A fun YA retelling of Pride and Prejudice which made me wonder - at what age should one read the actual novel? Perhaps it's best appreciated by older readers and thus this fan fiction is a good intro- but I do hope those that read this admittedly well written and clever novel will eventually read Austen. I liked the characters and the setting and,. to Quain's credit. she's got the rhythm of Austen. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Entertaining read.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

Listen, 5 stars. No notes.

This is the perfect contemporary YA retelling (or reimagining?) of Pride and Prejudice from Georgie’s POV.

I actually cannot think of a single thing that could have been better - I am not usually a fan of YA realism (I prefer speculative fiction or thrillers), but I was really invested in this.

The narrative is also just well done. The pacing is perfect, the emotions feel real, and the characters’ actions and motivations make sense for teenagers. I was screaming “DON’T” the entire time, but I am an adult woman… so…

I am looking forward to more of Amanda Quain’s work!

This was a cute young adult story that tried to do too many things at once. I appreciated what the author was attempting to do, but it was too much.

Accomplished is a YA novel about a poor, little rich girl. Her dad has died, mother abandoned her and her only sibling is a brother who thinks he needs to be her father. Honestly I was annoyed at her attitude about life but I could empathize were her lack of confidence and wanting to have a friend. Doesn’t every teenage girl want that? The best part of this book is Avery. He is an awesome human. And some good life lessons are learned along the way.

3.5, rounded up. It was REALLY difficult to be sympathetic to Georgie for most of the book--the class issues are addressed but not totally dealt with, and she's stubborn and naive--but her anxiety and insecurities feel realistic and authentic to her teenage self. I also adored the side characters; Fitz and Lizzie's subplot is done well, and I wanted even more of Avery.

As an Austen retelling, this does a decent job of highlighting Georgiana, who didn't get much time in the original novel.

As an Austen fan, I was intrigued by the synopsis of Accomplished. Poor Georgiana Darcy is such a minor character in the original P&P -- I am THRILLED she gets a book of her own.

Quain's takes on "Fitz," Bingley, Lizzie, and even Wickham are fresh and modern. Setting the familiar story at a fictional boarding school called Pemberley is clever, and the additions of a popular (yet, completely made-up) BBC drama series, fan-fiction writing, and marching band mishaps are so much fun.

I only wish we were able to go deeper with Georgie. Her character is young-beyond-her-years and so naive, that the timeline of the book was unable to show much of her growth. I hope we get a sequel, after she's had some nurturing from Lizzie and Jane Bennet.

Georgiana Darcy should’ve been expelled after the incident from last year but wasn’t due to her family’s name. Now back for her junior year, she’s determined to prove to everyone that she can live up her name. She wants to prove to herself that she can handle anything that comes up, including Wickham, back with another scam and trying to drag her into it. But with the help of her single friend, Avery, Georgie has a plan. I absolutely love Georgie - she’s a fanfiction writer, witty, and smart (though she doesn’t apply herself all that great!). Her brother is at his wit end with her and most of their frustrations with one another is miscommunication and her brother overstepping boundaries. I loved this story and couldn’t put it down (read it in one setting)! Highly recommend this book!

Every time I read an Austen retelling, I feel like I have the benefit of not having read the original. To me, this was the story of young woman who was battling loneliness and fell for a boy’s pretty words. That boy ended up leaving her in a mess of trouble with a stained reputation, feeling like a burden to her older brother, and having failed to live up to the family name. Her plan was to win everyone over, rehab her image, and help her brother fall in love. With that said, I would say Accomplished was a success for me.

What I Liked

Georgie – My heart went out to Georgie. On the surface, she may come off in a certain way, but her outward persona was heavily influenced by the loss of her father, the abandonment of her mother, and trust issues that developed due to opportunist wanting a piece of her to exploit her family name. She carried a LOT of guilt about what happened with Wickham and paid for that mistake over and over again. The more I learned about Georgie, the easier it was to root for her. I won’t say Georgie’s plan was without flaws, and it did NOT go smoothly, but she grew tremendously from the experience and the end result was wonderful.

Siblings – Georgie and Fitz were once very close, but when Fitz assumed parental responsibilities for Georgie, it strained their relationship. Needless to say, it was complicated, but here is another example where I saw great growth. There were some very sweet moments shared between these two, and they were able to get to a good place in their relationship.

