I am rather enjoying, for all of the reasons that you stated. I am also a huge fan of P&P, but had exactly the opposite reaction. The realism is adding to my enjoyment, not detracting from it. :)

I'm glad you're enjoying it, MR. It's not that I'm prissy or put off by the grittier stuff. It's just that I find it, along with the darker tone, jarring in the context of the original. Taken out of that context, I would likely be all over this book.

Thank you, Elizabeth. WIll avoid. Having just reread P&P, I'm rereading Emma as a palette cleanser. It's working brilliantly. :)