Totally have to agree with you on that one. Too many times I have read stories and thought that the characters in no way resemble Austen's characters. If you change the names, it would simply be an 'original' story, but with the names Darcy and Elizabeth they garner much more interest.
Of course, when it comes to abuse, especially mental abuse, that is an entirely different matter. I have read stories that show such horrible forms of mental abuse but it is abuse for some readers from Darcy and abuse for others from Elizabeth all within the same story. So abuse stories, unless they are physical abuse, can be very iffy in a story.
Any deviation from character would have to be realistic and not be so contrived just to have a story. Then the whole story loses readability and credibility for me.
But I would never willingly read a non-D&E story under any circumstances.
Of course, when it comes to abuse, especially mental abuse, that is an entirely different matter. I have read stories that show such horrible forms of mental abuse but it is abuse for some readers from Darcy and abuse for others from Elizabeth all within the same story. So abuse stories, unless they are physical abuse, can be very iffy in a story.
Any deviation from character would have to be realistic and not be so contrived just to have a story. Then the whole story loses readability and credibility for me.
But I would never willingly read a non-D&E story under any circumstances.