Pride and Prejudice
By Jane Austen and Classics for all
4.5/5
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About this ebook
Jane Austen
Jane Austen (1775-1817) was an English novelist whose works are among the most popular novels ever written. Her keen eye for social tension, and ear for taut, witty dialogue have delighted readers for centuries, while her novels have maintained historical importance through their analysis of the dependence of women on marriage to gain social standing and security. She has been widely adapted for both stage and screen, and continues to be among the most widely-read of late-18th-/early 19th-century writers.
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Reviews for Pride and Prejudice
19,615 ratings568 reviews
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5A classic first published in 1813 - A large book...one I had always wanted to read since high school. Finally got it read in 2017 and now I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone. I didn't think it was ever going to end. The speaking language is some weird early period British - English dialect or something. I barely survived it! Such a boring novel! Why do I have to be such a finisher?
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5What else is there to say about this novel, or what can I add to the numerous reviews that have been written already?Only my own reactions: That I loved rereading this so much, even more than I had expected. It is so lively and witty, so emotional and heartfelt, yet never cheesy or shallow. It is funny and comical, but never unjust in its authenticity. While the story is firmly rooted in its time, the features of the characters are timeless and still true to life. And I do think that Elizabeth Bennet must be one of the best female characters ever written!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Fingers crossed, my binging might be at an end; after my last book , I had a sudden desire to re-read Pride and Prejudice and when I went to my shelves to grab a copy (it being amongst the titles I have no willpower to refuse whenever I see one in the shops), I saw this one waiting for me. Perfect.Of course, Pride and Prejudice, is a 5-star read for me, once and always, but this edition gets 5 stars for the format. Since my discovery of Griffin & Sabine, I’ve been a sucker for books with physical bits that are part of the story, and truly, my thoughts when purchasing this went no further than ‘ooh! letters!’. But upon opening it, I read the introduction by Barbara Heller and realised this isn’t just a novelty, but a tremendous amount of effort went into creating the letters themselves as accurately as possible. Not just hand-written, but hand-written in replica’s of period letters, each character being assigned a distinctive hand; Heller then found the Society of Scribes of New York, and members wrote each letter with pen and ink, using the imperfections inherit in handwriting to achieve perfection.The folding, addressing and postage too were all painstakingly researched and replicated, involving advice and instruction from the treasurer of the Midland (GB) Postal History Society.All efforts to avoid anachronisms were made, and the only variation from true authenticity are the few (2?) pivotal letters where Austen herself only quotes them partially. Here, as Heller states in the introduction, and in the Appendix, where she has notes on each letter individually, some compromise had to be made. As it would do no good to only include the part of the letter quoted in the text, Heller consulted various sources, and from the summaries given in the text, attempted to recreate what the original letter might have been. Here, I think, she only partially succeeds, as there was just no matching the tones exactly, but she made up for this by keeping these ad libs as brief as possible so as not to interfere with the authenticity any more than strictly necessary.MT made the comment that the book looked unwieldy to read, and I agree that some might find the way the text block is broken up by the glassine envelopes, making the book feel ‘crunchy’ might annoy or turn off some readers, but I frankly loved it. It made the feel of the book somehow ‘more’, like a scrapbook of an adventurous life, perhaps.So, a novelty, definitely, but a novelty done with authenticity and every effort at verisimilitude. Definitely not something that would enhance every title, but the importance of letter-writing to Austen’s works makes it a perfect fit. This is definitely an edition I’d give to any Austen fan who enjoys something just a little more from their favorite titles.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Pride and Prejudice is the precursor for all formulaic romance novels. Of course, I've yet to find one as well written as this one, but I noticed the formula about 3/4 into the book. This isn't a criticism of the book, just an observation, I very much enjoyed it. I love the language, so beautiful and challenging to comprehend at times. I listened to the audio, read by Rosamund Pike (who played Jane in one of the movie versions) and she was superb.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Just delightful. =)
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Until now I was no doubt one of the very few people who had read every Jane Austen novel except Pride and Prejudice. Having made an abortive attempt to do so 8 years ago after attending the Bath Christmas market, I have now succeeded it doing so after another visit to Bath last week. It will never be my favourite Austen novel (that is Northanger Abbey), but I enjoyed the gentle ironic style, and tensions between the five Bennet sisters and their mother and other relatives. A pity we don't get to see more of the shy, bookish Mary Bennet! I rather like their long-suffering father, isolated in a house of females too.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I am going to fall into the minority when I say that I was not crazy enough about the book to give it five stars. It is not the fault of the writing or the story, it is just the fault of the tiresome high society which the novel is supposed to satirise, and did a good job of this.
