bennetsbonnet

[bennetsbonnet]

I was so nervous about the physical sensation of having my hearing aid fitted last week that before my appointment I spent 99% of the time panicking about how it would feel to have something in my ear at all times, so I never really prepared myself for the experience of being able to actually be able to hear again. The concept of hearing in both ears, equally? Remarkable. But also very very tiring. Everything is so LOUD.

It turns out my hearing aid sort of just feels like an earphone/AirPod in my ear at all times, but I got used to that pretty quickly. Being able to hear sounds again in both ears that I haven't heard for years, however? That's taking a lot longer for my brain to adjust to.

Some sounds I've enjoyed hearing properly again:

Paper crinkling as I turn the pages of a book

Leaves rustling on trees in the breeze

Actually properly understanding people when they speak to me instead of looking at them and guessing

Birds tweeting in the garden, I never realised how many there are

Water running, love the little splishes and splashes especially!

The sound of Lego bricks clicking together

The keys of my laptop clanking and clicking as I type this post out

There are also some sounds I've enjoyed less, including loudly hearing myself chewing when I eat... but I will take all of them just to be able to appreciate the intricate noises of everyday life again.

The condition I have is progressive and my hearing has worsened so gradually that I think it's been at least three years for me since I really started to noticeably struggle. Though that seems like a long time to struggle, I didn't really realise that I was. I am very grateful it was eventually spotted and I was able to quickly get a free hearing aid.

I will never again take for granted the joy of being able to hear!

[bennetsbonnet]

Much has been made of Mr Darcy's "confession" to Elizabeth that he does not converse easily with strangers. It is repeatedly used to support neurodivergent interpretations of his character. And I suppose that when taken at face value, a character confessing that they do not easily converse with strangers and struggle to catch their tone or appear interested in conversation can absolutely scream AUTISM! (I say as an autistic person myself)

But this line is often taken in isolation. When considered in terms of the passage in which it appears in Chapter 31, it appears far less of a smoking gun than may initially be suspected. After some discussion about Elizabeth and Darcy's prior acquaintance in Hertfordshire, Colonel Fitzwilliam asks Elizabeth for information about Darcy's behaviour there. She readily supplies it:

'Pray let me hear what you have to accuse him of,' cried Colonel Fitzwilliam. 'I should like to know how he behaves among strangers.' 'You shall hear then—but prepare yourself for something very dreadful. The first time of my ever seeing him in Hertfordshire, you must know, was at a ball—and at this ball, what do you think he did? He danced only four dances, though gentlemen were scarce; and, to my certain knowledge, more than one young lady was sitting down in want of a partner. Mr Darcy, you cannot deny the fact.' 'I had not at that time the honour of knowing any lady in the assembly beyond my own party.'

What Darcy leaves out here is that it was he himself who chose not to be introduced to anybody. As we learn from the description of his behaviour at the Meryton assembly in Chapter 3:

Mr Darcy danced only once with Mrs Hurst and once with Miss Bingley, declined being introduced to any other lady, and spent the rest of the evening in walking about the room, speaking occasionally to one of his own party.

Anyway, Elizabeth correctly does not buy his excuses. Not only does she respond with a cutting sarcastic remark, but she tries to bring the discussion with an end by speaking to Colonel Fitzwilliam:

'True; and nobody can ever be introduced in a ball-room. Well, Colonel Fitzwilliam, what do I play next? My fingers wait your orders.'

But Darcy does not get the hint and continues conversing with Elizabeth rather than quitting while he's ahead. However, I don't believe him to be missing a social cue here. Rather, this is an exceedingly conceited man who cannot conceive that anyone would not want to speak to such a Superior Being as he and more-so, is determined to defend himself from a perceived slight against his impeccable character.

Then we come to the passage containing the oft-cited line which allegedly contains proof of his neurodivergency:

'Perhaps,' said Darcy, 'I should have judged better, had I sought an introduction; but I am ill-qualified to recommend myself to strangers.' 'Shall we ask your cousin the reason of this?' said Elizabeth, still addressing Colonel Fitzwilliam. 'Shall we ask him why a man of sense and education, and who has lived in the world, is ill-qualified to recommend himself to strangers?' 'I can answer your question,' said Fitzwilliam, 'without applying to him. It is because he will not give himself the trouble.'

Once again, Elizabeth does not buy his excuse for even a single second. She's fully aware of all the advantages a man such as he will have received in society (opportunities not open to women, might I add!) and draws attention to that fact. It's a brilliant, cutting line from her and she really set that one up for Colonel Fitzwilliam to deliver the knockout blow.

Not only do we have the testimony of Mr Darcy's cousin, that 'he will not give himself the trouble,' to appear cordial to strangers, but we have evidence from Wickham too. Although after this statement, Wickham quickly goes onto misrepresent Darcy's kindness to the poor, which contradicts Mrs Reynold's later testimony, I do believe Wickham to be telling the truth (for once!) here, when he tells Elizabeth in Chapter 16:

'Mr Darcy can please where he chooses. He does not want abilities. He can be a conversible companion if he thinks it worth his while.'

Which, again, demonstrates that Darcy is capable when he wants to be. That is the crucial point. Autistic people fundamentally lack the ability to understand social cues, they cannot turn it on and off as they please because they are snobs.

