Duty and Desire: A Novel of Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman

by Pamela Aidan

Book Overview

3There was little danger of encountering the Bennet sisters ever again.

Jane Austen's classic novel Pride and Prejudice is beloved by millions, but little is revealed in the book about the mysterious and handsome hero, Mr. Darcy. And so the question has long remained: Who is Fitzwilliam Darcy?

Pamela Aidan's trilogy finally answers that long-standing question, creating a rich parallel story that follows Darcy...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0743291360
• ISBN13: 9780743291361
• Release Date: October 2006
• Publisher: Atria Books
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.64 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.3" x 8.1"

Customer Reviews

I love this trilogy and find that the author does a great job at capturing the characters personalit

Jane Austen fan? Pride & Prejudice fan? This trilogy fulfills that and more. I am sad that I am on the 3rd book and it will soon be over, but I am glad I found these little gems.

A Delight!

Of the trilogy, most reviewers found this book the least interesting, so I started the book with a bit of trepidation thinking it was going to be a "filler" book. However, I was surprised at how quickly I fell into Aidan's storyline and creativity. This is where Darcy's servant, Fletcher, is best developed. Introducing this character added a completely new dimension to the Pride and Prejudice story. The servants are ubiquitous, yet we hear relatively nothing of them. Aidan gives us an endearing new character, one who cleverly counters Darcy and matches him, however with proper deference required of a servant. Fletcher cares a great deal for Darcy, and this deep caring is evident during the many varied conversations that take place between the two. Darcy, too, cares for Fletcher, which we see as well, adding more depth to Darcy's character. We get to know Darcy much better through his interaction with his manservant. What I found most intriguing and delightful was Aidan's sleek move into the gothic. She even has characters mention "Mrs. Radcliffe" in one conversation. Does no one recognize the cleverness of Aidan's setting much of the book in a castle with sinister motives, intrigue, whispers and deceptions? Ann Radcliffe was quite the read of the times with her very popular gothic novels, which Jane Austen parodied in one of her own novels. I believe Aidan keeps very true to what Austen might very well have written herself. What I most feared reading was the "religion" Georgiana got, according to a variety of reviews. I, too, dislike these kinds of forays into religion, but again, I was surprised and pleased. It was not overdone or heavy. It rang true to Georiana's gentle nature and life. All was supported, no holes, explaining how she might have turned in this direction to pull her through something so painful. Despite her "religion," the rest of the characters are not of the same mind as Georgiana, so there is a strong balance of simply one character moving in this one direction. I felt her direction fit the circumstances and developed her character even more. By the end of the book, there was a sense of balance and almost a feeling of conclusion regarding Georgiana's newfound religion. I didn't find it at all distracting, but only added to her characterization, with great believability. Overall, I found this book the most entertaining of the three. Because I had no expectations of what what "supposed" to happen next, I was able to sit back and simply enjoy the author's creativity in further developing Darcy's character for us. I enjoyed the new characters, Fletcher and Lord Brougham, in particular, as well as the rest of the new characters. I found them all believable and written in Austen's style. Those who have studied 17th,18th, 19th century English lit are bound to be familiar with much of what Aidan has done in her works, but it appears to be most evident in this book, the second of the trilogy. I recommend it highly!

Not quite sure why I liked this book so much...

...except perhaps that I was expecting to be disappointed and was instead engrossed and very pleasantly surprised. I had originally been enthralled by the first volume in the series, loving its fresh and unexpected but eminently logical insights into well-loved characterizations, but had gotten distracted from finishing the opener, perhaps momentarily bored with the predictability of its correspondence with Austen's original (paradoxically its original attraction). The second book's description was not enticing for me, promising few familiar characters or favorite events. Eventually I persevered and finished the books at a rapid pace so that I could lend them to an avid friend. In the event, "Duty and Desire" was not what I expected, instead much better than expected. The first half was charming and engaging and rich with characterization, hardly harmed by its paucity of action. Georgiana's character reveal was plausible and took Darcy's dilemmas to a new level. The controversial second half flowed very well for me, made clear sense, and had a real and necessary point to it. It all may have seemed to some readers as very monstrous and non-Austenesque - but that's the perverse hidden reality behind the pampered and unhampered lives of many of those to the manor born with silver spoons in their mouths. This was a real alternative for someone in Darcy's position, and he needed to see it for what it is in its stark reality in order to better see and appreciate Elizabeth for who she is. And frankly, it presents a nice mediating contrast and perspective to the banality of Hertfordshire, which hardly seems so utterly bad to Darcy by comparison. For those who call this "mystery" story absurd and unbelievable - is it really? If anything, it seems more in touch with the actual reality of the times, as lived by its unreal ruling class, than Austen's soft-focus version. (Check out Fay Weldon's revealing "Letters to Alice on First Reading Jane Austen" for more on this point.) And for those who feel this "mystery" is out of keeping with Austen's literary style - would it really be such a stretch for the author of that Gothic farce "Northanger Abbey"? I agree it would not fit comfortably in the world of "Pride and Prejudice" - but "Duty and Desire" is reaching outside that world (which is mostly Elizabeth's world) into the fringe of Darcy's world to show what he is choosing AGAINST when he chooses to re-enter and commit to Elizabeth's world of wise and kind morality. Belatedly I realize the core of why I like this particular volume (and the series as a whole) so very, very much. Aidan is taking her characterization of Darcy through a very complete and deliberate psychological odyssey. Each incident stands on its own in terms of entertainment value, but also serves the careful purpose of taking Darcy to every psychological place that he needs to pass through in order to reach his destination (i.e. Elizabeth). Aidan doesn't miss much, and pu

I love this series, I cant wait until part three!

I have to say that I do not agree with a lot of the negative comments regarding the use of religous, namely evangelical references. I was not at all offended by the use of them, I thought that it added depth of feeling to the characters. I am not a religous person myself, maybe that is why I saw nothing in it. In regards to this book "Duty and Desire" I thoroughly enjoyed it. It explains a lot about why Darcy acts the way he does. You have to remember that this middle book doesnt follow the story of P & P as such, it goes into Darcy's world, Darcy's adventures. Lady P Introduces a whole host of new characters to the story. I would recommend this book, and the rest of the Trilogy "Fitzwilliam Darcy - Gentleman" to anyone. My two books so far have done the rounds of over a dozen people each. Lady P your style of writing is lovely, your storylines captivating.. I cant wait for the third book. Thank you!

Wonderful continuation of a wonderful story

This book focuses on the moral dilemmas that Darcy faces as he tries to suppress his growing desire for Elizabeth and live up to his duties as Brother, as Master of Pemberley and as a member of elite society. We also get a glimpse into Georgiana's world as she is transformed from the shy, self-hating creature that she was after the Ramsgate incident into a mature, loving, confident young woman. Ms. Aidan's characterization of Darcy is unsurpassed in my view and I especially enjoy Fletcher, his Shakespeare-quoting valet. I highly recommend this series.

Wonderful parallel story

Every Jane Austen fan wonders what "Pride and Prejudice" would look like from Mr. Darcy's point of view; Pamela Aidan does a beautiful job telling the story from Mr. Darcy's perspective while still maintaining the witty satirical voice of Austen (even while she makes that voice her own). Ms. Aidan certainly has developed her own parts of the story with memorable characters and situations, which I found thoroughly enjoyable. Well done! I look forward to the final installment.