A Dutiful Son

A Pride and Prejudice Variation

Romance - Historical
326 Pages
Reviewed on 11/14/2022
Buy on Amazon

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Manik Chaturmutha for Readers' Favorite

A Dutiful Son by Kelly Miller retells the phenomenal classic Pride and Prejudice written by Jane Austen. This Regency variation follows the story through Fitzwilliam Darcy. Darcy belongs to the upper echelon of society. He has always been a loyal and dutiful son to his father. However, a change in his father's perspective on social classes and emphasis on maintaining one's high social standing makes it difficult for Darcy to navigate his relations with friends and family acquaintances. Also, his budding relationship with Elizabeth threatens his role as a son. As the story advances, Darcy wishes nothing more than his father's approval to pursue Elizabeth. His duty is on one side and love on the other.

Through this retelling of the much-loved classic romance, author Kelly Miller gives an in-depth look into the character of Mr. Darcy. The development of all the significant characters like Darcy, Elizabeth, and Georgiana is incredible. Readers learn why Darcy is the way he is. In the original plot, we do not understand the reason behind his cold attitude toward Elizabeth, but the answers can be found in this version. It helps in understanding the complexity of his character, like why he doesn't associate with people outside the upper classes and doesn't smile like everyone at parties.

The narration presents an apt depiction of the Regency period. The vivid descriptions of the dress, music, dances, the lush green estates of the countryside, etc., create an excellent pictorial representation. It is exciting to get glimpses of people's lives from that era. It's like time-traveling into the past. The storyline has kept the essence of Austen's work intact. It also represents the prevalent class structure of the era. For instance, Elizabeth and her sisters belonged to a well-known family in Hertfordshire. Still, due to their lower status compared to Darcy and Bingley, their romantic lives were not initially smooth. Overall, this was an excellent reading experience, and I highly recommend A Dutiful Son by Kelly Miller to classic fiction fans.