So, now we come to the infamous line about Darcy's supposed social struggles, and I hope that I've provided enough context to the line to make you see that it should not be taken at face value:

'I certainly have not the talent which some people possess,' said Darcy, 'of conversing easily with those I have never seen before. I cannot catch their tone of conversation, or appear interested in their concerns, as I often see done.' 'My fingers,' said Elizabeth, 'do not move over this instrument in the masterly manner which I see so many women’s do. They have not the same force or rapidity, and do not produce the same expression. But then I have always supposed it to be my own fault—because I will not take the trouble of practising. It is not that I do not believe my fingers as capable as any other woman’s of superior execution.'

Again, Elizabeth is not buying his excuses for even a single second and tells him if he feels like that, maybe he should put the effort in. She has seen him in numerous social settings and been thoroughly unimpressed with his behaviour which, when you consider his rudeness to her at the Meryton assembly, she has every right to be.

So, what do I make of the line?

Well, I think it's abundantly clear that Darcy absolutely can speak to people when he wants to. Perhaps, in his mind, he struggles to make that deeper connection and make friends easily. But making friends is not always easy, it's a process you must invest time and effort into. If you do not do that, it stands to reason that you will struggle. Plus, if you hold others to ridiculous standards (as Darcy does) without recognising and fixing the flaws within yourself, you're not going to have deep, lasting friendships.

While this quote may appear to be a moment of vulnerability where he does confess a fault of his, which is astounding given his pride, personally I do think it was not a soul searching exercise. It was to make Elizabeth stop grilling him. It was elf serving. Although, I don't think he's entirely lying. Darcy is veeeery careful with his words and though this statement is not considered and perhaps comes out rather abruptly, it doesn't necessarily follow that it isn't true. I can imagine that it is probably something he's felt for a while, yet it is a rather desperate attempt to defend himself from a woman who sees right through him.

I think perhaps Darcy does realise that he isn't as naturally gifted as other men he knows (such as Wickham, Colonel Fitzwilliam and Mr Bingley) when it comes to forming acquaintances. However, he looks outwards and turns that bitterness against the world rather than looking inwards, reflecting upon himself and improving his manners which would be the correct thing to do. Thankfully, he later does this, but it took him twenty eight years...

In addition, Darcy appeared to have been under the illusion that he could coast by on Pemberley's reputation... which has always worked... until he met Elizabeth. For perhaps the first time, he encounters a woman who is not awestruck by him and his reputation and delivers the rebuke that he always needed.

So, while personally I'm inclined to believe there is some truth to his statement, as Mr Darcy is many things but he isn't a liar, I think it is said in desperation. His feeling stems from him knowing what he should do, but he can't be bothered to enact it... rather than any inherent social deficiency stemming from being neurodivergent.

Although, even if he does struggle socially, it's still no excuse for the rudeness he displayed to Elizabeth! My main issue with neurodivergent readings of Darcy is when they are deployed to defend his behaviour, when they attribute his rudeness to any potential neurodivergency and when they excuse his laziness. That is an awful message! Autistic people who struggle with social cues often do not, nor should they, go around insulting others. They should and often do put plenty of effort into being considerate and polite. In fact, I think, if anything, a love of rules makes us more likely to have good manners, rather than the reverse.

Ultimately, I'm not sure this line makes Mr Darcy the sympathetic-poor-sweet-innocent-shy-boy-autistic-representation that people want him to be. In fact it makes him look even worse, if anything. On matters such as these, he is every inch the conceited proud man he was widely believed to be at the Meryton assembly. Luckily, Elizabeth is an incredibly smart woman, who doesn't fall for it and immediately calls him out on his behaviour in a way that he has never experienced before. As she should!

[bennetsbonnet]

I read Mr Darcy, Vampyre by Amanda Grange last night and I still honestly cannot quite decide whether I loved it or loathed it. In any case, it was certainly memorable and some of the plot points (which I will explain below the cut so those of you who wish to seek out this masterpiece for yourselves can do so unspoiled) honestly make me question whether I'm losing my grip on reality?

Anyway (like 1995!Darcy into a lake) let's dive in:

The narrative starts on the morning of Elizabeth's wedding to Darcy. They get married and everyone is happy but Elizabeth is a little freaked out by some of the looks her new husband is aiming in her direction

Her sense of unease continues as she expects that Darcy will take her to the Lake District for their bridal tour but surprise! They're actually going to Paris because Darcy wants to introduce her to his relatives

While travelling in the Darcy coach together towards Dover, Mr Darcy shuts the blinds just before sunset but Elizabeth wants to watch it so she goes to open them again. Except when she moves to reopen them Darcy grabs her wrist which unsettles Elizabeth. This is the first hint of his secret but it will be far from the last!

On her wedding night Elizabeth falls asleep while writing a letter to Jane and wakes up the next morning alone on a chair. How romantic!

During their crossing via boat to France the next morning some pirates pull up beside the ship they're travelling on but something scares them off and one of the sailors hints that an 'Old One' scared them away... Elizabeth is still oblivious

Possibly my favourite hint that Darcy was a vampire came when they arrived in Paris and Elizabeth noticed he struggled to eat anything because (as anyone who has ever eaten the cuisine will understand) French food is full of garlic

It was also suggested that Darcy is so old that he was acquaintances with Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette...

