I really tried to like this book because it was a fantasy retelling of Pride and Prejudice. However, it lacks the charm of the original. Thus, it had potential but was not executed well. Still, I recommend this fans of Jane Austen!

Miss Bennet’s Dragon is a charming Pride and Prejudice homage with dragons by M. Verant. Released 2nd May 2021, it's 380 pages and is available in print, audiobook, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.

I've been a lifelong fan of Jane Austen and revisit her oeuvre regularly. This pastiche is clearly not Austen, however, I can say in all fairness it is a charmingly written and engaging tribute which is reminiscent of the broader strokes of that book and whether the reader is a fan of the principal works of Austen or not, will find a fun and worthwhile read.

Familiarity with Pride and Prejudice is not necessary to the enjoyment (and indeed, I sincerely hope people who haven't read P&P previous to reading this volume will be inspired to seek out and enjoy the original). The book is a standalone and the first in a series, so no backstory introduction is necessary.

The narrative plot and progression are well paced and I never found it dragging or difficult. The world building (along with the different kinds of draca and their characteristics) are well thought out and appealingly developed. Clearly a lot of thought has gone into the world and its descriptions.

There is more violence and bloodshed than in most 19th century costume dramas, but nothing at all truly objectionable in the descriptions on-page and all of the violence and conflict are in context. I'm intrigued and looking forward to more from this author. Definitely one to keep an eye on.

Four stars. Rigidly inflexible fans of the canonical works of Austen might have to avert their eyes occasionally but for the rest of us who just love a good read, this will satisfy those cravings.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Heat Factor: It’s mostly about the pride and the prejudice and the pining
Character Chemistry: More readily apparent than in the original
Plot: It is Pride and Prejudice, but it is also a completely brand new fantasy story
Overall: It was about 30% longer than I expected, but I very much enjoyed the composition of this book.

This book is playing with my brain, because it is very much its own fantasy story about a world at war with a whole dragon-related hierarchy (dragons are actually a separate thing, so it’s really draca-related)… But also the author lifts a phrase here or there directly from the original (or if not exact text then the exact sentiment for that phase of the story), so I guess I’m like a bouncy ball striking the pavement, with each strike being the touchstone that keeps me tethered to the Austen? It’s very strange. I don’t hate it.

Miss Bennet’s Dragon is set in an alternative 1812. TL;DR - when a marriage is consummated, the wyfe (ah odd spellings!) might bind a draca. The variety of draca bound is an indication of strength and status, and the binding of draca is common to the gentry and aristocracy, making the status component even more prominent. In this case also, the entail on Longbourn is dependent on the heir binding (not simply a traditional entail), which makes things a little bit interesting.

Aside: I started looking up different descriptions for different dragon-things - there is a whole world out there that I had not previously known existed. I feel so informed now!

All the players are present (plus a few more), and all of them essentially inhabit their standard roles...but also not quite. Mary is still awkward and super serious, but she’s serious about serious issues (think social justice and environmentalism) which are more fleshed out and probably more relatable to a modern audience than her preachy morality of the original. Lady Catherine is still an opinionated and intractable old woman, but she also opines on love (and sex) as it relates to binding a strong dragon (I read this and was like...Whaaat?!) and she acknowledges her plantation holdings. All of the characters are what they were, but they’re also something more, something that feels like a glimpse behind the curtain because it doesn’t feel like it’s an inaccurate representation of the characterization we already know, even if it is wholly different.

In addition, we’ve got a much more clear picture of the social and political climate of England in 1812 with very clear discussions of the war with France and of the continuing existence of slavery in British holdings. This is probably something that all of Austen’s readers were aware of at the time of publication, but a modern reader with a hazy sense of European history might not recall that the Napoleonic wars were still under way, considering that it’s not as if the original is date stamped at the beginning of each chapter, and the only references to the military are relating to the movements of the militia. In the context of this book, the war is readily discussed because of its connections with attempts to use draca as a tactical advantage. Likewise, 1812 is the in-between after the slave trade was banned but before slavery was completely abolished in the Empire, so there are frank discussions of sugar boycotts and complicated (uncomfortable) family relationships and arguments.

In short, this is really a completely different book than P&P, and it is chock full of discussions of issues that were relevant at the time but that are also still relevant and also popular topics of discussion (consider the current news discussions about the Austen family, the Austen museum, and slavery). Austen’s social commentary was for her present and this social commentary is for ours, I guess. There were some elements that were, shall we say, tried and true, and the climax of the story (at Beltane) certainly took an interesting turn. But as I said when discussing the Austen-specific moments, all of that kept me tethered to the story while I was riding the kinetic energy high of bouncing through all of the imaginative other content.

