Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Why did it take me so long to read this? Probably because since I was a teen, everyone who recommended it to me was a girl and I figured it was some sort of Chick-lit book about relationships and, being a guy, I wanted action and adventure. And so, from my earliest thinkings of Austen, it never quite appealed to me.
NOW…. Now I see what all the fuss was about. Yes, it’s a relationship story, but it’s so much more. It’s about love and class and family. It’s a wonderful portrait of early 19th century England. And it’s funny. I had no idea how funny it was.
The characters are all wonderfully drawn and honestly, I was given to think D’arcy was much more of a scoundrel than he actually turned out to be. In some ways, this book even reminded me of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, as if Austen were adding her two cents to the literary argument of the communicative differences of the sexes.
One thing I am sorry of, however, is that Katherine Hepburn never played Elizabeth Bennett. I think that if a character was ever designed for K. Hepburn to bring to life, she’s the one.
I’m sure there’s lots more to say about this book, and it;s place in literary history and culture, but since there have been many doctoral theses on teh topic, I’ll just leave it with what a pleasant surprise. I’m glad to have finally added this fantastic story to my library.
Getting the Hang of Thursdays 