At one point while they're in Paris, Elizabeth walks in on Colonel Fitzwilliam getting angry at Darcy because he 'still hasn't told her.' But Elizabeth doesn't seem too concerned that her new husband is hiding something from her or that he still hasn't yet visited her bedchamber to consummate the marriage

After they leave Paris, they begin to journey towards the Alps to visit Darcy's uncle who just so happens to live into a castle

One night they stop at an inn. Elizabeth makes a friend who encourages her to 'tempt' her husband, so that night she visits Darcy's room with the intention of finally getting a crumb of passion

However she discovers that Darcy is nowhere to be seen, but his window is open and there is a bat flying around outside...

When she returns to her room she finds Darcy (now human again) and her plan seems to work as they kiss a bit before he abruptly pulls away and departs. her room

The following morning she looks out of the window and sees Darcy swimming in a lake next to the inn. Elizabeth decides to join him but remembers the advice to 'tempt' him so she turns it into a skinny dip

Darcy does respond and kisses her... but their moment is interrupted by the arrival of a carriage

It's Lady Catherine! And Anne! Who have apparently followed the Darcys so Lady Catherine can rebuke her nephew some more for his choice of wife. Elizabeth is standing there naked in the water while they argue (I made a longer post explaining this passage in slightly more detail because I was flabbergasted)

Finally they make it to the castle which belongs to Darcy's uncle. However, when they arrive an axe falls off the wall between them but lands closer to Darcy, leading to some superstitious acquaintances to remark that Elizabeth will be the 'death' of him

While at the castle Elizabeth asks for a mirror but is told there are none as Darcy's uncle doesn't like to look at himself because he's old (the anti-Sir Walter). She still does not suspect a thing

Nor does she find the fact that Darcy has a hunting lodge that he used to go to frequently but hasn't seen for 'many years' the least bit unnerving for a man of allegedly 28

A mob appears, apparently seeking Elizabeth and they flee but she doesn't really seem to ask too many questions about why they are after her. Darcy uses his powers to get rid of a baying mob with torches

After fleeing the castle they end up in Venice, where the apparently very well-travelled and popular Darcy has even more friends and relatives. One of them remarks that she once met Marco Polo. Elizabeth is confused and observes that that would mean she's like 500 years old? Darcy's friend is equally confused and responds, 'hasn't Darcy told you?' to which Elizabeth replies, 'told me what?' The friend panics and says that Darcy didn't tell Elizabeth about her bad English but at this point I began to question whether Elizabeth had undergone a lobotomy.

Especially when she dropped a glass and Darcy shouted at her not to pick it up but she did and cut herself on one of the shards. He ordered her to get inside at once, and one of his 'relatives' tried to cover for him and insist that he was just startled at the sight of blood. But Elizabeth considers the moment and realises that 'he wasn't squeamish... he was ravenous' (more or less verbatim). I mean, you can lead a horse to water...

I was also confused why the numerous letters that Elizabeth had been sending to Jane had not been replied to but all was soon revealed!

One of Darcy's other 'relatives' who was a Prince persuaded Elizabeth to leave him and return to Longbourn because their marriage was an unhappy one. As she was in the carriage Elizabeth discovered that none of her letters had been sent to Jane!

It turns out that she and Darcy have been followed this entire time by a vampire called The Ancient who views all vampires' wives as his and he wants to drink Elizabeth's blood which, thanks to the help of the Prince, it seems like he's about to do

Fortunately Darcy shows up in the nick of time, and although he saves Elizabeth she gets a good look at his fangs and it finally clicks for her that he's a vampire

It seems like they'll finally have a heart to heart but the moment is interrupted by the arrival of Lady Catherine and Anne, who come to tell them that Wickham sent a vampire called The Ancient to track them from Paris because he got bored with Lydia? Darcy and Elizabeth respond with 'we know' and they finally have a much-needed discussion

Darcy reveals he was turned during the plague of 1665 when, after both their parents had died, he and Georgiana fled London and sought refuge in a grand house in the country. When Georgiana started showing symptoms, the woman who owned it offered to turn her and Darcy eventually agreed on the condition that he was turned too because they're a team

This means that Darcy is approximately 150 years old, which makes him infinitely more terrible in terms of his snobbishness because now he's been stuck in his way for several generations. He also tells Elizabeth that any time people at Pemberley get suspicious that he isn't ageing or dying, he disappears for a while and returns in a wig as a new relative and heir to Pemberley

The lady who turned him and Georgiana was Lady Catherine btw. Anne is a vampire too but Sir Lewis was human. This adds another layer of hilarity to Lady Catherine's insistence that Darcy marry Anne because he's been rejecting her for well over a century and Lady Catherine still won't take no for an answer!

Darcy at this point also reveals that he wanted to bring Elizabeth to the continent to visit his relatives because it suddenly occurred to him on his wedding day that he didn't know whether he could consummate the marriage without 'turning' Elizabeth so wanted to seek advice

The consensus from his fam is 'idk' so Darcy doesn't want to risk it and offers to get a divorce for him and Elizabeth which she, of course, rejects. She wants to be with Darcy even if it means becoming a vampire! Darcy hesitates at first but finally acquiesces

Immediately after he agrees, a villager (who Darcy has previously helped using his vampire powers) bursts in (luckily before things have heated up as much as they can when one half of the couple is a vampire) and says that there is a way for Darcy to become human again, all he has to do is go to this underground temple

Luckily it's only 10 miles away so, after a little bit of indecision about whether Elizabeth would come due to the whole falling axe thing, she joins him

They have to do a series of trials, one of which is bringing a piece of clothing from the person who turned you but luckily Elizabeth has Lady Catherine's shawl, and Darcy can use his vampire super-speed to fetch it

The final trial makes it seem like the prophecy will come true and they will both die but just when rising water seems like it will drown them both, true love saves the day! Darcy and Elizabeth kiss, the floodwater recedes, Darcy is a vampire no longer and they all lived happily ever after

Apart from Georgiana, I guess, who will now have to watch her brother age and die??