I really liked this read. It was at once familiar and completely bananas, but also the new elements created lush drama and tension. This book was thoughtfully written and executed, not just a P&P romp, and that’s just plain fun.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.

This review is also available at The Smut Report.

If fantastical dragon species lived in England during the time of Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice, wouldn’t it be thrilling to see how that would change Regency life and society especially for the vivacious Elizabeth Bennet and the taciturn Fitzwilliam Darcy? I was well-pleased to take up this book by a new to me author and explore this fantasy retelling of a favorite classic.

When an affianced pair of the gentry and aristocracy are wed, they produce more than a blissful union, but a binding with a draca who comes to reside and protect the family. The deeper the connection between the human couple; the stronger the species of draca they bind to them. The larger the species bound reflects on family status along with bloodlines.

Second daughter of the Bennet household, Elizabeth, slowly discovers a secret gift when it comes to draca and, at the same time, the neighborhood draca are getting mysteriously killed, and a new wealthy owner and his family entourage have taken up residence at a nearby estate. From a quiet, content life, she is now plunged into secretive matters that may change what everyone knows about draca to a quest to save a loved one’s life.

Miss Bennet’s Dragon started out a little confusing as I sorted out the fantasy world that is melded with the real world of Regency England, but once I had the gist, it was engaging all the way. Elizabeth is emotional and impulsive while Darcy is her opposite. They antagonize each other and I felt the urge to swat both of them at different times. Knowing the storyline of P&P had me in no confusion over who was in the middle of the villainy going on, but I was agasp at the author’s clever twist to another antagonist. The author tinkered a bit with characters so that the Bennet sisters had a bit more zip to them. I think the one who took me delightfully by surprise was Mary. Middle sister was not shy to speak her intelligent mind or be her own eccentric self. Jane may be pretty and gentle, but she was no feather head and worked alongside Elizabeth and Mary to figure out the mystery of the draca and their family’s connection with them.

The story built to a suspenseful climax scene and had some gritty action to it. In fact, the whole book was more robust than the original classic so the reader couldn’t get complacent. The author wasn’t afraid for injury and loss to go with victory. The page-length was longer than the average novel, but I didn’t feel those pages going by and I was reluctant to put the book down when I must.

Miss Bennet’s Dragon ended on a high note and a huge reveal and I can’t wait to see what comes from book two. All in all, this was an abso-fab blend of classic retelling and fantasy which I can heartily recommend.

A Pride and Prejudice retelling.
It is a good cozy read.
I found it engrossing and there is a change in the plot as the story goes.
Only at the beginning few chapters it seems similar to Pride and Prejudice but it is a slight different story.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgally for the opportunity to read this book.

What can I say!

This is a wonderful mix of the Classic Pride and Prejudice and some real Fantasy thrown in the mix.

This is definitely aimed more at adults with some hard hitting and somewhat gruesome parts.

Brilliant characters and a great story make this one to read.

Cannot wait to read more.

I'm always up for a retelling of Pride and Prejudice. This was a fun and unique read that kept some of the original plot and made its own world.

This fantasy novel reimagines the world of Austen as a place where dragons exist alongside humans. It very loosely follows the plot of Austen’s most famous novel, veering dramatically away from it in the second half. It is an entertaining and enjoyable story, though it can be difficult to reconcile the fact that we’re dealing with a melding of Austen and fantasy. Those new to Austen retellings, particularly fantasy retellings, may have a more difficult time engaging with this book.

I did a little, but then I’ve always had trouble engaging with Austen retellings. I read Jo Baker’s Longbourn and couldn’t understand why the author hadn’t just used her own fictional family instead of the Bennets, since they hardly featured in her story. This novel is rather different, since we get the entire story from Lizzy’s perspective. Still, it was difficult for me to grasp the fantasy retelling aspect. I think the fact that the story stuck quite close to the plot of the early part of Austen’s novel made me feel a bit misdirected. I found it easier to get into the story when it started to move into new territory. This is purely a ‘me’ thing, though. I’m used to, and enjoy, fairy tale retellings, but retelling classic novels (especially a favourite classic) is still quite new to me, particularly when it’s not a TV or movie retelling.

Verant’s love for Austen is obvious, and it’s clear that he has immersed himself in both the original and retellings. I think there’s even a nod to Baker’s book, when Lizzy feels guilty about the laundress having to scrub her muddy skirts. One of the maids is even called Sarah. He will be aware, I’m sure, that his isn’t the first retelling to introduce dragons into the mix. That said, this is really interesting world building and lore around dragons. More accurately, the creatures here are called draca, dragons being considered mythical. I do think there’s more history and exploration to do in future stories, and it’s good to know this is only the first in a series.

