Elizabeth must travel to the continent to rescue Mary. I thought, and this basing on the movie version charactirization of Mary, that she would be the last person to get into trouble. But, she’s in love.

I like the details on the children, how they’ve become multi-colored under their father’s care. It’s a fun book to read to while away a few quiet afternoon. I’m glad to have read it. Quiet and summer don’t usually go together for me because my children loves to include me in all their activities.

I have not read the first title of this series. I did not know what fan-fiction was. I have no idea I’m fully emmersed in one.

Thanks to Danielle for my ARC copy. My mother’s in line to read it. She’s into Mr. Darcy too.

Becky’s Book Reviews Rebecca Laney
This one is the sequel to The Darcys and the Bingleys. The book follows three couples primarily—Elizabeth and Darcy, Jane and Charles, and Caroline and Daniel. (The first two couples I know need no introduction. Caroline is ’Caroline Bingley’—Charles’ sister—and her husband, Dr. Daniel Maddox, a character introduced in Altman’s book not Austen’s.)

A Bennet sister is in trouble! And you may have trouble guessing just who that sister is. It’s not really a secret. Not when they the publisher chooses to tell you right on the back cover. It’s Mary. And shocker of all shockers, while she was away studying in France, Mary fell in love and got pregnant. Now she’s returned to England to face her family and the consequences of her actions.

Darcy and Elizabeth—in the place of Mr. Bennet—have decided to go to Europe to track down the would-be-father. But what they find in Europe—who they find in Europe—is just the beginning.

Did you notice the title? The Plight of the Darcy Brothers. If you noticed the word BROTHERS then you might just guess a secret or two will be revealed in this one about Darcy’s family.

This one kept me reading. I didn’t always find it believable. But I almost always found it entertaining. It is more action-oriented than the first one. (Personally, I don’t care how action-oriented an Austen sequel is. I don’t need duels and stand-offs and such to be entertained. I’d like to see Darcy a little less injured along the way. Maybe Altman really likes to see Elizabeth play nurse?!)

One thing that I have to say is that I really really appreciate the fact that these two sequels are clean. It’s refreshing.

Stephanie’s Written Word Stephanie Coleman-Chan
I was so excited to find out about the publication of The Plight of the Darcy Brothers, second in the series that continues the stories of Elizabeth, Darcy, Jane and Bingley of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Marsha Altman’s first novel, The Darcys and the Bingleys (which I reviewed last year here) followed the two newlywed couples the first few years of marriage. With a mix of humor and drama, I thoroughly enjoyed her first book and couldn’t wait for her second one.

In The Plight of the Darcy Brothers, we now find Elizabeth and Darcy married with a very active toddler son. Elizabeth has been trying to have a second child, but her pregnancies have ended in miscarriage. Her sister Jane also is a mother of three and lives close by with her husband. Shortly after the book begins, there is word from Mary Bennet, younger sister to Elizabeth and Jane, who has been studying in France. She has now come back to England with news that could ruin the reputation of the entire Bennet clan.

It’s up to ever proper Darcy and his lovely wife to save the family from trouble. Elizabeth and Darcy are off on an adventure, first in France and then on to Italy, to clear Mary’s name. Along the way, Darcy learns of some hidden family secrets that will escalate in a confirmation with the ever-scheming Wickham.

Again, Marsha Altman has written a novel that is utterly charming. The book is written with just the right amount of humor and the plot moves at a steady pace, and is just so much fun to read. Which give you a clue as to why I so enjoy Altman’s books. They are just plain fun!! You can tell that the author has a good time writing about the beloved characters of Pride and Prejudice (and who wouldn’t? Just imagine if you took your favorite book and molded the future of the characters).

Having said that, I think this book will ruffle a few feathers of Austen purists. Unlike her first book, I felt that Altman’s plot was a bit far fetched and didn’t feel like the characters integrity were preserved as well as in her first novel. But, I still enjoyed it for what it was – a really enjoyable read.

The Last Word Brian Hitchcock
Ms Altman has been at it again. The writing style is the same and the reader may find themselves easily lost in this book. It was hard to put down and I must admit it went faster than the first.

The story is centered around Elizabeth and Darcy and their adventure on the continent as they race to preserve the reputation of Miss Mary Bennet. Mary has let her guard down once and has learned that horrible lesson, that it only takes once. She is with child and cannot marry the man as he has been promised to the church. So it is off to France for Elizabeth and Darcy to try and find this man and save the reputation of the Bennet family.

