An Assembly Such as This: A Novel of Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman

Pamela Aidan

Jun 2006 · Fitzwilliam Darcy, gentleman Book 1 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this ebook

The first installment in Pamela Aidan’s irresistible trilogy, An Assembly Such As This takes us into the world of Jane Austen’s Fitzwilliam Darcy.

“She is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me.”

So begins the timeless romance of Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice. Jane Austen's classic novel is beloved by millions, but little is revealed in the book about the mysterious and handsome hero, Mr. Darcy. And so the question has long remained: Who is Fitzwilliam Darcy?

In An Assembly Such as This, Pamela Aidan finally answers that long-standing question. In this first book of her Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman trilogy, she reintroduces us to Darcy during his visit to Hertfordshire with his friend Charles Bingley and reveals Darcy's hidden perspective on the events of Pride and Prejudice. As Darcy spends more time at Netherfield supervising Bingley and fending off Miss Bingley's persistent advances, his unwilling attraction to Elizabeth grows—as does his concern about her relationship with his nemesis, George Wickham.

Setting the story vividly against the colorful historical and political background of the Regency, Aidan writes in a style comfortably at home with Austen but with a wit and humor very much her own. Aidan adds her own cast of fascinating characters to those in Austen's original, weaving a rich tapestry from Darcy's past and present. Austen fans and newcomers alike will love this new chapter of the most famous romance of all time.

Ratings and reviews

I have yet to find an adaptation of the original that I like as much as this one. I will admit the second installment is a tad fantastical, but I believe it helped paint a picture of just how much family and reputation were engrained in Darcy. I enjoyed watching him work through his own flaws and move beyond what society expected of him.

My favorite adaption to date. This is the only book where I feel like this Darcy is actually the original Darcy and not a completely different character to the original. The whole series is great.

A Pride & Prejudice variation told from Darcy's POV and more on his sister & others. I enjoyed it.

About the author

Pamela Aidan has been a librarian for thirty years and a fan of Jane Austen even longer. She is the author of two previous books in the Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman trilogy: An Assembly Such as This and Duty and Desire. She lives with her husband in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.