Official Review: Through Each Other's Eyes by Aleena Ashe
Posted: 27 Jul 2019, 09:15
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Through Each Other's Eyes" by Aleena Ashe.]
3 out of 4 stars
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Through Each Other’s Eyes by Aleena Ashe is a retelling of Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice. The book follows the story of the lead couple Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy after they mysteriously swap bodies in an effort to understand each other.
Adopting the characters and setting of the original tale, the story starts with the events at the Netherfield Ball. Elizabeth Bennet is curious about Mr. Darcy, whose reserved demeanor confuses her a great deal. Meanwhile, Mr. Darcy is restless thinking about Miss Elizabeth. He is smitten by her even though her family’s financial situation is discouraging. They both wish to know each other and understand what the other person is thinking. The very next day, both Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy are granted their wishes when they find themselves in the body of the other.
Elizabeth is suddenly in charge of Darcy’s great Pemberley Estate, while also living with Mr. Bingley in his house. On the other hand, Mr. Darcy finds himself in a very uncomfortable position at Mr. Bennet’s house, by having to deal with Elizabeth’s sisters and all that comes with being a woman. Both of them try their best to enact their new roles without compromising their modesty, while secretly meeting each other and growing closer. Elizabeth learns about Georgiana, Darcy’s sister, and even learns to ride a horse. Mr. Darcy gets to know about Elizabeth’s life, Jane’s affection for Mr. Bingley, and Elizabeth’s intimate relationship with her father. Inadvertently, they fall in love with each other, or interestingly, themselves. Both of them try to figure out a way to switch back and bring their love to fruition.
I was excited to see how Aleena Ashe would play with the characters without compromising the original characterization in Pride and Prejudice that millions of people have come to adore. Fortunately, the book didn’t disappoint. I really loved how the author managed to develop her characters in the same way Austen did, albeit quickly. She did take liberties by adding a few extra characters and focusing more on romance, but she does so with extreme elegance. The Bennet sisters Kitty and Lydia gain more personality in this book. I liked how the deep bond between sisters is explored through the eyes of Mr. Darcy posing as Elizabeth. The Bennet family became dearer to me with every passing page. Mrs. Bennet is also less annoying. While some characters like Lady Catherine are only barely mentioned, most other characters make an appearance. The author also successfully manages to adopt the fluid writing style we associate with classics. The romance is light but well-written.
All the complications that come with body-swapping definitely appear here, and the author doesn’t leave them unaddressed. It was a bit uncomfortable to read about Elizabeth dealing with manly sensations like “swollen” body parts, or Mr. Darcy experiencing menstruation and cramps. While the way the author doesn’t shy away from speaking about periods is quite commendable, I felt those to be repetitive. Every other page, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth discover something new about their body, and some of them were unnecessary. As someone who has read and loved Pride and Prejudice, I know what happens to Mr. Wickham’s character. However, in this book, Mr. Wickham’s ousting is skipped. Elizabeth goes from trusting his opinions in the first chapter to undervaluing him by the end, without any proper explanation of the event that prompted her change of opinions.
The author is undoubtedly a gifted writer, but sadly, the book isn't edited professionally. There were a handful of grammatical errors and misplaced punctuation. Even though they did not detract my reading, I’m compelled to rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. I really liked reading the book and would recommend it to fans of light-hearted romance. There are some explicit descriptions, so I wouldn’t recommend it to readers under 16 years of age. This book is merely a retelling, so if you’re looking for a book similar to Pride and Prejudice with Austen’s signature social criticism and humor, this book is probably not for you.
******
Through Each Other's Eyes
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
3 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Through Each Other’s Eyes by Aleena Ashe is a retelling of Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice. The book follows the story of the lead couple Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy after they mysteriously swap bodies in an effort to understand each other.
Adopting the characters and setting of the original tale, the story starts with the events at the Netherfield Ball. Elizabeth Bennet is curious about Mr. Darcy, whose reserved demeanor confuses her a great deal. Meanwhile, Mr. Darcy is restless thinking about Miss Elizabeth. He is smitten by her even though her family’s financial situation is discouraging. They both wish to know each other and understand what the other person is thinking. The very next day, both Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy are granted their wishes when they find themselves in the body of the other.
Elizabeth is suddenly in charge of Darcy’s great Pemberley Estate, while also living with Mr. Bingley in his house. On the other hand, Mr. Darcy finds himself in a very uncomfortable position at Mr. Bennet’s house, by having to deal with Elizabeth’s sisters and all that comes with being a woman. Both of them try their best to enact their new roles without compromising their modesty, while secretly meeting each other and growing closer. Elizabeth learns about Georgiana, Darcy’s sister, and even learns to ride a horse. Mr. Darcy gets to know about Elizabeth’s life, Jane’s affection for Mr. Bingley, and Elizabeth’s intimate relationship with her father. Inadvertently, they fall in love with each other, or interestingly, themselves. Both of them try to figure out a way to switch back and bring their love to fruition.
I was excited to see how Aleena Ashe would play with the characters without compromising the original characterization in Pride and Prejudice that millions of people have come to adore. Fortunately, the book didn’t disappoint. I really loved how the author managed to develop her characters in the same way Austen did, albeit quickly. She did take liberties by adding a few extra characters and focusing more on romance, but she does so with extreme elegance. The Bennet sisters Kitty and Lydia gain more personality in this book. I liked how the deep bond between sisters is explored through the eyes of Mr. Darcy posing as Elizabeth. The Bennet family became dearer to me with every passing page. Mrs. Bennet is also less annoying. While some characters like Lady Catherine are only barely mentioned, most other characters make an appearance. The author also successfully manages to adopt the fluid writing style we associate with classics. The romance is light but well-written.
All the complications that come with body-swapping definitely appear here, and the author doesn’t leave them unaddressed. It was a bit uncomfortable to read about Elizabeth dealing with manly sensations like “swollen” body parts, or Mr. Darcy experiencing menstruation and cramps. While the way the author doesn’t shy away from speaking about periods is quite commendable, I felt those to be repetitive. Every other page, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth discover something new about their body, and some of them were unnecessary. As someone who has read and loved Pride and Prejudice, I know what happens to Mr. Wickham’s character. However, in this book, Mr. Wickham’s ousting is skipped. Elizabeth goes from trusting his opinions in the first chapter to undervaluing him by the end, without any proper explanation of the event that prompted her change of opinions.
The author is undoubtedly a gifted writer, but sadly, the book isn't edited professionally. There were a handful of grammatical errors and misplaced punctuation. Even though they did not detract my reading, I’m compelled to rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. I really liked reading the book and would recommend it to fans of light-hearted romance. There are some explicit descriptions, so I wouldn’t recommend it to readers under 16 years of age. This book is merely a retelling, so if you’re looking for a book similar to Pride and Prejudice with Austen’s signature social criticism and humor, this book is probably not for you.
******
Through Each Other's Eyes
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
I'm glad to hear of such great family traditions, lol, nobody knows of Elizabeth Bennet here but me. And I loved the Pride and Prejudice adaption with Kiera Knightley. She's bliss to watch!
