Charlotte Lucas—a new perspective!

Introducing Mrs. Collins: A Novel by Rachel Parris          

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Fascinating, hypothetical insight into Charlotte Lucas (Elizabeth Bennett’s friend) and Mr Colins (the heir to Elizabeth Bennett’s home)—their personalities, their formative interactions, and their marriage. 

I’ve often wondered about Charlotte, her marriage to Mr. Collins, her relationship with her husband’s patron Lady Catherine de Bourgh.

Parris has given us an alternative view of Charlottes life, the off the page life. They take center stage.

I had thought her life would be no more than a constrained unhappy expanse marching towards finality. I’m so glad Parris has a richer insight than me.

We see the painful awareness of each other of Catherine and Mr. Collins, the regulation of their lives, and the changes that come.

Charlotte’s life takes some twists and turns, but always she returns to the status quo.

Her future becomes remarkable, aided by a Mr. Collins none of us saw, including Charlotte herself.  A Mr. Collins who socially was awkward, and besieged by doubt ,yet honorable and caring. I came to appreciate some things about him, and understand reasons for those character traits  didn’t like.

Charlotte in the end came to know love.

An enriching novel that takes us down paths well trodden, unfolding and maturing as summer turns to autumn.

A Little Brown ARC via NetGalley.                                              

Many thanks to the author and publisher.