Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen | Book Review

(Stand-Alone)

Published: March 1st 2003 (Originally published in 1813)

Synopsis/Blurb from Goodreads:

Since its immediate success in 1813, Pride and Prejudice has remained one of the most popular novels in the English language. Jane Austen called this brilliant work “her own darling child” and its vivacious heroine, Elizabeth Bennet, “as delightful a creature as ever appeared in print.” The romantic clash between the opinionated Elizabeth and her proud beau, Mr. Darcy, is a splendid performance of civilized sparring. And Jane Austen’s radiant wit sparkles as her characters dance a delicate quadrille of flirtation and intrigue, making this book the most superb comedy of manners of Regency England.

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My Rating:  4.5/5 (Amazing)

Book Information

Publisher: Bantam Classic

Genre(s): Classic Romance

Page Count: 334

Format: Paperback

ISBN: 0553213105

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Used for the Popsugar challenge: A Classic Romance

This review should’ve been posted way before, but for some reason never was. Somehow I completely forgot I had already written this review and remembered about this as I was searching through my finished drafts. So without further ado, my review on Pride and Prejudice! (Note: This is written in the same format as usual, and I will not be ANALYZING this book. It is simply a review judged by my Review Policy.

So, I’ve never been big on classics, I’ll admit that. However when I first read Pride and Prejudice (in middle school I believe, Grade 6 or around that time) I really started getting into classics. When I started being assigned classics in high school my interest in classics grew further, and so did my love for Pride and Prejudice. As I read it for the Popsugar challenge once again, my feelings didn’t change.

Quick summary

When Charles Bingley, a rich and single man, movies into the Netherfield estate, the Bennet family is thrilled, especially Mrs. Bennet, as she hopes to marry one of her five daughter to him. When the ladies meet Mr. Bingley, they all approve of his good disposition and manners. The 5 daughters and Mrs. Bennet are less impressed however by his friend Mr. Darcy, who they deem arrogant and proud. While the eldest Miss Bennet, Jane, becomes closer with Mr. Bingley, the second-eldest, Elizabeth, continues to despise Mr. Darcy.

Plot

I really liked the plot, first of all. It was something relatively simple, but still quite good. Social bounds are something we still have today (not in the exact same way as in the book, of course) and it was interesting to see how the characters got past them to follow their hearts.

Characters

I loved the characters! Elizabeth is definitely my favorite, and she was an interesting protagonist. There were many different sides to all the characters, which I really enjoyed. And of course, there was Mr. Darcy, who, while way to old for me, still managed to get me smiling as I read about his and Elizabeth’s romance and interactions.

Writing Style

I wasn’t the biggest fan of the writing style when first reading this novel, as it is old-fashioned and I wasn’t too used to the way the characters spoke, etc. However as I have gotten more into classics and studied them in class, I better understood the type of English used, as well as specifically Jane Austen’s writing style, and appreciated it more. So overall, the writing style was really good, if you like or understand the kind of phrases and style used (which I did).

My recommendation

If you liked any of Jane Austen’s previous works, Pride and Prejudice is definitely one of her best books I would say. It’s a classic romance that touches on the social conflict, marriage for money, and many more ideals in the past. If you enjoy classics, I also recommend Pride and Prejudice, as well as if you’re looking for a classic romance (obviously).

Check out the 2005 movie trailer below:

Let’s go snack on some classical bookies!

-A