The End

Wow. That was... a lot.

Actually, writing this out made me realise that I did strangely enjoy myself? It's such an absurd premise and so far removed from both the original story and characters that Jane Austen created that it is not an affront to her genius nor to her masterpiece (unlike some variations/continuations that I've previously read... looking at you, Longbourn) and you can have fun with its ridiculousness.

However, after the first 100 pages it did get a little repetitive and frustrating that Elizabeth kept missing all of the clues. She was so dumb I wanted to reach through the pages and shake her! Also Darcy, considering he had such a secret to guard, was suddenly the world's worst liar and so unbelievably careless. I know in canon they can be dense for a pair of intelligent people but this was another level entirely. The ending was also very disappointing. I feel like it was a cop out and vampire!Elizabeth would have been more fun.

Overall, if you enjoy silly stories, especially silly stories about vampires it's worth a read. Some parts made me genuinely laugh out loud which I don't think was the intention but it was so absurd I couldn't do anything but giggle.

Just don't go in expecting good writing, consistent characterisation or a plot that, well, makes sense...

[bennetsbonnet]

I read Mr Darcy, Vampyre by Amanda Grange last night and I still honestly cannot quite decide whether I loved it or loathed it. In any case, it was certainly memorable and some of the plot points (which I will explain below the cut so those of you who wish to seek out this masterpiece for yourselves can do so unspoiled) honestly make me question whether I'm losing my grip on reality?

Anyway (like 1995!Darcy into a lake) let's dive in:

The narrative starts on the morning of Elizabeth's wedding to Darcy. They get married and everyone is happy but Elizabeth is a little freaked out by some of the looks her new husband is aiming in her direction

Her sense of unease continues as she expects that Darcy will take her to the Lake District for their bridal tour but surprise! They're actually going to Paris because Darcy wants to introduce her to his relatives

While travelling in the Darcy coach together towards Dover, Mr Darcy shuts the blinds just before sunset but Elizabeth wants to watch it so she goes to open them again. Except when she moves to reopen them Darcy grabs her wrist which unsettles Elizabeth. This is the first hint of his secret but it will be far from the last!

On her wedding night Elizabeth falls asleep while writing a letter to Jane and wakes up the next morning alone on a chair. How romantic!

During their crossing via boat to France the next morning some pirates pull up beside the ship they're travelling on but something scares them off and one of the sailors hints that an 'Old One' scared them away... Elizabeth is still oblivious

Possibly my favourite hint that Darcy was a vampire came when they arrived in Paris and Elizabeth noticed he struggled to eat anything because (as anyone who has ever eaten the cuisine will understand) French food is full of garlic

It was also suggested that Darcy is so old that he was acquaintances with Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette...

At one point while they're in Paris, Elizabeth walks in on Colonel Fitzwilliam getting angry at Darcy because he 'still hasn't told her.' But Elizabeth doesn't seem too concerned that her new husband is hiding something from her or that he still hasn't yet visited her bedchamber to consummate the marriage

After they leave Paris, they begin to journey towards the Alps to visit Darcy's uncle who just so happens to live into a castle

One night they stop at an inn. Elizabeth makes a friend who encourages her to 'tempt' her husband, so that night she visits Darcy's room with the intention of finally getting a crumb of passion

However she discovers that Darcy is nowhere to be seen, but his window is open and there is a bat flying around outside...

When she returns to her room she finds Darcy (now human again) and her plan seems to work as they kiss a bit before he abruptly pulls away and departs. her room

The following morning she looks out of the window and sees Darcy swimming in a lake next to the inn. Elizabeth decides to join him but remembers the advice to 'tempt' him so she turns it into a skinny dip

Darcy does respond and kisses her... but their moment is interrupted by the arrival of a carriage

It's Lady Catherine! And Anne! Who have apparently followed the Darcys so Lady Catherine can rebuke her nephew some more for his choice of wife. Elizabeth is standing there naked in the water while they argue (I made a longer post explaining this passage in slightly more detail because I was flabbergasted)

Finally they make it to the castle which belongs to Darcy's uncle. However, when they arrive an axe falls off the wall between them but lands closer to Darcy, leading to some superstitious acquaintances to remark that Elizabeth will be the 'death' of him

While at the castle Elizabeth asks for a mirror but is told there are none as Darcy's uncle doesn't like to look at himself because he's old (the anti-Sir Walter). She still does not suspect a thing

Nor does she find the fact that Darcy has a hunting lodge that he used to go to frequently but hasn't seen for 'many years' the least bit unnerving for a man of allegedly 28

A mob appears, apparently seeking Elizabeth and they flee but she doesn't really seem to ask too many questions about why they are after her. Darcy uses his powers to get rid of a baying mob with torches

After fleeing the castle they end up in Venice, where the apparently very well-travelled and popular Darcy has even more friends and relatives. One of them remarks that she once met Marco Polo. Elizabeth is confused and observes that that would mean she's like 500 years old? Darcy's friend is equally confused and responds, 'hasn't Darcy told you?' to which Elizabeth replies, 'told me what?' The friend panics and says that Darcy didn't tell Elizabeth about her bad English but at this point I began to question whether Elizabeth had undergone a lobotomy.

