Title: Heartstone

Author: Elle Katharine White

“Pride & Prejudice meets Dragons”

Much like Pride, Prejudice and Zombies the Elle Katharine White is tweaking Jane Austen’s classic romance by adding more fantastical elements to the well worn narrative. One of the biggest differences, and greatest strengths of Heartstone was the author’s choice to create their own world. It is not Hertfordshire with some dragons roaming about. Rather, the story of of Pride and Prejudice has been reskinned with new character names and a world of fantastical creatures. But don’t worry, you will not have any problem connecting Aliza Bentaine with Elizabeth Bennet.

My first question upon completing the Heartstone was: Why? Why did the author restrict herself to following the plot points of Pride & Prejudice, when she so clearly struggled to contain her own voice within these narrow confines? The greatest failing, in my mind was the fact Heartstone mirrored Pride & Prejudice. Granted, there are some obvious differences, one of the Bentaine sisters is dead. Their family lives and belongs to the great house in the neighbourhood. THere are dragons that act as elite cavalry units in hunting and killing dangerous creatures of myth and legend. I could go on. But the differences pale in comparison to the similarities. The overall plot, the arch of the narrative is undeniably P&P.

This meant that I knew from the second paragraph what would  help, at least in broad strokes. There was no great surprise at the inevitable betrayal. Not great victory when Aliza and Alastair Daired acknowledge their mutual attraction. To me it felt like the author sacrificed the potentially interesting world, filled with magic and manners, for something people already recognized. This was disappointing. The story could have been great. It could even have started as a mirror of P&P, but it should have been allowed to grow and flourish on its own terms, not someone else’s.

Before you write off my complaints as those of a person who hates everything. I didn’t hate everything. I like dragon riding warriors. I like fantastical worlds of magic and dangerous creatures merged with regency-flavoured societies. I like the tensions that arise between the snobbish upper-upper crust and those who are on the lower rungs (but still part of Society). The setting worked. It had potential. But there was not mystery, because the story was so obviously Pride and Prejudice.

What I would have loved instead, was for the story to feel reminiscent of P&P without following the events like a paint-by-numbers drawing. The movie, Age of Adaline, feels as though it was inspired by Sleeping Beauty. But the authors did not have a princess prick her finger and fall asleep. Instead they explored a different form of agelessness and what happens when someone comes into your life talking about love.

Heartstone could have been heavily inspired by Jane Austen’s work, without copying it so closely. This would have been amazing, instead of mediocre. But then this brings up another important question: Would I have chosen to read the book without the blatant reference to Jane Austen? I would like to say the answer would have been yes. But it is just as likely I would have skipped over this story, as I have skipped over many others in my search for a really good read. So instead, I will ponder my third question: Do I bother to read the sequel?

Final Rating: 3/5 stars