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The Clergyman's Wife: A Pride & Prejudice Novel
For everyone who loved Pride and Prejudice—and legions of historical fiction lovers—an inspired debut novel set in Austen’s world.
Charlotte Collins, nee Lucas, is the respectable wife of Hunsford’s vicar, and sees to her duties by rote: keeping house, caring for their adorable daughter, visiting parishioners, and patiently tolerating the lectures of her awkward husband and his condescending patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Intelligent, pragmatic, and anxious to escape the shame of spinsterhood, Charlotte chose this life, an inevitable one so socially acceptable that its quietness threatens to overwhelm her. Then she makes the acquaintance of Mr. Travis, a local farmer and tenant of Lady Catherine…
In Mr. Travis’ company, Charlotte feels appreciated, heard, and seen. For the first time in her life, Charlotte begins to understand emotional intimacy and its effect on the heart—and how breakable that heart can be. With her sensible nature confronted, and her own future about to take a turn, Charlotte must now question the role of love and passion in a woman’s life, and whether they truly matter for a clergyman’s wife.
Charlotte Collins, nee Lucas, is the respectable wife of Hunsford’s vicar, and sees to her duties by rote: keeping house, caring for their adorable daughter, visiting parishioners, and patiently tolerating the lectures of her awkward husband and his condescending patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Intelligent, pragmatic, and anxious to escape the shame of spinsterhood, Charlotte chose this life, an inevitable one so socially acceptable that its quietness threatens to overwhelm her. Then she makes the acquaintance of Mr. Travis, a local farmer and tenant of Lady Catherine…
In Mr. Travis’ company, Charlotte feels appreciated, heard, and seen. For the first time in her life, Charlotte begins to understand emotional intimacy and its effect on the heart—and how breakable that heart can be. With her sensible nature confronted, and her own future about to take a turn, Charlotte must now question the role of love and passion in a woman’s life, and whether they truly matter for a clergyman’s wife.
280 pages, Paperback
First published December 3, 2019
About the author
Molly Greeley
3 books345 followersMolly Greeley was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where her addiction to books was spurred by her parents' floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. She lives in northern Michigan with her husband and three children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 616 reviews
December 4, 2019
I love a Pride and Prejudice retelling, and The Clergyman’s Wife was so much fun!
Charlotte is the wife of a vicar, and as such, she has prescribed duties, including those typical of a lady at the time, but also involving visits to parishioners. She also attends the lectures by her husband and his patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh.
Charlotte is not the typical vicar’s wife, though. She chose this life rather than that of a spinster. She chose it but that doesn’t mean she’s not dying of boredom because she is.
Then, Charlotte meets Mr. Travis, a local farmer and tenant of Lady Catherine. Mr. Travis makes Charlotte feel valued and understood, and she quickly realizes his hold on her heart. Should she have love and passion in her life, or should she settle with safety and comfort?
The Clergyman’s Wife is a gentle, easy story. It reads smoothly, and the characters are well-developed. There’s a short surprise appearance by some beloved fictional characters- I LOVED that.
I found this a fresh take on the classic tale and one I enjoyed. The writing is lyrical, and I was completely enveloped in Charlotte’s journey towards the happiness she hopes to find. Both historical fiction fans and fans of Austen should relish their time spent with this gem.
I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
Charlotte is the wife of a vicar, and as such, she has prescribed duties, including those typical of a lady at the time, but also involving visits to parishioners. She also attends the lectures by her husband and his patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh.
Charlotte is not the typical vicar’s wife, though. She chose this life rather than that of a spinster. She chose it but that doesn’t mean she’s not dying of boredom because she is.
Then, Charlotte meets Mr. Travis, a local farmer and tenant of Lady Catherine. Mr. Travis makes Charlotte feel valued and understood, and she quickly realizes his hold on her heart. Should she have love and passion in her life, or should she settle with safety and comfort?
The Clergyman’s Wife is a gentle, easy story. It reads smoothly, and the characters are well-developed. There’s a short surprise appearance by some beloved fictional characters- I LOVED that.
I found this a fresh take on the classic tale and one I enjoyed. The writing is lyrical, and I was completely enveloped in Charlotte’s journey towards the happiness she hopes to find. Both historical fiction fans and fans of Austen should relish their time spent with this gem.
I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
November 23, 2019
Charlotte married Mr Collins, not out of love but out of a need for security. This story picks up on these characters from Pride and Prejudice and tells us what happened next. I never usually pick up book written by another author that features an established author’s characters like Jane Austen, but something about this one called to me. I was not disappointed. I quickly settled into the tenor of the story and became absorbed in the story. I enjoyed catching up with the characters. I enjoyed getting to know Charlotte more. Her husband, William, is still very much under deferential thrall to Lady Catherine, who is her pompous, arrogant and interfering self. When she goes to talk to Mr Collins about him his last sermon she tells him it was ’uninspiring.’ I clearly heard her voice and the tone it was said in and had a little chuckle.
There are many amusing moments and equally poignant moments as Charlotte relates to the local people and gets to know Mr Travis and his elderly father, who take a shine to Charlotte and William’s baby Louisa. I really liked the careful friendship that evolves between Charlotte and Mrs Fitzgibbon. This is a gentle and charming read that reflects and build on the original period and characters, even to the fleeting appearance of Elizabeth and Mr Darcy. As the relationship between Charlotte and Mr Travis progressed I did wonder how it would play out. The ending perfectly complimented the chracters and the genre.
My heartfelt thanks to Allen and Unwin for my uncorrected proof copy to read and review. The whole story is lyrical. I loved it. Fans of Jane Austen will definitely not be disappointed. What a charming debut novel Molly Greeley has given us to enjoy. It is new and fresh yet still manages to retain the essence of the original. Along with the well-rounded characters, the period and the setting, the little details so beautifully rendered make this a delight to read.
There are many amusing moments and equally poignant moments as Charlotte relates to the local people and gets to know Mr Travis and his elderly father, who take a shine to Charlotte and William’s baby Louisa. I really liked the careful friendship that evolves between Charlotte and Mrs Fitzgibbon. This is a gentle and charming read that reflects and build on the original period and characters, even to the fleeting appearance of Elizabeth and Mr Darcy. As the relationship between Charlotte and Mr Travis progressed I did wonder how it would play out. The ending perfectly complimented the chracters and the genre.
My heartfelt thanks to Allen and Unwin for my uncorrected proof copy to read and review. The whole story is lyrical. I loved it. Fans of Jane Austen will definitely not be disappointed. What a charming debut novel Molly Greeley has given us to enjoy. It is new and fresh yet still manages to retain the essence of the original. Along with the well-rounded characters, the period and the setting, the little details so beautifully rendered make this a delight to read.
January 13, 2020
How I loved this sensitive, sophisticated novel that dives into the life of Charlotte Collins with empathy and affection!
The character of Charlotte Lucas Collins in Pride and Prejudice has always touched me strongly. Whereas Elizabeth and Jane Bennet enjoy charmed fates, Charlotte is a reminder to the reader that reality is different for most women, who must chart a more problematic course to fashion a life that deserves the label. Not pretty, well educated, or wealthy, Charlotte faces a spinster's life of limits and degradations, large and small; instead she marries a man she does not particularly like or respect but who has a respectable position in the world and can provide for her a home and a position she need not be ashamed of. Women throughout time have been put in the position of making this invidious choice and then being held cheap for making it.
This story begins several years after her marriage to William Collins, and the opening deserves quoting at length because it gives a taste of the visceral, precise, eloquent style of the whole book: "Mr. Collins walks like a man who has never become comfortable with his height: his shoulders hunched, his neck thrust forward. His legs cross great stretches of ground with a single stride. I see him as I pass the bedroom window, and for a moment I am arrested, my lungs squeezing painfully under my ribs, the pads of my fingers pressed against the cool glass. The next moment, I am moving down the stairs, holding my hem above my ankles. When I push open the door and step out into the lane, I raise my eyes and find Mr. Collins only a few feet distant. Mr. Collins sees me and raises his hat. His brow is damp with the exertion of walking and his expression is one of mingled anticipation and wariness. Seeing it, the tightness in my chest dissipates. Later, when I have time to reflect, I will perhaps wonder how it is possible to simultaneously want something so much and so little, but in the moment before Mr. Collins speaks, as I step toward him through the fallen leaves, I am awash in calm."
So much to unpack there! And so little that is straightforward. I was hooked. I love openings that pack in little emotional twists and surprises, but their promise is rarely sustained over the entire course of a novel. This book held me spellbound from start to finish: Charlotte's life contains humiliations and rewards, joys and tragedy; she is passionate but completely shut down; and through the first-person, present-tense narrative we live each moment deeply, feeling sympathy but never quite sure what choices she will make next. The author's skill is remarkable but unobtrusive; I never felt the wheels turning behind the scenes. Greeley has a terrific grasp of the manners of the age; I never felt the impulse to mentally edit her. And the writing vividly evokes the physical world Charlotte inhabits without ever going over the top into gratuitous description.
The Clergyman's Wife deserves the full major-publisher, big-publicity-splash treatment. It would have appeal far beyond the boundaries of Austenesque fiction. Any reader interested in understanding the inward lives of women would value this book.
The character of Charlotte Lucas Collins in Pride and Prejudice has always touched me strongly. Whereas Elizabeth and Jane Bennet enjoy charmed fates, Charlotte is a reminder to the reader that reality is different for most women, who must chart a more problematic course to fashion a life that deserves the label. Not pretty, well educated, or wealthy, Charlotte faces a spinster's life of limits and degradations, large and small; instead she marries a man she does not particularly like or respect but who has a respectable position in the world and can provide for her a home and a position she need not be ashamed of. Women throughout time have been put in the position of making this invidious choice and then being held cheap for making it.
This story begins several years after her marriage to William Collins, and the opening deserves quoting at length because it gives a taste of the visceral, precise, eloquent style of the whole book: "Mr. Collins walks like a man who has never become comfortable with his height: his shoulders hunched, his neck thrust forward. His legs cross great stretches of ground with a single stride. I see him as I pass the bedroom window, and for a moment I am arrested, my lungs squeezing painfully under my ribs, the pads of my fingers pressed against the cool glass. The next moment, I am moving down the stairs, holding my hem above my ankles. When I push open the door and step out into the lane, I raise my eyes and find Mr. Collins only a few feet distant. Mr. Collins sees me and raises his hat. His brow is damp with the exertion of walking and his expression is one of mingled anticipation and wariness. Seeing it, the tightness in my chest dissipates. Later, when I have time to reflect, I will perhaps wonder how it is possible to simultaneously want something so much and so little, but in the moment before Mr. Collins speaks, as I step toward him through the fallen leaves, I am awash in calm."
So much to unpack there! And so little that is straightforward. I was hooked. I love openings that pack in little emotional twists and surprises, but their promise is rarely sustained over the entire course of a novel. This book held me spellbound from start to finish: Charlotte's life contains humiliations and rewards, joys and tragedy; she is passionate but completely shut down; and through the first-person, present-tense narrative we live each moment deeply, feeling sympathy but never quite sure what choices she will make next. The author's skill is remarkable but unobtrusive; I never felt the wheels turning behind the scenes. Greeley has a terrific grasp of the manners of the age; I never felt the impulse to mentally edit her. And the writing vividly evokes the physical world Charlotte inhabits without ever going over the top into gratuitous description.