The Friendship – Just when I thought Georgie would have to face the world on her own, her former bestie extended an olive branch. Their friendship was something special, and I was happy to see them both making an effort to restore it to its greatness. Avery was not only a good friend to Georgie, but he was a source of support when she really had no one else. He encouraged her which was vital in her recovering her confidence and attempting to move past the drama of the previous year.

The Setting – I am a sucker for boarding school books, and I really enjoyed my time at Pemberley Academy. Quain did an amazing job transporting me to the bucolic campus. Not only was I treated to a visual tour, but I was immersed in many aspects of campus life. From homecoming to Friday night games, it was fantastic being part of the action.

Overall, I had a great time getting to know Georgie and watching her evolve and move forward. Lively banter, a sweet romance, and campus antics contributed to the entertainment value and my overall enjoyment of this book.

In this modern retelling of Georgiana Darcy's story, Georgiana is a 16 year old student at Pemberley academy trying to repair the damage that Wickham Foster caused in her life last year. She is also trying to live up to the ever present shadow of her incredibly successful brother, Fitz. Due to the events of last year, she finds herself isolated from everyone, including her former best friend Avery who is also her bandmate. As she works to repair the damage, she proposes a plan that includes her becoming the perfect Darcy all while pushing Fitz and Lizzie Bennet together.

I love a good Pride and Prejudice inspired story and was really looking forward to a story focusing on Georgiana's experience. Ultimately what this is is a high school drama in which you can see the P&P inspiration (mostly). I did not find Georgiana to be a particularly likeable character which I think did affect my overall rating. She treats everyone in her life pretty terribly, even when she's trying to be "better". I was really hoping there would be more discussion about the emotional abuse that she clearly experienced from Wickham but we only ever got her internal dialogue about that, she never told anyone how he had made her feel and start to heal.

Ultimately this was not more than your typical drama filled YA. If that's your thing, check it out but I was glad when it was over.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press/Wendesday Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love everything Jane Austen and Pride and Prejudice, and I love reading Pride and Prejudice retellings! But I don't think I've ever read a retelling from Georgiana's perspective and I loved this modern retelling! Georgie Darcy almost got expelled from Pemberly Academy last year when her brother Fitz Darcy found Wickham selling drugs out of her dorm room. Of course, she had no idea that her then-boyfriend was using her to sell drugs, but it ruined her reputation at school and her relationship with her brother. This year, she has a plan to become the perfect Darcy, rebuild her reputation, forget about Wickam, and get Fitz off of her back by getting him to fall in love with his classmate Lizzie Bennet. It is an almost impossible task, but Avery, her only friend left at Pemberly, seems willing to help her with her insane plans. I loved this retelling! It was so much fun to have a Pride and Prejudice retelling told from a character other than Lizzie's perspective and really not showing most of the main plot of that book! Jane Austen's main characters came and went throughout the book and it was clear what part of the story was going on from Georgie's contact with Fitz, but the main story was how Georgie was dealing with the aftermath of Wickham. I loved seeing the relationship between Georgie and Fitz and how they dealt with him acting less as a brother and more like a father. The characters stayed similar to the original characters, but Amanda Quain did a great job of modernizing them and really making Georgie the standout character of the story! I loved this book and would definitely recommend it to anyone who loves Jane Austen!

This book was surprisingly fun. When I read the premise and started the novel, I was worried it would fall flat or go a little too far with the story line to the point of becoming annoying. I haven't read many books that focus on Georgiana Darcy so I thought it was fun that she was the main character of this story and we are able to see the repercussions of what happened between her and Wickham.

Of course, being a modern retelling, this book switches a few things around, making the scandal with Wickham about drugs instead of running away together, which I found worked really well for the story being told and didn't take it too far in the relationship direction. In addition, Georgie and Fitz (aka Mr. Darcy) are much closer in age than the original and the setting of Pemberley is a prep school instead of an estate.

But it was so well done. It shows Georgie struggling with living up to the Darcy expectation of being perfect. It focuses on her overcoming her past with Wickham (and honestly her standing up against him was amazing). It includes the Bennet sisters in lots of fun ways—and I love the depiction of Lizzie and Lydia; they reminded me of the versions from The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, which I adore.

