A beautiful re-imagining of the life of Lizzy Bennet's best friend, Charlotte Lucas, continuing on from Pride & Prejudice. Who knows what Jane Austen had in mind for Charlotte? Helen Moffett allows us into her world so that we can stop imagining for just a minute, and take a look.
Charlotte is a trailblazer... not quite as meek and mild as initially presented. She subtly finds her way around the expected societal norms of the time, not only for herself but for other women who find themselves within her circle. In so doing, she manages to live a far more satisfying life than she ever expected when she 'settled' for marrying Mr Collins.
The writing style is gorgeous, conforming to that of Austen's. , This is altogether a charming read.

This book was a disappointment. I didn’t enjoy where the plot went and it failed to capture my attention.
A disappointing story

Charlotte by Helen Moffett

This book follows on from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice that mentioned Elizabeth Bennet’s rather unassuming and from some corners dull friend Charlotte Lucas who was treated shabbily by Mrs Bennet.

This is a well written book and Helen Moffett had made a reasonably good effort at following Jane Austen’s style of writing. This is a very pleasant read with a few unexpected parts thrown in though it was quite a slow read in parts.

Lovers of Miss Austen style may enjoy this 3.5/5

Do you ever read a book and wonder what happens to characters after you turn the final page? Me too. And so - it seems - does Helen Moffett. That is how the story of Charlotte was created. Charlotte Lucas - a character in Austen's Pride and Prejudice - is the star of her own story now. We see her life after the consequence of decisions that she makes. Her story and her growth as a character is lovely to read about.

Her tale is one of love, tragedy, and following the rules of Regency Britain…and breaking them.

In Charlotte we get a protagonist that we are now allowed to fully connect with and it is lovely reading her story.

Charlotte by Helen Moffett is available now.

For more information regarding Helen Moffett (@Heckitty) please visit www.helenmoffett.com.

For more information regarding Bonnier Books (@bonnierbooks_uk) please visit www.bonnierbooks.co.uk.

The people of Meryton believed that Charlotte Lucas had no prospects. Mrs Bennet sighed patronisingly that it was a shame that Charlotte was not more handsome. It seemed as if she was destined for a life as a spinster daughter. But then one day, she surprised everyone by accepting the proposal of newcomer Mr Collins, heir to Longbourn. Charlotte's closest friend Elizabeth Bennet is appalled to see an intelligent woman accepting the addresses of such a fool but Charlotte is clear-eyed about the opportunity that the marriage represents. In this thought-provoking re-imagining of Austen's Pride and Prejudice, Helen Moffett examines Charlotte's choice and considers whether it could have brought her contentment.

The novel opens with Charlotte being awoken in the middle of the night by her husband with heart-stopping news. He has just been past the bed of their youngest child, little Tom. The child, who suffered from hydranencephaly, has died in his sleep. Charlotte's grief is raw even as she maintains her self-control over the coming days. However even as the shock fades, Charlotte's mourning for her adored son is a constant thread throughout the novel. Since having my own son, I have found it difficult to impossible to read fiction featuring the death of children but Moffett handles the issue with great sensitivity. Despite the era and Tom's disability, it is clear that the child has been well loved by all who knew him and his loss is keenly felt.

Moffett takes an explicitly feminist perspective towards Pride and Prejudice, critiquing various of the original characters for their responses to Charlotte. As Moffett's own story progresses, she sends her heroine for a lengthy sojourn to Pemberley along with her children. While there, Charlotte recounts the events of the main novel to a new acquaintance, allowing Moffett a chance to give her own commentary. While generations of readers have expressed horror that Charlotte has made a match with such mercenary motivations, Moffett sets out her case in Charlotte's defence. She points out that Charlotte is the eldest of a numerous family. She has never had space of her own, she has always had work to be done and younger siblings to run after. With so many children and so little money, Charlotte knows that her family cannot afford the expense of a spinster daughter. Unlike Elizabeth, she is in no position to refuse a proposal, particularly when it comes from a decent man.

