The Heiress: The Revelations of Anne de Bourgh

by Molly Greeley Narrated by Ell Potter

Overview

""Greeley's storytelling is intricate, masterly, and delightfully imaginative. Highly recommended.""-Library Journal (starred review)

In this gorgeously written and spellbinding historical novel based on Pride and Prejudice, the author of The Clergyman's Wife combines the knowing eye of Jane Austen with the eroticism and Gothic intrigue of Sarah Waters to reimagine the life of the mysterious Anne de Bourgh.

As a fussy baby, Anne de Bourgh was prescribed laudanum to quiet her, and now the young woman must take the opium-heavy tincture every day. Growing up sheltered and confined, removed from sunshine and fresh air, the pale and overly slender Anne grew up with few companions except her cousins, including Fitzwilliam Darcy. Throughout their childhoods, it was understood that Darcy and Anne would marry and combine their vast estates of Pemberley and Rosings. But Darcy does not love Anne or want her.

After her father dies unexpectedly, leaving her his vast fortune, Anne has a moment of clarity: what if her life of fragility and illness isn't truly real? What if she could free herself from the medicine that clouds her sharp mind and leaves her body weak and lethargic? Might there be a better life without the medicine she has been told she cannot live without?

In a frenzy of desperation, Anne discards her laudanum and flees to the London home of her cousin, Colonel John Fitzwilliam, who helps her through her painful recovery. Yet once she returns to health, new challenges await. Shy and utterly inexperienced, the wealthy heiress must forge a new identity for herself, learning to navigate a “season” in society and the complexities of love and passion. The once wan, passive Anne gives way to a braver woman with a keen edge-leading to a powerful reckoning with the domineering mother determined to control Anne's fortune . . . and her life.

An extraordinary tale of one woman's liberation, The Heiress reveals both the darkness and light in Austen's world, with wit, sensuality, and a deeply compassionate understanding of the human heart.

Editorial Reviews

JANUARY 2021 - AudioFile

Austen fans will appreciate Molly Greeley’s clever rendering of a little-known character from PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. Ell Potter’s narration as Anne de Bourgh starts soft and dreamlike. Anne, a fussy baby, was prescribed laudanum to quiet her. The opium derivative keeps young Anne docile, compliant, and out of the way of her domineering mother, Lady Catherine, who arranges Anne’s marriage to Fitzwilliam Darcy when they are children. As she grows into young womanhood, addicted to her “medicine,” Darcy marries Elizabeth Bennet, and Anne finds the courage to rebel. Potter’s appropriately low-key Anne is slowly replaced by a stronger, definite Anne as she develops into her own person, experiencing erotic love with Eliza Amherst and defying her mother. Listeners will be completely absorbed by Potter’s winning performance. S.J.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine

Publishers Weekly

02/01/2021

Greeley (The Clergyman’s Wife) delivers an immersive queer reimagining of Pride and Prejudice character Anne de Bourgh. Anne is born into wealth as the heiress to Rosings Park in Kent, England, and the daughter of Lady Catherine and Sir Lewis de Bourgh. Anne, now in her 30s, has been prescribed laudanum since she was an infant, then for being “fussy” and now for being “delicate,” and though she expects to marry her cousin Fitzwilliam, he weds Elizabeth Bennet. While Catherine is away from Rosings Park, Anne stops taking her laudanum and travels to London, where she becomes acquainted with Eliza Amherst, a friend of her cousin’s wife, and their friendship evolves into a secret romance. Though Anne hopes Eliza will consider returning to Rosings Park as her companion, Eliza reluctantly understands the societal obligation for her to marry an eligible man, and Anne reckons with fulfilling her obligations as heiress to the estate. Greeley’s expert imaginings of the life of Anne de Bourgh reveal the hidden depths of her character and highlight the societal restrictions of 19th-century women as Anne seeks to overcome her mother’s domineering persona and find happiness. Historical fiction fans will be drawn to Anne’s plight. Agent: Jennifer Weltz, Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency. (Jan.)

From the Publisher

Pride and Prejudice retellings abound, but none are quite like Molly Greeley’s.” — Oprahmag.com

"Greeley is faithful to the original story, while creating an imaginative and vivid inner life for the beleaguered Anne. This inventive novel will delight Pride and Prejudice fans, and win over readers who are skeptical of Austen reimaginings." — Booklist (starred review)

"A perfectly joyful read."
— Book Page

“Greeley’s expert imaginings of the life of Anne de Bourgh reveal the hidden depths of her character and highlight the societal restrictions of 19^th-century women as Anne seeks to overcome her mother’s domineering persona and find happiness. Historical fiction fans will be drawn to Anne’s plight.” — Publishers Weekly

"With stunningly lyrical writing, Greeley elevates Austen-inspired fiction—and psychological fiction in general—onto a whole new plane.”  — Natalie Jenner, author of The Jane Austen Society

"Greeley’s storytelling is intricate, masterly, and delightfully imaginative. Highly recommended." — Library Journal (starred review)

“Haunting….Greeley shines a light on the darkness cloaking Anne de Bourgh...The result is a novel with all the hallmarks of nineteenth-century Gothic... Highly recommended.”  — Finola Austin, author of Bronte's Mistress  

Book Page

"A perfectly joyful read."

Booklist (starred review)

"Greeley is faithful to the original story, while creating an imaginative and vivid inner life for the beleaguered Anne. This inventive novel will delight Pride and Prejudice fans, and win over readers who are skeptical of Austen reimaginings."

Natalie Jenner

"With stunningly lyrical writing, Greeley elevates Austen-inspired fiction—and psychological fiction in general—onto a whole new plane.” 

Finola Austin

Haunting….Greeley shines a light on the darkness cloaking Anne de Bourgh...The result is a novel with all the hallmarks of nineteenth-century Gothic... Highly recommended.” 

Oprahmag.com

Pride and Prejudice retellings abound, but none are quite like Molly Greeley’s.

Library Journal

08/01/2020

Another Pride and Prejudice retelling? Yes, but as in her debut, The Clergyman's Wife, Greeley doesn't dwell on the big-name protagonists. Here she tells the story of Anne de Bourgh, the heiress Darcy was expected to marry, who was calmed with laudanum as a cranky baby and is now addicted to it. But when her father dies, she decides to dump the drugs and take over her own life. With 75,000-copy first printing.

JANUARY 2021 - AudioFile

Austen fans will appreciate Molly Greeley’s clever rendering of a little-known character from PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. Ell Potter’s narration as Anne de Bourgh starts soft and dreamlike. Anne, a fussy baby, was prescribed laudanum to quiet her. The opium derivative keeps young Anne docile, compliant, and out of the way of her domineering mother, Lady Catherine, who arranges Anne’s marriage to Fitzwilliam Darcy when they are children. As she grows into young womanhood, addicted to her “medicine,” Darcy marries Elizabeth Bennet, and Anne finds the courage to rebel. Potter’s appropriately low-key Anne is slowly replaced by a stronger, definite Anne as she develops into her own person, experiencing erotic love with Eliza Amherst and defying her mother. Listeners will be completely absorbed by Potter’s winning performance. S.J.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940177559285
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	01/05/2021
Edition description:	Unabridged

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