The characters are well-drawn and colourful but nothing really happens in the story apart from the inner musings of the characters which makes for a long drawn out monologue. I found the final bit especially tiresome with the long drawn out denouement which could have been finished in one or two paragraphs. I did not need long explanations of why Darcy fell in love with Elizabeth, and when.
The pompous cousin Mr Collins was good for a laugh, like the empty-headed mother, with her constant nerves and endless scheming to secure matches for her daughters, while having a very superficial view of what constitutes a good match. The father is the stereotypical male who escapes from the drudgery of his domestic life into books and male hobbies. The two younger sisters are wonderful in their preoccupation with fashion, boys and uniforms. And the middle girl, Mary, is fascinating in her rebellion and escape into the intellectual world. I would have loved to read more about her.
It is amazing how much nuance Austen managed to pack in this story where nothing much happens, in terms of action. I understand the timeless appeal of the book as it talks to universal themes. Some of the characters in the book remind me of people I have known in modern life, and the moralising is also familiar to me from middle eastern society. The story can be very successfully adapted to a modern day Middle Eastern family drama. - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The story of Pride and Prejudice from Mary Bennet's point of view, with the addition of new characters which takes the story beyond canon. Can Mary also have her happy ending.
An enjoyable and well-written story. Another re-read - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Rereading Jane Austen is like seeing an old girl friend and catching up on the gossip. You know it's going to be funny and informative, and a great time.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I gave this book the 100 page test and realized that it just wasn't appealing to me. I know it's a classic novel and I appreciate that given the time period when it was written, but I just couldn't go any further.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5What can I write about a book so famous, well-loved, and thoroughly studied? Well at first I was putt off because it felt like I was reading the screenplay of the BBC miniseries, which I have seen enough times to have memorized. It was also not a book well-suited to reading in very small chunks. Fortunately, a long plane trip allowed me to delve in and really immerse myself in the language which greatly improved the reading experience. Of course, it's a wonderful story with a wonderful ending.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Short of It:This beloved classic has finally been read by me. Any surprises? No, but I am glad to finally mark this one off my list.The Rest of It:If you’ve read the book or seen the movie, then you know that the Bennet sisters, all five of them are in some stage of being married off to suitable gentleman. Well, Mrs. Bennet HOPES for them to find suitable matches, men who will provide for them and allow them to live a respectable, if not wealthy life. Men of means.I think perhaps this aspect of the story is what’s kept me from the book all these years. I’ve tried to read it a handful of times and always put it down a few chapters in. It seemed too frivolous and a tad too pleasant. All this “finding a man” business. However, this made for a VERY enjoyable story to read during a pandemic.Plus, Mr. Darcy. The disagreeable Mr. Darcy if you ask Elizabeth Bennet. Anyone reading the book knows within two mentions of his name that he won’t be disagreeable for long. What made this book even more fun is that my daughter and I watched the movie as soon as I finished the book. I did not have access to the miniseries with Colin Firth so we opted for the Kiera Knightly movie which we both enjoyed quite a bit.There are no surprises with the story. It’s pretty much what I imagined but timing is everything and reading it now was so much more enjoyable than all my previous attempts. I dare say, that I may attempt another Austen. If so, which?For more reviews, visit my blog: Book Chatter.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I love this book. I have seen some of the movie versions, but none of them seem to match up to the movie in my head. The story is well told. Some of the characters are stereotypes and predictable, but that's what makes it so fun. It is such a statement of the culture - than and now!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Seriously, this book is my first, my last, my everything. I read it slowly to savor it fully (also, it's been super busy around my house), and it was just the balm I needed. Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy are deliciously complex, and the slow burn of their coming together remains deeply satisfying to this day. Plus, Jane Austen is full of The Shade, with wry asides that would make RuPaul's drag racers very, very jealous.
