The Clergyman’s Wife

Greeley debuts with a delightful yet poignant historical inspired by Jane Austen’s classic Pride and Prejudice, from the pragmatic point of view of Charlotte Collins, a friend of Elizabeth Bennet’s who married one of Elizabeth’s cast-off suitors. In a time when women had only two choices—get married, or become a burden to one’s family—Charlotte chose the former, even though she isn’t in love with her husband, Vicar William Collins, a simpering sycophant to their patroness, the condescending, haughty know-it-all Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Charlotte is resigned to her fate and enjoying her growing toddler daughter, Louisa, when she meets Mr. Travis, a tenant of Lady Catherine’s. For the first time, she feels heard and understood by a man, and realizes that while her life is socially acceptable, something vital is missing from her feelings about her husband. With tight prose and expert characterization (and, sadly, a finale true to those times), Greeley easily draws readers into the world she’s created while largely staying true to Pride and Prejudice’s original plot. Ideal for fans of Austen’s work, Greeley’s strong debut also stands on its own. (Dec.)