And of course, it has a super cute romance with a new character named, Avery, who is adorable and must be protected at all costs. This kind of romance with the cute nerdy boy is what I live for.

Frat boy Charlie Bingley is also a fantastic version of Bingley's character. This book just includes a lot of fun P&P references and jokes from other adaptations that fans of Austen will enjoy. I appreciate when you can tell an author knows their source material and the fan base.

The only thing that tripped me up is that Georgie swears. A lot. I understand that this book is trying to be realistic in a modern setting and whatever, but there was just a bit too much swearing throughout the book. I could understand if it was here or there during the big moments that really throw a wrench in the plot, but it was much more constant than I expected from an Austen heroine. Maybe it's just me, but I wasn't expecting that much from Georgie Darcy.

Still, this was a fun retelling that follows the original plot while also giving Georgie her own story. I love that she tries to play matchmaker with her brother. I love that she's in band and plays trombone. I love that she tries to be perfect and messes up and can still be great. Accomplished is a solid YA retelling of Pride and Prejudice, but most importantly, it's fun.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Amanda Quain for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Accomplished coming out July 26, 2022. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This book felt a lot like a Gossip Girl meets Pride and Prejudice. I love boarding school romances. I really enjoy Pride and Prejudice adaptations about the more minor characters. For example, I love books about Mary Bennet. So I was interested in reading an adaptation about Georgiana because we rarely get any.

I was a little confused why there was a love triangle between Georgiana, Avery and Wickham. It was a little hard to get a reading on Avery’s personality. He seemed like he was in the friendzone most of the book. The characters’ partying and getting drunk seemed a little out of place. While it might be normal for teens in a normal YA story, it felt out of place in a Pride and Prejudice retelling. I did like the fan fiction aspect of the book.

Overall I liked the story, but there were things I didn’t care for. I didn’t feel a real connection to some of the characters. I loved Fitz and Lizzie. I thought Georgiana would have a closer relationship with her brother. I didn’t feel the chemistry between Avery and Georgiana. I haven’t found a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice that I love yet. Maybe I just want it to be closer to the original book.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys modern Pride and Prejudice books.

A modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice told from Georgie Darcy’s point of view, Accomplished is set at Pemberly Academy, a prestigious boarding school where Georgie is attempting to live up to the Darcy legacy. Returning to Pemberly following a major scandal at the end of her sophomore year that should have resulted in expulsion, Georgie is snubbed and chided by her classmates, but Darcy’s don’t need people anyway. So, she is prepared to take on Junior year alone, and maybe just get back her reputation while she’s at it.

Georgie is returning to Pemberly academy following a drug bust of her boyfriend Wickham. He was caught dealing Adderall out of Georgie’s room and (even though she knew nothing about it) the only thing that saved her from expulsion was the family name, Darcy, and their money. Wickham was not so lucky. Unfortunately for Georgie, the entire school blames her for getting their drug dealer and the band’s best trumpet player expelled. Worse still, her older brother, Fitz, has moved back to the east coast to keep a close eye on Georgie and insure she doesn’t disappoint him again. But, Georgie has a plan to fix everything, all she has to do is become the perfect Darcy.

I was excited to read a retelling of Pride and Prejudice from Georgie’s point of view, as she is one of the most intriguing characters in the original, however, in Accomplished she comes across as stubborn and oblivious making her fairly unlikable. Her misconceptions about money, and her attempts to throw her wealth at so many of her problems, left a bad taste in my mouth for Georgie, especially since her only friend is the scholarship kid who has clearly struggled to get where he is along with his family. She does eventually show some growth, but by that point I didn’t care much for her plights. The one character trait Georgie had that felt authentic (and kept her from being completely intolerable) was her immense anxiety, stemming from the pressures to fulfill a specific role that is expected of her, and fear of everyone leaving her. This anxiety was easily felt, and made Georgie relatable in a way that nothing else could for a member of the highest class.