Retellings inevitably modernise the stories they’re retelling. There’s just no escaping the fact that we bring contemporary sensibilities to bear on the story. Lizzy and Mary feel a bit more modern than we recognise. That said, I think Verant does a good job of tying the social and political context of the time into the story. One of the more interesting alterations he makes to the story is in the character of Mary, who often gets treated badly in retellings. Here, she’s passionate and smart, and largely takes the place of Jane, who, for plot reasons, is often indisposed throughout the book.

Lizzy, too, is rather more forceful than her original. Still her father’s favourite daughter, she has a larger role in the running of the estate than she does in Austen’s novel. Her relationship with Darcy develops differently after her arrival at Pemberley also. Darcy is generally more active in politics in this novel, though I think there are elements of his back story that could have done with more fleshing out. I think part of the problem is that Verant stays in Lizzy’s perspective throughout. Austen does too, for the most part, but I think this novel has so many more moving parts and more significant characters, that moving around in viewpoints might have helped make the story stronger. Reading the note at the end, the author states that he has written scenes from different perspectives in a free ebook companion, available through his website. It would be interesting to see how that enhances the story.

The biggest issue I had with the story is related to the fact that we only get Lizzy’s viewpoint. Without spoiling anything, Lydia, her youngest sister, plays quite a big role in the second half of the book. I didn’t feel like that was well set up. We barely saw Lydia in the first half. Yes, she was the spoilt, simpering child that she is in the original novel, but more was needed to foreshadow what came with Lydia in the second half. Again, perhaps those deleted scenes add more information, but, going on what’s here, I felt Lydia’s role needed more set up.

Over all, though, I enjoyed this. I had a few concerns about binding draca and Lizzy’s role in some parts of the story, but I was happy with how they were resolved in the end. I thought the social commentary and the introduction of the political climate were good, and I enjoyed learning about the bonds with draca and their perspective. I look forward to reading more in this series.

This is a fantasy version of Pride and Prejudice and to a large extent treads the same path: five unwed sisters; a pushy mother; new neighbours (Bingley and his snotty friend, Darcy); Bingley and Jane's attraction; an entailed estate due to pass to Mr Collins unless…

And that's where it changes because the gentry, specifically their wyves, if they are lucky, bind a dragon-like creature on their wedding night with the aid of gold and passion. Draca, no larger that a modest sized dog, and sometimes barely bigger than a wyrm, are a status symbol. The Bennets have a firedrake (high status) and though it's bound to Mrs Bennet, it's Lizzy that forms an affinity… with the firedrake and all draca. She can speak with them telepathically, but naturally hides this ability.

England is at war with Napoleon and the French are trying, without success, to use draca as war beasts, and to this end (while Lizzy and Darcy go through the well known steps of their relationship, and Lydia runs off with Wickham) there is a French plot striking into the heart of Pemberley.

I wasn't sure about this at first (having not made it past the first chapter of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies) but once I got into it I enjoyed it, at least the middle section. Unlike Jane Austen, M. Verant uses the war with napoleon to furnish plot, and also has characters condemning the slave trade which is fine, but unfortunately sometimes in terms which come straight from the 'woke' 21st Century. As the book progressed it diverged further from the P&P plot line. I got on less well with the final set action piece, which I found a bit muddled. The ending was not really an ending. It simply stopped. This I presume is because there are two more books to come.

Will she let first impressions and appearance cloud her judgement...

I have read P&P so long ago that I would only loosely remembered the story if I had not seen many times the movie.
So it was much entertaining to read this story under a different perspective, Elizabeth’s point of view with a big alteration in the plot as it adds dragons and lores.
There are still the moments that upset me because of Elizabeth’s pride and misconceptions.
Sorry, don’t throw tomatoes at me but she is not my favorite Austen’s heroine. In P&P, what I loves more is how the characters reach their full arc, as she has a lot of growing up to do before being the right woman for Darcy, while he too has to review his own hasty judgment.
So while I knew the great lines about what to expect, this revisited version is awesome, it kept me glued to the words, wondering how the mother’s plot would meddle with the fantasy’s one.
It is a bit of P&P and Zombies and How to Train Your Dragon plus the author’s own signature.
In all I stayed half of the night to finish it, it was impossible to put this book down without knowing how everything would end.
And While it is told from Elizabeth’s eyes, the story gives voice to Mary and Miss Darcy’s inner battle.
Elizabeth is still this full of wits and quips young woman who will have to open her mind that appearance and first impressions can be much deceiving, but she will also grow to become her family’s pillar as she will have to fight for her kin’s legacy, her sister’s health and a love she did not see coming.
The fantasy element emphasizes the dramatic of the plot leading Elizabeth on an epic journey to find a cure but also the answers she never thought she would need or want. She will have to fight not only for herself but for her kin and the man who will silently demonstrate he can be counted on, even in the shadow.

