Reviews

It's taken me two months to read this properly - there are so many various aspects to understand and digest that reading this for the first time was more involved than I originally anticipated. Halfway through this I actually ended up watching the movie (also for the first time) and seeing it really helped me visualize and understand a lot of what happened, particularly the complications with cousin Collins and all of the scenes taking place near and around Pemberley. I've read a fair chunk of Regency era works before ("Frankenstein" is one of my all time faves!) and never had much trouble following the narratives, but something about P&P made me have to work harder to understand all the nuances. I just read "Persuasion" a few months ago and ADORED it, so I think part of it is that Austen's writing is less mature here, although certainly deeply witty and astute.

The characters in this book are really what make it such a fascinating read! There is such a broad array of personalities and attitudes that seeing them clash up against one another is just delightful. Obviously Lizzie and Darcy, but even the rest of the cast, like Mrs. Bennett and her various daughters, or de Bourgh and her rotating dinner guests. There are also some phenomenally stunning lines in here; the famous "A man who had felt less, might" is obviously a stunner, but also moments such as, "[...] as she threw a retrospective glance over the whole of their acquaintance, so full of contradictions and varieties, sighed at the perverseness of those feelings which would now have promoted its continuance, and would formerly have rejoiced in its termination" just really get a girl thinking, you know?

My biggest gripe is that the ending comes up so suddenly, and after watching the characters go back and forth for so long, seeing the Big Conclusion/HEA sort of happening all within like three chapters right at the end feels too easy. I also lowkey hate the little final chapter where the narrator does the summary of where everyone ended up and what mental/financial/living state they were all in. I understand that it was more a convention of 1800s literature, but that doesn't mean I like it. I actually think it cheapens that whole wonderful angsty mess of the book just a touch.

On the whole "Pride and Prejudice" is an entertainingly twisty and clever book with lots of emotion and a downright entertaining cast. As of now, I can confidently say I like "Pride and Prejudice" (the book) less than "Persuasion" (the book), but I think I like the "Pride and Prejudice" movie (2005) better than the "Persuasion" movie (1995)? This is just still the beginning of my Austen adventures, so maybe all that will change. Nevertheless I'm really glad I finally read this, and I would like to visit it again in the future for a reread!

kissymel's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

slushysands's review against another edition

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funny hopeful lighthearted reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

jemmak's review against another edition

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emotional funny medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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