February 25, 2020 update: It is a truth universally acknowledged that when you get to teach your favorite book for an elective class with people who CHOOSE to be there, you're going to have a most excellent time. I didn't realize just how deeply embedded this book is within me until I got to talk about it in 75-minute class periods with students. - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I was disappointed with Sense & Sensibility when I re-read it recently; no such disappointment here. This is one of the best novels of the century. I still aspire to be Mr. Bennett, albeit with three fewer daughters. The youngest three, to be precise.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5One of my massive favourites; required reading for lovers and writers.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This was a pretty good read, the character traits are certainly as relatable in the 1800s as they are today.Not sure I will be rushing out to read more Jane Austen but I can certainly appreciate the story for what it was. I did think after all the lead up the ending was rather adrupt however.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5It was time for my annual (or so) re-reading of one of my favorite books. A classic romance plot, a marvelous send-up of society's expectations, and beautifully written.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Is Mr. Bennet anyone else's favorite? Is Mr. Collins anyone else's least favorite?
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I am arguably the world's biggest romantic cynic, but even the most impenetrable heart must yield to words such as these: "She respected, she esteemed, she was grateful to him, she felt a real interest in his welfare; and she only wanted to know how far she wished that welfare to depend upon herself, and how far it would be for the happiness of both that she should employ the power, which her fancy told her she still possessed, of bringing on the renewal of his addresses." Austen has an instinct for the nuances of human behavior: the blush of the cheek, the awkward silence, the perplexity, the mortification, the often subtle shifts between adoration and aversion. She captures it all flawlessly and truthfully.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/52 copies: one paperback; the other an ebook on my ipad (obtained Nov. 2018). This is not for me. Austen is admittedly and justly a famous author...My ranking is just my enjoyment of this book, not its worth. As a classic, it deserves a place as a very important book. However, my dislike of nineteenth century high society Britain, of nattering about politesse and what is appropriate or not, and the opinions of an upper class woman about who is an appropriate husband/ what makes a man a good catch just leave me cold. The anti-heroes also seem to be cardboard cutout figures: if you know what would put someone in a bad light, then that is what any particular negative character will do! Granted, the sycophant is well distinguished from the controlling and opinionated higher society woman, but my objection still stands: what would a sycophant do here? Then he does exactly that. The shrewish woman who bosses everyone around? Well, what could she do badly and she does just that! The man of evil but charming character? Well, once again, he does not vary from what such a man will always do. Too harsh? Probably...but like I said, this is just not my type of writing. Brilliantly done? Sure, on many levels...still do not want to read another book like it.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5To be fair, I did start this book 2 or 3 times before dedicating myself to reading its entirety. The verbiage was difficult to follow until I fell into the rhythm.
For the longest time, Mr. Bennet was my favorite character. I loved his sense of humor. Mrs. Bennet, however, irked me to no end. Lydia... I am too familiar with her personality. I do feel better about Kitty’s future now that Lydia’s influence is no longer an immediate concern. Studious Mary. I believe she’ll outdo them all.
I haven’t forgotten the two eldest sisters. I would imagine finding the positive in everyone and everything would be absolutely tiresome. All worked out fine for Jane, though.
Elizabeth was an interesting character. Observant, knowledgeable, and self-assured, until her future came into question. The truth is easier to come by with straightforward conversation instead of relying on perceived observations.
