"The Clergyman's Wife: A Pride & Prejudice Novel" by Molly Greeley

Earlier this year I read The Heiress by the same author, which focused on the story of Anne de Bourgh from Pride and Prejudice. In The Clergyman's Wife we follow Charlotte Lucas. This book is set after the events of Austen's novel. Charlotte's been married for a few years already, has suffered the loss of her firstborn and now has an infant daughter. The novel explores the nuances of Charlotte's choice to marry for comfort. Mr. Collins is a highly unlikeable character. Even though he appears to be harmless and is, in the words of Jane Bennett, "highly respectable", he is void of any tact or genuine compassion. His sole purpose in life seems to be pleasing his patroness Lady Katherine de Bourgh. It always baffles me that a clergyman can be so heartless, but that is what Mr. Collins truly is. 

In this novel, Greeley explores the possibility that later in life Charlotte might meet someone who she could genuinely fall in love with. Of course, she is married and being with this other person is entirely out of the question. It is never a choice for her really. Had she never married Mr. Collins, she would have been dependent on her family for the rest of her life. The novel got me thinking about those possible missed connections, unrealized opportunities, what ifs... We all do the best we can under the circumstances we are placed under. And we make decisions minute by minute based on what we know in the moment, not on what could be. 

Charlotte made the decision to get married because that was her only way not to be a burden to her family. I think she really wanted to please her mother and father and make a good match. Lizzy Bennett, on the contrary, would rather be an old maid than marry the likes of Mr. Collins. Her need to stay true to herself is a lot greater than her desire to have a comfortable home and a security of marriage. I think those choices are still there for many of us. Do we settle for the job, the place, the person, or do we keep reaching for more even if it means we might never get it? These are interesting ideas to ponder. It is also disheartening to know how very few choices women in the Regency era had. And these are noble women. Simple folks had it a lot worse than that.

Molly Greeley is a wonderful author and I admire her ability to write spin-offs based on minor characters in Pride and Prejudice. She really gives depth to them and both novels challenged me to think about the plight of women in the early 19th century. 5 out of 5 stars. I hope she will write more books.