wrh121's review
2.0
This modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice is a light hearted romp and I enjoyed parts of it but found it dragging in others. I also found the Bennet family less likeable in this version and had a hard time falling in love with Lizzy and Darcy. If you're an Austen purist you will hate it. I'm no prude, but there was a lot of sex!
sarah621's review against another edition
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Not helped by the bad narration, but didn't agree with many of the author's choices re plot and character. Tried too hard to be 'modern', missed the point of Pride & Prejudice.
smolbeez's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Incest, Lesbophobia, Outing, Pregnancy, Transphobia, Xenophobia, Racism, Alcohol, Car accident, Classism, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Antisemitism, and Body shaming
cgbart's review
2.0
Look, I wanted to like this book. Really, I did. Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite narratives, and I have devoured most the adaptations floating around (even--shudder--that Hallmark movie of unknown disaster, Unleashing Mr. Darcy). This one just fell... flat. I appreciate that adapting such a seminal classic must be quite difficult, especially since many of the plot twists that provided scandal and outrage in Austen's era do not translate easily to the modern age.
That being said, the only characters I cared about in this novel were Darcy and, belatedly, Liz. I found few of the characters developed to the point that I actually was interested in them at all (for example: I wanted to be excited about Caroline's confrontation of Liz at the end of the novel because that's such a turning point for Liz's self-realization. Instead, I found Caroline's behavior catty: not the actions of an invested socialite but the actions of a spoiled child we've barely seen on the page).
The other scandals--Wick and Ham and Mrs. Bennet being her usual delightful self--seemed somewhat flimsy to me. The character of Catherine de Bourgh (here Kathy de Bourgh, renowned feminist) was delightful, more what I'd expect of a Mrs. Gardiner than a de Bourgh, but seemed out of place in the context of the main plot line.
But perhaps what annoyed me most (other than Jasper Wick and his relationship with Liz) was the alacrity with which characters jumped into Big Relationships: Charlotte moving in with Collins after a few weeks of talking on the phone; Jane and Bingley getting engaged when they see each other for the first time in five months after having parted on difficult terms; Liz proposing to Darcy after Jane's wedding when they've never once been on a proper date.
While I might be convinced to buy it on one account (likely Jane and Bingley, as we see the most of their relationship; it may be a quick turn around, but they're clearly in love), I found it difficult to swallow these rapid changes without resting heavily on my knowledge of the original plot line for Pride and Prejudice.
Structurally, I really disliked this book. There's too much going on (see previous note about the superfluous inclusion of a Kathy de Bourgh that's not recognizable as Catherine de Bourgh). It's more a series of vignettes than a novel: really, really short vignettes (181 chapters span its 492 pages, and some of those are only a few lines long). Each new scene is a new chapter. In theory this should work fine, but in practice I found it bordered on excessive and cut out any natural transitions between scenes.
Still, I did enjoy the banter between Liz and Darcy (even if I didn't buy their immediate descent into what Liz calls "hate sex") and the friendship (strange as it was at times) between Charlotte and Liz, both of which were handled with a humorous edge and enough sincere conversation to make the prose meaningful and charming rather than trite and obsequious.
That being said, the only characters I cared about in this novel were Darcy and, belatedly, Liz. I found few of the characters developed to the point that I actually was interested in them at all (for example: I wanted to be excited about Caroline's confrontation of Liz at the end of the novel because that's such a turning point for Liz's self-realization. Instead, I found Caroline's behavior catty: not the actions of an invested socialite but the actions of a spoiled child we've barely seen on the page).
The other scandals--Wick and Ham and Mrs. Bennet being her usual delightful self--seemed somewhat flimsy to me. The character of Catherine de Bourgh (here Kathy de Bourgh, renowned feminist) was delightful, more what I'd expect of a Mrs. Gardiner than a de Bourgh, but seemed out of place in the context of the main plot line.
But perhaps what annoyed me most (other than Jasper Wick and his relationship with Liz) was the alacrity with which characters jumped into Big Relationships: Charlotte moving in with Collins after a few weeks of talking on the phone; Jane and Bingley getting engaged when they see each other for the first time in five months after having parted on difficult terms; Liz proposing to Darcy after Jane's wedding when they've never once been on a proper date.
While I might be convinced to buy it on one account (likely Jane and Bingley, as we see the most of their relationship; it may be a quick turn around, but they're clearly in love), I found it difficult to swallow these rapid changes without resting heavily on my knowledge of the original plot line for Pride and Prejudice.
Structurally, I really disliked this book. There's too much going on (see previous note about the superfluous inclusion of a Kathy de Bourgh that's not recognizable as Catherine de Bourgh). It's more a series of vignettes than a novel: really, really short vignettes (181 chapters span its 492 pages, and some of those are only a few lines long). Each new scene is a new chapter. In theory this should work fine, but in practice I found it bordered on excessive and cut out any natural transitions between scenes.
Still, I did enjoy the banter between Liz and Darcy (even if I didn't buy their immediate descent into what Liz calls "hate sex") and the friendship (strange as it was at times) between Charlotte and Liz, both of which were handled with a humorous edge and enough sincere conversation to make the prose meaningful and charming rather than trite and obsequious.
emilyfarmer6's review
3.0
This book was...okay. I feel like at times, they got a little too heavy-handed with the many, many social issues presented in this book, and even though all of these issues are serious and important, it just seemed like they were being stuffed into the story for the sake of making things seem scandalous. I disliked the parents much more in this retelling than in the original Pride and Prejudice. It was a fun read at times, but the ending seemed a bit contrived and the arc with Jasper Wick (Mr. Whickam) just didn't seem to fit. I know it was a retelling, but that part, including his relationship with Darcy and Lydia, did not fit with the original at all. All in all, it was an interesting book, but not my favorite retelling.
kmrose's review
4.0
This was such a great read. I love Austen, and Sittenfeld's voice embodies Austen so perfectly. There were many times when I laughed out loud. A wonderful mix of sarcasm and sincerity that tells the modern story of looking for love. I would highly recommend!
kaitybest's review
5.0
There was nothing I didn't love. My favorite book I've read in a long time ❤️