Darcy By Any Other Name

What a fabulously fun book! Darcy by Any Other Name by Laura Hile is a unique reimagining of Pride And Prejudice. This twist on the classic combines all of the Austen-goodness with a Freaky Friday vibe. The premise is that through a freak act of nature, or more likely the workings of God, the handsome, aloof and arrogant Mr. Darcy trades bodies with odious Mr. Collins. For fans of P&P, the action begins at the end of the Netherfield ball. There is quite an adjustment for both men as they navigate the other’s world. More focus is placed on Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett’s relationship. Will a happily-ever-after occur for them? You will just have to read it. The book is faithful to the original in its setting and characterization. show more Everyone shows up — Caroline and Charles Bingley, Mrs. Bennett, Mr. Wickham, Lady Catherine, Georgiana, and Colonel Fitzwilliam. Yet there are plenty of twists and turns to make this novel a fresh read. I found the book charming and at times laugh-out-loud funny. Hile injects a faith message that is spot on. Darcy is forced to view his former attitudes in the light of his current circumstances. Humility and care for others takes precedence over social status and Regency manners. At one point Darcy realizes that “when God did a thing . . . He was frighteningly thorough”.

I am a big Austen fan and enjoy the variations that have been written featuring all of her novels. Darcy by Any Other Name is now at the top of my favorite re-tellings.

Recommended.

Audience: adults.

(Thanks to the author and Celebrate Lit for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.) show less

Looking at this book as I began to read was very overwhelming at first. The book has over six hundred pages which I thought was going to be a very long story with unnecessary parts that could have been left out. I learned a lesson after a few pages. We all know the saying, "Never judge a book by its cover, " which is what I had already done without opening the book.

I am happy to say I was wrong in my judgment and quickly turned page after page because the story is very well written. The characters become alive as the author breathes importance into each character with gifted words. I began to forget everything around me and was transported to a time where ballrooms where used to find a companion to dance with and perhaps get noticed by show more the well to do. The music played as the couples swayed with the beat.

Welcome to a story that is not what it seems. Two characters change bodies and off we go into a world where laughter, love and shenanigans abound. Have you ever said you wished you were more like so and so? In this story two characters will have the opportunity to see how the other is treated and what people think of them. It is a wonderful play on a Jane Austen book with characters that experience the ups and downs of the wealthy .

There are quite a few funny moments that are highlights in the book. The frustration of Mr. Darcy and Mr. Collins is an Oscar winning performance. The author delivers a tale where the unexpected is at every turn. Along the way the two men learn valuable lessons which change their outlook on life. Wealth plays a part in the story as the author shows the characters looking at life in a different way.

Love is in the air in this funny take on a classic novel. Who will end up with whom? Will Mr. Darcy and Mr. Collins return to their own bodies? Get ready for an adventure that explores the transformation of two men as they realize what is really important in life. Oh how I loved the devotion Darcy had for Elizabeth. But does Elizabeth like Darcy or Mr. Collins? The twists are a treat and the author delivers a powerful story of what ifs. I enjoyed the story and needless to say, the book never felt long like my first reaction was. It does move at a good pace and you quickly immerse yourself in hoping for happiness as love is sprinkled among the characters.

I received a copy of this book by Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion. show less

3.5 stars

Pride and Prejudice meets Freaky Friday in Laura Hile’s Darcy by Any Other Name. This book starts out with Darcy’s perspective of the Netherfield ball and delineates from Austen’s beloved story from there.

This book gives readers more time with many of Austen’s characters—mostly Darcy and Mr. Collins but also the Bennet family, Lady Catherine de Burgh, her daughter Anne, and Hill. The body swap element allows Darcy to get an insider’s look at Elizabeth’s family life.

The Darcy/Collins dilemma is hilarious at times and frustrating (for the reader as well as Darcy as Collins) at others. Hile uses Darcy and Collins interchangeably when Darcy is in Collins’s body which gets a little crazy here and there.

Yet Darcy show more still realizes his shortcomings as a man and grows from those lessons, and Elizabeth is able to see beyond physical appearance to the heart of Darcy. It would have been nice to get more interactions between Elizabeth and Darcy as Darcy near the end, but overall, this book is entertaining.

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. show less

What I think you should know:
Darcy By Any Other Name is an imaginative retelling of Pride and Prejudice. Laura Hile, the author has created a story in which a freak accident causes Mr. Darcy and Mr. Collins to switch bodies. Even though the author took creative liberties she stayed true to many parts from the original story.

What I enjoyed about this book:
While I admit that it has been several years since I read the original I the gist of the story sticks with you. I was intrigued to see what changes the author would make to the story, Who would Elizabeth love in this story, would the men stay switched, and how in the world would it end. I must say I was happily surprised with the story and the twists that the author made. I would not show more recommend this to an Austen purist, but if you are ok with artistic changes this would be a fun read for you.

I received a complimentary copy for this book from Celebrate Lit, this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own. show less

During the evening of the Netherfield Ball, Darcy and Collins are next to a folly when lightning strikes and they swap bodies and are now trapped. But Collins (Darcy) is at Longbourn house with Elizabeth. Can he repent of his past behaviour, can Elizabeth fall in love with him, and what of Darcy (Collins) subjected to Caroline Bingley and Lady Catherine de Bough. What can he learn.
Would have liked more of Collins as Darcy, and the minor characters.

Having heard the saying, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet” made me interested in reading this book. Plus, I have read other books by this author and have enjoyed them. So as I began reading this book, I had an idea of what to expect. Mr. Darcy was about to become someone else. The idea of Mr. Darcy changing into Reverend Collins and vice-versa I was sure would prove to be an interesting story.

I appreciated how Mr. Darcy trapped in Reverend Collins’ body found himself in Elizabeth’s home, but how he would capture her heart and how the two men would find themselves back in their own bodies, I was sure would be quite the tale.

As with the other books by this author, I found myself unable to put the book down. So if you show more like historical fiction with a twist, check out this book for yourself. It is definitely worth reading.

I received a copy of this book for my fair and honest review. show less

In this Pride and Prejudice variation, Darcy and Collins are both struck by lightning and exchange bodies much as the movie Freaky Friday. The story is told mostly by Darcy in his Collins guise though Collins contributes also. Elizabeth decides that this new side of Collins (really Darcy) is first intriguing, then lovable.
I enjoy Austen variations and have read quite a few. This is a long book and well-written, but I didn't find it as true to the original in the characters personalities. While the circumstances are bizarre, I would have expected Darcy to be more haughty at first. Collins was all over the place, panicked, lustful, silly, and prideful, but never the obvious buffoon in speech that you find in the original. Lizzie (she's show more never called that in this book) falls in love with Collins/Darcy in a way that playful Lizzie, who loved to tease Collins, would never do. Her father never falls for the new Collins; Mr. Bennet is one of the few who stay true to their characters. I also thought the scene with Fitz where Collins/Darcy tries to tell him what happened makes Fitz look bad in a way that he never did in Austen.
I did enjoy the deeper views of many secondary characters, Mrs. Hill especially. It was easier and more enjoyable for me to read about them as their characters are not as set as the main protagonists. This book has a lot of good reviews and I did enjoy it, but I had to force myself to ignore most of the character changes and view this as just a book that took place in the Regency time period, rather than a P&P variation. show less