Curled Up With a Good Book by Swapna Khrisna http://www.curledup.com/pemberly.htmrishna
Pemberley Remembered is historical fiction in the broadest sense. Not only does it cover Austen’s Regency England; it is a revealing portrait of World War II and postwar England as well. Any fan of either will greatly enjoy this book. However, it is also a story of romance, the likes of which are unsurpassed in today’s literary climate. I am hesitant to categorize the book as a romance, because while it is the story of Maggie and Rob and their love for each other, there is so much more that develops in the novel.
When a reader hears the title Pemberley Remembered, the first thing that comes to mind is Jane Austen’s famous novel Pride and Prejudice. Any real fans of that work will most likely clamor to read this novel; anyone who does not recognize the name Pemberley will pass it by, even after picking it up to read the synopsis. What a mistake they would be making!
Please visit www.curledup.com/pemberly.htmrishna for a complete review.
Front Street Reviews/Bell Literary Reflections
This is more than just your average addition to the popular new Austen genre. Mary Simonsen has a knowledge of both World Wars and post-war London and Germany that is not just impressive but rivals many historians. Incredible detailed accounts go much farther than recounting the facts but make pain, suffering, and resilience of her characters come alive as they absorb the effects of the war.
In contrast is the delightful story of the Bennet family. Highly ambitious, it gives minute details about the family, where they came from and what became of them, which imbues their lives with fuller, richer dimensions... I highly recommend this book and am looking forward to reading more of her work in the future. For a complete review please link to: http://lovingmyhome.blogspot.com/2008/03/pemberley-remembered.html
Roundtable Reviews
Pemberley Remembered is the publishing debut of Mary Lydon Simonsen. Currently living in the hot recesses of Arizona, Ms. Simonsen showcases her lush imagination and thorough knowledge of Regency Era England with its quirks and rich cultural heritage as well as the time period following World War II. Pemberley Remembered joins the ranks of the many Jane Austen inspired novels that simply cannot let the romance between Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet die with the conclusion of Pride and Prejudice. In this work, a post-WWII Maggie Joyce visits a Derbyshire country house that is said to have housed William Lacey and Elizabeth Garrison, purported to have been Ms. Austen’s inspiration for her characters. On a whim, Maggie researches the characters to find out if there is any truth to this saga and before long she makes friends with the descendants of Lacey and Garrison, and also meets her own love interest.
Pemberley Remembered is the kind of story that either flies high and succeeds or bombs beyond recognition – a danger that is always in play when the characters of a famous and much beloved novel are taken as a springboard for a new work of fiction. To say that Mary Simonsen succeeded in her endeavor to craft a love story within a love story is an understatement! In many ways she could be considered on the cutting edge of this highly specialized genre and while it is unclear whether it is her deeper understanding of the Jane Austen characters, her meticulous knowledge of WWII and Regency England histories, or her ability to weave together three seemingly unconnected story lines, this book is a resounding success on all levels. Readers who would rather gnaw off a limb than read a romance novel will take heart in the fact that this author is not crafting the quintessential romance that seems to fall into a cookie cutter mold, but instead is truly offering up a work of fiction that has yet to find its equal.
Kevin's Corner by Kevin Tipple (Blogger News Network)
[PR] is more of an epic style romance that one does not usually see these days and is written in a style that reminds one of an older novel. Maggie, a romantic and a huge fan of the novel, is searching for her own life story and romance in a world that is changing rapidly. While the Second World War has changed everyone and everything, the aftermath of war is having a more profound affect on her and everyone around her while she seeks to mold her life into something akin to a literary experience. As she seeks answers in her own romance and is faced with decisions that will further shape her life, she seeks answers to a literary mystery and proof one way or the other...
[T]he economic and cultural changes after World War Two at home and abroad in England should strike a cord in any reader that takes the journey back into time with this interesting novel. Romance and the difficulties of romance is a universal theme for nearly any reader and that theme is a constant backdrop for almost the entire novel. For the complete review, please go to:
http://kevintipplescorner.blogspot.com/2008/03/book-review-pemberley-remembered-by.html
Bestsellers World
"Pemberley Remembered gives you inside glimpses in the life of people living in Europe during the time immediately following World War II as well as a glimpse back into the history surrounding World War I. This book is well written and is a wonderful, informative story. Reading Pemberley Remembered is reading history, romance and even a little mystery all combined in one wonderful book." For the complete review, please link to:
http://www.bestsellersworld.com/reviews/simonsen-pemberley_remembered.htm or
http://www.ibookdb.net/review/74738
Marybeth Gallagher VanWinkle, Editor, "The Searcher," NE PA Genealogical Society
"Pemberley Remembered is a precious jewel of a novel. Like a carefully cut stone, it can be read from many angles, each presenting a different perspective, yet no single one detracts from the cohesive beauty of the whole. It is a love story, a mystery, and a glimpse into two separate historical time periods in which the protagonists are struggling against traditions and mores of the past while attempting to live their lives according to an emerging set of values." For full review, please visit
http://pemberleyremembered.blogspot.com/
Interview with Fiction Scribe by Jaime (Australia)
This week I have a bonus interview to put up. I’ve talked to novelist Mary Simonsen who wrote the novel Pemberley Remembered. I hope you’ll join me in welcoming her here to the site.
Hello and thank you for stopping at Fiction Scribe, Ms. Simonsen. Tell the readers a bit about yourself.
I grew up in Northern New Jersey very near to New York City. It was a great place to live as we were close to Broadway, the concert venues and the museums. While working in an engineering office, I met my husband, Paul. We’ve been married for 31 years and have two grown daughters and a granddaughter. Before having children, most of my career was as a legal secretary, but after my girls were old enough to go to school, I reinvented myself and became a special education assistant. I retired two years ago to pursue my own interests which are travel and writing a novel.
What brought you into the world of writing? When did you start?
I always enjoyed writing, but it wasn’t until I had to write papers for college that I realized that I had some talent in that area. I have written for neighbourhood newsletters and a genealogical society, and I always got positive feedback. Like Jane Austen, much of my writing was for the “amusement of my family” and for the joy of writing.
For complete interview, please visit: http://www.fictionscribe.com/mary-simonsens-pemberley-remembered/