Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I'm no deconstructionist; what Jane Austen says, goes. From that point of view, this book is replete with errors of "fact," or of "fict," if you will. To give only one example, Mr. Collins is called Mr. Bennet's nephew; in fact, he is Mr. Bennet's cousin. I found three such errors in as many pages. These irritants to a Janeite would not be fatal in a rollicking good read. Unfortunately, we don't have a rollicking good read here. The mystery angle is in some ways incredibly obvious; the reader guesses parts of it immediately. Other parts come into the "had-I-but-known" category. No clever reader can figure them out, as can a really clever reader of Agatha Christie. With Christie you generally kick yourself for having missed the obvious. But, in this book, at least, James cheats. The comedy-of-manners angle is a terrible disappointment. James presents two suitors for Georgiana Darcy's hand, but there is virtually no conflict. No pride. No prejudice. No mixed feelings. Georgiana likes the obviously likable young man best, and there are no red herrings that seem to point to him as the murderer, and no stains on his character. The other suitor is wholly uninteresting except that he does some seemingly inexplicable things after the murder. But he's not guilty either, and, anyway, Georgiana likes the other guy. No surprises. There is no witty dialog, there are no obervations on the human condition, no noshing, no dancing, no hidden agenda. It's as dry as sawdust. Darcy and Elizabeth have been married six years, but their relationship has not evolved since the day of their engagement. I have no ax to grind. I really am sorry to say this. I thought James would write a great P&P sequel and I took the trouble to order this book from England so I wouldn't have to wait for American publication. I can't recommend it.