Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Book Talk
6:48 PM
Title: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
For a quick synopsis of the book:
set in 19th century England, a plague sweeps throughout the nation
and basically leaves the countryside in a state of war. The Bennet sisters, who
are highly trained in the defensive arts, are battling those who are taken ill
by this mysterious plague, all while fighting the force of their mother who (as
in the original novel) is captivated by the idea of her daughters marrying into
well-off families. From here on, the plot basically remains the same, but with
a lot more zombies and battles.
Author: Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith
Goodreads Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.27)
My Rating: ★★★★☆ (4)
I walked into Pride and Prejudice and Zombies with much anticipation, but loads
of skepticism clouding my excitement. In all honesty, I wasn’t really sure what
to expect. When I purchased my copy of the book, one of the first things I
noticed was that it listed both Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith as the
authors. This eased my worries a little; I no longer felt that Austen’s language
would be utterly butchered as the book must have contained a majority of it to
keep her as a contributing author. Once this was settled, I was able to delve
into the novel. After I did, I can say with ease that I was not disappointed.
For a quick synopsis of the book:
set in 19th century England, a plague sweeps throughout the nation
and basically leaves the countryside in a state of war. The Bennet sisters, who
are highly trained in the defensive arts, are battling those who are taken ill
by this mysterious plague, all while fighting the force of their mother who (as
in the original novel) is captivated by the idea of her daughters marrying into
well-off families. From here on, the plot basically remains the same, but with
a lot more zombies and battles.
Before reading this book, I read
many reviews where readers were left feeling unsatisfied and disappointed. I
was under the impression that I would feel the same, however, I most certainly
do not. I truly enjoyed reading it and reemerging myself in the world of Pride and Prejudice. Before I begin, I'd like to point out the illustrations. They really enhanced my experience as I really enjoy reading books when the occasional image is thrown in there. Aside from that, I think the main
thing I liked about it was that it read like a Jane Austen book; I could open
up to any page and it would feel (for the most part) as if I were reading
Austen’s original work. The additions and changes that Grahame-Smith made did
not feel too tacky or overdone, they felt modern and entertaining. I also
really loved how cinematic it felt. The true driving force that inspired me to
read the book was that it is being adapted into film. The further I found
myself in the book, the more I could visualize the movie; there are some books
that translate well on-screen, and this seems to be one of them. Although I
feel the imagery for the plague and zombies could have been better provided in
the book itself, the idea of the book as a whole is an exciting idea for a
film, and I am very much anticipating it!
As someone who enjoys reading YA
fiction and classic literature, this book felt like an amazing fit. The
addition of the zombies did not feel too far fetched as I still find joy in
reading Young Adult novels set in fantasy worlds. When this was mashed with one
of my favorite classics, I did proceed with caution, but in the end I found
myself delighted. In the end, I’d have to give the book 4 stars. It was a fast
paced, fun read and I really enjoyed myself, but I felt that the author held
back on the whole zombie battle aspect. The book wasn’t original enough for it
to garner a 5 star review from me. Last but not least, spoiler alert, I’m so
glad Charlotte Lucas got the plague. Definitely saw that one coming.
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