A review by maxgardner
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I'm glad I was never assigned this because I'm not sure I could have appreciated it as much in high school or even college. The language and style are, admittedly, not the most accessible, particularly in comparison to modern books; the common vocabulary of Austen's era was much stronger than it is now, and it can be difficult to adjust to the superfluous nature of how the narrator and characters convey even the simplest of thoughts. But this style is also what makes this such a cozy and pleasant read; I absolutely loved falling into the flow of the sentences and found the roundabout ways characters would speak to have this really elegant and satisfying effect. The characters are well developed and lovable (at least, the ones that Austen intends to be are), and I really enjoyed reading about their trials and tribulations in navigating society at that time. I've heard some people say it's boring, and I guess to each their own, but you cannot argue that there are plenty of complexities not just in the order of the world Austen has captured but also in the way people communicate, through what they do and don't say and in their body language. She does such an excellent job of capturing these nuances and creating drama and tension out of them. This is going into the favorites and is one I know I'll revisit in the future.