And this is the point that Moffett makes time and again. William Collins may not be sensible, but he is not so wicked either. He is a young man in his early twenties who has a tendency to become overwhelmed and overly obsequious in the company of those of higher social rank. Basically, he is insecure and over-compensates. But as Charlotte enters into her married life, she sees that she has much to be grateful for. She sees women who have to make excuses about black eyes, those whose husbands are drunkards, who gamble. Mr Collins may be foolish, he may even be cringe-inducing, but he has a good heart. He praises his wife for her domestic talents, he speaks highly of her to all who will listen and the two of them can find common ground in building their home together. Moffett highlights the pleasure that Charlotte finds in running her own home. That the housework which was so exhausting back at Lucas Lodge is a joy at Hunsdon Parsonage. There is something so touching about the scene when Charlotte first tours her new home and looks around it, basking in the fact that she is the mistress. And her silent excitement that one day there would be children. For a character who had believed herself destined for spinsterhood, this was a beautifully caught moment.

Moffett captures Mr and Mrs Collins as co-parents with great skill. While they may not be a love match, they both adore their offspring. I felt genuinely teary at the scene where Mr Collins explains that he had found little Tom dead because he had stopped by to pray for him as he did every night, a habit of even doting mother Charlotte had been aware. Whatever Mr Collins' many faults, Moffett is able to convince the reader that the best of him can be found in the love he has for his children. Another powerful scene depicts Tom's birth, during which the experienced village midwife makes a motion to suggest euthanising the child. Sweaty and exhausted, Charlotte still lets out a roar of protest and snatches the baby herself. Mr Collins stands fast by his wife in her decision, as indeed does their patroness Lady Catherine de Bourgh. While Lady Catherine is still recognisably the same woman from Austen's novel, Moffett humanises her with a sensitivity around a mother's love for her children. The solicitude which she offers Charlotte in her grief is understated but affecting.

By contrast, Moffett gives Elizabeth Bennet a much rougher ride. I have noted though that this is a recent trend in Austen-inspired fiction. Charlotte is deeply hurt by Elizabeth's horrified reaction to Charlotte's marriage. Indeed, we rather see that Elizabeth reflects Charlotte's own shame at marrying a man who she does not love. But Elizabeth is younger, she has seen less of genteel poverty, she is also far more headstrong. Elizabeth would have never been able to manage Mr Collins or indeed Hunsdon Parsonage as Charlotte does. But there are other moments however which do not show Elizabeth at her shining best. In particular, Charlotte reacts with fury at Elizabeth's comment in a letter that Wickham is engaged to heiress Mary King, but she sees this as understandable since handsome men must have something to live on as well as the plain. But in that case, fumes Charlotte, what about the plain women? Are they also allowed to wish for something upon which to live? This is Elizabeth's hypocrisy. While we know that Darcy's letter laying bare Wickham's true character will change her opinions, it does not reflect well upon the second Miss Bennet that she was prepared to show sympathy towards a young man she had known a scant few months but not for a woman who she had considered her best friend.

Charlotte is a novel that definitely offers moments of reflection for Austen fans, highlighting previously unconsidered moments of the original novel. However, I found the latter sections in Pemberley and beyond to be less effective. I also failed to connect with Moffett's portrayal of Miss Anne de Bourgh. Her character failed to interest me and the novel dragged whenever she appeared. I can see that she was intended as a kind of Gentleman Jack figure but for me, she simply lessened the impact of Charlotte's main plot. Without that plot strand, I would have been recommending this novel rapturously but with it, I struggled to suspend disbelief. The problem with so many spin-off versions of Charlotte Lucas is that authors cannot accept Charlotte's choice. They must have it that something shifts to allow Charlotte to find love elsewhere. In Scenes Jane Austen Never Wrote, Charlotte takes a lover before and after marriage. Other depictions see her as a lesbian. My personal favourite comes in Lost in Austen where Jane marries Mr Collins instead and so Charlotte takes off to Africa to carry out missionary work. In Charlotte's strongest moments, I felt like Moffett hit on the truth of the character's fate. Charlotte chose to marry Mr Collins because she believed it to be her best option and then she worked to prove herself correct. She was efficient, she was diplomatic and she was industrious. For these virtues she was richly rewarded in the love of her children. Adding extras like cash windfalls and exotic lovers feels superfluous and takes away from the courage that Charlotte showed. Charlotte Lucas' situation was not unique. There were many, many women who made similar choices in marriage and there is true heroism in the homes that they built without the blessing of romantic love. Charlotte almost captures their struggle and triumph but has a bad case of butterfingers in the final section. A close miss but sadly not quite on target.