The Clergyman's Wife deserves the full major-publisher, big-publicity-splash treatment. It would have appeal far beyond the boundaries of Austenesque fiction. Any reader interested in understanding the inward lives of women would value this book.
December 20, 2019
“He was not an attractive young man; he was heavy of cheek and jowl, with slightly irregular features and thinning hair, and his manners were so awkward that it was hard, at times, to keep my countenance as he veered from unaccountable pomposity to slavish compliments.”
The Clergyman’s Wife is the first novel by American author, Molly Greeley. After her friend Lizzie Bennet rejected Mr Collins, twenty-seven-year-old Charlotte Lucas made sure to put herself in his path “when his pride was hurt and he was especially vulnerable to flattery” because she realised that she was (as Lady Catherine de Bourgh later put it) “neither too lively nor too handsome.” Being the clergyman’s wife would secure her future without dependence on the goodwill of her brothers.
Now, three years later, as wife of William and mother of baby Louisa, she began to understand what it is to be married to the man who fervently fawns at Lady Catherine de Bourgh’s every utterance. She had believed that enduring his company for the sake of security was something she could manage. But now his imperious patroness insists on a rose garden at the parsonage, and sends one of her tenant farmers to install it.
The farmer is neither handsome nor educated but, through her incidental interactions with Robby Travis, Charlotte discovers a man who is courteous, interested and has a sense of humour that is noticeably absent in her good husband. Aware that she does not share her whole self with William, she begins to wonder if perhaps he does not give himself fully either. “Perhaps we are both caught in this elaborate pantomime.” But with Mr Travis, it is as if he sees into her soul. Charlotte Collins, however, is a married woman...
Greeley easily evokes the world that Jane Austen’s characters inhabit, and her portrayal of characters we already know from Pride and Prejudice is very much in keeping with the way Austen wrote them. The events that punctuate their lives and the way they react to them is entirely plausible. This is a wonderfully moving debut novel that is bound to have readers choking up and reaching for the tissues in the final chapters.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by Allen & Unwin.
The Clergyman’s Wife is the first novel by American author, Molly Greeley. After her friend Lizzie Bennet rejected Mr Collins, twenty-seven-year-old Charlotte Lucas made sure to put herself in his path “when his pride was hurt and he was especially vulnerable to flattery” because she realised that she was (as Lady Catherine de Bourgh later put it) “neither too lively nor too handsome.” Being the clergyman’s wife would secure her future without dependence on the goodwill of her brothers.
Now, three years later, as wife of William and mother of baby Louisa, she began to understand what it is to be married to the man who fervently fawns at Lady Catherine de Bourgh’s every utterance. She had believed that enduring his company for the sake of security was something she could manage. But now his imperious patroness insists on a rose garden at the parsonage, and sends one of her tenant farmers to install it.
The farmer is neither handsome nor educated but, through her incidental interactions with Robby Travis, Charlotte discovers a man who is courteous, interested and has a sense of humour that is noticeably absent in her good husband. Aware that she does not share her whole self with William, she begins to wonder if perhaps he does not give himself fully either. “Perhaps we are both caught in this elaborate pantomime.” But with Mr Travis, it is as if he sees into her soul. Charlotte Collins, however, is a married woman...
Greeley easily evokes the world that Jane Austen’s characters inhabit, and her portrayal of characters we already know from Pride and Prejudice is very much in keeping with the way Austen wrote them. The events that punctuate their lives and the way they react to them is entirely plausible. This is a wonderfully moving debut novel that is bound to have readers choking up and reaching for the tissues in the final chapters.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by Allen & Unwin.
March 12, 2020
2.5★s
Quite obviously I’m not the right audience for The Clergyman’s Wife as I found it a passionless and bland story. I’m sorry to those who’ve loved it – and there are a lot of you – but as someone else has said, Probably loving Pride and Prejudice is a prerequisite to enjoying this book. (Thanks Kim) And as I don’t, I guess that’s why this didn’t fit me.
Charlotte Lucas married William Collins, clergyman, for security not love. He had previously asked for the hand of two others before Charlotte and she was content in her decision. Her patience with William’s frenetic pace in his role as Hunsford’s vicar; the subservience he practiced with their patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh; then motherhood for Charlotte with her delightful daughter, Louise – all were a part of her life as a clergyman’s wife. She enjoyed her visits with the local parishioners and when she met Mr Travis, who was caring for their roses, Charlotte felt she had found a friend. But the whole of everything was threatening to overwhelm her…
The Clergyman’s Wife by Molly Greeley was not for me, but those who’ve enjoyed Pride and Prejudice, I’m sure you’ll be delighted.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
Quite obviously I’m not the right audience for The Clergyman’s Wife as I found it a passionless and bland story. I’m sorry to those who’ve loved it – and there are a lot of you – but as someone else has said, Probably loving Pride and Prejudice is a prerequisite to enjoying this book. (Thanks Kim) And as I don’t, I guess that’s why this didn’t fit me.
Charlotte Lucas married William Collins, clergyman, for security not love. He had previously asked for the hand of two others before Charlotte and she was content in her decision. Her patience with William’s frenetic pace in his role as Hunsford’s vicar; the subservience he practiced with their patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh; then motherhood for Charlotte with her delightful daughter, Louise – all were a part of her life as a clergyman’s wife. She enjoyed her visits with the local parishioners and when she met Mr Travis, who was caring for their roses, Charlotte felt she had found a friend. But the whole of everything was threatening to overwhelm her…
The Clergyman’s Wife by Molly Greeley was not for me, but those who’ve enjoyed Pride and Prejudice, I’m sure you’ll be delighted.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
July 3, 2024
… my heart is a ceaseless sermon of loneliness. ~ Terri Guillemets
Elizabeth Darcy is still a close friend to Charlotte Collins. Why, then, does Charlotte find it so very difficult to respond to a letter from Elizabeth? What can she reply to tales of marital happiness? Other than her daughter, Louisa, Charlotte’s life has little joy.
Charlotte certainly never expected much happiness from her marriage. Her obtuse husband sees no viewpoint except his own which, of course, comes directly from his beloved Lady Catherine de Bourgh. He hears no words from Charlotte. Communication is non-existent.
What then will happen to the Clergyman’s Wife when a neighboring farmer has occasion to visit with Charlotte? Charlotte intends to remain faithful to her marriage vows. How can she have a male friend outside her marriage?
God is closest to those with broken hearts. ~ Jewish Saying
I listened to this as an Audible book narrated by Susie Riddle who gave a fantastic reading of Charlotte’s thoughts, especially in the chapter covering the loss of Charlotte’s stillborn son. The narrator had me in tears – a very moving account of a Mother’s grief.
If this book was a Broadway musical, no one would leave the theatre humming the theme song. There is no happy ending music.
Bittersweet; Beautiful; written with Compassion and Kindness. I recommend it to anyone who reads JAFF, especially if they are looking for depth of feeling. Just don’t expect to cheer at the end.
How beautiful the yesterday that stood
Over me like a rainbow!
I am alone,
The past is past.
I see the future stretch
All dark and barren as a rainy sea.
~ Alexander Smith
Elizabeth Darcy is still a close friend to Charlotte Collins. Why, then, does Charlotte find it so very difficult to respond to a letter from Elizabeth? What can she reply to tales of marital happiness? Other than her daughter, Louisa, Charlotte’s life has little joy.
Charlotte certainly never expected much happiness from her marriage. Her obtuse husband sees no viewpoint except his own which, of course, comes directly from his beloved Lady Catherine de Bourgh. He hears no words from Charlotte. Communication is non-existent.
What then will happen to the Clergyman’s Wife when a neighboring farmer has occasion to visit with Charlotte? Charlotte intends to remain faithful to her marriage vows. How can she have a male friend outside her marriage?
God is closest to those with broken hearts. ~ Jewish Saying
I listened to this as an Audible book narrated by Susie Riddle who gave a fantastic reading of Charlotte’s thoughts, especially in the chapter covering the loss of Charlotte’s stillborn son. The narrator had me in tears – a very moving account of a Mother’s grief.
If this book was a Broadway musical, no one would leave the theatre humming the theme song. There is no happy ending music.
Bittersweet; Beautiful; written with Compassion and Kindness. I recommend it to anyone who reads JAFF, especially if they are looking for depth of feeling. Just don’t expect to cheer at the end.
How beautiful the yesterday that stood
Over me like a rainbow!
I am alone,
The past is past.
I see the future stretch
All dark and barren as a rainy sea.
~ Alexander Smith
May 15, 2019
When spinster Charlotte Lucas, Jane Austen’s most unromantic, pragmatic character, settled for the odious Mr. Collins, we were quite certain of her connubial un-bliss. Molly Greeley’s continuation of her story after the conclusion of Pride and Prejudice sensitively reveals her wedded life with heartbreak and humor. Austen fans will revel in her lyrical prose and reverence to the canon, while historical fiction readers will appreciate her atmospheric Regency world and historical accuracy. The Clergyman’s Wife is a poignant, pensive, and brilliant exploration of women’s lot in early nineteenth-century England and how one woman rose to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. – Laurel Ann Nattress, editor of Jane Austen Made Me Do It.
December 1, 2019
The Clergyman's Wife by Molly Greeley
This was a light and charmingly delightful read. It’s a story inspired by the Pride and Prejudice novel.
Respectable spinster Charlotte Lucus marries Hunsford’s vicar, the awkward Mr. William Collins. Charlotte doesn’t love him but she bows to the social expectation and security of marriage. She knows she’s not an attractive woman and cannot wait for love to find her.
The story has perfectly captured Charlotte’s loveless marriage, she’s forfeited her dreams of romance, physical attraction and desire in order to make a home and family of her own.
She patiently tolerates her husband’s lectures, annoying mannerisms and his frantic energy and goes about her duties. Charlotte leads a good life but without any passion.
Mr Travis, a farmer is enlisted to plant some roses at the parsonage, a gift from Lady Catherine the patroness. Charlotte feels a connection to him and they slowly build a friendship, she begins to understand how breakable the heart can be.
A thoughtful and entertaining read.
Thank you to Allen & Unwin for an ARC in return for an honest review
This was a light and charmingly delightful read. It’s a story inspired by the Pride and Prejudice novel.
Respectable spinster Charlotte Lucus marries Hunsford’s vicar, the awkward Mr. William Collins. Charlotte doesn’t love him but she bows to the social expectation and security of marriage. She knows she’s not an attractive woman and cannot wait for love to find her.
The story has perfectly captured Charlotte’s loveless marriage, she’s forfeited her dreams of romance, physical attraction and desire in order to make a home and family of her own.
She patiently tolerates her husband’s lectures, annoying mannerisms and his frantic energy and goes about her duties. Charlotte leads a good life but without any passion.
Mr Travis, a farmer is enlisted to plant some roses at the parsonage, a gift from Lady Catherine the patroness. Charlotte feels a connection to him and they slowly build a friendship, she begins to understand how breakable the heart can be.
A thoughtful and entertaining read.
Thank you to Allen & Unwin for an ARC in return for an honest review
January 2, 2020
I am not a huge Jane Austen fan (sheer blasphemy!!) but I really did enjoy this book which explores the character of Charlotte (Lucas) Collins from Pride and Prejudice.
This is quite a gently told story of Charlotte's 'acceptance' of her marriage and her husband. Her observations of his manner, speech and personality reveal her tolerance of her situation. She is content in her role of parsons wife but not in love. As she notes the love between other couples in her life she finds herself becoming jealous and noting even more of William's flaws.