Especially when she dropped a glass and Darcy shouted at her not to pick it up but she did and cut herself on one of the shards. He ordered her to get inside at once, and one of his 'relatives' tried to cover for him and insist that he was just startled at the sight of blood. But Elizabeth considers the moment and realises that 'he wasn't squeamish... he was ravenous' (more or less verbatim). I mean, you can lead a horse to water...

I was also confused why the numerous letters that Elizabeth had been sending to Jane had not been replied to but all was soon revealed!

One of Darcy's other 'relatives' who was a Prince persuaded Elizabeth to leave him and return to Longbourn because their marriage was an unhappy one. As she was in the carriage Elizabeth discovered that none of her letters had been sent to Jane!

It turns out that she and Darcy have been followed this entire time by a vampire called The Ancient who views all vampires' wives as his and he wants to drink Elizabeth's blood which, thanks to the help of the Prince, it seems like he's about to do

Fortunately Darcy shows up in the nick of time, and although he saves Elizabeth she gets a good look at his fangs and it finally clicks for her that he's a vampire

It seems like they'll finally have a heart to heart but the moment is interrupted by the arrival of Lady Catherine and Anne, who come to tell them that Wickham sent a vampire called The Ancient to track them from Paris because he got bored with Lydia? Darcy and Elizabeth respond with 'we know' and they finally have a much-needed discussion

Darcy reveals he was turned during the plague of 1665 when, after both their parents had died, he and Georgiana fled London and sought refuge in a grand house in the country. When Georgiana started showing symptoms, the woman who owned it offered to turn her and Darcy eventually agreed on the condition that he was turned too because they're a team

This means that Darcy is approximately 150 years old, which makes him infinitely more terrible in terms of his snobbishness because now he's been stuck in his way for several generations. He also tells Elizabeth that any time people at Pemberley get suspicious that he isn't ageing or dying, he disappears for a while and returns in a wig as a new relative and heir to Pemberley

The lady who turned him and Georgiana was Lady Catherine btw. Anne is a vampire too but Sir Lewis was human. This adds another layer of hilarity to Lady Catherine's insistence that Darcy marry Anne because he's been rejecting her for well over a century and Lady Catherine still won't take no for an answer!

Darcy at this point also reveals that he wanted to bring Elizabeth to the continent to visit his relatives because it suddenly occurred to him on his wedding day that he didn't know whether he could consummate the marriage without 'turning' Elizabeth so wanted to seek advice

The consensus from his fam is 'idk' so Darcy doesn't want to risk it and offers to get a divorce for him and Elizabeth which she, of course, rejects. She wants to be with Darcy even if it means becoming a vampire! Darcy hesitates at first but finally acquiesces

Immediately after he agrees, a villager (who Darcy has previously helped using his vampire powers) bursts in (luckily before things have heated up as much as they can when one half of the couple is a vampire) and says that there is a way for Darcy to become human again, all he has to do is go to this underground temple

Luckily it's only 10 miles away so, after a little bit of indecision about whether Elizabeth would come due to the whole falling axe thing, she joins him

They have to do a series of trials, one of which is bringing a piece of clothing from the person who turned you but luckily Elizabeth has Lady Catherine's shawl, and Darcy can use his vampire super-speed to fetch it

The final trial makes it seem like the prophecy will come true and they will both die but just when rising water seems like it will drown them both, true love saves the day! Darcy and Elizabeth kiss, the floodwater recedes, Darcy is a vampire no longer and they all lived happily ever after

Apart from Georgiana, I guess, who will now have to watch her brother age and die??

The End

Wow. That was... a lot.

Actually, writing this out made me realise that I did strangely enjoy myself? It's such an absurd premise and so far removed from both the original story and characters that Jane Austen created that it is not an affront to her genius nor to her masterpiece (unlike some variations/continuations that I've previously read... looking at you, Longbourn) and you can have fun with its ridiculousness.

However, after the first 100 pages it did get a little repetitive and frustrating that Elizabeth kept missing all of the clues. She was so dumb I wanted to reach through the pages and shake her! Also Darcy, considering he had such a secret to guard, was suddenly the world's worst liar and so unbelievably careless. I know in canon they can be dense for a pair of intelligent people but this was another level entirely. The ending was also very disappointing. I feel like it was a cop out and vampire!Elizabeth would have been more fun.

Overall, if you enjoy silly stories, especially silly stories about vampires it's worth a read. Some parts made me genuinely laugh out loud which I don't think was the intention but it was so absurd I couldn't do anything but giggle.

Just don't go in expecting good writing, consistent characterisation or a plot that, well, makes sense...

[bennetsbonnet]

I just finished reading Mr Darcy, Vampyre by Amanda Grange and it was a rollercoaster to say the very least. I'll probably write a more detailed summary tomorrow when I have the braincells to relay the plot to you but I absolutely must draw your attention to this simply incredible series of events (spoilers ahead, of course):

Immediately after their wedding, Darcy takes Elizabeth to France where she misses many obvious signs that he is, in fact, a vampire (including the fact that Darcy barely eats because there is so much garlic in French food). She is honestly unrecognisable as the Elizabeth we knew at the end of the novel to the extent that I wonder if she underwent a secret lobotomy, but that's a rant for another time...

