Georgiana Darcy gets the Pride & Prejudice retelling she deserves in Accomplished, a sparkling contemporary YA featuring a healthy dose of marching band romance, endless banter, and Charles Bingley as a ripped frat boy.
It is a truth universally acknowledged that Georgiana Darcy should have been expelled after The Incident with Wickham Foster last year – at least if you ask any of her Pemberley Academy classmates. She may have escaped expulsion because of her family name, but she didn’t escape the disappointment of her big brother Fitz, the scorn of the entire school, or, it turns out, Wickham’s influence.
But she’s back for her junior year, and she needs to prove to everyone—Fitz, Wickham, her former friends, and maybe even herself—that she’s more than just an embarrassment to the family name. How hard can it be to become the Perfect Darcy? All she has to do is:
– Rebuild her reputation with the marching band (even if it kills her)
– Forget about Wickham and his lies (no matter how tempting they still are), and
– Distract Fitz Darcy—helicopter-sibling extraordinaire—by getting him to fall in love with his classmate, Lizzie Bennet (this one might be difficult…)
Sure, it’s a complicated plan, but so is being a Darcy. With the help of her fellow bandmate, Avery, matchmaking ideas lifted straight from her favorite fanfics, and a whole lot of pancakes, Georgie is going to see every one of her plans through. But when the weight of being the Perfect Darcy comes crashing down, Georgie will have to find her own way before she loses everything permanently—including the one guy who sees her for who she really is.
I’m a Pride and Prejudice fan and a prior member of marching band, so I was excited to come across this retelling on NetGalley.
Georgie is not in a good place. During her sophomore year at Pemberley, she fell into a toxic relationship with long time crush Wickham Foster only to discover by the end of the year that he’d been dealing drugs out of her dorm room. To say brother Fitz was enraged and disappointed is an understatement. She’s lost all her friends since she ignored them and her studies while basking in the glow of Wickham’s attention. Junior year is a fresh start, and she’s determined to set things right.
After the death of their father and abandonment by their mother, Fitz and Georgie are learning how to be a family without them. As her legal guardian, Fitz assumes more of a paternal role, but Georgie misses her brother/best friend even as she continues to disappoint him. She believes Fitz is unhappy because of her, so she schemes with his best friend (and frat boy) Charles Bingley to get Fitz to fall in love with Lizzie Bennet. I loved how this retelling takes characters and places from the novel and reworks them into a modern day setting. In every scene with Fitz and Lizzie I pictured younger versions of actors Matthew Macfadyen and Keira Knightly from the 2005 movie. I couldn’t help it, and their banter was perfect.
Even with the best intentions, Georgie is met with one closed door after another while trying to set things right – her list of friends remains a short one, the honor roll is a distant dream, and the trombone section has all but frozen her out. Band was her happy place and her community, but now she doesn’t fit in there or anywhere it seems.
This is a fun modernization of Pride and Prejudice, and watching Fitz and Georgie redefine their sibling relationship was a high point for me. Georgie may stumble and make mistakes, but she realizes the importance of family and friends by the end. No one should have to go it alone.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Books and Such 
I’m a huge Jane Austen fan and this one sounds like a fun read. Thanks for the great review!!
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It sure was fun seeing how the author brought these characters into a more modern setting, Darlene. I laughed over Bingley and Fitz as frat boys and Wickham as a drug dealer.
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Oh, this sounds like a must-read for me, Teri! Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts. Definitely going on the ol’ TBR pile. (Fingers crossed it isn’t the book that brings it all down on my head!) Have a great day, my friend! 😀 ❤
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I’m hoping the author makes it into a series, Marcia. I enjoyed seeing these classical characters in a modern day situation. It was a fun read with some clever banter. Have a great weekend!
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I loved the brother-sister relationship. It’s very touching as they both try to figure out what’s best for each other and themselves. Excellent review!
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So did I, Tessa – one of my favorite parts. They were both flawed, even though it took them a while to realize it.
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Sounds like a fun verison 🙂
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It really was, Denise. Gave my brain a break after reading some heavy fantasy. I enjoyed it from beginning to end.
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This sounds great! Fab review 👏
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It was a fun read, Caro. I laughed out loud plenty of times. Have a great weekend!
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This book was meant for you, Teri. I’m not surprised you liked it. Good review!
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It brought back some geeky band moments, Priscilla, lol.
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Wonderful review, Teri. I read this as well and feel the same way. I loved the sibling relationship between Georgie and Fitz.
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Same here, Wendy! It was such an adorable sibling relationship, and I loved seeing them work through to a new normal. I sure wouldn’t mind a sequel.
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A great review, Teri. I love it when someone takes a classic and modernizes it. Sounds like this one is a winner!
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I’ve read some that didn’t work so well, but this one was a success in my opinion, Jan. Kudos to the author!
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Ok I am adding that one! That seems just what I was looking for!
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I think this one’s a winner for you, Sophie. Enjoy!
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It sounds like a successful retelling, Teri, and I could see the parallels to Pride and Prejudice. I like stories about siblings and that bond (ie. The Gemini Connection). Thanks for sharing your review and recommendation. 🙂
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It was a good one, Diana. The sibling relationship and their stumbles to find a new norm were one of my favorite parts of the story.
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Great review! This sounds well written retelling. I wish to reread Pride and prejudice and all other books by Jane Austen.
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Thanks, Yesha! I’d love to do a reread of Pride and Prejudice plus get around to reading some of her other books.
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I have never taken to Jane Austen’s books. Maybe I’ll try them again sometime. I must be missing something.
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Sadly, I haven’t read any of her others, but have the whole collection on my shelf waiting. Hoping to get there some day, Robbie!
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Read Pride and Prejudice first.
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That’s the only one I’ve read, lol.
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