P&P depends so much on the fact that its female characters have no chance at independence and security other than to marry a rich man. My biggest peeve was the changed language and social norms. But like so many retellings or modernisations of Jane Austen’s works, while all the scenes are there and most of the important conversations between Aliza and Daired are reproduced in a way that fits the new setting, Heartstone lacks the charm and wit of the original. Because her sister is soon very much in love with Cedric Brysney, and Aliza herself has to deal with the arrogant Alistair Daired…Īlthough the names are altered, it’s easy to recognise all the key players of Pride and Prejudice. When the hired Riders (of dragons, wyverns and other mythical creatures) arrive, Aliza soon has more to worry about than dangerous creatures. It’s a war Aliza is ill-prepared to wage, on a battlefield she’s never known before: one spanning kingdoms, class lines, and the curious nature of her own heart.Įlle Katharine White infuses elements of Austen’s beloved novel with her own brand of magic, crafting a modern epic fantasy that conjures a familiar yet wondrously unique new world.Īliza and her three sisters live at Merybourne Manor and are looking forward to finally be rid of the gryphons that roam the area and are responsible for their sister’s death. something far more sinister than gryphons. Nor does she anticipate the mystery that follows them from Merybourne Manor, its roots running deep as the foundations of the kingdom itself, where something old and dreadful slumbers. With the arrival of the haughty and handsome dragonrider, Alastair Daired, Aliza expects a battle what she doesn’t expect is a romantic clash of wills, pitting words and wit against the pride of an ancient house. So when Lord Merybourne hires a band of Riders to hunt down the horde, Aliza is relieved her home will soon be safe again. Passionate, headstrong Aliza Bentaine knows this all too well she’s already lost one sister to the invading gryphons. They say a Rider in possession of a good blade must be in want of a monster to slay-and Merybourne Manor has plenty of monsters. As a retelling, it wasn’t great, but at the end, the author’s original ideas took center stage and turned this into a quite pleasant reading experience.įirst sentence: I’d never seen an angry hobgoblin before.Ī debut historical fantasy that recasts Jane Austen’s beloved Pride and Prejudice in an imaginative world of wyverns, dragons, and the warriors who fight alongside them against the monsters that threaten the kingdom: gryphons, direwolves, lamias, banshees, and lindworms Despite utterly disliking Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, which I found silly, unfunny, and unoriginal, I had high hopes for this new take on the Jane Austen classic, featuring mythical creatures and a dragon rider Darcy.

Heartstone elle katharine white