Anyway, the marriage is, as yet, unconsummated. On her wedding night, Elizabeth fell asleep on a chair while writing a letter to Jane while awaiting Darcy and awoke the next morning still on the chair. Darcy does not seem interested in her in that way at all, so she confides in this English couple she has met at an inn during their travels. This new BFF encourages Elizabeth to 'tempt' Darcy so perhaps he'll show a crumb of desire.

So that night, Elizabeth goes to Darcy's room. Except he's nowhere to be found. However, the window is open so she goes over to it and looks out and sees a bat flying around. The bat approaches the window so she closes it, it hovers outside and then flies off. Elizabeth returns to her room and discovers Darcy there which surprises her as she didn't hear his footsteps outside. They have a moment together where it seems like he might finally do something... but then he hurries off abruptly.

The next morning she wakes up and discovers Darcy (no longer in his bat form) swimming in a lake by the inn. She is overcome with a sudden urge to swim and rushes down to the bank. But aha! it is the perfect opportunity to tempt him some more... so Elizabeth decides to skinny dip. Darcy seems interested and moves closer to her through the water... but the moment is once again interrupted. Only this time, Darcy does not pull away. No, reader, the moment is shattered by the arrival of a carriage.

You may wonder... who is in the carriage?

Lady Catherine de Bourgh. And Anne, of course!

They have (for reasons that do later become clear) followed the Darcys across Europe and Lady Catherine confronts Darcy (much like her 'discussion' with Elizabeth at Longbourn) while Elizabeth just sort of stands there naked in the water?

My jaw dropped. I was flabbergasted. I had to put the book down and collect myself before I could read on. A wild series of events.

Anyway, I think it's clear that Jane Austen walked so Amanda Grange could run!

[bennetsbonnet]

The more I read Pride and Prejudice continuations/variations the more it occurs to me that a big part of the reason why I like Mr Darcy so much as a character is because he doesn't speak an awful lot. He's absent for large parts of the novel and when he does speak there is a lot of reported speech rather than direct quotations from him.

Something about these authors giving him so much dialogue in their stories is very jarring to me...

[bennetsbonnet]

I love walking into charity shops because you really never know what monstrosities await inside... today I found a Pride and Prejudice continuation which I think was definitely written in response to a book series/film franchise featuring a certain sparkly vampire👀

This will either be the worst thing I've ever read (expected) or a surprisingly fun way to spend an evening... can't wait to find out!!!

[bennetsbonnet]

lando norris wins the british gp 2025

[bennetsbonnet]

Operation Mincemeat (2021)

[bennetsbonnet]

Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice (1995)

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I know that I have previously discussed how Elizabeth Bennet is canonically not a bookworm but a point that further illustrates both that fact and her subconscious infatuation with Mr Darcy is how quickly she discards her book and joins Darcy, the Bingleys and the Hursts at the card table when the conversation turns towards Pemberley in Chapter 8:

'Charles, when you build your house, I wish it may be half as delightful as Pemberley.' 'I wish it may.' 'But I would really advise you to make your purchase in that neighbourhood, and take Pemberley for a kind of model. There is not a finer county in England than Derbyshire.' 'With all my heart; I will buy Pemberley itself if Darcy will sell it.' 'I am talking of possibilities, Charles.' 'Upon my word, Caroline, I should think it more possible to get Pemberley by purchase than by imitation.' Elizabeth was so much caught with what passed, as to leave her very little attention for her book; and soon laying it wholly aside, she drew near the card-table, and stationed herself between Mr. Bingley and his eldest sister, to observe the game.

Elizabeth was definitely more intrigued than she would like to admit (especially to herself) about Mr Darcy. She declines to sit with them at first but as soon as the party begins to discuss Mr Darcy's estate she's over there like a shot to hear all about his home. The reverse is also obviously true with Darcy's clear and continual denial of his own emotions... but the signs are all there that Elizabeth was just as bad, even if her struggle is not perhaps acknowledged as frequently as Darcy's.

(Also amusing to consider that Mr Bingley did eventually purchase a house, as Caroline desired, within thirty miles of Pemberley's 'neighbourhood'... but only after he had married Jane and Elizabeth was already Darcy's wife and mistress of Pemberley. Ha!)

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I would argue that while we should not always project modern matters onto characters from centuries ago it is not entirely true that he cannot be neurodivergent (because we have always existed even though there was not a specific name for it, Henry Cavendish is an interesting case who overlapped with Jane Austen's lifetime and indeed her own brother was disabled). It's more like Darcy couldn't have intentionally been written as a sensitive and sympathetic portrayal of an autistic (or indeed any sort of neurodivergent) person's social struggles. If indeed Darcy was based on a real autistic-presenting acquaintance of Jane Austen's... well, it was an unsympathetic and rather cruel portrayal (which is why I have an issue with that line being used as definitive evidence).

I'm not sure that contending that a potential autistic person provided inspiration for Darcy's 'flaws' is entirely appropriate, as you could inadvertently conflate an inability to pick up on social cues with an arrogant refusal to follow them because a person believes they are better than anyone else.

I think most autistic people are far more likely to internalise their struggles and blame themselves for these mistakes, rather than mistreat the rest of society and somehow blame others for their struggles with socialising. At least that's my personal experience. Misunderstanding social cues is one thing but purposefully singling someone out to insult and to tell jokes about at their expense of them and their family behind their back, is entirely different. I think practically all autistic people and indeed most decent human beings would know that is wrong.