Circumstances bring a local farmer, Mr Travis, across her path and an attraction is immediately felt between them. Is this something that she is prepared to act upon?
A very enjoyable story and I can recommend it.
Thank you Allen & Unwin for the uncorrected ARC paperback.
This is quite a gently told story of Charlotte's 'acceptance' of her marriage and her husband. Her observations of his manner, speech and personality reveal her tolerance of her situation. She is content in her role of parsons wife but not in love. As she notes the love between other couples in her life she finds herself becoming jealous and noting even more of William's flaws.
Circumstances bring a local farmer, Mr Travis, across her path and an attraction is immediately felt between them. Is this something that she is prepared to act upon?
A very enjoyable story and I can recommend it.
Thank you Allen & Unwin for the uncorrected ARC paperback.
December 26, 2019
The Clergyman's Wife is a beautiful tribute to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. I enjoyed reading about Charlotte Lucas, best friend of Lizzy Bennett, and her new husband Mr Collins. As a teenager I couldn't get enough of the BBC Pride and Prejudice and I feel like this book picked up right from where the show (and book) ended. It was enjoyable to read about the other characters from Austen's book. Thanks to Allen & Unwin for my ARC copy.
March 23, 2020
Set in the 1800's. Charlotte Lucas had married clergyman, William Collins who was heir to the Bennett Estate. It's been several years now since they were married. She's given birth to Louisa and made a new friend Mr Travis, a local farmer. Charlotte had married out of necessity, not wanting to be a burden o her brothers.
The author has did a fantastic job with Charlotte's character development. It's a heartwrenching and bittersweet read. There is some domestic abuse and the death of an baby. William Collins is a dreadful character. This is a well written book. I hope the author writes more of these classical fiction stories.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin Books (UK) and the author Molly Greeley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The author has did a fantastic job with Charlotte's character development. It's a heartwrenching and bittersweet read. There is some domestic abuse and the death of an baby. William Collins is a dreadful character. This is a well written book. I hope the author writes more of these classical fiction stories.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin Books (UK) and the author Molly Greeley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 15, 2019
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
‘I LONG AGO determined to live my life not in noisy discontentment but in quiet acceptance.’
Since Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice was published in 1813, this classic novel has seen many remakes and spin offs. Author Molly Greeley has released her debut novel about Charlotte Lucas, a secondary character in Pride and Prejudice. The Clergyman’s Wife is a story of love, life choices, pride, security, duty, family and entitlement. It is a gentle side accompaniment to one of our most beloved classics.
Charlotte Lucas has married for a sense of security, not true love. She is now known as Charlotte Collins, the clergyman’s wife. Charlotte is dedicated to her role as the vicar of Hunsford’s wife. She puts the needs of her parishioners above her own. Charlotte is also a hardworking housekeeper and a loving mother. Mrs Collins is a giving, patient and tolerant woman. Charlotte is also very accepting her husband’s shortcomings, as well as the pressures placed on her by the formidable Lady Catherine de Burgh. Charlotte knows that this is the life that she chose, despite the awkward relations she shares with her husband. When a local farmer befriends Charlotte and her daughter, Charlotte’s eyes are opened to friendly conversation, a natural connection and mutual respect, but also a sense of longing. Charlotte knows her duty to both her husband and her parish, but she can’t help but consider what life would be like if she had more passion in her life. Charlotte’s spirit is tested in this affable story of the life of a dutiful clergyman’s wife.
When I cast my mind back to Charlotte Lucas in Pride and Prejudice, a book I adore, I consider this fairly minor character from Austen’s book to be a loyal friend to Elizabeth, but rather plain and accepting. Molly Greeley has managed to take a secondary character of little impression and flesh her story out into a full length companion story. I am sure fans of Austen and historical fiction novels will find much to appreciate in The Clergyman’s Wife.
What immediately struck me about this novel was the clear depiction of the time period and setting in which The Clergyman’s Wife is set. We are made inherently aware of the lack of choice, restrictions, sense of duty, moral codes, marital rules and societal expectations of the time. Elizabeth and Jane Bennet managed to marry for love, rather than expectation or duty, which was rare for the time. In Charlotte Lucas, we a see a woman fearing spinsterhood and wishing to establish her own household, marriage and family. This leads Charlotte to accept the hand of marriage offered by Mr Collins. This act makes us see that for many women of this time period, love and passion was cast aside for duty.
Charlotte is an agreeable character, sometimes a little lacklustre, but ultimately I respected her decisions and movements. She comes to life thanks to the writing of Molly Greeley, who approaches her story with a sense of creativity, thoughtfulness and historical flair. The book is told from Charlotte’s sole point of view, so we bear witness to her inner thoughts and feelings. I was moved by pressure placed on Charlotte to marry for security, rather than true love. I was also emotionally drawn to an upsetting life event that occurs in Charlotte’s married life. Greeley approached this aspect of Charlotte’s life with sensitivity and insight.
Familiar characters from Austen’s classic make reappearance in The Clergyman’s Wife. I really appreciated getting to know Elizabeth, Darcy, the Bennet family and Lady Catherine de Burgh once again, from an altered perspective. It was like greeting an old set of friends in this reunion and continuation of the events of the original book. Mr Collins is just as irritating, awkward and embarrassing on the pages of this novel. I liked the addition of new characters, such as Mr Travis, who becomes a significant part of Charlotte’s journey in this story.
Greeley devotes a good deal of the novel to illuminating the role of a clergyman’s wife, a position I feel Charlotte performs with care, dedication and effort, she seems suited to this role. Following Charlotte’s story as a clergyman’s wife made me appreciate the selfless nature, sacrifices and goodwill that goes hand in hand with this position. But there was a sort of longing, melancholy, regret and isolation that shrouds Charlotte, which Greeley captures within the pages of this novel. There is definitely a strong touch of realism in this novel, which I admired.
The Clergyman’s Wife is a touching tribute to the rousing classic Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Meditative, authentic and beguiling, I appreciated the opportunity to be further acquainted with Charlotte Collins. The Clergyman’s Wife will sit well with Austen devotees, along with those who read historical fiction.
*Thanks extended to Allen & Unwin for providing a free copy of this book for review purposes.
‘I LONG AGO determined to live my life not in noisy discontentment but in quiet acceptance.’
Since Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice was published in 1813, this classic novel has seen many remakes and spin offs. Author Molly Greeley has released her debut novel about Charlotte Lucas, a secondary character in Pride and Prejudice. The Clergyman’s Wife is a story of love, life choices, pride, security, duty, family and entitlement. It is a gentle side accompaniment to one of our most beloved classics.
Charlotte Lucas has married for a sense of security, not true love. She is now known as Charlotte Collins, the clergyman’s wife. Charlotte is dedicated to her role as the vicar of Hunsford’s wife. She puts the needs of her parishioners above her own. Charlotte is also a hardworking housekeeper and a loving mother. Mrs Collins is a giving, patient and tolerant woman. Charlotte is also very accepting her husband’s shortcomings, as well as the pressures placed on her by the formidable Lady Catherine de Burgh. Charlotte knows that this is the life that she chose, despite the awkward relations she shares with her husband. When a local farmer befriends Charlotte and her daughter, Charlotte’s eyes are opened to friendly conversation, a natural connection and mutual respect, but also a sense of longing. Charlotte knows her duty to both her husband and her parish, but she can’t help but consider what life would be like if she had more passion in her life. Charlotte’s spirit is tested in this affable story of the life of a dutiful clergyman’s wife.
When I cast my mind back to Charlotte Lucas in Pride and Prejudice, a book I adore, I consider this fairly minor character from Austen’s book to be a loyal friend to Elizabeth, but rather plain and accepting. Molly Greeley has managed to take a secondary character of little impression and flesh her story out into a full length companion story. I am sure fans of Austen and historical fiction novels will find much to appreciate in The Clergyman’s Wife.
What immediately struck me about this novel was the clear depiction of the time period and setting in which The Clergyman’s Wife is set. We are made inherently aware of the lack of choice, restrictions, sense of duty, moral codes, marital rules and societal expectations of the time. Elizabeth and Jane Bennet managed to marry for love, rather than expectation or duty, which was rare for the time. In Charlotte Lucas, we a see a woman fearing spinsterhood and wishing to establish her own household, marriage and family. This leads Charlotte to accept the hand of marriage offered by Mr Collins. This act makes us see that for many women of this time period, love and passion was cast aside for duty.
Charlotte is an agreeable character, sometimes a little lacklustre, but ultimately I respected her decisions and movements. She comes to life thanks to the writing of Molly Greeley, who approaches her story with a sense of creativity, thoughtfulness and historical flair. The book is told from Charlotte’s sole point of view, so we bear witness to her inner thoughts and feelings. I was moved by pressure placed on Charlotte to marry for security, rather than true love. I was also emotionally drawn to an upsetting life event that occurs in Charlotte’s married life. Greeley approached this aspect of Charlotte’s life with sensitivity and insight.
Familiar characters from Austen’s classic make reappearance in The Clergyman’s Wife. I really appreciated getting to know Elizabeth, Darcy, the Bennet family and Lady Catherine de Burgh once again, from an altered perspective. It was like greeting an old set of friends in this reunion and continuation of the events of the original book. Mr Collins is just as irritating, awkward and embarrassing on the pages of this novel. I liked the addition of new characters, such as Mr Travis, who becomes a significant part of Charlotte’s journey in this story.
Greeley devotes a good deal of the novel to illuminating the role of a clergyman’s wife, a position I feel Charlotte performs with care, dedication and effort, she seems suited to this role. Following Charlotte’s story as a clergyman’s wife made me appreciate the selfless nature, sacrifices and goodwill that goes hand in hand with this position. But there was a sort of longing, melancholy, regret and isolation that shrouds Charlotte, which Greeley captures within the pages of this novel. There is definitely a strong touch of realism in this novel, which I admired.
The Clergyman’s Wife is a touching tribute to the rousing classic Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Meditative, authentic and beguiling, I appreciated the opportunity to be further acquainted with Charlotte Collins. The Clergyman’s Wife will sit well with Austen devotees, along with those who read historical fiction.
*Thanks extended to Allen & Unwin for providing a free copy of this book for review purposes.
November 8, 2019
The only classics I really loved are Jane Austen’s books and I’ve read them many many times, so these days it’s much more exciting for me to find contemporary authors reimagining her books or characters. And this book fascinated me right from the time I saw it on Edelweiss, because when have we ever thought more about Charlotte’s life after her marriage to Mr. Collins. I was very happy when I received this advance copy and I devoured this in just a few hours.
This is the author’s debut novel but you probably wouldn’t be able to guess that because the prose is absolutely beautiful and lyrical and so many other adjectives which I don’t even know. While I couldn’t put the book down at all, it is by no means a fast paced novel. It’s slow and languid and has a melancholic aesthetic to it, and you can feel every single feeling that the author wants you to. Days go by and the seasons change and that atmosphere is so perfectly captured that it amazed me. I also thought the author wrote about Charlotte’s loneliness in a way that deeply resonated with me.
It also helps that the author knows her P&P characters well and even though she is writing her own backstory and future story for them, you feel that these are the same people whom you have known since you first read the original and you are just getting to know them better now. I think it’s difficult to create a new story with familiar characters without being too disruptive, and I love that the author managed to create a perfect balance.