This story is the perfect one for historical and paranormal romances lovers, it combines the two with wits and cleverness. Do not let absence of knowledge about dragons deter you, like the heroine, you will be taught along the pages what they are and why.
5 stars

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 kisses and behind closed door lovemaking scenes.

After reading this book, subscribe to the author’s newsletter, there is a much welcome gift, a companion novel of this book with an epilogue.

I have been granted an advance copy by the author, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

I think that Pride and Prejudice is my favorite classic novel. I have read a number of different versions set in the past and modern day. I love the BBC movie version of Pride and Prejudice. I have read another fantasy that involves dragons (Heartstone). So I was intrigued by the description of Miss Bennet’s Dragon. This book is inventive and builds well on the original story.
I enjoyed the way the author added the draca elements and how well they fit with the story. The reason for Elizabeth’s visit to the north was so interesting.
One piece that didn’t fit well was the letter and Darcy’s first proposal. The part about Wickham in the original wasn’t the same in this book. It was one of the only jarring things that took me out of the narrative.
I found the threat to Jane to be a good addition to the book. I like this version of Mary and how she has a chance to shine a little. Lydia is not the thoughtless girl out for fun in this book which was an interesting and useful change. Kitty was the only one who retained the role she served in the original.
I don’t read as much fantasy as I used to but I am glad I had the chance to read an ARC copy of this book. I happily recommend this book.

If you love Pride and Prejudice and fantasy, this book is for you!!!
The first 15% of this is almost an exact replica of pride and prejudice, then it begins to deviate more but not completely from the source material. The biggest difference in this story is that each gentrified marriage binds a form of Draca to the family.
One day the Bennet family firedrake saves Lizzy and Mary from a rabid dog, which is unusual, bound Draca rarely pay attention to anyone other than the man and wyfe that they are bound to, for him to rescue them is uncharacteristic, from this point forward Lizzy learns and becomes more powerful as she develops the ability to communicate with the families firedrake followed by the other various Draca in the story.
The fantasy side of this reminds me of the first fantasy story I loved, Dragonsong by Anne McCaffrey in Menolly's approach to firelizards and Elizabeth's in learning what she can of Draca. It gave me a nostalgic happy feeling :)
I do like that we spend more time with Mary in this retelling as well as all the changes and risks to the characters that are taken. I had a fabulous time with this story!!!

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

The world of fantastical Austen retellings is well-saturated, but Miss Bennet’s Dragon is a welcome addition. While others have deviated into the more fantastical, this book is set firmly in an alternate version of Regency England, with explicit reference to the Napoleonic Wars, but with the dragon (draca) ranks serving as a substitute for the real-life class system of Britain.

The story unfolds fairly close to the original Pride and Prejudice with exceptions made for modifications to suit the inclusion of the draca. Elizabeth remains the compelling protagonist, Darcy the flawed, yet good-hearted hero, and all the rest in their respective supporting roles.

There are some changes, however, some of which I liked, and some I didn’t. I enjoyed seeing Georgiana in a more active role in the story, instead of merely being Darcy’s sister and Wickham’s previous victim. And the way the system of draca-bonding provides an eventual solution to the underlying issue of inheritance that plagues the Bennets is creative and made me happy, given the general unfair situation they faced at points in the original.

However, I was also upset by the vilification of Lydia.Yes, she’s selfish and impulsive, and it’s implied that her marriage to Wickham won’t be happy. But to have her actively working against everyone else with Wickham just seemed to throw away all potential there was for her character. Granted, I may have a bit of a soft spot for her given how a few other adaptations have made her into a better person, but it still seemed very out-of-character.

However, I did enjoy this book overall, and am excited for what’s to come, as this is billed as only the first in a series of Austen fantasy retellings. If you love Jane Austen and dragons, you’ll enjoy this book!

Miss Bennet's Dragon is a Pride and Prejudice retelling set in a world where women can bind dragons through their marriages, earning prestige for their families.

I enjoyed this novel, but I felt that it worked best when it wasn't trying to mimic Pride and Prejudice. While the initial family and social relationships were similar to those in Jane Austen's book, they developed in very different (and often very interesting) directions, and I would really have liked to see them unleashed from the original narrative entirely and allowed to form a new story. I particularly liked Mary's narrative, and enjoyed seeing more of Miss Darcy.