The real high point of the novel was experiencing the sibling relationship between Fitz and Georgie. While it was difficult at points, lots of fights resulting from bullheadedness on both sides, the peek into what their relationship looks like from the inside was a real treat. The love they have for one another is evident, as is Fitz’s vast amount of care for his sister, and her admiration for him. Really the whole novel has resulted in Georgie trying to make Fitz happy (albeit for somewhat selfish reasons), and it’s heartbreaking when Georgie realizes that when she is not around Fitz appears to be happier than she has ever seen him.

All of the important characters are present here, the rare scenes including Charlie Bingley are an exceptional treat, and with a modernized yet similar take on their personalities. While I may have appreciated a retelling in the original time period from Georgie’s point of view more, Accomplished was still a worthwhile read for Pride and Prejudice fans.

"Accomplished" is a classic retelling of "Pride & Prejudice" and while I've never read the latter, this book doesn't make me want to.

Georgiana Darcy should have been expelled from Pemberley Academy after The Incident with Wickham Foster last year, but her last name holds weight and saved her from expulsion. The scrutiny from her classmates and disappointment from her brother Fitz are harder to move past. Returning to school for her senior year, Georgie is determined to prove she can be the perfect Darcy, rebuild her reputation and stop being an embarrassment to her family's legacy.

I have to start by discussing my dislike for Wickham, who is one of the most obnoxious side characters I have ever read. And, if I can't find anything appealing about him as a reader, it's hard to understand why the protagonist would have been so obsessed with his person. Georgie was also incredibly unlikable, whiny, self-deprecating and spoiled. I needed much more development and something to make everyone more intriguing. I also found that the story moved at a snail's pace.

Unfortunately, this one was not for me.

I really liked the idea of a modern Pride and Prejudice retelling focused on Georgiana Darcy. I just struggled getting into this novel. The characters didn't feel well developed to me and I did not enjoy all the swearing especially in a YA book.

DNF.

I am nearly 100% of the time suckered in by Pride and Prejudice retellings or adaptations or even if they mention “inspired by.” That’s why I was excited to read Accomplished, as it calls itself a “Georgie Darcy Novel.” Great! I’d love a modern adaptation of P&P told from the viewpoint of Georgiana Darcy.

Dear readers, this was not that.

I feel like just the characters named were adapted from the original novel, as the characters themselves did not resemble their namesakes. Georgie was a very unlikable character, and I actually hated Darcy (my own true love, how could it be??).

And so I didn’t finish Accomplished. Once Georgie made the most ridiculous decision ever, I just couldn’t do it. Sorry, y’all.

A modern retelling of pride and prejudice's Georgina Darcy character. This novel focuses on Darcy's younger sister trying to redeem her reputation after her involvement with the notorious Wickham character. The updated boarding school plot is wonderful as well as having Georgie interests in writing fan fiction for a regency show called Sage Hall. However the book is based on her relentless conflict with her brother and her own sense of self worth. I wish they had made the Darcy character more understanding as their relationship in the original novel was one of his saving graces so his being overbearing to the point of cruelty seemed a bit off here.

Amanda Quain shines a light on the often overlooked Georgianna Darcy. Quain created a contemporary Darcy family that holds true to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Fitz Darcy, the perfect Darcy, is the closed off older brother that rather act like a helicopter parent than a friend. Georgie Darcy is the shy younger sister that unfortunately makes one mistake - trusting Wickham- and has to deal with finding her place at Pemberley High School without her brother or Wickham. I didn't like the conditions of the bet she makes with Wickham (what kind of bet is that?) and the fact that Pemberley was the boarding school. What I did love is Georgie's friendship and maybe more with fellow marching band mate Avery, Georgie scheming to matchmake Fitz to his annoying classmate Lizzie Bennet, and frat boy Charlie Bingley. Overall, I enjoyed it, even though as a reader you just want to scream "TALK TO EACH OTHER!" to help the Darcy siblings, but they're Darcys, they need a Lizzie Bennet to give them that push.

pride and prejudice by jane Austen is one of my all time favorite classics, and all time favorites. I really adored this retelling with so much spunk and self-discovery. I was so happy when i was reading this. P and P retellings are always about my faveorite, lizzy and darcy, but I loved this nonetheless.

This was a really fun reimagining of the Pride and Prejudice world, focused on the Darcy sibling that we never get to hear enough about, Definitely worth a read!