I’m pretty sure most of us pitied Charlotte for choosing marry Mr. Collins, maybe even looked down on her for compromising - but she knows what she did and why she had to make those choices. We get to know her so much more better in this book - her childhood dreams, the moment she realized she was never going to be a catch, and her decision to choose comfort and security over love.
She is a very kind hearted woman who is trying to make the best of her life, but there are also moments of self reflection, pain and loneliness, of thinking about what-ifs and wondering what more she can do. And the time when she realizes what emotional intimacy can feel like, what does it feel like to be seen and heard - her heartache and confusion was very poignant and beautifully written. I have to say I really empathized with her a lot and only wanted her to be happy.
Mr. Collins is the same person we know, giving his long winding opinions on everything and being extra deferential towards Lady Catherine. And while he can be annoying as ever, seeing him through Charlotte’s eyes brings a certain humanity to his character. He is not someone who is expressive or good at communicating true feelings, but she manages to get little glimpses of his true self and I thought that was done so sensitively.
Lady Catherine is her usual obnoxious self and I don’t think anyone can make her seem more sympathetic. I loved the two newly added characters Mr. Travis and Mrs. Fitzgibbon and the lovely friendship and companionship they brought to Charlotte, who was so starved for affection. And I was totally delighted to see her daughter Louisa grow up within the pages of the book. And I won’t deny that getting to meet Lizzy and Mr. Darcy was amazing, even if just for a couple of scenes.
To conclude, if you love Austen retellings or spinoffs, you should definitely try this book. It’s beautiful and evocative and completely captured my heart. I was probably in a fragile emotional state while reading it (and needed some catharsis it looks like) because I wept and wept through most of the second half. It’s not a sad book per se, but it does have a bit of that feeling permeating throughout - and while it made me cry, I don’t think it’ll elicit the same reaction in everyone. I’m so glad that I got the opportunity to read this book and I’m very much looking forward to see what the author writes next.
This is the author’s debut novel but you probably wouldn’t be able to guess that because the prose is absolutely beautiful and lyrical and so many other adjectives which I don’t even know. While I couldn’t put the book down at all, it is by no means a fast paced novel. It’s slow and languid and has a melancholic aesthetic to it, and you can feel every single feeling that the author wants you to. Days go by and the seasons change and that atmosphere is so perfectly captured that it amazed me. I also thought the author wrote about Charlotte’s loneliness in a way that deeply resonated with me.
It also helps that the author knows her P&P characters well and even though she is writing her own backstory and future story for them, you feel that these are the same people whom you have known since you first read the original and you are just getting to know them better now. I think it’s difficult to create a new story with familiar characters without being too disruptive, and I love that the author managed to create a perfect balance.
I’m pretty sure most of us pitied Charlotte for choosing marry Mr. Collins, maybe even looked down on her for compromising - but she knows what she did and why she had to make those choices. We get to know her so much more better in this book - her childhood dreams, the moment she realized she was never going to be a catch, and her decision to choose comfort and security over love.
She is a very kind hearted woman who is trying to make the best of her life, but there are also moments of self reflection, pain and loneliness, of thinking about what-ifs and wondering what more she can do. And the time when she realizes what emotional intimacy can feel like, what does it feel like to be seen and heard - her heartache and confusion was very poignant and beautifully written. I have to say I really empathized with her a lot and only wanted her to be happy.
Mr. Collins is the same person we know, giving his long winding opinions on everything and being extra deferential towards Lady Catherine. And while he can be annoying as ever, seeing him through Charlotte’s eyes brings a certain humanity to his character. He is not someone who is expressive or good at communicating true feelings, but she manages to get little glimpses of his true self and I thought that was done so sensitively.
Lady Catherine is her usual obnoxious self and I don’t think anyone can make her seem more sympathetic. I loved the two newly added characters Mr. Travis and Mrs. Fitzgibbon and the lovely friendship and companionship they brought to Charlotte, who was so starved for affection. And I was totally delighted to see her daughter Louisa grow up within the pages of the book. And I won’t deny that getting to meet Lizzy and Mr. Darcy was amazing, even if just for a couple of scenes.
To conclude, if you love Austen retellings or spinoffs, you should definitely try this book. It’s beautiful and evocative and completely captured my heart. I was probably in a fragile emotional state while reading it (and needed some catharsis it looks like) because I wept and wept through most of the second half. It’s not a sad book per se, but it does have a bit of that feeling permeating throughout - and while it made me cry, I don’t think it’ll elicit the same reaction in everyone. I’m so glad that I got the opportunity to read this book and I’m very much looking forward to see what the author writes next.
Read
January 14, 2020The Clergyman's Wife is a heartbreakingly beautiful novel that follows Pride and Prejudice's Charlotte Lucas as she builds her life in Kent after marrying Mr. Collins. Molly Greeley tells Charlotte's story from the first person point of view, so readers really get to know her and understand why she was willing to marry a laughingstock of a man who had been rejected by her best friend. Charlotte has given up any foolish notions of romance and love in exchange for security, but she finds happiness with her infant daughter, Louisa.
Greeley describes the early days of their marriage and how Charlotte settled into her life as the clergyman's wife. She cares for Louisa, suffers through William's sermons with the rest of the congregation, calms his anxieties and redirects his attentions whenever possible, endures visits to Rosings and the high handedness of Lady Catherine, and worries that she is not up to the task of caring for the families of the parish. When Charlotte befriends Mr. Travis, a tenant farmer of Lady Catherine's, she is thrown off kilter, not used to being truly seen and heard.
Greeley's Charlotte is a complicated character, one who understands the obstacles life has thrown in her path and takes practical steps to overcome them -- and who also understands that her choices cannot be undone. It was easy to get lost in Charlotte's story because she felt real. She knew her options were limited and followed her mind, not her heart, in choosing her path. She knew her husband was ridiculous but made the best of a difficult situation, holding onto moments of tenderness that seemed few and far between. Greeley's Mr. Collins isn't cruel; he seems self-centered, obsequious where Lady Catherine is concerned, and careless with his words. It's easier to understand Charlotte's reasoning for marrying him than it is to understand how she is going to put up with him until death do they part -- especially after watching her friendship with Mr. Travis evolve.
The Clergyman's Wife gives Charlotte a chance to tell her story, and a chance to see what she might have had. The Darcys and the Bennets make appearances, but this is truly Charlotte's story, an emotional battle of sorts between the desire for love and the reality of her life as Mrs. Collins. It gave me a new appreciation for Charlotte and is definitely one of the best Pride and Prejudice-inspired novels I've ever read, staying true to Jane Austen's character while breathing new life into her.
Review originally posted on Diary of an Eccentric
Greeley describes the early days of their marriage and how Charlotte settled into her life as the clergyman's wife. She cares for Louisa, suffers through William's sermons with the rest of the congregation, calms his anxieties and redirects his attentions whenever possible, endures visits to Rosings and the high handedness of Lady Catherine, and worries that she is not up to the task of caring for the families of the parish. When Charlotte befriends Mr. Travis, a tenant farmer of Lady Catherine's, she is thrown off kilter, not used to being truly seen and heard.
Greeley's Charlotte is a complicated character, one who understands the obstacles life has thrown in her path and takes practical steps to overcome them -- and who also understands that her choices cannot be undone. It was easy to get lost in Charlotte's story because she felt real. She knew her options were limited and followed her mind, not her heart, in choosing her path. She knew her husband was ridiculous but made the best of a difficult situation, holding onto moments of tenderness that seemed few and far between. Greeley's Mr. Collins isn't cruel; he seems self-centered, obsequious where Lady Catherine is concerned, and careless with his words. It's easier to understand Charlotte's reasoning for marrying him than it is to understand how she is going to put up with him until death do they part -- especially after watching her friendship with Mr. Travis evolve.
The Clergyman's Wife gives Charlotte a chance to tell her story, and a chance to see what she might have had. The Darcys and the Bennets make appearances, but this is truly Charlotte's story, an emotional battle of sorts between the desire for love and the reality of her life as Mrs. Collins. It gave me a new appreciation for Charlotte and is definitely one of the best Pride and Prejudice-inspired novels I've ever read, staying true to Jane Austen's character while breathing new life into her.
Review originally posted on Diary of an Eccentric
May 1, 2019
Lucky to receive an advance reading copy of THE CLERGYMAN'S WIFE (forthcoming from William Morrow, December 2019), I was both very entertained and moved by Molly Greeley's debut novel about one of Jane Austen's more relatable and enigmatic characters, Charlotte Lucas from "Pride and Prejudice." Having always enjoyed both Charlotte's pragmatism and her friendship with Austen's heroine Elizabeth Bennet, it was particularly satisfying to read this wholly new and creative work of fiction. Greeley's writing style is exquisite and lyrical, and through strong and measured control of her prose, she captures perfectly the interior emotional landscape of a woman who has compromised significantly in some areas of life (romance, physical attraction, companionship) in order to forge a life and home and family of her own. Although a stand-alone story in many ways, the book also works on another level, building on the more familiar reader's notions of Charlotte's husband's quirks and follies, his patron Lady Catherine de Bourgh's selfish arrogance, and her sickly daughter's lack of social energy; at the same time brand-new secondary characters, whether baby Louisa or the attractive Mr. Travis or the lonely neighbour Mrs. Fitzgibbon, are equally memorable. This is a book to savour, like the seasons and the emotions it so skillfully draws, and Greeley is a wonderful new talent to discover.
February 7, 2020
Charlotte Collins Contemplates Her Contentment and Choices
TYPE OF NOVEL: Secondary Character, Pride and Prejudice Sequel
TIME FRAME: Begins 3 years after the close of Pride and Prejudice
SYNOPSIS: What happens to Charlotte after the close of Pride and Prejudice? Does she find tolerable contentment with Mr. Collins? Does she have any regrets? Or do motherhood, being in charge of her own establishment, and her role as a clergyman’s wife provide such sources of happiness that she has “no cause to repine?” Charlotte is known for making a pragmatic choice and not being romantic, but some years later finds Charlotte reflecting on her choices, comparing her situation to Elizabeth Darcy’s and her sister’s, and forming an unexpected friendship that challenges Charlotte’s preconceived ideas of happiness and companionship.
WHAT I LOVED:
- Charlotte’s POV: Told in first person POV, this story gives such an intimate understanding of the life of a woman who chose a marriage of convenience at the age of twenty-seven. Charlotte’s straightforward manner, honesty about herself, and clearsighted candidness all make her a reliable and extremely likable narrator. I especially loved the chance to observe all of Charlotte’s inner thoughts and private reactions. Very rarely does Charlotte show or express her true feelings, so this was a brilliant way for Molly Greeley to have her readers understand, sympathize, and connect with Charlotte.
- Charlotte’s Unique Transitions: In all my years of reading Pride and Prejudice related stories I have never thought about Charlotte’s evolution from the daughter of a successful tradesman to the daughter of knighted and newly-minted gentleman. What a challenging and awkward transition for Charlotte to make – she was raised as a tradesman’s daughter, with quite a different expectation of where life might take her. And then she was elevated into new society – but without the accomplishments, dowry, and training she needs. Oh, poor Charlotte! I never realized!
- Weaving of Time: Providing readers some added insight into Charlotte’s life and experiences, there are several important flashbacks shared throughout this tale. I loved how Molly Greeley took the time to illustrate these significant moments in Charlotte’s past. And I loved how these scenes fleshed out Charlotte’s story and brought even deeper understanding to her personality and actions.
