British Literature at its Best! (Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen)

Member Name: sarahjane87

Product:	Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
Date:	13/09/08 (48 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Charming, enchanting story.

Disadvantages: Its over too soon?

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife." Perhaps one of the most famous opening sentences in English literature, I have to list Pride and Prejudice as one of my all time favourite books. I first read it when I was 14 in a competition with my friend to see who could finish such a "grown up" book first (I did, you'll be glad to know, triumph), and absolutely loved it. I read it again when, to my delight, my A Level english teacher announced that our syllabus included both Pride and Prejudice and Emma. Studying the book in such great detail was amazing, and I can honestly say I've probably never enjoyed a subject as much as I enjoyed English while we were studying Pride and Prejudice. Jane Austen is an incredibly talented author, and she has a way of drawing readers in with her words in a way that spans generations.

There's something incredibly enchanting about the world of Elizabeth Bennett, and you really feel an attraction to each and every character as you follow their trials and tribulations throughout the book. Whilst I'm sure many people today would consider it "backwards" or old-fashioned, it's one of my favourite love stories, and in many ways a great escape from some of the negatives of modern society! Of course the main story does focus on the leading lady, Elizabeth Bennett, and the ups and downs of her relationship with the captivating Mr Darcy (and I challenge anyone who's seen the BBC adaptation not to think of Colin Firth in that see-through white shirt at this point...), starting with hatred and ending with love.

It might take a little bit more "work" to read than your average chick lit novel, but it really is well worth a read in my opinion. As one of the most loved British Classics, you can pick up a copy for as little as a couple of pounds nowadays, so I really would urge anyone who loves a good love story to pick up a copy and give it a try! My heavily annotated and dog-eared copy still takes pride of place on my bookshelf, and will do for a long time to come!

Summary: Jane Austen - what's not to love?