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The Annotated Pride and Prejudice

by Jane Austen, David M. Shapard

4.22 · rating details · 557,996 ratings · 20,265 reviews

This first-ever fully annotated edition of one of the most beloved novels in the world is a sheer delight for Jane Austen fans. Here is the complete text of Pride and Prejudice with more than 2,300 annotations on facing pages, including: • Explanations of historical contextRules of etiquette, class differences, the position of women, legal and economic realities, leisure a...more

Paperback, 745 pages

Published March 13th 2007 by Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group (first published January 1st 199)

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Feb 04, 2012

Elizabeth rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Mindless Austen-adoring idiots.

Shelves: i-own

This book is quite possibly the most insipid novel I have ever read in my life. I would rather read Twilight twelve more times than read this again. Why this book is so highly treasured by society is beyond me. It is 345 pages of nothing. The characters are like wispy shadows of something that could be interesting, the language that could be beautiful ends up becoming difficult to decipher and lead me more than once to skip over entire paragraphs because I became tired of having to stumble throu...more

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Feb 22, 2011

Anne rated it

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Recommends it for: mainly women

Critics who consider Austen's works trivial because of their rigid, upper-class setting, wealthy characters, domestic, mannered plots and happy endings are almost totally disconnected from reality, as far as I can tell. What can they possibly expect an upper-middle class English woman to write about in 1813 but what she knows or can imagine? Sci-fi? A history of the American Revolution? A real-life exposé of underage exploitation in the garment district of London? Come on. What other setting can...more

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Mar 12, 2007

Rolls rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Anyone who is unafraid to be seen reading this on the subway

"Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen started off annoying me and ended up enchanting me. Up until about page one hundred I found this book vexing, frivolous and down right tedious. I now count myself as a new convert to the Austen cult.

I must confess I have been known to express an antipathy for anything written or set before 1900. I just cannot get down with corsets, outdoor plumbing and buggy rides. Whenever someone dips a quill into an inkwell my eyes glaze over. This i...more

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Aug 12, 2007

MacK rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: classics, favorites, brit-lit

Where my massive crush on Jane Austen began: alone, on a hot day in Montana, cursing her name.

I had to read it for AP English and I could not see the point. Girls need to marry. Girls can't get married. Girls are sad. Girls get married. Girls are happy.

I went to school to half heartedly discuss it and waffled and wavered in an effort to please my teacher. Finally she said: "was it good or not, Ben?"

"No it wasn't."

"Thank yo...more

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Jan 11, 2012

Hira rated it

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Shelves: favorites, seen-the-movie

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Jan 25, 2011

Jasmin rated it

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Recommends it for: People who want to widen their vocabulary and of course hopeless romantics

Recommended to Jasmin by: Filipino Group

Shelves: classic, historical-romance, 1001-books, fiction, historical-fiction, romance, four-stars, reviewed-by-me, aar-top-100-list, bbc-top-100

"I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look, or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that it had begun."

This was Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy's reply when Ms. Elizabeth Bennet asked him when he fell in love with her.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen had put my left out dictionary into good use. I have to admit, I was very slow in the first pages, however, nearing the end, I was like a driver going at 100...more"I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look, or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that it had begun."

This was Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy's reply when Ms. Elizabeth Bennet asked him when he fell in love with her.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen had put my left out dictionary into good use. I have to admit, I was very slow in the first pages, however, nearing the end, I was like a driver going at 100mph, eager to reach the finish line.

At the first pages, I have to admit I was frustrated, for Jane Austen had called her characters Miss Bennet, and I must duly mention that there are five Miss Bennets. And the use of various nicknames, confused me more. I thought Elizabeth and Eliza and Lizzy are different persons. So, I put a book guide into good use as well.

I must also mention my despise of Mrs. Bennet. I hated her more than anyone in this novel. She has no talent in being a mother whatsoever and have no notions of leading her daughters in the right path. The only thing that matters to her is the marrying of her five daughters. After the misfortune of Lydia running away with Wickham, she was frivolous as to forget the elopement as soon as news of marriage were ensued. She considered the hunting for a wedding gown, the most of her problems. I've never seen a woman as fickle-minded as her and no one as blinded to riches than her. Nor do I have a desire to meet one.