- Thoughtful and Reflective: This story is full of compelling introspection that helped create a sensitive and pensive tone which I quite loved. Throughout this story Charlotte grows in her perception and understanding of love and herself, and I greatly appreciated being privy to all her contemplations and self-analysis.
- Relationships: I so admired how Molly Greeley depicted the relationships Charlotte has with others in this novel. Her choices were excellent – the humorous beginning to her friendship with young Elizabeth Bennet, the seemingly unbreachable distance between her and Mr. Collins, her cherished moments with her young daughter, and the surprising bond she feels with Mr. Travis. (Oh how I loved Mr. Travis and his father!!)
WHAT I WASN’T TOO FOND OF:
I couldn’t possibly think of one single thing.
CONCLUSION:
Not only is The Clergyman’s Wife an exceptionally-crafted story that shines a spotlight on sensible and pragmatic Charlotte Collins, it is an understated, poignant, and earnest depiction of the limited choices women of this era faced and what happens when dreams are sacrificed and convictions begin to change. Congratulations to Molly Greeley, for her sensitive and exquisite debut!!
Austenesque Reviews
TYPE OF NOVEL: Secondary Character, Pride and Prejudice Sequel
TIME FRAME: Begins 3 years after the close of Pride and Prejudice
SYNOPSIS: What happens to Charlotte after the close of Pride and Prejudice? Does she find tolerable contentment with Mr. Collins? Does she have any regrets? Or do motherhood, being in charge of her own establishment, and her role as a clergyman’s wife provide such sources of happiness that she has “no cause to repine?” Charlotte is known for making a pragmatic choice and not being romantic, but some years later finds Charlotte reflecting on her choices, comparing her situation to Elizabeth Darcy’s and her sister’s, and forming an unexpected friendship that challenges Charlotte’s preconceived ideas of happiness and companionship.
WHAT I LOVED:
- Charlotte’s POV: Told in first person POV, this story gives such an intimate understanding of the life of a woman who chose a marriage of convenience at the age of twenty-seven. Charlotte’s straightforward manner, honesty about herself, and clearsighted candidness all make her a reliable and extremely likable narrator. I especially loved the chance to observe all of Charlotte’s inner thoughts and private reactions. Very rarely does Charlotte show or express her true feelings, so this was a brilliant way for Molly Greeley to have her readers understand, sympathize, and connect with Charlotte.
- Charlotte’s Unique Transitions: In all my years of reading Pride and Prejudice related stories I have never thought about Charlotte’s evolution from the daughter of a successful tradesman to the daughter of knighted and newly-minted gentleman. What a challenging and awkward transition for Charlotte to make – she was raised as a tradesman’s daughter, with quite a different expectation of where life might take her. And then she was elevated into new society – but without the accomplishments, dowry, and training she needs. Oh, poor Charlotte! I never realized!
- Weaving of Time: Providing readers some added insight into Charlotte’s life and experiences, there are several important flashbacks shared throughout this tale. I loved how Molly Greeley took the time to illustrate these significant moments in Charlotte’s past. And I loved how these scenes fleshed out Charlotte’s story and brought even deeper understanding to her personality and actions.
- Thoughtful and Reflective: This story is full of compelling introspection that helped create a sensitive and pensive tone which I quite loved. Throughout this story Charlotte grows in her perception and understanding of love and herself, and I greatly appreciated being privy to all her contemplations and self-analysis.
- Relationships: I so admired how Molly Greeley depicted the relationships Charlotte has with others in this novel. Her choices were excellent – the humorous beginning to her friendship with young Elizabeth Bennet, the seemingly unbreachable distance between her and Mr. Collins, her cherished moments with her young daughter, and the surprising bond she feels with Mr. Travis. (Oh how I loved Mr. Travis and his father!!)
WHAT I WASN’T TOO FOND OF:
I couldn’t possibly think of one single thing.
CONCLUSION:
Not only is The Clergyman’s Wife an exceptionally-crafted story that shines a spotlight on sensible and pragmatic Charlotte Collins, it is an understated, poignant, and earnest depiction of the limited choices women of this era faced and what happens when dreams are sacrificed and convictions begin to change. Congratulations to Molly Greeley, for her sensitive and exquisite debut!!
Austenesque Reviews
December 6, 2020
If Molly Greeley's other foray into the world of Pride and Prejudice was a coming of age story, this one is a tragedy. A quiet, female tragedy of making what seemed like clear-eyed choices and learning too late that the cost was too high. And then living with those choices anyway.
Charlotte Collins, nee Lucas, chose Mr. Collins over a probable alternative of spinsterhood and poverty - while her friend Elizabeth, prettier and livelier, snagged the wealthy, handsome, and intelligent Mr. Darcy. Mr. Collins is none of those things, but marriage is tolerable even though Charlotte sees her husband's obsequiousness and stupidity with alacrity:
Still, home life is fine (minus the bad sex - Mr. Collins is as inept in this as he is in all other matters), Charlotte loves her baby daughter Louisa, and it's nice to be financially secure. All that changes when Charlotte, most improbably, falls in love with someone else and begins to understand how a marriage between two equals might be very different from the polite compromise she lives.
The Clergyman's Wife is quite a sad story, narrated by someone who sees her own life and choices clearly but has very little ability - economic or social - to pursue happiness. Charlotte's world is very small and made smaller by Mr. Collins's defects and total insensitivity to her needs for companionship, equality, and affection. Hers is a story of continual repression:
While The Heiress was a tale of addiction, liberation, and lesbianism, The Clergyman's Wife is much smaller in scale, with most of it spent in church, visiting parishioners, embroidering quietly at home. There's plenty for eager feminists to dig into about the roles of women during this time; Charlotte fiercely hopes for her daughter to be beautiful so that "she needn't sell herself as cheaply as I did," and I can't even think she's wrong.
I didn't like it as much as The Heiress; turns out I'm not a fan of first person present tense for Austen-y books, and Charlotte never quite won me over because I'm pretty sure I'd rather be a spinster and end up eating cat food in my old age than marry Mr. Collins. There's also a lot more screen time with characters from P&P, and despite (or because of?) an earnest attempt to keep them true to character, their speech is modeled so closely on Austen's words that they sometimes seem like stiff caricatures of themselves. I finished this book not quite satisfied but resigned, rather like Charlotte herself.
Charlotte Collins, nee Lucas, chose Mr. Collins over a probable alternative of spinsterhood and poverty - while her friend Elizabeth, prettier and livelier, snagged the wealthy, handsome, and intelligent Mr. Darcy. Mr. Collins is none of those things, but marriage is tolerable even though Charlotte sees her husband's obsequiousness and stupidity with alacrity:
Sometimes I have moments of pure astonishment when I realize that William, it seems, is very sure that he knows all of me. He believes that I am the person he sits across from at dinner every evening, he thinks he understands the woman with whom he lies at night. I suppose this means that I am a good wife. But I cannot think of a single time that I have shared more than the barest surface of my thoughts with him, and keeping myself always in check can sometimes feel so very draining.
Still, home life is fine (minus the bad sex - Mr. Collins is as inept in this as he is in all other matters), Charlotte loves her baby daughter Louisa, and it's nice to be financially secure. All that changes when Charlotte, most improbably, falls in love with someone else and begins to understand how a marriage between two equals might be very different from the polite compromise she lives.
The Clergyman's Wife is quite a sad story, narrated by someone who sees her own life and choices clearly but has very little ability - economic or social - to pursue happiness. Charlotte's world is very small and made smaller by Mr. Collins's defects and total insensitivity to her needs for companionship, equality, and affection. Hers is a story of continual repression:
Walking home, I have the most peculiar urge to strip my feet bare of their half boots and stockings and feel them firm against the earth. And then, perhaps, to press my entire self to the ground, to inhale and fill my lungs and tether myself with the smells of tree roots and undergrowth and the fresh dampness of decaying matter. I even stop walking, just for a moment, breathe in and out, flex my fingers against the handle of the basket to keep them from flying to my bootlaces.
While The Heiress was a tale of addiction, liberation, and lesbianism, The Clergyman's Wife is much smaller in scale, with most of it spent in church, visiting parishioners, embroidering quietly at home. There's plenty for eager feminists to dig into about the roles of women during this time; Charlotte fiercely hopes for her daughter to be beautiful so that "she needn't sell herself as cheaply as I did," and I can't even think she's wrong.
I didn't like it as much as The Heiress; turns out I'm not a fan of first person present tense for Austen-y books, and Charlotte never quite won me over because I'm pretty sure I'd rather be a spinster and end up eating cat food in my old age than marry Mr. Collins. There's also a lot more screen time with characters from P&P, and despite (or because of?) an earnest attempt to keep them true to character, their speech is modeled so closely on Austen's words that they sometimes seem like stiff caricatures of themselves. I finished this book not quite satisfied but resigned, rather like Charlotte herself.
February 5, 2020
"For a moment, I am held immobile by the weight of all the ways in which my life has changed." (quote from the book)
This poignant debut novel by Molly Greeley is hauntingly beautiful. I always wondered what Charlotte's life would be like married to Mr. Collins. I believe this author has delved deep into Charlotte's character. With reverence and sensitivity, she has poured Charlotte's soul upon us.
"Later, when I have time to reflect, I will perhaps wonder how it is possible to simultaneously want something so much and so little..." (quote from the book)
There is such compassion and earthiness within these pages as we live Charlotte's life through her point of view. With a confining and unvarying society, tending to her home, Mr. Collins and the ever present Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Charlotte's emotions are held tightly in check.
"I can feel anger curl around the back of my head, all the unacknowledged things between us suddenly large in my mind, but he keeps talking, as I clamp my teeth together, looking down at my plate." (quote from the book)
Charlotte's quiet friendship with a tenant farmer, Mr. Travis, upends her ordered life. You wonder how she is going to deal with this and the life she has chosen. You feel her furtive thoughts and anxiousness. I think that is one of the special qualities of this book...it makes you feel.
"When the quiet of my life threatens to deafen me, I go walking in the woods around Rosings." (quote from the book)
I can highly recommend this beautifully written book for anyone wanting a glimpse into the life of a Regency woman who chose marriage for security over spinsterhood.
March 23, 2020
Set in the 1800's. Charlotte Lucas had married clergyman William Collins heir to the Bennett Estate. It's been several years now since they were married. She's given birth to Louisa and has a new friend, Mr Travis a local farmer. Charlotte had married out of necessity, not wanting to be a burden on her brothers.
The author has done a fantastic job with Cahrlotte's character development. It's a heartwrenching and bittersweet read. There is some domestic abuse and thr death of a baby. William Collins is a dreadful character. This is a well written book. I hope the author writes more of these classical fiction stories.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin Books (UK) and the author Molly Greeley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The author has done a fantastic job with Cahrlotte's character development. It's a heartwrenching and bittersweet read. There is some domestic abuse and thr death of a baby. William Collins is a dreadful character. This is a well written book. I hope the author writes more of these classical fiction stories.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin Books (UK) and the author Molly Greeley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 3, 2020
5+ stars!
This is just a beautiful, beautiful novel in every respect. It's a very realistic character study of Charlotte Collins, told in her own words in the present tense, just as everything is happening. She may be a practical young woman, but that doesn't mean she doesn't have strong feelings - she's just learned how to hide them.
She's especially adept at accepting disappointment and frustration which, as the wife of the slow-witted Mr. Collins, her life is filled with. Obviously, Lady Catherine is yet another that Charlotte must manage carefully. Charlotte's husband has no idea of her true thoughts and feelings but believes he understands her perfectly. She recognizes that she's actually lucky - Mr. Collins may not be an ideal husband and she doesn't love him - but, more importantly, he is kind to her and cares for her in his own way.