Then there’s the boys. Wickham, Collins, Bingley, Darcy... I could go on forever about every character in the book. Needless to say, the entrance of each added a unique layer to the story. - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5What can I say about this wonderful book which I knew would be wonderful before I even read it! I'm really not going to say too much, because haven't we all read it anyway? Oh, you haven't? Well, what are you waiting for? Jane Austen had such a knack with her characters and settings. Even as much as I love the films based on the books, the book really is a literary masterpiece. These people and their stories never get old because, although set in a different era, they are just like us. They hurt, love, hate, jest, and experience joy in every day things, just as we do. Such simple stories really, but how can we not identify with them when they could very well be happening to us. This is why I think Jane endures. Not just for her beautiful settings and her pretty and sometimes funny characters, but for her true insight into the workings of the human heart. Well done, Jane!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5First time!! I started it for my book group and thought - I can't even pay attention long enough to figure out what they are saying hahahahah... but I got it- and then I couldn't put it down. I'm glad I was "forced" to read it.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I feel like the movies stuck pretty closely to the book, so I enjoyed the book immensely. I though the characters were quite realistic and often felt like I was in the room with them.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I decided I wanted to reread some Austen before I realized that she was so hip at the moment. I'm still not sure why. I went to see the movie, Becoming Jane, which was good, although played around with history more than I like. Also, I think it did her a disservice, because it made P&P out to be based on her life, taking away the achievement of imagining and creating the story herself.
Anyway, when I saw a copy of P&P lying around at my mother's house, I decided to take it to the beach. It took me a while to get back into the narrative style (so much dialogue!), and of course, it takes a while for the story to pick up. But once I was into it, I really enjoyed humor and social commentary.
One critical essay (Brower, 1951) remarked on Austen's success in combining qualities of sentimental novels with poetic satire, and I agree. The timelessness of the love story keeps the book relevant to modern readers, and the satire prevents the story from drowning in saccharine.
I would have liked reassurance that Elizabeth retained her vibrancy and spirit after her marriage to Mr. Darcy. It is alluded to- Miss Darcy in particular is surprised by the liberties that Elizabeth takes with her brother- but, she also seems more sanguine at the end. - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Forever will be my all time favorite romance. It's what I hold other authors to make me feel.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I finally read “Pride and Prejudice” (PP) ! And loved it! I have watched a number of movie versions, specifically the Keira Knightley one and the India cast version, “Bride and Prejudice”, both twice. Years ago I read “Sense and Sensibility”, enjoyed it, and recently turned to PP because I was so frustrated with some poorly written novels I had recently read. And this is a good point to ‘sound’ my alarm.Buyer Beware ! When scanning a number of PP versions on Amazon, I was surprised to note a wide range not only in prices but also in page length. I decided to look carefully at a number of the books. I would guess there were at least a dozen, and the lineup seemed to change from one day to the next. Thanks to the “Look Inside” feature on Amazon, I was able to read the first few pages of most editions. I was stunned. Several read as though they had been translated from Austen’s original text to an Eastern European language, then back to English by a recent grad of an English as a second language school. Some were so poor as to be almost laughable, but they are for sale – at least they were when I purchased my edition a few weeks ago (mine has a B&W photo on the top half of a Victorian drawing room, with a bright blue horizontal bar across the middle. It claims 3940 reviews and says it is sold by Amazon Digital Services.) Anyway, back to the book. “Everyone knows” ( a familiar term these days) the plot – Mom and Dad have 5 daughters, the protagonist is Elizabeth, second oldest. She is determined not to fall in love with Mr. Darcy, the most handsome…, the richest…., the tallest….etc. He makes it easy for her to keep her vow, but fate crosses their paths…often. And guess what – he’s really not the cold, unfeeling stiff he seems to be. Enough plot.Three comments. I really enjoyed the prose, even some of the very longest sentences. And there were passages that I had to read a second time, and sometimes a third. Not that they were that delicious; I just didn’t get it the first time. The story is nicely paced. What a lovely time – no cell phones. Second comment, things did slow down a bit at different times but soon picked up. Third, an interesting touch. Darcy and Elizabeth are finally to have their moment, say the words we have been longing to hear. Guess what! We don’t hear them. Instead we get a summary, no dialog, just a summary. Like a 1950’s movie, a darkened bedroom, then the scene fades to black, no sex. Only this is “no vows of undying love”. Hey, worked for me. I’m gonna read Emma” next. Maybe next year.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5BBC radio play adaptation of my favourite of Austen's novels. Very well done, with perfect voice casting for all the roles. My only quibble was some of the plot changes that make perfect sense in an audio format but still bother me since I know the plot inside out. Excellent commuting listening.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Fluff. Agreeable fluff, but fluff.