Please note that this book is not for me - I have read the book, However I had to DNF and because i do not like to give negative reviews I will not review this book fully - there is no specific reason for not liking this book. I found it a struggle to read and did not enjoy trying to force myself to read this book.

Apologies for any inconvenience caused and thank you for the opportunity to read this book

I adored this book! Recently I've been devouring pride and prejudice retellings, and this was among the top tier of the ones I've read. Highly recommend for all historical fictions fan, not just Austen fans.

This is not a book for Austen purists, as Helen Moffett has taken the original Pride and Prejudice characters and used that plot as a background story, for a very different and more modern tale about a woman’s secret inner life, grief and yearning for independence.

Luckily, far from a purist, I revel in anything that expands the world of a book I love and gives me a peek into what could have happened next, before or during the main action, however unlikely it may be. And I struggled to think of anything more unlikely than the cool-headed, intelligent Charlotte Lucas growing to love the excessively small-minded and silly Mr Collins. Helen Moffett deftly proved me wrong there.

One of the most interesting feelings I took away from this story was the bias I had unwittingly fallen prey to when reading Austen’s novel. Of course, we get the whole of that story from the perspective of Elizabeth Bennett, and I wholeheartedly bought into her opinions on side characters like Charlotte, Mr Collins or Anne de Bourgh. But one of the underlying themes of that story is prejudice! Lizzie is proved to be wrong in her assessments of Wickham and Darcy, and in her understanding of how Bingley would view Jane’s behaviour. So why wouldn’t she have been wrong about the others too?

Not that this book completely reimagines the characters. Mr Collins is still not the brightest or most sensitive of men, but here he is seen as human – a kind, well-meaning family man whose edges are softened by his relationship with his sensible wife. We also see a very different Anne de Bourgh, who hides behind a listless exterior by day, but adventures like a highwayman at night; I quite liked this reimagining of her as a woman of some freedom and independence behind the scenes.

This also fit thematically with Charlotte’s story, which is one of the heavy grief of motherhood woven with the fainter healing strands of time, friendship and – eventually – passion. There was a languid lack of tension throughout the story, that allowed Charlotte and the reader to follow events somewhat passively. After all, the worst had already happened at the very start of the book… everything that follows is mere survival.

I found some of the themes, particularly that of women’s rights and of the treatment of Jews, were handled in a bit of a heavy-handed way. Instead of running through the story naturally, blocks of information and opinion were slotted in, interrupting the flow of the story. Similarly, I found it very hard to believe that a woman of Charlotte’s personality, place and time would speak freely to a young, handsome tradesman about her menses, childbirth or her sexual relations with her husband! As a narrative trick to tell the reader about such things, it felt clumsy and anachronistic.

Other than these small inconsistencies, however, I felt that the blending of modern attitudes (equality, openness) with Austen’s characters and setting worked to interesting effect, and really got me thinking about the issues and personalities in new ways. While a slow and mostly undramatic read, it adds nicely to the canon of classical spin-offs and retellings and so is worth reading, for Austen fans, on that basis.



'Charlotte was tired to the bone. Tired of the universally acknowledged truism: that a single woman of no great fortune must be in want of a life, at the beck and call of all who might find her momentarily useful, a blank template waiting for the impress of others. Standing in a lane she had walked since childhood, a shuttlecock batted between the lives of others, she struggled to master sensations of both entrapment and aimlessness.'

– Helen Moffett, Charlotte


Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog

Charlotte Lucas is mostly relegated to the background of Pride and Prejudice. When she accepts the buffoonish Mr Collins' marriage proposal, both Elizabeth and the reader are disappointed, knowing that she will never get her 'happy ever after'. Charlotte explores what her life is like after Pride and Prejudice draws to a close.

Charlotte provides a feminist lens to the story, examining the women in Pride and Prejudice and the decisions they make in a society where women still lack basic rights. Moffett explores how the plain-Jane Charlotte, prompted by an overheard and meanspirited comment from Mrs Bennet, is resolved to marry a man she has no affection for in order to gain security and deeper meaning to her life. After reading Pride and Prejudice, you may be left feeling that Charlotte will live to regret her decision. Instead, Moffett depicts Charlotte as a contented mother of three, with a marriage healthier than many and a largely satisfied life as a vicar's wife and mistress of the house. Her largely peaceful life is shattered when her son dies suddenly in the night, prompting the development of a friendship with Anne de Bourgh and an extended stay with Elizabeth Darcy at Pemberley.