The book conveys the daily routine of a parson's wife during the Regency era realistically. Charlotte is not naturally outgoing, so visitations to members of the parish are not easy for her at first; she wishes she had Elizabeth Bennet's knack of knowing exactly the right things to say.
There's a love story here, but it's not the one the reader is led to expect. It's really about the love of a mother for her child and the sacrifices she's willing to make for that child's future.
Such a moving, brilliantly written story!
This is just a beautiful, beautiful novel in every respect. It's a very realistic character study of Charlotte Collins, told in her own words in the present tense, just as everything is happening. She may be a practical young woman, but that doesn't mean she doesn't have strong feelings - she's just learned how to hide them.
She's especially adept at accepting disappointment and frustration which, as the wife of the slow-witted Mr. Collins, her life is filled with. Obviously, Lady Catherine is yet another that Charlotte must manage carefully. Charlotte's husband has no idea of her true thoughts and feelings but believes he understands her perfectly. She recognizes that she's actually lucky - Mr. Collins may not be an ideal husband and she doesn't love him - but, more importantly, he is kind to her and cares for her in his own way.
The book conveys the daily routine of a parson's wife during the Regency era realistically. Charlotte is not naturally outgoing, so visitations to members of the parish are not easy for her at first; she wishes she had Elizabeth Bennet's knack of knowing exactly the right things to say.
There's a love story here, but it's not the one the reader is led to expect. It's really about the love of a mother for her child and the sacrifices she's willing to make for that child's future.
Such a moving, brilliantly written story!
December 1, 2019
Many thanks to Allen&Unwin for this Advanced reading copy.
I had great pleasure in reading this book. It is written from the one characters perspective throughout which I quite enjoyed as it was simple to follow.
Charlotte Collins marries a vicar, not for love but to ensure her position in society and her future. In this role she meets a farmer who she becomes very fond of and he of her and she discovers what could of been for her had she not chosen the path she has.
Being a respectable lady she does the right thing but makes promises to herself that her daughter will not follow the same fate.
I recommend this book as an easy to read book by the author Molly Greeley. I will endeavor to find more of her work in the future.
I had great pleasure in reading this book. It is written from the one characters perspective throughout which I quite enjoyed as it was simple to follow.
Charlotte Collins marries a vicar, not for love but to ensure her position in society and her future. In this role she meets a farmer who she becomes very fond of and he of her and she discovers what could of been for her had she not chosen the path she has.
Being a respectable lady she does the right thing but makes promises to herself that her daughter will not follow the same fate.
I recommend this book as an easy to read book by the author Molly Greeley. I will endeavor to find more of her work in the future.
January 6, 2020
This was so much better than I was expecting. I’ve read lots of Pride and Prejudice inspired novels and this is by far the best I’ve found. Greeley manages to give additional depth to these characters while maintaining the spirit in which Austen created them. A delightful way to start the year.
February 15, 2020
Hopeless. Dreary.
July 7, 2020
Quite obviously I am not the right audience for THE CLERGYMAN'S WIFE as I found it bland and rather boring. And found myself counting the minutes until I finished it...though I hardly know why I bothered. Absolutely nothing happened in this story and I kind of felt what was the point of it? A friend quite cheekily answered "Just to p*** you off!" Admittedly, I have never read an Austen novel because, although I love the screen adaptions of her books, the writing vernacular is too old style for me to get my head around. THE CLERGYMAN'S WIFE followed that same vernacular and I found myself re-reading the same sentence several times on occasion to understand what was being said. And when a chapter ended rather abruptly I found myself thinking "what just happened?"
Charlotte Lucas married William Collins, a vicar/parson/clergyman, for security and not love, given that she was now 27 and unmarried. I think this is the first thing I didn't like because where would the passion be? Obviously there was none. William had previously asked Charlotte's friend Elizabeth Bennet for her hand first but as she had repugnantly refused him, Charlotte accepted after only two meetings and was content in her decision, for she knew her position as William's wife would give her security. When the Bennet's father died, William would inherit their estate, therefore securing her future as mistress.
After their wedding in Hertfordshire, the couple travelled to Kent where William's position as clergyman under the ghastly patroness Lady Catherine who was so inherently snobbish, looking down her nose at positively everyone. Charlotte took up her position as William's wife and called upon the villagers, though Lady Catherine failed to see the benefit of doing so. When Charlotte produced an heir, it was short-lived for baby Lucas lived just a few minutes, having being hurriedly baptised before his untimely demise. Then she gave birth to little Louisa who gave her much joy, but then the ever interfering Lady Catherine secured a girl from the village to take care of baby Louisa, leaving Charlotte for her more important duties. Such as...what, exactly? Because she didn't seem to do anything.
When she met Mr Travis (no one hardly ever has first names in this book), enlisted by yet again lady Catherine to plant and care for some roses at the parsonage, Charlotte felt she had found a friend at last. I was waiting for something exciting to happen and had this been a re-imagining of D.H. Lawrence rather than Jane Austen, I'm quite sure something would have.
Nothing much actually happened in this book. Charlotte was quite obviously in a loveless marriage which was wholly reflected in the pages but that was about it. I was secretly hoping for a roll in the hay with Mr Travis just for some excitement but alas, no.
I'm not sure I liked anyone in this book. Charlotte seemed flaky and boring. Lady Catherine was snobbish and overbearing. William was so ghastly that the thought of copulating with him gave me nightmares. Though when Elizabeth and Mr Darcy come to visit, I found myself hearing Laurence Olivier's voice in the role of Mr Darcy, as he was in the 1939 adaption of "Pride and Prejudice".
I really don't know what I can say about THE CLERGYMAN'S WIFE because I honestly found it passionless, bland and boring. By the time I reached the last page I found myself thinking "That's it? What was the point?" For me, there seemed to be none.
Lastly, one of my biggest pet peeves is a book that is set in the UK (as THE CLERGYMAN'S WIFE is) was riddled with American English rather than UK English. But I see now that the author is in fact American, so that probably accounts for that.
I guess you need a pre-requisite of being an Austen fan, or at least of "Pride and Prejudice", and as I simply have not read any of them I guess that counts me out. However, there has been plenty of positive feedback about THE CLERGYMAN'S WIFE. It just wasn't for me.
Perfect for fans of Jane Austen.
I would like to thank #MollyGreeley, #NetGalley and #AllenAndUnwin for an ARC of #TheClergymansWife in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
Charlotte Lucas married William Collins, a vicar/parson/clergyman, for security and not love, given that she was now 27 and unmarried. I think this is the first thing I didn't like because where would the passion be? Obviously there was none. William had previously asked Charlotte's friend Elizabeth Bennet for her hand first but as she had repugnantly refused him, Charlotte accepted after only two meetings and was content in her decision, for she knew her position as William's wife would give her security. When the Bennet's father died, William would inherit their estate, therefore securing her future as mistress.
After their wedding in Hertfordshire, the couple travelled to Kent where William's position as clergyman under the ghastly patroness Lady Catherine who was so inherently snobbish, looking down her nose at positively everyone. Charlotte took up her position as William's wife and called upon the villagers, though Lady Catherine failed to see the benefit of doing so. When Charlotte produced an heir, it was short-lived for baby Lucas lived just a few minutes, having being hurriedly baptised before his untimely demise. Then she gave birth to little Louisa who gave her much joy, but then the ever interfering Lady Catherine secured a girl from the village to take care of baby Louisa, leaving Charlotte for her more important duties. Such as...what, exactly? Because she didn't seem to do anything.
When she met Mr Travis (no one hardly ever has first names in this book), enlisted by yet again lady Catherine to plant and care for some roses at the parsonage, Charlotte felt she had found a friend at last. I was waiting for something exciting to happen and had this been a re-imagining of D.H. Lawrence rather than Jane Austen, I'm quite sure something would have.
Nothing much actually happened in this book. Charlotte was quite obviously in a loveless marriage which was wholly reflected in the pages but that was about it. I was secretly hoping for a roll in the hay with Mr Travis just for some excitement but alas, no.
I'm not sure I liked anyone in this book. Charlotte seemed flaky and boring. Lady Catherine was snobbish and overbearing. William was so ghastly that the thought of copulating with him gave me nightmares. Though when Elizabeth and Mr Darcy come to visit, I found myself hearing Laurence Olivier's voice in the role of Mr Darcy, as he was in the 1939 adaption of "Pride and Prejudice".
I really don't know what I can say about THE CLERGYMAN'S WIFE because I honestly found it passionless, bland and boring. By the time I reached the last page I found myself thinking "That's it? What was the point?" For me, there seemed to be none.
Lastly, one of my biggest pet peeves is a book that is set in the UK (as THE CLERGYMAN'S WIFE is) was riddled with American English rather than UK English. But I see now that the author is in fact American, so that probably accounts for that.
I guess you need a pre-requisite of being an Austen fan, or at least of "Pride and Prejudice", and as I simply have not read any of them I guess that counts me out. However, there has been plenty of positive feedback about THE CLERGYMAN'S WIFE. It just wasn't for me.
Perfect for fans of Jane Austen.
I would like to thank #MollyGreeley, #NetGalley and #AllenAndUnwin for an ARC of #TheClergymansWife in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
February 13, 2021
This is one of those books that you need to process after finishing before you can rate or review. Because truth be told at the moment I was finished I was disappointed with the ending. Not for any of the numerous reasons I usually am but because it didn't give me a HEA that I wanted. ETA: I didn't explain this correctly I wanted a 21st century HEA and got a 19th Century HEA. Further Lizzy & Darcy are barely in the book but they are happy, healthy, wealthy and wise
Set approximately 3 years after the Netherfield Ball we are spared a recap of Lizzy's visit and Darcy's failed proposal and all of P&P. This is a P&P reality of the life of the wife of a dull, obsequious Clergyman. The author does a fabulous job filling in the blanks of Charlotte Collins (nee Lucas) in the form of recollections we learn about her father's elevation to Knight and his decisions which trap Charlotte and her siblings in a netherworld between Trade and gentility
In the Words of Janus Ian "I learned the truth at 17 that love was meant for beauty queens." Charlotte struggles with a lack of beauty and a lack of dowry and a dearth of eligible suitors. We are led to understand why Mr. Collins was so acceptable.
Her life in Hunsford is no bed of roses, but is still a slight elevation from her life at Lucas Lodge. She strives to adjust to her new role having little training in caring for strangers and often fearing to intrude on the lives of her husband's parishioners. Mr Collins is not abusive or cruel he is merely Mr. Collins, obsequious, servile and fawning. His adoration of Lady Catherine is above all others.
As Mrs. Collins matures she realizes what she is missing in life is love and respect and she briefly experiences this in a chaste, chivalric type love. But this too will be denied her.
My heart broke for her over and over.
Over all a clean story with some oblique references to sexual situations but nothing you wouldn't read to you granny.
Set approximately 3 years after the Netherfield Ball we are spared a recap of Lizzy's visit and Darcy's failed proposal and all of P&P. This is a P&P reality of the life of the wife of a dull, obsequious Clergyman. The author does a fabulous job filling in the blanks of Charlotte Collins (nee Lucas) in the form of recollections we learn about her father's elevation to Knight and his decisions which trap Charlotte and her siblings in a netherworld between Trade and gentility
In the Words of Janus Ian "I learned the truth at 17 that love was meant for beauty queens." Charlotte struggles with a lack of beauty and a lack of dowry and a dearth of eligible suitors. We are led to understand why Mr. Collins was so acceptable.
