What do You think about These Three Remain (2007)?
Following in the footsteps of "An Assembly Such as This" and "Duty and Desire," this final installment in the Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman series brings us the climactic events of Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" from the hero's point of view. Darcy's love for Elizabeth is on full display, from the opening scene on the way to Kent all the way through to the final lines on the last page.After the disastrous events of the second novel, Darcy is ready to forget women everywhere and revoke his emotional attachment to Elizabeth for good. But the very day he makes this choice, he arrives at the home of his aunt for his yearly visit and discovers that Elizabeth herself is visiting her good friend just down the lane. A meeting is inevitable, and his heart will not listen to his cautions.Finding Elizabeth just as witty and lovely as she was in Hertfordshire, Darcy decides he cannot live without her and begins what he believes to be a courtship, mistaking Elizabeth's responses to him as a form of shy encouragement. When he finally makes a declaration of his love in the Hunsford parsonage, he is beyond shocked at her round refusal and complete dismissal of him, his hopes, and his character.Darcy returns to London and spirals into despair. How could he have been so blind to her true feelings? Could it be possible that he is more the man she thinks he is rather than what he has always tried to be? With the determined love of his sister and the strength of a good friend helping pull him through, Darcy begins overhauling the way he views the world and attempts to become the kind of man that Elizabeth would be proud to call friend, even though he knows he may never cross paths with her again.I positively loved this book and found it thoroughly engrossing. Darcy's emotions were so palpable, whether it be his love or his pain or his decisions to make himself a better man. Although I enjoyed the first two books, I found this one to be the best by far. I hated every time I had to put it down, even though being familiar with Austen's original meant I knew how events were going to unfold. Pamela Aidan added a whole new dimension to the story and it had me hooked. I have a new understanding of Fitzwilliam Darcy which will enhance every future reading of the classic or the viewing of its various adaptations.This series, and especially this final book, is one I would recommend to all Austen fans. If I may badly quote Lady Metcalfe talking to Lady Catherine: "Pamela Aidan, you have given [us] a treasure." This review originated at http://reviewsbyerin.livejournal.com
—Erin
Pamela Aidan's Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman series is just brilliant, but it's not for everybody. I understand that purists may not appreciate the additional things that Aidan came up with, such as the new set of characters (Dy, Lady Sylvanie, Fletcher, for example) and "behind-the-scenes" events like those that happened at Norwycke Castle. Also, the series is rather long; Aidan has a tendency to be verbose.But it's because of these that made it a 5-star book for me. I think that all those things that Aidan provided made the characters, especially Darcy, more human and relatable. When I read Pride and Prejudice, I felt like I couldn't really envision Darcy as a person. What did he feel? What did he think about all those things? And this is where this series comes in. It really did its job in addressing these questions without losing the Austen touch. Aidan's writing had the same tone and style, which I appreciate immensely. I've read too many Pride and Prejudice "sequels" and re-tellings that weren't able to preserve Austen's magic, but Aidan pulled it off beautifully. Having said that, readers should be prepared to treat this with the same respect and patience as they would give the classics. The word choice and style are rather archaic, and others may not be able to appreciate the beauty of this series because of it.I've had this book ever since its first publication 10 years ago, and this is my 17th time reading it. I love it, and the series so much!
—Daniella
This book is a dazzling achievement, a retelling of P&P from Mr. Darcy's point of view. It is rich in plot, it maintains the characters as they should be, the language is beautifully matched to the period and the historical background is clearly based on close research, and it manages to also be funny and to show Darcy's development as a human being. I particularly liked the characters Aidan has added--Fletcher the valet, Trafalgar the hound, and an array of old school chums. Georgiana's growth and maturation are written captivatingly, as well as revelations about the true character of Anne de Bourgh. When I read the afterword, I wasn't surprised to learn that the author had spent eight years on the trilogy. (confession: I haven't read the previous two yet. I may need some time to recover from staying up to all hours voraciously reading this one.) This book is memorable and stands head and shoulders above all the Austeniana out there. It's great because you get to experience P&P again in all its glory, but from a completely different angle.
—Cheryl