Lydia Bennet, is another matter. She is selfish and insensitive as anyone can get. I have to mention this, to unload the hatred in my chest.

How Jane and Elizabeth turned out to be well bred is a wonder, considering the type of mother they are born with.

But enough of what I hate of the book, because it will soon be forgotten, and all but the love of Mr Darcy for Elizabeth would remain.

This is a genuine love story. I've fallen in love with Mr Darcy. He wanted to change his ways for his beloved Elizabeth. He helped her in so many ways and he needed no credit for it. For him, it was enough that he knew he helped her. He also hid his love for her for so long, its endearing.

No part of the book was useless. All were vital for the fruition of Mr Darcy and Ms Bennett's love story. As you go deeper in the book, all pieces come together, like a puzzle, slowly making meaning.

Indeed, Ms. Elizabeth Bennet is lucky, to have loved and to be loved in return. Despite the troubles their love had to endure, it was victor in the end. ♥
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May 23, 2011

Stephen rated it

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Shelves: classics, easton-press, 6-star-books, audiobook, all-time-favorites, romantical, 1800s, literature, love-those-words, classics-european

6.0 stars. Confession...this book gave me an earth-shattering Janeaustegasm and I am feeling a bit spent and vulnerable at the moment, so please bear with me. You see, I decided I wanted to get more literated by reading the "classicals" in between my steady flow of science fiction, mystery and horror. The question was where to begin.

After sherlocking through my Easton Press collection, I started by pulling out my Dickens and reading A Tale of Two Cities which I thought was ...more6.0 stars. Confession...this book gave me an earth-shattering Janeaustegasm and I am feeling a bit spent and vulnerable at the moment, so please bear with me. You see, I decided I wanted to get more literated by reading the "classicals" in between my steady flow of science fiction, mystery and horror. The question was where to begin.

After sherlocking through my Easton Press collection, I started by pulling out my Dickens and reading A Tale of Two Cities which I thought was jaw-dropping AMAZO and left me feeling warm, satisfied and content. It also made me made retrospectively pleased that I named my youngest daughter Sydney.

After Two City “Tale”ing, I decided to give this book a whirl as I kept seeing it on GR lists of "goodest books ever." However, I must admit I was hesitant going in to this for two big reasons. One, I thought it might be a bit too romantical for me. The second, and much more distressing, reason was that Twilight was on many of the same lists as this book. Austen fans should pull a nutty over that one.

So needless to say I went into this thinking I might hate it. Well, for the 999,987th time in my life (at least according to my wife’s records)...I was wrong!!! I absolutely loved this book and had a mammoth, raging heart-on for it from the opening scene at the breakfast table when Father Witty (Mr. Bennett) is giving sly sarcasm to Mrs. Mommie Put Upon. I literaphorically could not get enough of this story. I was instantly captivated by the characters and Elizabeth Bennett, the main protagonist, immediately became one of my all time favorite characters. Mr. Darcy joined that party as soon as he showed up in the narrative as I thought he was terrific as well.

Overall, the writing could not have been better. It was descriptive, lush and brilliant. The story could not have been more engaging or intelligent and the characters could not have been more magnificentastic. Elizabeth and Fitz are both smart, witty, self-confident and good. Austen could not have written them better. Oh, and I am sorry if this is a bit of a minor spoiler but I need to add that George Wickham is a cock-blocking braggadouche of startling proportions. I needed to say that and now I feel better.

This one has made it onto my list of All Time Favorite novels and is truly one of the classics that lives up to its billing. A FINAL WORD TO THE GUYS: ...Guys, do not fear the Austen...embrace the Austen...HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION!!! (less)

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Nov 27, 2010

Otis Chandler rated it

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Recommends it for: everyone

Shelves: classics, fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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May 24, 2007

Kelly rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: everyone. Yes, even you, boys.