Her life in Hunsford is no bed of roses, but is still a slight elevation from her life at Lucas Lodge. She strives to adjust to her new role having little training in caring for strangers and often fearing to intrude on the lives of her husband's parishioners. Mr Collins is not abusive or cruel he is merely Mr. Collins, obsequious, servile and fawning. His adoration of Lady Catherine is above all others.
As Mrs. Collins matures she realizes what she is missing in life is love and respect and she briefly experiences this in a chaste, chivalric type love. But this too will be denied her.
My heart broke for her over and over.
Over all a clean story with some oblique references to sexual situations but nothing you wouldn't read to you granny.
June 19, 2019
This is a pleasant, enjoyable book, notable for its lovely writing and its consideration of the real financial challenges facing women in Jane Austen’s day, as well as by its empathy for its characters (especially, and perhaps surprisingly, Mr. Collins). In Molly Greeley’s hands Mr. Collins’s flaws are not softened – not in the least – but possible explanations are provided and he is made into a more human and nuanced character than he appears in Pride and Prejudice. Overall, it is a pleasure throughout the book to behold the author demonstrating compassion for the characters without letting them off the hook for their moral choices.
Frankly, I’m a sucker for anything Jane Austen. I’ll admit that much of my enjoyment of this book is due to that fact. Still, The Clergyman’s Wife is among the better selections of the Austen-world sub-genre. Clearly, the author is not all about profiting off a cash cow; she is, with wisdom and care, exploring questions that provide a richer understanding of both history and our own lives.
My one nitpick is that, although the author mostly seems to take care to use period vocabulary, I was jolted out of the story by a couple of words which were coined decades after the story takes place. My guess is that most readers may not even notice, or care. In general, Greeley's writing is gently evocative, clear, and lyrical without going overboard.
This book is not a six-course meal, it’s not a rich dessert, it’s not junk food, and it’s not wild game. It’s more like a very nice homemade fruit salad, tasty and light, wholesome and flavorful, and just substantial enough to make you feel pleasantly fed. In other words, I felt improved by the book without having to work hard. I’m glad I read it and I would read more from this author.
Frankly, I’m a sucker for anything Jane Austen. I’ll admit that much of my enjoyment of this book is due to that fact. Still, The Clergyman’s Wife is among the better selections of the Austen-world sub-genre. Clearly, the author is not all about profiting off a cash cow; she is, with wisdom and care, exploring questions that provide a richer understanding of both history and our own lives.
My one nitpick is that, although the author mostly seems to take care to use period vocabulary, I was jolted out of the story by a couple of words which were coined decades after the story takes place. My guess is that most readers may not even notice, or care. In general, Greeley's writing is gently evocative, clear, and lyrical without going overboard.
This book is not a six-course meal, it’s not a rich dessert, it’s not junk food, and it’s not wild game. It’s more like a very nice homemade fruit salad, tasty and light, wholesome and flavorful, and just substantial enough to make you feel pleasantly fed. In other words, I felt improved by the book without having to work hard. I’m glad I read it and I would read more from this author.
January 19, 2020
Bittersweet!
December 29, 2019
When I read the description of this, I had to request it for review. I have read a lot of Austen-inspired work, adaptations, modern day depictions, and of course, books that deal with the same characters after Pride & Prejudice ends. I’ve read books about Darcy and Elizabeth, a book about Bingley and Jane, books about Mary Bennet and Georgiana Darcy as well. But I’ve never read a book about Charlotte Collins, nee Lucas and I thought that would be really, really interesting.
Charlotte is of course, Elizabeth’s best friend, a 27yo plain spinster from a family that has neither a lot of money nor strong connections. When Elizabeth refuses Mr Collins’ proposal, he goes to stay with the Lucas family after the humiliation. And just a short time later, Charlotte accepts his proposal. When Lizzy is horrified for her friend, Charlotte is tired of uncertainty and just wants a secure home, the respectability of being married. Mr Collins has a good living as the parson for Lady Catherine de Bourgh herself and of course, the unspoken thing is that one day, he will inherit Longbourne from his cousin Mr Bennet and Charlotte will be mistress of Lizzy’s family home.
This was really, really enjoyable. It gives an unflinching glimpse into Charlotte’s married life to Mr Collins, an odious bore but at least one who means well and isn’t cruel or violent towards her. He’s just incredibly boring, incredibly stifling and obsequious to his most generous patron. Charlotte has a comfortable life, even if she’s not entirely confident in her role of that of wife to a clergyman. She has a young daughter that she dotes on, that Mr Collins mostly leaves her alone to parent and she can endure frequent dining at Rosings with Lady Catherine because Charlotte has always been the embodiment of demure grace and respectability. She knows precisely how to deal with the difficulties of her talkative husband and the snobby and demanding Lady Catherine. But that doesn’t meant that she doesn’t have a lot of inner frustration.
Charlotte gets a glimpse of the sort of marriage she might have made, had she made another choice or met someone in a different way when she encounters Mr Travis, a farmer tenant of Lady Catherine’s, engaged to help plant and care for roses that Lady Catherine gets in her mind to install at the parsonage. Mr Travis is amiable and friendly and he and Charlotte share an early morning connection as she soothes her fractious, teething daughter. He is intelligent but not a gentleman, his hands are rough and often filthy in the way of a farmer. He’s more introspective than her husband and Charlotte perhaps is made aware through this connection (or even more aware) of the lack of emotional intimacy in her life. She’s quite far from her family, she has no friends in this new life and she and her husband share a cordial relationship but not one that is warm or affectionate. It’s merely duty and responsibility and Charlotte sees what it might have been like to perhaps share something more in a marriage – genuine love, affection and even sexual attraction.
It was interesting seeing familiar characters through new eyes – Darcy and Elizabeth do visit Rosings in the book (I’m honestly not sure how likely that would’ve been to happen, given the last interaction of Lady Catherine and Elizabeth) and Charlotte provides an unflinching look at her friend and also her friend’s marriage. Charlotte wasn’t around for the actual development of Darcy and Elizabeth although she’s heard about it in letters. This is her first chance to observe them as a couple and it takes her a while to see through Darcy’s rather brusque manner but she comes to witness their emotional intimacy too. Elizabeth has the type of marriage she always desired (luckily her husband is also incredibly wealthy and Elizabeth never needs to worry about the future).
This is one of the better books I’ve read that takes a character from a famous book and expands upon it. Charlotte’s internal monologue felt so honest and even though she’s not given to bouts of self pity and she knows exactly what the consequences are of the decision she made, you can feel her loneliness, her longing. Her examination of her life and the choices that led her to where she is isn’t self indulgent, more just…..stoic acceptance of the way her life has played out but in some ways, with a bit of fanciful dreaming of ‘what if’. Even though Charlotte was always portrayed as sensible and pragmatic, I suppose everyone is prone to some fanciful dreaming at some stage in their lives. I wasn’t sure how this was going to end – or how I wanted it to end, actually. It’s a much more complex time with more rigid marital and societal rules. It ended up feeling very realistic for me though.
I think this was a wonderful read. It didn’t feel perfect for Austen’s time and place but it was close, written with empathy and compassion and a real sense of human emotion.
***A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for the purpose of an honest review***
Charlotte is of course, Elizabeth’s best friend, a 27yo plain spinster from a family that has neither a lot of money nor strong connections. When Elizabeth refuses Mr Collins’ proposal, he goes to stay with the Lucas family after the humiliation. And just a short time later, Charlotte accepts his proposal. When Lizzy is horrified for her friend, Charlotte is tired of uncertainty and just wants a secure home, the respectability of being married. Mr Collins has a good living as the parson for Lady Catherine de Bourgh herself and of course, the unspoken thing is that one day, he will inherit Longbourne from his cousin Mr Bennet and Charlotte will be mistress of Lizzy’s family home.
This was really, really enjoyable. It gives an unflinching glimpse into Charlotte’s married life to Mr Collins, an odious bore but at least one who means well and isn’t cruel or violent towards her. He’s just incredibly boring, incredibly stifling and obsequious to his most generous patron. Charlotte has a comfortable life, even if she’s not entirely confident in her role of that of wife to a clergyman. She has a young daughter that she dotes on, that Mr Collins mostly leaves her alone to parent and she can endure frequent dining at Rosings with Lady Catherine because Charlotte has always been the embodiment of demure grace and respectability. She knows precisely how to deal with the difficulties of her talkative husband and the snobby and demanding Lady Catherine. But that doesn’t meant that she doesn’t have a lot of inner frustration.
Charlotte gets a glimpse of the sort of marriage she might have made, had she made another choice or met someone in a different way when she encounters Mr Travis, a farmer tenant of Lady Catherine’s, engaged to help plant and care for roses that Lady Catherine gets in her mind to install at the parsonage. Mr Travis is amiable and friendly and he and Charlotte share an early morning connection as she soothes her fractious, teething daughter. He is intelligent but not a gentleman, his hands are rough and often filthy in the way of a farmer. He’s more introspective than her husband and Charlotte perhaps is made aware through this connection (or even more aware) of the lack of emotional intimacy in her life. She’s quite far from her family, she has no friends in this new life and she and her husband share a cordial relationship but not one that is warm or affectionate. It’s merely duty and responsibility and Charlotte sees what it might have been like to perhaps share something more in a marriage – genuine love, affection and even sexual attraction.
It was interesting seeing familiar characters through new eyes – Darcy and Elizabeth do visit Rosings in the book (I’m honestly not sure how likely that would’ve been to happen, given the last interaction of Lady Catherine and Elizabeth) and Charlotte provides an unflinching look at her friend and also her friend’s marriage. Charlotte wasn’t around for the actual development of Darcy and Elizabeth although she’s heard about it in letters. This is her first chance to observe them as a couple and it takes her a while to see through Darcy’s rather brusque manner but she comes to witness their emotional intimacy too. Elizabeth has the type of marriage she always desired (luckily her husband is also incredibly wealthy and Elizabeth never needs to worry about the future).
This is one of the better books I’ve read that takes a character from a famous book and expands upon it. Charlotte’s internal monologue felt so honest and even though she’s not given to bouts of self pity and she knows exactly what the consequences are of the decision she made, you can feel her loneliness, her longing. Her examination of her life and the choices that led her to where she is isn’t self indulgent, more just…..stoic acceptance of the way her life has played out but in some ways, with a bit of fanciful dreaming of ‘what if’. Even though Charlotte was always portrayed as sensible and pragmatic, I suppose everyone is prone to some fanciful dreaming at some stage in their lives. I wasn’t sure how this was going to end – or how I wanted it to end, actually. It’s a much more complex time with more rigid marital and societal rules. It ended up feeling very realistic for me though.
I think this was a wonderful read. It didn’t feel perfect for Austen’s time and place but it was close, written with empathy and compassion and a real sense of human emotion.
***A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for the purpose of an honest review***
August 2, 2024
Sometimes I have moments of pure astonishment when I realize that William, it seems, is very sure that he knows all of me. He believes that I am the person he sits across from at dinner every evening; he thinks he understands the woman with whom he lies at night. I suppose this means I am a good wife. But I cannot think of a single time that I have shared more than the arest surface of my thoughts with him.
Dear reader, I have been tricked! This is not a romance... It is without a doubt lovely book written in beautiful language and there is a romantic sub-plot alas it's not a romance. Just warning you, because no one warned me and now I'm utterly destroyed.