All in all, an interesting story, despite some flaws, and I'll be interested to see what this author does next.

Loved this rendition of Pride and Prejudice! It kept to the main plot of the original mostly but added so much more. The world of the draca’s was very intriguing and I loved how it played out with the Bennets. Still of course loved Darcy and Lizzy, but I also loved how they gave more attention to Mary. The ending was almost like a cliffhanger, which I did not like, but it means there is going to be a sequel I think, which I would love. I think the other Bennet sisters will have a bigger role to play in the war it seems. Overall if you love fantasy and Pride and Prejudice, I think you are going to love this story.

I dearly love Jane Austen books so this fantasy twist of Pride and Prejudice sounded like something I would like. And I did indeed enjoy it very much. The beginning of the book really follows along pretty closely with the original Austen, but bits here and there show that we're not in the usual Austen universe but in a world where fantasy creatures abound. As the book progresses, it hits the right note between being inspired by Austen but also becoming its own completely different story. Key moments and character traits from Austen intertwine in this new adventure to create something both familiar and thrilling.

I enjoyed seeing Mary's role expanded in this version as Mary is really just in the background of the original Austen. We also see a bit more in depth of Mr. Darcy. And Georgiana is exquisite. I was a bit disappointed in the portrayal of Lizzy's father but only a bit. As for Lydia, well, I won't say anything there because I don't want to spoiler things, but I'm not sure yet how I feel about that character's portrayal.

As I neared the end of the book, I was worried because it seemed like there were some major plot points that had yet to be resolved and I hoped the author wouldn't rush to resolve them in the last few pages. Instead, I was delighted to find that there will be a sequel (trilogy? series?). I hadn't realized that when I started the book, so it's good to know that these delightful characters will get to have future adventures.

This book was a lot of fun, especially for those who like Austen and retellings.

When Dragons meet Austin worlds collide in wonderful ways. The cover and title had me intrigued and the writing had me hooked. I flew away on the wings of fancy with this one, or rather wings of dragons. The premise was so unique and captivating I was glued to the book just to find out what happened next. In the end I fell in love after who would this is a rendition of Pride and Prejudice after all. I eagerly await the next from this author.

I appreciate the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review and honest opinion.

Powers and beasts of mysterious origin

Elizabeth Bennet discovers that she has a forbidden power. She can speak to draca, the fire-breathing creatures kept as status symbols by English gentry. If only Mr. Darcy would stop noticing… and hinting at his own dark secret.

M. Verant weaves the familiar romance of Elizabeth and Darcy, with delightful strands of mystery regarding the surprising origins of draca, powerful women and a battle with evil and Napoleon's forces.

The characters are those you would expect to meet in a Pride & Prejudice variation, with a rather famous addition. For the most part, they do not deviate from expected behaviour. Mary's character stands out as a campaigning woman, fighting slavery and "the patriarchy". She is a rugged individualist and very appealing for it. Another familiar character displays disturbingly sociopathic behaviour. That is the most I can say without giving a spoiler!

The book's ending leaves plenty of scope for furthering the series, but does not contain a cliff-hanger. I can happily recommend this book and look forward to reading the next in the series.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review. All views expressed are my own.

As someone's who's read a LOT of online Austen fanfic, this felt so delightfully familiar! It definitely had its issues, and I would say it wasn't *quite* up to the standard I usually expect from a published book, but I still really enjoyed it overall!

The first two-thirds were a pretty faithful retelling, right down to a lot of the dialogue being Austen's own words, and I was really interested in the fantasy aspect and all the different types of draca! The changes it made to the original were all the things I get frustrated at in retellings usually too (Austen can get away with them but no one else seems to be able to!!): e.g. Mary has much more agency and she and Lizzy are much closer; and Lizzy gets suspicious of Wickham much earlier! The choice to make Lady Catherine own slave plantations in the Caribbean was an interesting one, too, though I do think it should have been explored a bit better if it was going to be included...

The last third takes a pretty sharp turn into full-on chosen-one-saving-the-world fantasy novel; from this point it's largely unrecognisable as Pride and Prejudice and almost feels like a different book altogether (Darcy in particular seems to develop an entirely new personality). I was intrigued enough by that point to stick with it and give it the benefit of the doubt, but I can definitely imagine it bothering me had I been in a different mood, and I can certainly see how it won't work for everyone!

So, although technically speaking it wasn't the best constructed book I've ever read, and it isn't something that will live in my feelings by any means, I did enjoy it for what it was, and I definitely will be reading the rest of the series!

This is less "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" and more of a fantasy variation. I liked it a lot, and it's hinting pretty hard to a sequel that I will be reading.