Misunderstanding and Misinterpretation (Fitzwilliam Darcy)

After reading yet another bad YA novel that featured an obnoxious male love interest and a blatant allusion to Pride and Prejudice, one of my favorite books, I realized that I had finally come to the breaking point when it came to this problem that I have with authors trying to use Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy as the inspiration for their couple while misunderstanding why the couple works or what many fans love about it. Maybe it was because reading the book was an aggravating experience for me, maybe it was because I had seen this sort of thing too many times before, but I just couldn’t take it anymore. I was so exasperated that I actually found myself rubbing my forehead in frustration while reading about the couple’s unconvincing romance. And I found myself wondering again why this author, like many others, seemed to have gotten it so wrong.

( Mr. Darcy vs. YA male love interests )

Misunderstanding and Misinterpretation (Elizabeth Bennet)

When comparing Elizabeth Bennet with many disappointing female leads in YA fiction, it is very easy to list reasons for why she’s a superior protagonist. If one wants to be brief and uncharitable, one could simply say that unlike many YA female protagonists, Elizabeth has a spine, a brain, and a heart. But instead, I’ll begin with Elizabeth’s character in relation to Mr. Darcy and her reactions to him, since those are what many people seem to misunderstand the most.

( Elizabeth Bennet vs. YA female protagonists )