The Curse of Land’s End: A mysterious ’Pride and Prejudice’ variation

How far would you go to save the one you truly love? Mr Darcy is a man plagued by nightmares and guilt. Something buried in his past is always trying to emerge. Unable to overcome his pain, he hides from the world. Until a letter reaches him. Bingley, one of his best friends, is inviting him to spend some time at the coast, in the neighbouring area of Penzance, Cornwall, where he is not just dealing with his business, but also enjoying the first months of his new life as a married man. His bride is an angel-like gentlewoman called Jane, whom he met during a visit to Hertfordshire, last Summer. In case Darcy accepts, Bingley has only one request to make: that he may bring with him one of his new sisters, a Miss Elizabeth, as a favour to his dearest wife. After such a painful summer, and considering he had already missed his friend’s wedding, against all the odds, Darcy decides to accept. What he does not know is that this single decision will change his life forever. First, because he will meet the only woman not just handsome enough to tempt him, but also the one who breaks the walls of his prison, opening for him a door to a happiness he never thought possible. And, second, because he will never be the same ever again after this, which will also be the most terrifying experience of his life. ＂The Curse of Land’s End＂ is a story about secrets, intrigue and mysteries which challenges rationality and faith, and demands a courage strong enough to transcend every instinct of self-preservation in the name of honour and love. ＂You will do nothing in this world without courage, for it is the greatest quality of the mind next to honour.＂ (Aristotle) FROM THE AUTHOR Suddenly, I felt compelled to write a story which would take me far from my, and JAFF, comfort zone, and try something new. It was watching ’Crimson Peak’, a biting-nail horror story, that the inspiration finally came to me. How would it be to write a story about ghosts... but without ghosts, combining romance and mystery? For this, I set ＂The Curse＂ story in 1815, a year still comprehended in the Romanticism, a movement marked by the exaltation of feelings of loss and guilt related both to nature and men; drama is an essential component of the works of this time. ＂Songs of Experience＂, by William Blake (1794), ＂The Corsair＂, by Lord Byron (1814), and ＂Frankenstein＂, by Mary Shelley (1818), are all good examples of how committed they were in exploring human’s woes; sometimes the sombre tone and dramatic plots are almost too depressing to endure. I can well understand the bad reviews related to this point. But I cannot regret my choice. As another reviewer said, we are all entitled to our own opinions. I grant - my choice in writing a story using Romantic features was bold, but, for me, the result was very pleasing, especially considering the happy ending - what was not the norm for the Romantics. I should not be saying this, but it doesn’t matter how much Literature I study, I always love a good happy ending. Another important choice was the deep POV of ODC. In P&P, we live the story through the eyes of Elizabeth and don’t learn about Darcy’s struggles until very close to the end. I intended to show the huge abyss between his aloof appearance and his troubled mind, and, for that, I needed a good reason. If you read the book, you will understand. To give it an extra kick, I portrayed Darcy as raised with strong religious convictions, strengthening the stakes at risk. I needed him to keep questioning what his own eyes had seen.A visit to Land’s End some years ago sealed the deal. The dramatic landscape and climate (it was ridiculously foggy the day we visited - hence the cover) and the pirate story (yes! Captain Samuel Bellamy was a real Cornish pirate) was the perfect place for it. And this is how ＂The Curse of Land’s End＂ came to life. www.roselorimer.com