Book: Pride and Prejudice

 

Here is a literary classic that is worthy of the title. My mother loves Jane Austin movies and has multiple versions of almost every book. For whatever reason as a teen, I couldn't get into reading this, but I listened to the audiobook and it was worth it.

 

The Summery (Spoilers; but who doesn't know this story?)

The Bennets are a middle-class family in the early 1800s with 5 daughters. The next estate, Netherfield Park has been bought by a rich single man, Mr. Bingley. At the next social gathering, Jane (the oldest Bennet girl) and Mr. Bingley are immediately enamored but Bingly brought his sisters, Brother-in-law, and BFF, Mr. Darcey (who's even richer). However, Darcey looks down on these middle-class folks for elitist reasons, also he’s' uncomfortable in new social situations, and without thinking he insults our main character Elizabeth Bennet (the 2nd Bennet sister). Eliza decides she can't stand him and looks for additional reasons to hate him.

A few days later a military regiment comes to make camp for a while and Eliza meets the charming Mr. Wickham who tells her about his tragic history where Darcey did him wrong and Eliza believes it and tells it to Jane who convinces her to tell no one else. Her 2nd cousin and heir to their house decides to come visit and pick a wife from the 5 Bennet sisters. After living there a few months Bingley throws a ball and invites all the Bennets, the officers, and neighbors. There, the youngest Bennets Lydia, Kitty, and Mary act embarrassingly, and Mrs Bennet decides to brag about an engagement between Jane and Bingley that hasn't happened yet. The next day Bingley, his sisters, and Darcey decide to leave on "business" in London. Jane is sad but doesn’t take it personally and Eliza is confused because Bingley loves Jane, right?

Around this time Mr. Collins proposes to her and she refuses. So, he moves on to her BFF Charlotte, who decides she could do a lot worse and agrees to marry him despite not loving him. After they marry Elisabeth goes for a visit which means meeting his patron Lady Katherine De burgh. Without meaning to she keeps running into Darcey who then decides to confess his love to her in the most condescending and unromantic way possible. She refuses, because of how he treated her, Jane, and Mr. Wickham.   After that disaster, Mr. Darcey writes her a letter explaining his actions and that he never meant to hurt Jane and the thing with Wickham was Wickham being a selfish liar and talks about the story of his younger sister. Begging her not to tell anyone the details Eliza only tells Jane who promises to not repeat it. Wanting a change Jane goes to London to forget Bingley, Eliza goes to visit her Aunt and Uncle who want to tour the countryside and Lydia goes to visit a friend who is married to a commander and can spend more time with the officers who have moved posts.

While visiting the country her Aunt and Uncle want to peruse the gardens of Pemberley (the Darcey home). Surprising everyone Mr. Darcey comes home early, and Eliza is especially surprised that he's so nice to them. The next day Eliza gets 2 letters from Jane who tells her that Lydia ran off with Wickham and as far as anyone knows he hasn't married her yet and refuses to until Mr. Bennet pays off his debts. Mr. Darcey visits Eliza right after she reads the letters and tells him all. He immediately leaves saying he's got things to do. Eliza rushes home to take care of her mom who refuses to get out of bed and complains and cries the whole time.

Finally, Lydia and Wickham are married, and the Bennet didn’t' have to pay as much as they thought. Lydia slips that Darcey was there and after a brief investigation Eliza finds out that Darcey paid off all of Wickham’s debts and demanded that he marry Lydia. Bingley comes back and proposes to Jane, they get married as does Eliza to Darcey.

In a small paragraph we find out Mary and Kitty grow up and get married to some nameless men because who cares.

 

My thoughts:

Perhaps because this is a romance, this was at first not interesting to me however as an audiobook the time flew by and I did actually enjoy myself. If you don't like even listening to audiobooks, then watch the Colin Firth version of P&P. The only weird thing is that while touring the country the servants of Pemberley offer Eliza and her group a tour of the whole house. Was that normal back then? It did provide more insight into Mr. Darcey as a character and it gave Eliza some good character development as well, so story-wise it made sense. I really enjoyed the slow burn of their romance. She at first hates him for legitimate reasons and then she loves him for legitimate reasons and the book takes course over a year and it just feels real.

Also, this book is very feminist as it calls out some real problems of the culture at the time and Jane Austin gives the wittiest lines to the women making them just as intelligent as the men. Another thing, even when Eliza hated Darcey she managed to be witty and charming, so it made sense why he still fell in love with her despite knowing she didn’t like him.

I rate this book 5 starry-eyed cats.