Review: Finding Mr Darcy by Amanda Hooton

Considering that I am not currently searching for Mr Darcy, or in fact, any man at the moment (I'm quite happily single thank you, and yes I do own a cat and no I don't think there is anything wrong with that,) buying a book which claims to be Jane Austen's guide to dating for the modern girl was a bit of a surprise purchase. But in all honesty, I did find Amanda Hooton's Austen-inspired dating advice to be readable, amusing and quite truthful. Unlike dating guides that encourage women to play hard to get (The Rules) or accept that all men are idiotic alpha types but don't worry eventually one day a man who takes a shine to you will come along and he'll happily hit you over the head and drag you back to his cave (He's Just Not that Into You,) this book encourages its readers to do what Jane Austen's heroine's did. And that is, to behave with a little self-respect and to be an all-round good and interesting person, which to me is far more important than changing ones relationship status anyway. There are chapters devoted to identifying heros and bastards (Mr Darcy is, of course, a hero while Wickham and Mr Willoughby--oh how I hate him--are bastards,) and how to suffer rejection and a broken heart with dignity. (Jane Bennett is given as an example of doing just that ... she really is lovely, Miss Jane Bennett.) Oh, and there are a few references to pantaloons. 

A fun, Sunday afternoon read.

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