As the Wickham quote in the post demonstrates, Darcy does have that ability to please where he chooses, he is absolutely not in need of better social skills. His flaw was not missing social cues, he had no issue with them; rather, his entire personality needed a total reform. And I will also add that I do not believe that prior to meeting Elizabeth, he 'refused to work' on his flaws. I think that would make him into an entirely different and far less sympathetic character whose transformation would be more difficult to believe.

The genius of Jane Austen created a hero who is flawed but you can still root for because, until the heroine encountered him and thoroughly rebuked him, he was surrounded by people who were so awed by his wealth/status that they believed the sun shone out of his backside. Until Elizabeth, nobody had ever stood up to him before. Until Elizabeth, he had his flaws pointed out to him. But afterwards, he reflects on his entire life and realises she actually... has a point. She does not bully him or shame him into magically becoming more outgoing, she makes him see the error of his ways and aware of how he should always have acted because it is absolutely possible for him.

That eventual self-reflection is why Darcy has such a satisfying arc.

Much has been made of Mr Darcy's "confession" to Elizabeth that he does not converse easily with strangers. It is repeatedly used to support neurodivergent interpretations of his character. And I suppose that when taken at face value, a character confessing that they do not easily converse with strangers and struggle to catch their tone or appear interested in conversation can absolutely scream AUTISM! (I say as an autistic person myself)

But this line is often taken in isolation. When considered in terms of the passage in which it appears in Chapter 31, it appears far less of a smoking gun than may initially be suspected. After some discussion about Elizabeth and Darcy's prior acquaintance in Hertfordshire, Colonel Fitzwilliam asks Elizabeth for information about Darcy's behaviour there. She readily supplies it:

'Pray let me hear what you have to accuse him of,' cried Colonel Fitzwilliam. 'I should like to know how he behaves among strangers.' 'You shall hear then—but prepare yourself for something very dreadful. The first time of my ever seeing him in Hertfordshire, you must know, was at a ball—and at this ball, what do you think he did? He danced only four dances, though gentlemen were scarce; and, to my certain knowledge, more than one young lady was sitting down in want of a partner. Mr Darcy, you cannot deny the fact.' 'I had not at that time the honour of knowing any lady in the assembly beyond my own party.'

What Darcy leaves out here is that it was he himself who chose not to be introduced to anybody. As we learn from the description of his behaviour at the Meryton assembly in Chapter 3:

Mr Darcy danced only once with Mrs Hurst and once with Miss Bingley, declined being introduced to any other lady, and spent the rest of the evening in walking about the room, speaking occasionally to one of his own party.

Anyway, Elizabeth correctly does not buy his excuses. Not only does she respond with a cutting sarcastic remark, but she tries to bring the discussion with an end by speaking to Colonel Fitzwilliam:

'True; and nobody can ever be introduced in a ball-room. Well, Colonel Fitzwilliam, what do I play next? My fingers wait your orders.'

But Darcy does not get the hint and continues conversing with Elizabeth rather than quitting while he's ahead. However, I don't believe him to be missing a social cue here. Rather, this is an exceedingly conceited man who cannot conceive that anyone would not want to speak to such a Superior Being as he and more-so, is determined to defend himself from a perceived slight against his impeccable character.

Then we come to the passage containing the oft-cited line which allegedly contains proof of his neurodivergency:

'Perhaps,' said Darcy, 'I should have judged better, had I sought an introduction; but I am ill-qualified to recommend myself to strangers.' 'Shall we ask your cousin the reason of this?' said Elizabeth, still addressing Colonel Fitzwilliam. 'Shall we ask him why a man of sense and education, and who has lived in the world, is ill-qualified to recommend himself to strangers?' 'I can answer your question,' said Fitzwilliam, 'without applying to him. It is because he will not give himself the trouble.'

Once again, Elizabeth does not buy his excuse for even a single second. She's fully aware of all the advantages a man such as he will have received in society (opportunities not open to women, might I add!) and draws attention to that fact. It's a brilliant, cutting line from her and she really set that one up for Colonel Fitzwilliam to deliver the knockout blow.

Not only do we have the testimony of Mr Darcy's cousin, that 'he will not give himself the trouble,' to appear cordial to strangers, but we have evidence from Wickham too. Although after this statement, Wickham quickly goes onto misrepresent Darcy's kindness to the poor, which contradicts Mrs Reynold's later testimony, I do believe Wickham to be telling the truth (for once!) here, when he tells Elizabeth in Chapter 16:

'Mr Darcy can please where he chooses. He does not want abilities. He can be a conversible companion if he thinks it worth his while.'

Which, again, demonstrates that Darcy is capable when he wants to be. That is the crucial point. Autistic people fundamentally lack the ability to understand social cues, they cannot turn it on and off as they please because they are snobs.

So, now we come to the infamous line about Darcy's supposed social struggles, and I hope that I've provided enough context to the line to make you see that it should not be taken at face value:

'I certainly have not the talent which some people possess,' said Darcy, 'of conversing easily with those I have never seen before. I cannot catch their tone of conversation, or appear interested in their concerns, as I often see done.' 'My fingers,' said Elizabeth, 'do not move over this instrument in the masterly manner which I see so many women’s do. They have not the same force or rapidity, and do not produce the same expression. But then I have always supposed it to be my own fault—because I will not take the trouble of practising. It is not that I do not believe my fingers as capable as any other woman’s of superior execution.'