Shelves: fiction, brit-lit, regency, owned, 19th-century, grande-dames, shes-quite-an-original-my-dear

Okay. I feel the need to defend myself for loving this book, because it has become so enormously popular to do so. I think so many women say this is their favorite book when they haven't even read it, which is annoying. I think it just has the fortune to be one of those geniunely good classics that happens to be massively popular- mostly because of the wet shirt of Colin Firth, these days. I can only say that I read this book twice before I even knew that existed. And if Colin Firth's fine self ...moreOkay. I feel the need to defend myself for loving this book, because it has become so enormously popular to do so. I think so many women say this is their favorite book when they haven't even read it, which is annoying. I think it just has the fortune to be one of those geniunely good classics that happens to be massively popular- mostly because of the wet shirt of Colin Firth, these days. I can only say that I read this book twice before I even knew that existed. And if Colin Firth's fine self can popularize even the ditziest girls I know into reading good literature, then more power to him. But it /can't/ be just that. I know men who love this book. Now, mind you, these are extremely literary men, secure in their masculinity, several of them english majors- but they're all straight. And will read it in public.

This book is well written functionally, to start. The wordplay is fantastic. Word choice is such a huge part of this novel, as is syntax. The laugh comes because of a surprise twist in language, at least for me. There is also her wise, wry voice that you can almost hear speaking to you in several cases. I think this is perhaps more prominent in "Northanger Abbey", but it's still present here to a more subtle degree.

It also boasts a male hero of an essentially romantic novel that even men can connect to and feel for. There are truly two sides of this romance. It is not designed exclusively to appease feminine ideals about what a man should be. How could it, if men can see themselves in this deeply flawed Darcy? I think this novel is extremely unique in being able to accomplish that, especially for the time period of Mrs. Radcliffe and gothic exaggeration of Byronic charm that was going on in that era.

I love character studies where nothing happens, at least outwardly. This book was one of the first to lead me down that path. Jane Austen makes sitting around with tea with the dull vicar and his tittering, frippery laden wife interesting. She makes taking a walk and seeing your next door neighbour with the gout interesting. And yes, her heroine is among the most interesting in English literature, hands down.

So, there, I rest my case. (less)

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May 14, 2010

Brad rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: faves, classic, played-a-part, one-of-the-greats, pb-and-j-dipped-in-hot-chocolate, meta-review

For a lover of books, I came to Pride and Prejudice (P&P from now on) very, very, very late.

The reasons are myriad: my mother hated Austen (a disdain she took to the grave without ever explaining), so she never recommended her to me; I was a boy in the '70s and a teen in the '80s and even though I loved Barbra Streisand, ABBA, Wham!, Spandau Ballet and Duran Duran (and...yes...I still do) I wasn't about to let people know that, and since I carried whatever book I was reading with me ...more

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Aug 15, 2010

Zosia rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: classics

I’m not a Jane Austen fan, but after years of denial – based mostly on my trauma of seeing the gigantic turn-off of Colin Firth’s bad-haired, dithering, stuttering idiot of a Mr Darcy emerging from the water – I have to admit this really is a good book.

I’ve read most of Jane Austen’s books, and this is the only one I like. I thought I’d reread it, and I did enjoy it, but there are some aspects of Austen’s writing it seems nobody wants to bring up because she’s attained goddess status...moreI’m not a Jane Austen fan, but after years of denial – based mostly on my trauma of seeing the gigantic turn-off of Colin Firth’s bad-haired, dithering, stuttering idiot of a Mr Darcy emerging from the water – I have to admit this really is a good book.

I’ve read most of Jane Austen’s books, and this is the only one I like. I thought I’d reread it, and I did enjoy it, but there are some aspects of Austen’s writing it seems nobody wants to bring up because she’s attained goddess status in historical fiction circles.

Everything about Austen’s writing pulls together here, working to create a hero – Mr Darcy, and a heroine – Elizabeth Bennet, who are as strong as each other. The concept of the desperation of young women to find financial security through marriage is about the only theme from this time period, but in this book it is handled with skill and raised above others with witty dialogue and many subtleties of characterisation. There is so much hidden meaning in the characters’ behaviour that I’m sure you can get something new from the story with very reread.

My biggest problem with Jane Austen’s writing is that she often focuses on the wrong things. We’ll be treated to a long and boring conversation about nothing in particular, and then be short-changed in the scenes that really matter. There were a few incidences of that in Pride and Prejudice, but not enough to annoy me.

There is little to say about Elizabeth, Darcy and the others that hasn’t already been said. Their relationship is legendary, and while I don’t quite find myself in crazed raptures of sexified delight about the whole situation the way many others seem to, watching them find their way around each other and learning to read each other’s true thoughts and feelings makes for wonderful reading.

