An Assembly Such as This – Pamela Aidan

I have to admit, I’m a complete sucker for Pride and Prejudice continuations. I know they’re not Jane Austen, but I just enjoy the book so much, I love being able to visit those characters again in a different way.

This book is the first of three that deals with Darcy’s side of the story. This particular book takes us up through when the Bingleys and Mr. Darcy quit Netherfield to return to London after the ball Mr. Bingley holds, where the majority of the Bennett family behaves to abominably.

I liked this particular take on Darcy. His love for Elizabeth grows out of a bit of a game. She completely outfoxes him early on, and his curiosity to know what she’s going to say to him next eggs him into loving her. It also presents an interesting take on his meddling with Bingley’s love life, because he’s causing himself just as much pain by trying to extract himself from the sphere of the worse part of the Bennett family.

I had heard that these books were among the better Jane Austen adaptations, and so far, they don’t disappoint.