I guess I should stop being so melodramatic, but seriously Molly Greeley destroyed me. I read The Heiress last year and adored it with all my heart (that one is a Romance, in the sense I'm talking about in at least). So obviously for this year's Jane Austen July I had to reach for her debut novel The Clergyman's Wife and oh dear, how I loved Charlotte in this one! And her little daughter Louisa... And even William Collins. Yeah, I know that it's hard to believe but Greeley actually made me empathise with Mr. Collins a job that was finished Janice Hadlow so now I'm kind of Mr. Collin's stan. Yeah, I know, weird. That said while in The Other Bennet Sister there is some hope for happiness between Charlotte and Mr. Collins, I... didn't really feel that here? There is so much discomfort between them in this book and the way Charlotte is repressed, the bodily disgust she feels towards him, the way she deplores her own sexuality. This book is a fucking Tragedy....
If you are a masochist like me and like having your heart broken then I would recommend this book for sure. Molly Greeley is an amazing writer and I really hope we'll get more books from her! I'm definitely going to read Marvelous in foreseeable future.
October 10, 2021
מעין המשך ל"גאווה ודעה קדומה" שמתמקד בדמותה של שרלוט ונישואיה למר קולינס. כידוע שרלוט נישאה למר קולינס בנישואי נוחות עבורה (על מנת שלא תיפול למעמסה על משפחתה כרווקה זקנה) ולא מתוך אהבה, ובזה פחות או יותר עוסק הספר - מצד אחד חרטותיה של שרלוט על כך שלא תחווה נישואי אהבה אמיתיים, כמו חברתה אליזבת' בנט שדחתה את הצעתו של מר קולינס (בניגוד לדעתה של שרלוט) ובסוף כן זכתה להצעה טובה יותר, ומצד שני קצת ביקורת על החברה הבריטית וספציפית הגברים בחברה הבריטית בתקופה ההיא, שמביאה נשים למצב הזה מלכתחילה.
הספר הזה הומלץ רבות בכמה קבוצות פייסבוק המוקדשות לג'יין אוסטן, ולכן קניתי אותו לקינדל. גם בגודרידס יש עליו המון המלצות. לצערי מבחינתי הוא היה מעיק, מתיש ומאכזב, ולכן גם לקח לי המון זמן (יחסית אליי) לקרוא אותו למרות שהוא לא ארוך.
אני תופסת את דמותה של שרלוט ב"גאווה ודעה קדומה" כאישה נבונה, מעשית, ריאליסטית, סרקסטית, עם חוש הומור ואבחנה דקה לגבי אנשים ומצבים חברתיים, ובעלת יכולת לראות את האבסורד שבהם. שרלוט בספר הזה (שמתרחש כ-3 שנים אחרי עלילת "גאווה ודעה קדומה", ומכיל גם זיכרונות של שרלוט), היא דמות אובר-רגשנית, דיכאונית, מהורהרת ומעורערת. הכל קשה לה. היא חסרת ביטחון בצורה קיצונית ומתקשה לתפקד כאשתו של כומר. זה צרם לי מאוד מאוד. משרלוט של "גאווה ודעה קדומה" הייתי מצפה להתנהגות אחרת לחלוטין. אני יכולה לדמיין אותה מעסיקה את עצמה בפעילות למען הקהילה, תמיד מוקפדת, מתייחסת בשעשוע לחיי הכפר ולהתנהגות של מר קולינס, וכותבת על כך לאליזבת' באריכות (בספר היא מאוד מתקשה לכתוב מכתבים ולספר על חייה לאליזבת' ולאמא שלה), ולא - מסתובבת בלבוש סתור ולא מהוגן ולא יודעת מה לעשות עם עצמה. ובוודאי שלא מתאהבת בחקלאי וחושבת מחשבות רומנטיות על כך שתהיה לה חווה (מה הקשר בינה לבין חווה? אביה היה סוחר ועכשיו הוא ג'נטלמן בעל תואר אבירות. אם כבר הגיוני שתחלום על להתאהב באיש עשיר).
באחרית דבר, הסופרת כותבת שב"גאווה ודעה קדומה" התיאור של שרלוט מובא מבעד לעיניה של אליזבת' ושלדעתה בכלל לא בטוח ששרלוט באמת קיבלה את נישואי הנוחות שלה כ"כ בקלילות כפי שמתואר במקור. בעיניי יש משהו מקומם בזה. למה לא להניח שאישה יכולה לנצל את המצב אליו נקלעה (מצב שבסטנדרטים של תקופת הריג'נסי הוא לא גרוע בכלל) ולהפיק ממנו את המיטב? למה ישר לשים אותה בפוזיציה של המסכנה? למה להפוך אותה לחלשה במקום להניח לה לצמוח? זה היה ממש מרגיז ומעצבן.
גם אם אני מניחה בצד את הבעייתיות בהקשר ל"גאווה ודעה קדומה" ושופטת את הספר בפני עצמו כאילו נכתב ללא הקשר ליצירת המופת של ג'יין אוסטן, הוא לא ממש מוצלח בעיניי. הכתיבה מנסה להיות "של פעם" בצורה די מגוחכת. הספר נכתב על ידי אמריקאית עם תואר בספרות אנגלית. אני מנחשת שתמיד חיבבה יצירות בריטיות והיא כנראה חושבת שככה צריך להיכתב רומן בריטי, במין הלך רוח מפוזר ומהורהר כזה, שפה מליצית והמון תיאורי טבע. אז זהו, שלא. דווקא אוסטן (ולא רק היא) כתבה בצורה מאוד הומוריסטית ומדויקת. הוא לא מדויק היסטורית - אנשים בתקופה ההיא לא התנהגו ככה. בספר, שרלוט, כאמור, היא דמות עם אופי חלש, מסכנה כזו, וממש לא מעוררת השראה או חיבה. בסוף הספר היא מחזיקה את ביתה הפעוטה ומבטיחה לה בליבה שתחנך אותה שלא "תמכור את עצמה בזול" כמו שהיא (שרלוט) עשתה, ושלא תתחתן נישואי נוחות אלא רק מאהבה. המסר הזה אולי רלוונטי לימינו, אבל הוא ממש לא רלוונטי לתקופת הריג'נסי - שרלוט לא מכרה את עצמה בזול, להפך. היא זכתה בחיים נוחים של אשת כומר ולאחר מכן של בעלת אחוזה, ובבעל שהוא אולי טיפש אבל שמתייחס אליה בהוגנות. סוג של זכייה בפיס בתקופה ההיא. האופציה האחרת שעמדה בפניה בתקופה ההיא זה לחיות חיים בודדים של ענייה מרודה. אז גם הקטע הזה היה מגוחך בעיניי.
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הספר הזה הומלץ רבות בכמה קבוצות פייסבוק המוקדשות לג'יין אוסטן, ולכן קניתי אותו לקינדל. גם בגודרידס יש עליו המון המלצות. לצערי מבחינתי הוא היה מעיק, מתיש ומאכזב, ולכן גם לקח לי המון זמן (יחסית אליי) לקרוא אותו למרות שהוא לא ארוך.
אני תופסת את דמותה של שרלוט ב"גאווה ודעה קדומה" כאישה נבונה, מעשית, ריאליסטית, סרקסטית, עם חוש הומור ואבחנה דקה לגבי אנשים ומצבים חברתיים, ובעלת יכולת לראות את האבסורד שבהם. שרלוט בספר הזה (שמתרחש כ-3 שנים אחרי עלילת "גאווה ודעה קדומה", ומכיל גם זיכרונות של שרלוט), היא דמות אובר-רגשנית, דיכאונית, מהורהרת ומעורערת. הכל קשה לה. היא חסרת ביטחון בצורה קיצונית ומתקשה לתפקד כאשתו של כומר. זה צרם לי מאוד מאוד. משרלוט של "גאווה ודעה קדומה" הייתי מצפה להתנהגות אחרת לחלוטין. אני יכולה לדמיין אותה מעסיקה את עצמה בפעילות למען הקהילה, תמיד מוקפדת, מתייחסת בשעשוע לחיי הכפר ולהתנהגות של מר קולינס, וכותבת על כך לאליזבת' באריכות (בספר היא מאוד מתקשה לכתוב מכתבים ולספר על חייה לאליזבת' ולאמא שלה), ולא - מסתובבת בלבוש סתור ולא מהוגן ולא יודעת מה לעשות עם עצמה. ובוודאי שלא מתאהבת בחקלאי וחושבת מחשבות רומנטיות על כך שתהיה לה חווה (מה הקשר בינה לבין חווה? אביה היה סוחר ועכשיו הוא ג'נטלמן בעל תואר אבירות. אם כבר הגיוני שתחלום על להתאהב באיש עשיר).
באחרית דבר, הסופרת כותבת שב"גאווה ודעה קדומה" התיאור של שרלוט מובא מבעד לעיניה של אליזבת' ושלדעתה בכלל לא בטוח ששרלוט באמת קיבלה את נישואי הנוחות שלה כ"כ בקלילות כפי שמתואר במקור. בעיניי יש משהו מקומם בזה. למה לא להניח שאישה יכולה לנצל את המצב אליו נקלעה (מצב שבסטנדרטים של תקופת הריג'נסי הוא לא גרוע בכלל) ולהפיק ממנו את המיטב? למה ישר לשים אותה בפוזיציה של המסכנה? למה להפוך אותה לחלשה במקום להניח לה לצמוח? זה היה ממש מרגיז ומעצבן.
גם אם אני מניחה בצד את הבעייתיות בהקשר ל"גאווה ודעה קדומה" ושופטת את הספר בפני עצמו כאילו נכתב ללא הקשר ליצירת המופת של ג'יין אוסטן, הוא לא ממש מוצלח בעיניי. הכתיבה מנסה להיות "של פעם" בצורה די מגוחכת. הספר נכתב על ידי אמריקאית עם תואר בספרות אנגלית. אני מנחשת שתמיד חיבבה יצירות בריטיות והיא כנראה חושבת שככה צריך להיכתב רומן בריטי, במין הלך רוח מפוזר ומהורהר כזה, שפה מליצית והמון תיאורי טבע. אז זהו, שלא. דווקא אוסטן (ולא רק היא) כתבה בצורה מאוד הומוריסטית ומדויקת. הוא לא מדויק היסטורית - אנשים בתקופה ההיא לא התנהגו ככה. בספר, שרלוט, כאמור, היא דמות עם אופי חלש, מסכנה כזו, וממש לא מעוררת השראה או חיבה. בסוף הספר היא מחזיקה את ביתה הפעוטה ומבטיחה לה בליבה שתחנך אותה שלא "תמכור את עצמה בזול" כמו שהיא (שרלוט) עשתה, ושלא תתחתן נישואי נוחות אלא רק מאהבה. המסר הזה אולי רלוונטי לימינו, אבל הוא ממש לא רלוונטי לתקופת הריג'נסי - שרלוט לא מכרה את עצמה בזול, להפך. היא זכתה בחיים נוחים של אשת כומר ולאחר מכן של בעלת אחוזה, ובבעל שהוא אולי טיפש אבל שמתייחס אליה בהוגנות. סוג של זכייה בפיס בתקופה ההיא. האופציה האחרת שעמדה בפניה בתקופה ההיא זה לחיות חיים בודדים של ענייה מרודה. אז גם הקטע הזה היה מגוחך בעיניי.
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