Perhaps the best character in the entire book is Mr Bennet. Possessing incredible wit, and an unbelievable level of tolerance for idiots, the sarcastic statements that sail right over everyone’s heads are the funniest parts of the book.

Getting back to screen adaptations, I must say people have done some strange things with this story. One example is the character of Mr Collins. He is the opposite in appearance of his many screen versions. Additionally, the sense of youthfulness conveyed not only in Pride and Prejudice but also in Jane Austen’s other works is completely lost when the books are put onto the screen. That was my major complaint with the BBC adaptation – everyone was too old and stilted (and unattractive!) for their characters.
Another example is Mrs Bennet. As silly and outspoken as she is, there are some hints in the book of her calculating and orchestrating of her daughters’ marriages having a darker side to it. We learn in the book Elizabeth is her least favourite daughter, and so she is quite happy to force a marriage to Mr Collins on her - because it is good enough for her least favourite child. It would have been nice to see a little more balance in her over the top onscreen adaptations.

The ending of this book is better than in Austen’s other works. She generally suffers from a serious case of ‘I don’t know when to stop writing’ – continuing her chapters long after the story has reached its conclusion. In Pride and Prejudice the ending does not drag.

This is not the first time I’ve read Pride and Prejudice, and it probably won’t be the last. It is famous for a reason, and there’s lots of good in this story. Even for a reader like me - who is no Jane Austen fan – Pride and Prejudice is worth your time.
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Jan 09, 2010

Choupette rated it

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Recommended to Choupette by: V. V. De Poi and Mariam

Shelves: own-or-access, studied, classics

Pride and Prejudice: a Memoir (Volume One)

Characters:
Choupette: a greasy-haired, pockmarked, vampire-toothed adolescent
V.V. de Poi: Choupette's crazy-ass friend
Mariam: another friend (plays viola)
Suzy: scary weird person under the desk.
Miss Harris: despisèd English teacher.

Setting:
In the school library. It is a sunny winter day in term three of 2002, and students in Miss Harris's homegroup are are beginning to settle into their first y...more

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Oct 20, 2007

Sarah rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Everyone

I can't say anything fascinating about Pride and Prejudice that hasn't already been said a thousand times. It is one of the best books I've ever read, if not the best. It is like a textbook on how to pace a story, which is a hard thing to do, for me at least. It is a perfect social comedy. The dialogue is both believable, natural-seeming, and yet ten million times more interesting, witty and articulate than anything real people say. The characters are so well-drawn, interesting, and deep that yo...moreI can't say anything fascinating about Pride and Prejudice that hasn't already been said a thousand times. It is one of the best books I've ever read, if not the best. It is like a textbook on how to pace a story, which is a hard thing to do, for me at least. It is a perfect social comedy. The dialogue is both believable, natural-seeming, and yet ten million times more interesting, witty and articulate than anything real people say. The characters are so well-drawn, interesting, and deep that you get drawn into the story from the first page. Elizabeth Bennet is such a charming, funny, wonderful character - Jane Austen wrote, in a letter, about Elizabeth: "I must confess that I think her as delightful a creature as ever appeared in print, and how I shall be able to tolerate those who do not like her at least I do not know..".
The first sentence is a masterpiece of tongue-in-cheek social commentary: "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in posession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife."
One thing I love about Jane Austen is that she never takes herself seriously, yet she clearly loves her characters, even when they are behaving idiotically. She seems to have had a great eye for the ridiculous in people and society, but not a bitter, hateful one. I've read many essays about the feminism of Jane Austen's writing; she clearly saw the desperation and despair of the social position of women: Unable to work, or even to inherit, they had to marry, and marry well, or live in poverty. And Jane Austen clearly saw women as intellectually equal to men. It must have been a frustrating, demeaning experience. Women probably were very lucky if they even liked the men they had to marry - Elizabeth came very close to being married off to the dorky, unbearably pompous Mr. Collilns - yet she ends up married very well, to Mr. Darcy, who she not only deeply loves, but appreciates very much for his fortune: She says, to her sister Jane, when Jane asks her how long Elizabeth has loved Mr. Darcy: "It has been coming on so gradually, that I hardly know when it began. But I believe I must date it from my first seeing his beautiful grounds at Pemberley." (less)

