Reflections

An author match made in heaven--It’s a treat to have a Pride and Prejudice sequel penned by an author as talented as P.D. James. I don’t think she got the dialog right, but the formal yet slyly arch tone of the rest of the novel is irresistible, and in that way it’s more reminiscent of the original than most other Austen inspired writing I’ve read. It’s filled with fascinating details, including a series of historic family portraits in which the dresses change over time from velvet to satin and lace to silk to muslin, and wonderful personalities, including a Sherlock Holmes-like doctor who conducts experiments on the clotting time of blood, several characters from Emma and Persuasion who live on here in an expanded Austen world and of course most of P&P’s cast who it is very satisfying to be able to catch up with. James offers some new slants on Austen’s original story--most surprising for me are her ideas about Elizabeth’s old friend Charlotte Collins.