Mr. Darcy Came to Dinner: A Pride and Prejudice Farce, by Jack Caldwell – A Review

From the desk of Kimberly Denny-Ryder:

Back in the day I read a novel entitled Pemberley Ranch by Jack Caldwell and found myself totally impressed with the original reimagining of my beloved Pride and Prejudice (from a male author’s perspective!). I remember heading over to Caldwell’s website to see what else he had written that was available for me to get my hands on. I wound up finding a story he was publishing piece-by-piece on his site entitled Mr. Darcy Came to Dinner. I decided to read the entire story from start to finish in the course of one evening (ok, maybe some very early hours of the day were involved too….). Imagine my surprise (and delight) when I found it on sale for NOOK earlier this year. Being able to readily remember the pleasure it gave me several years earlier had me all the more excited to read it again.

We are all familiar with Mr. Darcy’s haughty nature, but it is no match for a little furry kitten in Mr. Darcy Came to Dinner. An encounter with Elizabeth’s pet cat causes Mr. Darcy to fall and injure himself, leading to a long recovery at Longbourn of all places. Because of a lack of space, Darcy is actually put up in the parlor, and he is subject to the exploits of the Bennet family, including every wail of Mrs. Bennet and every antic of Kitty and Lydia. Things get even more hectic when Bingley, Georgiana, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and Lady Catherine de Bourgh come to visit Darcy in his invalid state. Hilarity ensues when these guests further antagonize the pressure cooker of emotion and frivolity that is present at Longbourn. Will Darcy and Lizzy be able to survive his recuperation? While most of us would erupt in anger and frustration in this impossible situation, Darcy shocks us all by doing quite the opposite. He shows us a kinder, gentler side of himself by taking an interest in all of the Bennet sisters, not just Lizzy.  He brings his horse to Longbourn for Lydia to ride, helps Kitty with her sketches, and compliments Mary on her pianoforte pieces. In all, we see a Darcy that is quite refreshing and new, which made the story spring to life off the pages.

This book can truly be described as a comedy of errors, all thanks to a cat! I found myself just as delighted and charmed with Mr. Darcy Came to Dinner this time around as I was the first time I read it. Caldwell has a real knack at infusing comedy into Darcy and Elizabeth’s lives realistically. The scenes with Darcy confronting Mr. Collins are among my favorite. Mr. Collins is just such an odious man. Seeing him (comedically) get knocked down a few pegs had me cheering at my nook (very) loudly.

My biggest concern with reading the book was that it would get stale or drag considering much of the book takes place solely in the Bennet household. I’m happy to report that Caldwell was able to keep the book moving along at a happy pace and found many plot ventures in the Bennet sisters. It’s not often in the Jane Austen Fan Fiction (JAFF) world that we see what the entire Bennet clan would look like with grace, manners, decorum, and some education. Darcy gets a chance to show the reader (and Elizabeth) what a great older brother looks like. One that truly cares about his sisters, not just their financial wants or needs, but the parts of them that make their souls sing. Caldwell’s Darcy in Mr. Darcy Came to Dinner is one of the best representations of Austen’s vision that I can recall to date. His manners towards the working class are kind, his attention to detail and expectations of carrying out said details are sublime. He tries to better those around him but refuses to offer his respect or time to those that show idiocy (Mr. Collins) or selfishness (Caroline Bingley).

Mr. Darcy Came to Dinner is a comedic tale that offers readers a new view of our favorite characters while giving us the chance to laugh-out-loud at some of their more outlandish moments. If this all sounds slightly familiar to you, it is because it is based on the play and film The Man Who Came to Dinner, originally written for the stage by Kaufman and Hart in 1939.  Just like the original work, Mr. Darcy Came to Dinner is sure to stand the test of time. It is a sure bet for the female (or male!) Jane Austen Fan Fiction reader in your life.

5 out of 5 Stars

Mr. Darcy Came to Dinner: A Pride and Prejudice Farce, by Jack Caldwell
White Soup Press (2013)
Trade paperback (256) pages
ISBN: 978-0989108003

Additional Reviews

• Gioia Recs…
• Laughing with Lizzie

Cover image courtesy of White Soup Press © 2013; text Kimberly Denny-Ryder © 2014, Austenprose.com