There are many twists and turns in this story and you find out a lot about the Darcy family. Was Darcy’s father the gentleman that he was thought to be? Could there be more Darcy relations out there? The reader will see more of Caroline Bingley Maddox and I believe will come to love her. There is also an appearance by the Prince of Wales.

I would recommend this book. It was a fun read and as always I got to spend time with my favorite characters.

Historical Novel Review Rachel A. Hyde
This is subtitled “A Tale of the Darcys and the Bingleys,” and this describes it rather well, for this is a chance of catching up on what happened to those families after Pride and Prejudice ended. More accurately, this is a sequel to a sequel following on from Altman’s previous The Darcys and the Bingleys and is their next batch of adventures. This time Elizabeth’s sister Mary has a problem to solve, and this has Darcy and Elizabeth chasing off to the Continent in search of a solution. While in France they make another surprising discovery, and after concluding their business in Rome, it is back home again…to more trouble!

If you like action-packed stories you will enjoy this, as so much happens to all the characters. I found it an antidote to lengthy novels where nothing much occurs, but do read Book One first. If you don’t (and I didn’t) you will be a bit mystified about some things while feeling that you have missed out on another good book. There is humor, drama, tragedy, and everything in between, and, while I might have enjoyed a fuller account of the overseas travel, perhaps they are too busy having adventures to spend time describing everything at length. I’ve read various Austen sequels, but this is the best so far. Not to be missed for fans of the original.

Everything Victorian Barbara Davis
Darcy and Elizabeth are disappointed when Elizabeth loses a baby, but unexpected news comes rather quickly, sending the couple on an unpleasant trip to the Continent.

While away from home they meet an unusual young man who has a major impact on their lives, and gives them some startling information that sends Darcy into a tailspin.

There is a surprise on almost every page of this book. It is well-written, exciting, and certainly intriguing. In my opinion, this sequel is the author’s best yet.

Once Upon a Romance Marlene Breakfield
After several years of marriage, the Darcys and the Bingleys have settled into their lives as married couples. However, their peace is shattered by Mary Bennett’s predicament, which could cause a scandal. Darcy and Elizabeth must travel to Europe and try to mediate a solution. While there, Darcy learns that his own family has scandalous secrets.

The Plight of the Darcy Brothers continues Ms. Altman’s lovely series about the beloved characters from Pride and Prejudice. While The Plight of the Darcy Brothers strikes a more somber tone than The Darcys and the Bingleys, there are plenty of lighter moments to lift the mood. Darcy and Elizabeth face great trials in this book and come out on the other side a stronger couple. This reader felt happiness, sadness, anticipation, and excitement during the book—but most of all a warm feeling at the end that lasted for days. I have loved the characters from Pride and Prejudice for years and Ms. Altman’s sequels capture their essence better than any of the many sequels, that I have read. Kudos Ms. Altman!

Classic Jane Austen Blog Tea Kettle
The Plight of the Darcy Brothers" is a wonderful sequel to Jane Austen’s "Pride and Prejudice." I especially enjoyed the trip to France and Italy with Darcy and Elizabeth. Although I felt very sad about the reason for their trip. Poor Mary Bennett comes home to see and talk to her sister Jane with the worse news ever. Of course, this problem will have to involve the whole family’s input. There is no way to keep such scandalous news hidden from servants and other people who might visit Chatton or Pemberley.

This isn’t just a gossipy novel with women drinking tea and whispering about marriages. There is quite a bit of reality in this Marsha Altman’s book. Before Lizzy and Darcy travel there is the talk of wills. I really found myself unprepared to think of death happening to any of these characters. When it did happen to a new character,I cried. She didn’t deserved to be judged by other people. During this time Dr. Maddox, Caroline’s husband, and herself prove the meaning of active love toward neighbor.

Although quite a bit of the book is very serious: mending of family ties, forgiveness for imperfect parents and the life of those who choose to serve as monks or priests, there is also laughter. The children are a large part of the book. The families are growing and growing.

I laughed at Geoffrey and the cousins. The splashing of blue and red ink on Charles Bingley left me to wonder what would Geoffrey and Georgie become like as adults. There is more I want to know about these families. I’m anxious for another sequel. Marsha Altman has only made me more curious about these beloved families.

Wendi’s Book Corner Wendi Barker
Perfect for : Personal reading, Book club read

In a nutshell: I found The Plight of the Darcy Brothers to be a wonderful follow-up book to the original Pride and Prejudice. Marsha Altman remained true to the original characters of Darcy and Elizabeth, Charles and Jane (as well as other favorites), while adding her own take to their continued story. This story finds the Darcys and the Bingleys as neighbors with small children of their own. While dealing with a personal loss, Darcy takes Elizabeth on a trip to the continent to help yet another Bennett sister who is in trouble. This book is delightful and full of surprises, even including a few family secrets that become known to Darcy that will change his life and family forever.

