Reviewed by Harriet
Anyone who’s ever read (or watched) Pride and Prejudice will know that Mrs Collins is Elizabeth’s ‘intimate’ friend Charlotte Lucas, ‘a sensible, intelligent young woman, about twenty-seven’. There are plenty of examples of her wit and wisdom, as when she discusses Jane’s chances with Bingley, or teases Elizabeth about her musical abilities. But their friendship takes a knock when Charlotte accepts William Collins, the visiting vicar who Austen describes as ‘not a sensible man’. His foolishness is enlarged on, both by description and example, and fully displayed during his proposal to Elizabeth. Then, having finally accepted her refusal, he goes to the Lucas’s house and proposes to Charlotte, who accepts him. Elizabeth is deeply shocked. But Charlotte knows that at twenty-seven, this is her last chance to escape the misery of being an old maid, and having to accept charity from wealthier family members. When Elizabeth visits the Collinses after their marriage, she is pleased to see Charlotte making the best of her new situation, though she seems rather embarrassed by her husband’s continued foolishness.
So Rachel Parris did well in taking all this as a starting point, and giving Charlotte a life, and a novel, all to herself. In doing so, she not only expands our knowledge of Charlotte’s inner life, but also gives William a back story, enlarging on the brief description of his childhood and upbringing given by Austen. The unhappiness of his poverty-stricken childhood, his lack of friends at school and even at Oxford – where his brilliant mind makes him shine academically – are described in detail, making him a much more sympathetic figure than he appears in the original novel. The wedding night is clearly a challenge for him and although he eventually overcomes his nervousness enough to make Charlotte pregnant, that side of marriage never means more than a duty. But Charlotte is pragmatic – she never expected romance in her marriage, let alone passion, thinking herself too sensible to need such an indulgence. Meanwhile – and perhaps rather surprisingly for Austen readers – she soon becomes a favourite with William’s patroness Lady Catherine de Bourgh , who having given Charlotte permission to play the piano in a wing of the house, hears her excellent playing and invites her to play as much as she likes on the grand piano in the drawing room. Lady Catherine too has a less fearsome side here, and in fact becomes quite a sympathetic character despite her strict ruling of the household and its inhabitants. One such is Darcy’s cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam, who Austen describes as not handsome, but a man with excellent manners, enlivening the visit of Elizabeth and her family, even flirting mildly with Elizabeth. From this point on, Parris has Charlotte liking him more and more, though of course only as a friend. But circumstances have a habit of throwing them together in situations where they are alone for considerable amounts of time. And as you might expect, one thing leads to another and eventually, despite Charlotte’s initial misgivings, she finds herself truly loved and truly in love.
Needless to say all is not plain sailing and of course circumstances intervene, making a parting inevitable. In any case Fitzwilliam has to join his regiment, and Charlotte sets out to make her marriage as successful as possible. As a result, the Collinses enjoy a quiet, affectionate married life. Is that the end? Of course not, but I won’t say any more, as I’d hate to spoil anyone’s enjoyment. Because of course this is a hugely enjoyable novel. I started reading it with great curiosity but a certain amount of scepticism. In my long-ago early blogging days I read numerous Austen sequels and though there are a few really good ones, there are a great many not so good. But it wasn’t long before I was completely won over. Parris is wonderfully true to Austen’s scenario and her characters, so everything she adds or extrapolates is totally believable. She adds things that were never in Austen (and I don’t just mean the sex), like showing men on their own in conversation with each other, or including accurate and often upsetting details of the war which is raging throughout the timescale of the novel. All in all, Parris has done a great job here – it was amazing to discover that this is her debut novel, and that she’s famous as a comedian. I hope this book is as successful as it deserves to be.
Harriet is a co-founder and co-editor of Shiny.
Rachel Parris, Introducing Mrs Collins (Hodder & Stoughton, 2025). 978-1399751612, 400pp.,
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