Relentless Considerations: A Tale of Pride and Prejudice by Amy Cecil

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Relentless Considerations is a very oddly written book. So odd that I found it too irritating to read and had to place it on my abandoned shelf. I did not even get far enough into the book to identify how it varied from the original. I just could not read anymore, as it was giving me a headache.

Relentless Considerations reads like the back story an author prepares for him/herself in order to have a full understanding of how they wish to present the characters and situations. The first few chapters are an in depth review of everything each character is thinking and feeling. In most well written fiction, we determine how a character is thinking and feeling by how they act and what they say, as well as how others interact with them and the dialogue between them. Instead, Amy Cecil tells us. This is an incredibly stiff and boring method of getting across information, much less telling a story.

One other irritating factor in the author's writing style is her use of words that initially sound correct, but are just slightly off in their definition. Some examples: Darcy is said to have a "shy countenance". But, countenance reflects emotions appearing on the face. Shyness is a state of being, not an emotion. Usually shyness is reflected in a persons actions - she shyly said, she looked down shyly, he smiled shyly, etc. Jane says "thoughts of Mr. Bingley have evaded her". Evade means to avoid. Usually we avoid thoughts, rather than thoughts avoiding us. Mr. Collins says Elizabeth will meet Lady Catherine on the "ensuing Sunday". Yes, ensuing means following, but it is really following as a consequence of something else. The ensuing courtship follows after speaking to the girl's father, etc. Sunday is going to happen whether or not anything else occurs. All of these words, and many more like them, are close, but just enough off to be irritating and to make the writing feel very strange.

I just couldn't continue reading this book. The author may wish to learn the importance of "show them, don't tell them" in writing fiction. I hate writing negative reviews like this, but I cannot recommend Relentless Considerations.





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