Special note: Elizabeth does have a miscarriage early in the book, and the topic is touched on throughout the book. I believe it was not uncommon to loose babies during pregnancy or shortly after birth, so feel the topic was appropriate to the book, but wanted to let readers know that if they have experienced a similar loss themselves, they should be aware of it.

Extended Review:
Characters: In short, I LOVED THEM! In this book, we have the pleasure of the continued story of many favorite characters from the original Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. We also get the pleasure of making the acquaintance of a few new characters.

Story-Line: I have read a few Pride and Prejudice sequels, and so far this one is my favorite (no, I didn’t read Marsha Altman’s first book The Darcys and the Bingleys, but I found this one stood by itself just fine, so don’t let that stop you!). While staying true to the original feeling of Pride and Prejudice, Marsha Altman has created adventures of her own for some of my favorite characters, which was wonderful because I never wanted the original story to end. This book is full of family and adventure.

Readability: A very fun and enjoyable book.

Overall: I highly recommend this Pride and Prejudice sequel and encourage those who loved Jane Austen’s book to read this one (even if you have been disappointed by other sequels - give this one a chance!!). I will certainly be on the lookout for more of Marsha Altman’s books after reading this one.

A Journey of Books Cinnamon Brown
THE PLIGHT OF THE DARCY BROTHERS begins emotionally and ends emotionally. Suffering a saddening loss, Elizabeth jumps at the opportunity to escape with her sister Jane for a bit to discover what has her sister Mary so wound up. Just returned from her schooling, Mary divulges a secret that gets the sisters riled up and off in search of answers. While on their hunt for the truth, Darcy ends up making some discoveries of his own and eventually finds himself face to face with the despicable Mr. Wickham.

THE PLIGHT OF THE DARCY BROTHERS is actually the second book in Altman’s Pride & Prejudice Continues series. Although I had not read the first book, I didn’t find myself too hung up on the details. Altman created a story that was easy to become engaged with and developed the plot in a way that this book could stand alone relatively well if need be.

I was surprised to find the amount of humor that I did in THE PLIGHT OF THE DARCY BROTHERS. The beginning of the book, as I mentioned, was full of wonderfully written emotion. I was sure that the story was going to get dark and remain dark throughout. Surprisingly, the emotional toll on the reader rarely let up, but the story definitely did not keep a dark edge to it. There were quite a few chuckle moments and other moments where I had read the section again just to witness the scene one more time.

I loved how Altman developed her characters and brought each one to life. Instead of just focusing on a couple of characters and revolving the story around them, Altman really gave us a good look into a handful of characters and showed us how they impact the overall story. I love that we got the story of both the Bennet sisters and the Darcy brothers, each trying to solve a puzzle. On top of that, I think Altman did great justice to the characters. I felt like she preserved the feel of the Austen books while still adding her own edge to it.

Altman did a wonderful job of creating a story that the reader could really get drawn down into. It was very easy to visualize the scenes and I wouldn’t have been surprised in the least to see the characters pop off the page and begin reenacting the book in front of me. This was another book where I lost track of the time while reading. Coming from me, that’s a good thing. It means that the book was so engaging that I quickly lost myself in it. I have a feeling that any of Altman’s readers have a hard time not losing themselves in her words.

Writing: 9
Interest: 9
Passion: 9
Originality: 10
Characters: 9
Pace: 9
Overall: 55/60 - A

Book Cover: 3/3

THE PLIGHT OF THE DARCY BROTHERS definitely earns top marks. This was a wonderful sequel (to a sequel) and I would be more than pleased to read this one again. Fans of Romance or Historical fiction will find something to love in Altman’s book. The love between Darcy and Elizabeth seems to be timeless, regardless of the author, and the action as well as the suspense in this book definitely helped to make it a winner.

The Book Zombie Joanne Mosher
The Plight of the Darcy Brothers is Marsha Altmans’ second book of her Pride & Prejudice continuation. Where the first book was a steady and fun romp, this book is fast-paced action. Starting off with Mary Bennet in a bit of trouble, Darcy and Elizabeth take off to help out. From France to Italy to London they are determined to set things right. What I liked best about this book was that although it has a main plot, there are lots of other subplots happening. Some favorite parts for me were the ones involving the Bingley and Darcy children. It’s so cool to see the second generation and how they are evolving into characters of their own.

Customer Reviews:

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