What did I finish reading this week? Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.
Now, I’m sure there are many of you who are shaking your heads right now, wondering how it took me until my mid-thirties to read this classic.
All I can say in my defense is that with no teacher assigning it to me and my reading interests leaning more toward mysteries and other fun reads in my younger days, Jane Austen just wasn’t on my radar.
Although, I will say that I have always known the basic plot because I very much enjoyed the episode of Wishbone that covered the book.
Pride and Prejudice: A Quick Rundown
If you haven’t read Pride and Prejudice, there’s probably a good chance you know all about it anyway. It is one of the most adapted books ever, and between movies and other books that have followed its premise both closely and peripherally (ahem, zombies), it’s easy to have a passing knowledge without ever reading it. (This book is my favorite Jane Austen spin-off ever!)
But if not, let me give you a brief summary. Pride and Prejudice is set in early 19th century England and is the story of Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy. He is rich and she is not. They have a series of meetings that rarely go well and Elizabeth takes a general dislike to him based on his manner and what she hears from biased sources.
Mr. Darcy, on the other hand, falls in love with her. But his proposal of marriage gets an incredulous no, as well as airs out some of the issues between them. With a letter that explains his side, Mr. Darcy changes Elizabeth’s mind and helps her see him for who he really is.
There’s a large cast of characters, from his friends and family to hers, that intertwine their lives even when they aren’t interested in being intertwined. Pride and Prejudice, like many of Austen’s novels, ends in a wedding.
My honest opinion of Pride and Prejudice…
I know this sounds bad, but I felt like I needed a translator while reading Pride and Prejudice. Jane Austen’s writing style (and maybe all authors from that period of time; I don’t claim to be a scholar) is heavy on flowery language and convoluted syntax.
It reminded me of reading French and needing to jump around the sentence to translate it into English. There were honestly times when I thought, “So, does she like it or not?” because the meaning wasn’t sufficiently clear (to me).
I know that this book is beloved by many, and I can see why. Despite the slow reading, it was interesting and fun. The dynamics within the Bennett family, the tongue-in-cheek references to society at that time, and the attitude and wit of Elizabeth all made me smile.
I laughed out loud sometimes when reading the endless speeches made by her cousin, and the dialogue between her parents.
What does this mean for us today?
I found the elements of pride and prejudice that are woven throughout the book to be fascinating. Despite how long ago Austen wrote it, these themes still take center stage in our lives today…
How we form opinions about people before really knowing them. The influence family and friends can have on our relationships. How pride can hold us back from truly knowing someone, and being known.
I don’t think that I would re-read this book as often as some fans do, but I am glad that I finally sat down with it. And Pride and Prejudice has induced me to try other Jane Austen books, such as Sense and Sensibility, Emma, and Persuasion.
If you are looking to read more classic literature this year and want to have a little fun while doing it, then start with Pride and Prejudice. It’s the best classic I’ve read in a while and still has pertinence today. And you will definitely laugh!
Happy Reading!
(Pride and Prejudice is available for FREE in audiobook form. Just sign up for the FREE AUDIBLE trial and cancel whenever you want!)
So, what are you reading this week? Have any suggestions for me?
Interested in more book suggestions? Then check out these posts:
What I’m Reading… True Devotion
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