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Nov 24, 2011

Peter Meredith rated it

· review of another edition

18 chapters in... I want that to sink in for a moment... ok. 18 chapters in and NOTHING has happened. I am enjoying her writing style very much, but I also enjoy the back of an occasional cereal box so that may not mean much. We will see.
I am sitting here eating a tootsie roll, a Halloween left over, and I can't help notice the similarities between it and the novel Pride and Prejudice. First off, like P and P, the tootsie roll wasn't one of those dinky ones that you can almost swallow in a...more18 chapters in... I want that to sink in for a moment... ok. 18 chapters in and NOTHING has happened. I am enjoying her writing style very much, but I also enjoy the back of an occasional cereal box so that may not mean much. We will see.
I am sitting here eating a tootsie roll, a Halloween left over, and I can't help notice the similarities between it and the novel Pride and Prejudice. First off, like P and P, the tootsie roll wasn't one of those dinky ones that you can almost swallow in a single bite so you know that I've been at this for a while and now that I finally got it down, I have to wonder why I put it into mouth to begin with. Secondly, tootsie rolls are a throwback to another age, there are far better candies out there and the 36 wrappers littering the floor will attest to this. You have to really like tootsie rolls to appreciate them. I don't.
Pride and Prejudice is the dullest most wonderfully written book that I have ever read. I read it simply to get a feel for the author's fantastic ability at arranging words, and really I mean it when I say, oh what wonderful blather.
I give the book one star.
After 62 chapters, there is nothing that happens. There is barely a story to the story, at least not one that could be remotely interesting...even to people who like romance. In the age of bodices, there is nary a one that is ripped open, let alone one that is undone with the gentle exploring fingers of a lover.
And then there is the hubbub over the book...Satirical? A witty comedy of manners? Sure, I smiled a few times at the only funny character in the book, Mr. Bennett, but overall, I read, studied the sentence structure, noticed the wall paper and waited patiently as the paint dried. Even the dramatic ending where Lizzy gets the guy, is a letdown and dull. Just to let you know, I was joking about it being in any way dramatic. Which brings me to the characters. Other than Lizzy, they are all stereotypical and lack even the most remote concept of depth. Jane is pretty and sweet from the first page to the last. The mom is overbearing, the dad aloof. Other than Darcy, no one grows or changes in a book that spans a few years and endless pages.
Normally, I use one star for books that I just can't finish and if I wasn't an aspiring author, I wouldn't have bothered to get through half the book, but since I did... and when I compare it to yawner like A Tale of Two Cities, I had to bump this one up a notch.
PS, Don't read Moby Dick either, if you know what's good for you.(less)

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Sep 29, 2007

Jessica rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: the proud; the prejudiced; chicks

Shelves: chicklits, favorites

This book is utterly amazing, and if I were more of a five-star type of girl, I'd have given it another. I must say though that P&P was a little hard to relate to because it was written a long time ago, when women had to wear uncomfortable clothing to try and look pretty and were defined mostly based on their ability to trap a man. Back in those days, being a smart-ass was considered a huge liability for a lady, and also back in those days some otherwise clever ladies, like the main character in...more

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Sep 23, 2010

Bells rated it

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Shelves: poop

P to-the-double-O P.

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Apr 15, 2007

Khalid rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: already-read

Pride and Prejudice is special for many reasons; for one, its style and language – albeit sometimes difficult – are delightful beyond comparison. Old texts are often dry and hard to read, which is discouraging to readers. I truly loved the way some words are used, and wished language would still be dealt with the same way. I wonder; is it really the language of the age, or a superior skill Jane Austen possessed?

