Depths of Attachment by ali972

Kittens, gather round. Uncle Oofy has a delight for you! It was a terrible oversight by Miss Austen that she neglected to give us the full and complete details of Elizabeth and Darcy’s engagement, wedding, and post-wedding delights. Happily, ali972 has filled this most lamentable void admirably. Depths takes us from the day after Darcy’s second proposal to Mr and Mrs Darcy arriving at Pemberly after their honeymoon.

Why you should read it: Because it is lovely and sweet and passionate and erotic and tender and funny. It makes my manly, commanding heart flutter!

Why you might not like it: I don’t understand this question. We cannot be friends.

Regency, Interstitial, Teen, Right Here.

Just a quick note before we begin. Alas, our beloved author has departed the fandom world and taken all her stories with her. It is a great loss. However! She was kind enough to allow us to host this particular story, which is why the link doesn’t go to any of the usual places. To navigate the story from the directory, simply click on the link to Depths of Attachment 1. Then, when you’re ready for the next chapter, click the back button in your browser to follow the next link.

And now, on with the incoherent ramblings review.

What can I say about this story that would do justice to how I feel about it? It turns me all gooey inside and my inner voice doesn’t so much speak as make high-pitched dolphin noises.

To address the boring stuff first: Depths of Attachment is well written in terms of both grammar and structure. There are some typos and it could do with some minor edits, but on the whole it’s very well done. Unlike some other authors, ali972 doesn’t attempt to emulate Austen’s style and language; instead she writes in a way that sounds natural to modern ears and yet is also not out of place within Austen’s oeuvre.

The narrative is largely from Elizabeth’s point of view, but we also hear some of Darcy’s and Mr Bennet’s interiority. Regular readers will be aware of my general disdain for Mr Bennet, but with this story ali972 has managed to make me feel compassion for him and even like him a little. Will wonders never cease?

Other excellent things about this story include: everybody is in character! Georgiana is not secretly an extrovert! Darcy does not brood! Elizabeth and Darcy actually talk about things! The situation with Darcy’s relations is realistically addressed! No one calls him William!

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, time for more interesting things. Like my feelings. One of my favourite moments comes in the first chapter, when Darcy says:

“Elizabeth is without equal”

Dear Readers, I totally swooned. If it is possible to swoon while lying down, because that is my default reading position: in bed. Anyway! Guh. It is delicious. I mean, really, that is both romantic and sexy. While still in character. And totally G rated! Excuse me while I fan myself.

There are some wonderfully intimate moments in which Elizabeth explores the physical nature of her feelings for Darcy and his for her. These moments are both gradual and intense, and culminate, of course, in the wedding night. It’s very subtly done, with a palpable build up of tension. The way ali972 has written the wedding night is absolutely beautiful and quite different from most other stories on the same theme.

She recalled his letter, his solemn vows to worship her and stood up, bringing Darcy to his feet. His astonishment was evident when she took his hand and walked backwards toward her bed. “I promised,” she said, wrapping her arms about his waist when they reached her bed, “I said I would welcome you, did I not?”

You can’t see it, but I am totally flailing. Isn’t it just fantastic? Also notice the reference to a letter. Yes, my darlings, there is indeed some sexy epistolary action!

There’s a scene during the honeymoon that also subverts some of the prevailing fanon about the Darcys’ wedding night:

“We have not had such a conversation since our stay together at Netherfield; I am not certain if this is very promising, sir.”

“I had high hopes of such pleasures when I asked to bring you here.”

“I am surprised. I thought…” Elizabeth suddenly paused and buried her face on Darcy’s shoulder.

Darcy chuckled quietly, slipping his hand into her hair. “…that I brought you here where I might make violent love to you at all hours of the day and night?”

“The thought did occur to me,” answered Elizabeth with a blushing laugh.

*gasp* The Darcys have actual conversations! Like before they were married! It’s almost as if Darcy loves her for her brain as well as her handsome face! So that’s nice.

Anyway, there is kissing and long walks and conversation and growing understanding and a little more kissing and a short separation and yearning and then reunion and then a wedding and sex and Every Good Thing. IT GIVES ME ALL THE FEELS OKAY.

Kittens, I know that this is not my best review work. I can only tell you how ardently I admire and love this story. I wish I’d written it but I’m glad that I didn’t because then I’d never be able to take the joy of it that I do as a reader.

If you’ve never read Depths of Attachment then what on earth are you waiting for? Click that link up there. Right now! Do it! If you’ve read it before, take some time to appreciate it again.