Why bother with my prizewinning DARCY?

By Alice McVeigh

I was asked this question by a sceptical fellow tennis-mad friend. “After all,” she added, “You’ve admitted that the plot is mostly the same.”

FIRST ANSWER:

Because Austen never married. In other words, she lacked sufficient courage to include scenes where only men were present. These she left her readers to imagine.

My flashback where Darcy confronts Wickham after losing all hope of eloping with his sister is omitted. (Of course it was. Austen didn’t do flashbacks!) However, the scene in real time when Darcy discovers Wickham living in London with Lydia is also omitted. As is the scene in London where Mr Gardiner suggests Mr Bennet return home and leave the search for Lydia up to him, the scene where Darcy requested Lizzy’s hand in marriage from her father, and lots of others.

These scenes are all included in my Darcy which is — as I write — in the final seven novels in the UK Selfies Book Awards, winner to be announced at the London Book Fair, itself. (Let me know if you’re coming!!!)

In fact, my favourite reviewer wrote that she “rushed back to Pride and Prejudice to piece together the scenes McVeigh dared to take on, which Austen…