Darcy in Wonderland by Alexa Adams

Darcy in Wonderland is a delightful tale that combines two of my favorite British stories, Pride & Prejudice and Alice in Wonderland.  Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy have married and are raising a family of one son and five daughters.  The youngest daughter, Alice, is prone to fits of fancy that Darcy can’t help but indulge as a father.

As Alice’s oldest sister prepares for her coming out ball and her brother prepares to make his way in the world, Alice remains stuck in the schoolroom.  Behind on her lessons, her father stays behind to catch her up while the rest of the family visits the Bingley family.  While outside, they follow a mysterious white rabbit down a rabbit hole and have a grand adventure in Wonderland.

I found this novel to be very enjoyable with charming illustrations.  One of my favorite scenes was the tea party in Wonderland which was a fantastic comedy of manners with Mr. Darcy trying to maintain good manners, which is increasingly hard to do with the Mad Hatter in attendance.   I thought this novel was a perfect blend of both tales. 

Adams wrote the characters from Pride and Prejudice as I would imagine them in a future life.  Their children were intriguing as well. I wanted to learn more about this Pride and Prejudice continuation and would love to read further tales!  One of my favorite parts of the novel was a perfect conclusion with Bennet, the Darcy’s eldest and only son.  He is already knee deep in the work of running the Pemberley estate, but after Darcy’s adventure in Wonderland with Alice, he realizes that Bennet should have some fun before becoming an adult.  I loved this!

Favorite Quotes:

“As I said, you are too easy on Alice.  If you and my mother do not take her in hand and impose reality upon her, the world will someday do it for you, and it will be a far more difficult lesson to learn.”

“’I suppose one really must laugh at one’s own relations, the private company of one’s fellow sufferers, of course, for how else are they to be born?’ Elizabeth conceded. “

“’When I used to read fairy tales,’ she continued, unfazed, ‘I fancied those kinds of things never happened, and now here we are in the middle of one!’”

“’A Darcy, are you?’ cried the Pigeon. ‘And what in heaven’s name is a Darcy, I ask? You just invented it.’

 'I am a gentleman, madam,’ he assured her, attempting to check his irritation and live up to the title.”

“’But I do hate tampering with the laws of physics.  No good shall come of it.’”

“’Very fine indeed.’ said Darcy, really wanting to question the creature with whom this entire sorry adventure began, but his innate breeding insisted a mundane comment must be addressed in kind”

Overall, Darcy in Wonderland is a whimsical delight that is sure to be enjoyed by most readers.  It’s not to be missed if you are a Pride and Prejudice fan, it is a wonderful continuation of the story.

Book Source:  Review Copy from author Alexa Adams as part of the Blog Tour.  Thank-you!