The standout for me was how Moffett expertly draws you into Charlotte's life with sumptuous descriptions of nature and her day-to-day tasks and rituals. It is beautifully written, and compliments the novel's themes centering on female emancipation, grief, power and agency. Altogether, this is a deeply emotive novel and serves as a satisfying conclusion to Charlotte's story for all Pride and Prejudice lovers.

I sadly DNF'd this book but wanted to leave feedback. I struggled with the story because it goes so far against my ideas of Pride and Prejudice. It feels like the author was trying to re-write what happens in the book.

The narrative is very dark and bleak, which is not an issue in itself but the characters lacked the depth and complexity to carry it off. Sadly, this book was not for me.

Read very much like a continuation of Jane Austen's books - as if Austen herself had penned this to tell us about the lives and tribulations of this crew of characters after we closed the book of Pride and Prejudice. The tone felt right, with that sort of rambling prose that rarely, if ever, stops for dialogue, but which lulls you right along and you keep turning the pages. It did read a bit dull and sometimes forced, and the aura of tragedy kept looming over the whole thing (I did wonder if I would be able to stomach this tragedy, to be honest...) But if Austen is your jam, then you'll like this further dive into the world of P&P through Charlotte's eyes.

I was desperate to read this novel, because for me, the most tragic part of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, is that an intelligent and witty woman like Charlotte Lucas shackles herself for life to Mr Collins. Mr Collins is a cousin of the Bennett sisters, sadly dragged into their lives due to their father’s estate being entailed to the eldest male member of the family on his death. Mr and Mrs Bennett have not planned well for their daughters - hence Mrs Bennett’s desperation to get them all married to rich men and safe. She is so angry with Lizzy when she turns down Mr Collins, and not just because Lizzy’s without a safe future. If Lizzy had accepted him, then Mrs Bennett and the younger sisters would have been able to stay living in their family home. The last thing she wants is to be beholden to Charlotte Lucas.

The scene where Charlotte tells her best friend that she has accepted a proposal of marriage is so sad because we realise the difference between the two girls. Lizzy is an idealist, who still believes she can find a comfortable marriage where love is part of the deal. Charlotte emerges as the realist. She has no fortune of her own and her family are not likely to have good connections. She knows Mr Collins has a rich patron in Lady Catherine de Bourgh, a future inheritance from the Bennett’s, and a large vicarage with plenty of room for them both - the inference being she may well be able to avoid him altogether. In discussing this at length in university I heard the argument that Lizzy values herself more than Charlotte does. I don’t agree. I think Charlotte is very realistic about her worth and is quite self-contained. She can remain happy and be married to Mr Collins, because his ridiculousness doesn’t define her.

If you are familiar with the world of Pride and Prejudice, this is like reuniting with familiar friends. It is reassuringly familiar, but we rejoin them seven years on from the original book with Charlotte still married but now with three children. The author develops Charlotte from the peripheral character she was, to a fully rounded human being. Here those who didn’t understand her choice might start to understand her more. What emerges in the book is a woman who has judged her position well and has secured a comfortable future for her and her children. What I found very unexpected is that over time, Charlotte and Mr Collins have developed a relationship of sorts. They seem to share an understanding and some affection even. Mr Collins is still ridiculous, but they share a grieving process and it seems to bring them together. Charlotte is quite vocal about her lot in life and the accident of her birth that left her at the mercy of her father and then her husband. She feels passed like a parcel. I enjoyed reading about the futures of the other sisters and minor characters like Anna de Bourgh. I enjoyed this immensely and will be buying it for my fellow lit students who also felt this empathy for Charlotte’s position. A welcome addition to the world of Pride and Prejudice,

A brilliant take on the characters of Pride and Prejudice.
So well written in the same style as Jane Austin that at times you really could believe that she has written it.
It was lovely to see how Charlotte,s life progressed along side her friend who it appeared on face value to have it all.
Just loved it and can’t recommend it enough

I'm a huge fan of Pride and Prejudice and was delighted to meet again some of the characters of the book.
Charlotte is a fascinating characters, well developed and realistic. I loved her as much as I loved the other well developed characters.
The book is well written and well researched, the style of writing reminded me of Jane Austen, and the historical background was vivid and well researched.
It was an excellent read that I strongly recommend.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