Again, Elizabeth is not buying his excuses for even a single second and tells him if he feels like that, maybe he should put the effort in. She has seen him in numerous social settings and been thoroughly unimpressed with his behaviour which, when you consider his rudeness to her at the Meryton assembly, she has every right to be.

So, what do I make of the line?

Well, I think it's abundantly clear that Darcy absolutely can speak to people when he wants to. Perhaps, in his mind, he struggles to make that deeper connection and make friends easily. But making friends is not always easy, it's a process you must invest time and effort into. If you do not do that, it stands to reason that you will struggle. Plus, if you hold others to ridiculous standards (as Darcy does) without recognising and fixing the flaws within yourself, you're not going to have deep, lasting friendships.

While this quote may appear to be a moment of vulnerability where he does confess a fault of his, which is astounding given his pride, personally I do think it was not a soul searching exercise. It was to make Elizabeth stop grilling him. It was elf serving. Although, I don't think he's entirely lying. Darcy is veeeery careful with his words and though this statement is not considered and perhaps comes out rather abruptly, it doesn't necessarily follow that it isn't true. I can imagine that it is probably something he's felt for a while, yet it is a rather desperate attempt to defend himself from a woman who sees right through him.

I think perhaps Darcy does realise that he isn't as naturally gifted as other men he knows (such as Wickham, Colonel Fitzwilliam and Mr Bingley) when it comes to forming acquaintances. However, he looks outwards and turns that bitterness against the world rather than looking inwards, reflecting upon himself and improving his manners which would be the correct thing to do. Thankfully, he later does this, but it took him twenty eight years...

In addition, Darcy appeared to have been under the illusion that he could coast by on Pemberley's reputation... which has always worked... until he met Elizabeth. For perhaps the first time, he encounters a woman who is not awestruck by him and his reputation and delivers the rebuke that he always needed.

So, while personally I'm inclined to believe there is some truth to his statement, as Mr Darcy is many things but he isn't a liar, I think it is said in desperation. His feeling stems from him knowing what he should do, but he can't be bothered to enact it... rather than any inherent social deficiency stemming from being neurodivergent.

Although, even if he does struggle socially, it's still no excuse for the rudeness he displayed to Elizabeth! My main issue with neurodivergent readings of Darcy is when they are deployed to defend his behaviour, when they attribute his rudeness to any potential neurodivergency and when they excuse his laziness. That is an awful message! Autistic people who struggle with social cues often do not, nor should they, go around insulting others. They should and often do put plenty of effort into being considerate and polite. In fact, I think, if anything, a love of rules makes us more likely to have good manners, rather than the reverse.

Ultimately, I'm not sure this line makes Mr Darcy the sympathetic-poor-sweet-innocent-shy-boy-autistic-representation that people want him to be. In fact it makes him look even worse, if anything. On matters such as these, he is every inch the conceited proud man he was widely believed to be at the Meryton assembly. Luckily, Elizabeth is an incredibly smart woman, who doesn't fall for it and immediately calls him out on his behaviour in a way that he has never experienced before. As she should!

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Let's gossip with mama 🤭

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Example 1927383 of people desperately trying to turn Mr Darcy into The Most Perfect Romantic Hero Ever™ and inadvertently ending up disrespecting Elizabeth Bennet's intelligence... as if she would ever marry a man who would allow himself to be walked all over by such a shady character as Wickham... 🙄

Also the most romantic part of Darcy's intervention isn't contained in how much he paid... yes having the funds available to right a wrong and using that wealth for good is nice and all but what makes it a swoon-worthy gesture is how quickly he travelled the not-insignificant distance to London from Derbyshire (after seeing Elizabeth so distraught), sorted out the situation (when he had no real obligation to apart from perhaps a moral one... it should've been sorted by Lydia's father but instead Mr Bennet left) and then expected absolutely nothing in return from Elizabeth or her family for the time/money/braincells it took him to sort out Wickham's mess.

The actual sum paid is insignificant (hence why we never find out for certain) but what is significant is what it reveals about Mr Darcy's character and why he's absolutely the right man for Elizabeth!

Darcy didn’t pay Wickham £10,000

I repeat: Darcy didn’t pay Wickham ten thousand pounds to marry Lydia!

That is the number that Mr. Bennet said when he was freaking the fuck out and trying to think how he would get the money to pay his BIL back

Mr. Bennet had no idea at that point what was actually paid

It’s in the letter from Mrs. Gardiner, and it’s about three thousand pounds. Because…

Wickham, of course, wanted more than he could get; but at length was reduced to be reasonable. (Ch 52)

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Darcy didn’t pay Wickham £10,000

I repeat: Darcy didn’t pay Wickham ten thousand pounds to marry Lydia!

That is the number that Mr. Bennet said when he was freaking the fuck out and trying to think how he would get the money to pay his BIL back

Mr. Bennet had no idea at that point what was actually paid

It’s in the letter from Mrs. Gardiner, and it’s about three thousand pounds. Because…

Wickham, of course, wanted more than he could get; but at length was reduced to be reasonable. (Ch 52)

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Elizabeth Bennet: *warns Mr Darcy of the trails she frequents around Rosings in order to avoid running into him*

Mr Darcy, completely misunderstanding her: "I am getting a good grade in courtship, something that is both normal to want and possible to achieve."