The Child

By: Jan Hahn

Narrated by: Neil Roy McFarlane

Length: 8 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's summary

Will Darcy ever grow to love a child he never wanted?

In Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Fitzwilliam Darcy’s proposal to Elizabeth Bennet at Hunsford is disastrous. In Jan Hahn’s The Child, Darcy flees England soon afterward, striving to overcome his longing for her. Upon his return two years later, while standing on the steps of St. George’s Church in Hanover Square, he spies the very woman he has vowed to forget. But who is the child holding her hand?

Darcy soon discovers that Elizabeth and her family are suffering the effects of a devastating scandal. His efforts to help the woman he still loves only worsen her family’s plight. His misguided pride entangles him in a web of falsehood, fateful alliances, and danger.

Will Elizabeth be able to forgive Darcy for his good intentions gone awry? And what effect will the child have on Darcy’s hopes to win Elizabeth’s love?

©2018 Jan Hahn (P)2019 Jan Hahn

Continued excellence

I have read a second story from Jan Hahn about the Benner’s and Mr Darcy and she does not
Let you down. Hope I can find more.

An original and interesting P&P variation

Quite unusual Pride and Prejudice variation. The story is told by Darcy and the narrator is excellent. I love his voice. Three years after Elizabeth turns down Darcy’s proposal, he sees her on the street with a little a little girl. Darcy is shocked. Is it Elizabeth’s child? He must find out the origin or the little girl. Wickham, Caroline Bingley, George Bingley, the Bennetts, the Lucases and others from P&P are present. I must admit that I did get aggravated with the Elizabeth Bennett in this book. She was determined to mistreat Darcy no matter what he does. Of course some of his help he provides is not so helpful. All ends well, and the epilog is fantastic – one of the best around and almost as good as the epilog from the Jane Austen Pride and Prejudice book.
.

An unexpected surprise

Another wonderful story told by Jan Hahn about my favourite couple of Austen’s writings. This time with a twist.
Fitzwilliam Darcy returns to England after 2 years abroad, and the first thing his eyes sets upon in Hanover Square is Elizabeth with a small child clinging to her skirts. Who is the child? And is Elizabeth her mother? And just what has happened to the Bennet family since his fateful proposal in Hunsford?
Follow Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth as they learn truths about themselves, ‘the child’ and each other, which leads to happiness for all.

Confusing premise

These two (E&D) are the epitome of everything they purport to despise. They never reveal their true feelings and are not honest with each other. That gets old. Are there no variations that portray Elizabeth as a human being? She’s mean and unkind to others and has totally misplaced loyalty, she’s not smart for all her book learning. Darcy is just as bad with never telling the truth about his motives and going behind the scenes doing what he deems best for people. Though nicer and better intentioned than Lady Catherine his blind determination is similar. He has some sort of blinders on. Everyone during this era is certainly a sympathetic character but most of them in this book are their own worst enemies. The writing is very good and I did enjoy that aspect and Neil Roy Macfarlane is in my top five favorite narrators. I often search for narrators as often as authors when purchasing audible books…I can’t imagine why after all the work writing a book some authors stubbornly stick with awful narrators. I have immediate respect that Ms. Hahn chose a good one. Too much meanness between ODC especially Elizabeth is off putting, if you can get past that this is a pretty good story that could have been better.

Darcy's POV, a return finds the Bennett's ruined

Great what if after Elizabeth's refusal at Rosing's. Drives Darcy to dispare, fleeing England with Bingley? Upon his return Darcy sees Elizabeth in London with a toddler. He is on the steps of a church being told the bride awaits him. He does not know the parentage of the child but assumes the worst. Thinking Elizabeth ignored his warning of Wickham. Elizabeth thinks Darcy is the groom. When Darcy and Bingley return to Netherfield. Only to find the Bennett's shunned by the neighborhood. After much confusion and misunderstanding the story of the child is revealed. Darcy tries and fails to make things right. ODC find their HEA? Some angst. Wickham is still an irresponsible scheming villain. But I have listened to the story more than once and I have to give the author and the narrator credit for a great listen!

The Child between them

The Child by Jan Hahn, narrated by Neil Roy McFarlane, was a treat in terms of ingenuity on the part of the author and her rendering of the characters given the situation they found themselves in. Without giving too much away, Elizabeth and Darcy have even more obstacles to overcome, especially as Wickham plays a pivotal role in what could keep them apart forever.

good story

came across this while looking for one Pride and Prejudice variation in particular it's a entertaining story

I really don’t like this Elizabeth…

I felt that she still showed all of the worst aspects of her canon characterization with little growth or maturity (especially as she was supposed to have been a de-facto parent to a young child for nearly 2 years by the beginning of the book). She was still jumping to conclusions and taking forever to work towards forgiving slights, as well as running off on frankly stupid courses of action rather than fully arguing her points. Perhaps a lot of my problems stemmed for missing her thoughts over the course of events, but I never actually liked this depiction of Elizabeth.

I was especially annoyed as the book was narrated by one of my favorite readers - the performance was as I expected from the reader and highly enjoyable.

Ummm, not sure about this one

Darcy is a little out of character, but I think I understand why, still not quite our Mr. Darcy. We deal with Wickham more than usual and not sure if I believe Darcy’s decision to involve him in the first place.

The story eventually comes around but you have to stick with it.