Book Review: The Heiress by Molly Greeley

Molly Greeley takes the uninspiring figure of Miss Anne de Bourgh from Pride and Prejudice and constructs a full, believable and gay life for her.

Greeley’s clear writing expands upon the world created by Austen in a thoughtful and delicate way. At times, this novel feels almost naughty, like re-reading parts of Pride and Prejudice with the added vantage point of a new and intimate perspective. Because while Greeley dabbles freely with the mistress of Rosings Park, she handles the rest of Austen’s characters with gentleness and respect. Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett, for example, are allowed to remain profoundly in love, even as this novel sees us revisit them decades into their marriage.

The style of writing and content of the plot are captivating enough to make this book enjoyable for all, not just representation-starved gays who will desperately lap up any measly splash of a storyline. And in a world in which every day we have to wake up and accept the reality that Jane Austen remains dead and unable to write, novels such as this one can temporarily serve to pacify our aching hearts.

A fresh and fascinating novel, The Heiress’ 350 pages will be a nourishing morsel for anyone with an insatiable appetite for Austen. However, while at times deeply romantic, it does not come close to the great love affairs you find in Austen’s classics. Instead, Greeley primarily focuses on the relationship between a woman and her property; an altogether more intriguing connection than perhaps any obtainable by two mere mortals.