Longbourn by Jo Baker
I received this book for Christmas from my younger brother and his wife. They, like everyone it seems, know of my love for all things related to Pride and Prejudice, and thought I would like this book. They were so right.
This is a telling of P&P from the help's perspective, particularly a housemaid named Sarah. Yes, we read about undesirable things, like cleaning the stained linens of the Bennett girls, but I feel that lends some authenticity to the novel.
We also learn about an affair Mr. Bennett had before he married Mrs. Bennett with the maid, Mrs. Hill. They had a love child, James Smith, who came to work at Longbourn as well, and who has a sordid story of his own.
What I liked about this book is that it was fairly true to the source material. There are some inconsistencies, (for instance, I don't think Mr. Bennett would have had an affair, or a love child that he sent away) but, on the whole, it was true. I still hated Lydia, Wickham, and Mrs. Bennett, so some things didn't change.
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