I am giving Charlotte by Helen Moffett five stars because I absolutely loved it. It was really well written, evocative of the era and provided me with more from a story that it is absolute favourite. I have read quite a few different stories based on Pride and Prejudice, and this is definitely one of the best . It was familiar in places and yet provided depth to a lesser character and built on the original. Charlotte is incredibly likeable (as she would have to be to be such close friends with Elizabeth Bennett) and this book shows her strength, resilience and determination. I am a fan!
I would highly recommend this charming novel, which would also stand alone if you haven't read any Pride and Prejudice.
Thank you to the author, her publishers and #NetGalley for the opportunity to lose myself in this lovely story. .

When Charlotte marries Clergyman Mr. Collins, her friends and society are stunned. Yet Charlotte knows he will provide her with a future and this story shows how she achieves this with love, friendship and grief thrown into the mix.
Helen Moffett cleverly uses the language of Jane Austen to take us back to the time of Pride and Prejudice, and give us Charlotte's version of events. The clever narration and use of Charlotte's memories as stories show us how she made the decisions taken for both herself and her daughters. This is an enjoyable tale.

I have not read pride and prejudice but of course know the story and have watched the TV adaptation. I was intrigued to read this sequel and find out what happened to Charlotte Lucas.

The book did not disappoint. It tells Charlotte’s story and also gives us insight into the future of many of the Bennett family. The story at times takes us back to the original tale’s timeline and this is useful in fitting the two together.

The story also allows for other issues to be dealt with in a light touch manner, such as Anne’s penchant for wearing men’s clothing.

It is a story of the trials of women of the time, of choices that have to be made between security and love. It shows how unfair it was to be female, and how different women dealt with the hands they were dealt.

This book is another take on the minor characters in Pride and Prejudice,and tells the story of Charlotte Lucas,who married Mr Collins after he was turned down by Elizabeth Bennet.The author manages to copy the style of Jane Austen's prose very well,and even includes some of her well known sayings. The story is continued beyond the end of Pride and Prejudice and describes Charlotte's life following her marriage.She lives near Rosings,where her husband is still employed as a clergyman by Lady Catherine de Bourgh.
Following the death of her son,an event described very movingly,she travels to Pemberley with her remaining two children to spend time with Elizabeth,now married to Mr Darcy.While she is there ,she develops a friendship with Mr Rosenstein,who is there to tune the instruments in the house,but who entertains the children and the two women by playing music for them and teaching the children to swim.This friendship develops into a love affair where for a brief moment Charlotte follows her heart rather than being dutiful.
I liked the way that the characters were developed,particularly Mr Collins, who is portrayed as a much more sympathetic character than in the original book.The author also touches on the constraints placed on women at the time,particularly if they were unmarried .I wasn't as convinced by the development of Anne de Bourgh's character ,but I liked the way the story ended.
Recommended for anyone who enjoyed' Longbourne' or 'The Other Bennet Sister'.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review which reflects my own opinions.

Another book in my series of 'books based on Jane Austen and her novels' and we are back in the world of Pride and Prejudice. I've read and reread P&P many times and, as I've grown older, I've realised that although Lizzie Bennet and Mr Darcy are the characters whose lives grip you on a first reading there is a lot to be said for the other inhabitants of Meryton, Pemberley and Rosings. I sometimes wonder if Austen knew we would. as readers, be drawn to inventing our own lives for all those lesser characters? This particular book suggests what may have happened mainly to the families at Rosings - the de Bourghs and Mr and Mrs Collins - and is told from Charlotte Collins (nee Lucas) point of view.

Austen never really went beyond the wedding day of her characters - it would have been hard for a genteel audience of the day to read about the problems of a marital relationship - so it is fascinating to hear about issues faced by both Charlotte and Lizzie. In Lizzie's case a life of riches and plenty can't prevent frequent miscarriages and for Charlotte, although she has two happy, healthy daughters, the loss of a young son - born with a life-limiting disability - is a heavy burden. What the two friends have in common is not only the lack of an heir but also the inability to speak honestly to their husbands about their sorrow and fears.

Loved this book so much Charlotte was a great in depth story and if you loved Pride and Predjudice this is a must read