A Handsome Man

"A Handsome Man" is quite an interesting CYOA. It has a very clear literary parentage, as this author was influenced very heavily by Jane Austen. I liked the style and I thought the author did a decent job bringing the trademark "Jane Austen" feel to the story.

Reading this adventure, it was very much reminiscent of Jane Austen, from the choice of the name "Mr.Cunliffe", to the larger themes that Jane Austen tackles in her novels. Also, the use of words like "painoforte" and just the general vibe makes me strongly believe that this author is a huge Jane Austen nerd and likely wrote this in the vein of P and P. She couldn't have made it more clear had she written "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of good fortune must be in want of a wife" in the story header.

In Pride and Prejudice, the fact that Longbourn is entailed to Mr.Collins means that Lizzy and her sisters will become destitute if they don't marry well, which is partly why Mrs.Bennet is insanely trying to push her daughters towards eligible men. Here you, the protagonist, face the same issue, which is why you go to the ball, much like Mrs.Bennet pushed Lizzy and the rest of her daughters towards Mr.Bingley at that initial ball, except this story is set in the modern day. I did like how the author brought that "regency era" feel to a modern day setting.

I liked the variety of choices, and I really felt for the protagonist's plight. It's an awful situation. I did feel like being set in the modern day, where women can work and have an income, a lot of the urgency of Pride and Prejudice isn't present, because during that period of time, women only had the recourse of marrying because they weren't allowed to work or study or anything like that, but now it's a very different time, so you have to suspend belief to buy the events of the story. It's kind of like the author enjoyed pride and prejudice, and wrote it in the modern day, but without considering this pretty gaping plot hole. To be fair, you do address it in one of the endings, since the main character takes over her dad's knife business, but a lot of the urgency involved in women needing to marry rich is not there, so the why needs to be better developed.

No matter, I enjoyed the story for what it was. It was nice escapism and I found it amusing enough and quite entertaining. I liked the choices between shy bookish guy and tall handsome man and they offered enough variety.

I thought the choices were entertaining and funny, and I really loved the part where you yell at your sister, that was such a funny path to play. Especially since when you do that, Mr.Cunliffe basically becomes Mr.Darcy, talking about not judging Bianca by the impropriety of her sisters. That was a fun Pride and Prejudice reference. Also, the path where you vomit over Mr.Cunliffe's shoes, get kicked out of the party, and then are forced to work at a match factory, eventually dying poverty stricken on your 33rd birthday, ending with a classic "Womp womp" was so over-the-top tragic out of nowhere, that I was splitting my sides laughing. Seriously you made the consequences ridiculously over the top.

I liked meeting the different gentlemen at the ball and I thought their characters were fleshed out. The main drawback of this story is its length, I liked it and would like some more. I think the story would be vastly improved if there was more to it, maybe more build up, more background, just more in general.


But I'm giving it a 6 because of all the literary allusions and references that made me happy. I mean Jane Mansfield-Park, Mansfield park being a novel written by Jane Austen, you starting an affair with Mr.Chatterly, a name reminiscent of a famous novel by the name of "Lady Chatterly's Lover" by english novelist D.H.Lawrence(you also literally say "Mr.Chatterly is an excellent love but a terrible husbandr" which was a good reference), Derbyshire(real location in England where Pemberly, Mr.Darcy's house, is located!). Good job with that!

2/8- thought it was going to be more interesting than it was, so that was quite disappointing. I wish there was more of a story line for each man chosen.

H SHLD HAVE BEEEN COOL!

AMAZING

good

i got married to mr.dow

Choice of language definitely was a nice surprise.
8 glasses? Geez okay.
Very cute, kinda predictable, but very nice to click through.

my only true complaint is that i wish there were more. it feels sort of like a draft. in every line and subtle character build i can see the makings of a truly interesting period piece. it Physically pains me that this game is so short.

awwwww, i love this game :)

Only if the handsome man is nice to people and he is rich and a gentleman.