Part of a series of Jane Austen's works, with introductions by Austen scholars, together with 12 pages of colour introducing the characters, locations and times of Jane Austen.
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Once you start it, you won't be able to switch it off!
How does it compare to similar audio books?
Excellent
How does it compare to audio works by the same author?
Excellent
Advantages:
Wonderful character development, a story which urges you on till the very end
Disadvantages:
Quite long, complicated language for some
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
I first read this for A-level, an experience which although brought alive by my English teacher, was a big slog, trying to get through hundreds of pages of tiny writing in the Easter holidays, three chapters a day! Come on, read another page and you can stop... I recently picked it up again after watching the Big Read, and this time I couldn't put it down! I knew everything that was going to happen, but I was still riveted by the humour, the subtlety of character change, the incredible way in which Austen creates complex (and not-so-complex) and interesting characters. But what struck me most of all was the precision of her writing, the fact that no word is there by accident. She paints people not so much by description, but the way in which they talk and behave. We are told by Austen what to think about each character in the story, sometimes by the narrator's attitude to them, and sometimes by other people's attitude, but mostly by the way they themselves act and communicate. The story involves a family of five young women, and they way in which each of their lives, mostly love-lives, work out. The main story is of Elizabeth and Darcy (the Prejudice and the Pride, respectively), who on first meeting decide they really don't think much of each other. As the story pans out, we find out why they are both wrong, and in the process get into lots of plot twists and turns which eventually prove that they are perfect for each other. (This is not a plot-spoiler, it's obvious from the beginning that this will happen). Subplots involve Elizabeth's sisters: Jane, who is pretty and lovely and unassumingly nice, who falls in love with Bingley, an eligible bachelor living nearby; Lydia, who is a shameless flirt, and in her element amongst the local militia; bookish Mary, and easily-led Catherine. But it's not as easy as just getting drunk and snogging the bloke you fancy, in Jane Austen. There are rules to adhere to, protocol to follow at all times. Failure to do so results in social disapproval, the wrong impressions made, and not least, losing your man because your mother is an inveterate gossip. There are many obstacles in the way of true love: the concept of wealth, social standing and appropriateness of behaviour. The story lacks passion in the sense that we understand nowadays, but the reservedness of society in that time means that the slightest passion shown could result in being carted down the aisle and is therefore measured, and every little bit counts. The preciseness of Austen's writing is mirrored in the preciseness of emotions - each little thing that happens, each little sentiment shown, leads to more complications, or more developments. We come to thoroughly admire the "good" characters in the story, and be thoroughly disgusted by the "bad" characters. We gasp as somebody acts inappropriately or says something that shows how awful they really are; we smile with glee when somebody gets what they deserve, whether good or bad. None of the characters are really bad or good, hence the inverted commas above, but they are real and believable, and you end up caring immensely what is going to happen to these people. You know that it will all be satisfactorily resolved by the end, but you want to know how, and why. I have to say that I relished every word of Pride and Prejudice the second time round, and would recommend it to anyone who likes a good "humdinger" (as my English teacher used to say) of a love story, with no naff sex scenes or nasty infidelity or uncomfortable revenge. Just normal people like you and me getting over the hurdles of 18th century society to get their man or woman and live in comfortable £10,000 a year aristocratic comfort with the partner of their dreams.
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arrogant and conceited; he is indifferent to her good looks and lively mind. When she later discovers that Darcy has involved himself in the troubled relationship betw...
Literature is an ironic novel of manners. In it the garrulous and empty-headed Mrs Bennet has only one aim - that of finding a good match for each of her five daughters. I...
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