The way culture is portrayed is also very interesting; it is too differen...more

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May 18, 2011

Alex rated it

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Shelves: coralie-bickford-smith-covers, 2011, reading-through-history

I hardly needed Penguin's introduction to remind me that Pride & Prejudice has significant parallels to Sam Richardson's Pamela (1740). In both books, a boorish man is reformed through the protagonist's refusal to fall for his original cockishness. And in both books, a late and great scene features some bitch trying to talk the guy out of his reformation. There are loads of differences between the two, as well: for one thing, Elizabeth is an actual person, as opposed to Pamela, and for anothe...moreI hardly needed Penguin's introduction to remind me that Pride & Prejudice has significant parallels to Sam Richardson's Pamela (1740). In both books, a boorish man is reformed through the protagonist's refusal to fall for his original cockishness. And in both books, a late and great scene features some bitch trying to talk the guy out of his reformation. There are loads of differences between the two, as well: for one thing, Elizabeth is an actual person, as opposed to Pamela, and for another, Darcy is simply a bit of an ass, not a wannabe rapist. But the afore-mentioned intro lacks the courage to mention the biggest difference between the two: Pride & Prejudice, starkly unlike Pamela, doesn't suck.

I might have been prepared for Pride & Prejudice had I read Aphra Behn, Fanny Burney, or even LeClos; but I didn't, and I wasn't. After the decidedly experimental novels Pamela, Tom Jones, Tristram Shandy and even The terrific but (let's face it) charmingly harebrained Monk, to stumble across Pride & Prejudice, with its fully-formed characters and tightly-wound plot, was a revelation. Only Defoe had written novels this tightly conceived, and his characterization is wooden. Elizabeth, though...after chicks like Moll Flanders and Pamela, Elizabeth is a tall drink of water. Here, finally, is a chick I have a crush on. Who doesn't turn out to be the devil.

Because Moll Flanders and Pamela were both essentially passive characters. They did nothing but behave as piously as they could in their constrained situations, hoping that the best would be enough to get some guy to deign to pay attention to them - and this was, of course, the prevailing custom among women of the time. To me, Elizabeth registers as a sharp break with that tradition; her willfulness, her pride, her insistence on her own way, hits me as a completely new development in the English novel. (Here, as in many other cases, I have to except earlier writers like Shekespeare, Boccaccio and Chaucer; when people started writing novels, they seem to have completely forgotten the depth of characterization that was commonplace in writing forms other than novels. That's a whole nother subject, and one I totally don't understand. What the hell, guys? It's like we had to figure out how to write all over again just because it wasn't in iambs!)

So here, with Pride & Prejudice, I found one of my earliest examples of a perfect novel. This is a tremendous book, and it was incredibly fun to read.(less)

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Feb 28, 2008

Kara rated it

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I have hesitated giving a review of this book because, as they say in Wayne's World, "I'm not worthy!" Since I don't really feel I can do the novel justice in a review, here are some random thoughts. This is my favorite book, mainly because the character of Elizabeth Bennet is such a great creation. I even named my dog Bennet, in homage. I was always impressed by how ahead of her time Lizzie is, and although she has great qualities, she is not without fault--hence the title of the ...moreI have hesitated giving a review of this book because, as they say in Wayne's World, "I'm not worthy!" Since I don't really feel I can do the novel justice in a review, here are some random thoughts. This is my favorite book, mainly because the character of Elizabeth Bennet is such a great creation. I even named my dog Bennet, in homage. I was always impressed by how ahead of her time Lizzie is, and although she has great qualities, she is not without fault--hence the title of the book. I see alot of myself in her, including her faults of perhaps judging people a bit too quickly, and holding a grudge for longer than necessary! There are certain characters that have always irritated me--like the younger Bennet sisters, Mrs. Bennet, and the Bingley sisters to name a few. But they are all important players in a commentary on the social structure of the time. If one understands that Jane Austen is making a comment on that, then the behavior of some of those characters makes a little more sense.(Although I do think Lydia Bennet is totally unexcusable) I always liked Austen's strong women, and I think Lizzie is the best representative of this. It's interesting to me that the men are not portrayed as being so strong--Bingley follows along with what his friends and family tell him, with regard to Jane Bennet; Mr. Bennet, by his own admission, is partly responsible for the horrid behavior of his younger daughters by not doing anything to stop them; Mr. Collins is just a dreadful brown-noser; Wickham is a "player" with no sense of morals. But Darcy redeems himself from his first meeting with the Bennet sisters by his actions later in the story, thus prompting women everywhere to fall madly in love with him. (Watching the BBC version with Colin Firth helps with this too) Each time I read the novel I seem to understand it more, and am utterly amazed at how a woman who did not know much of the world and much about love could create such wonderful characters, and make such accurate statements about society and relationships, statements that are relevant even today. Her plot is tightly woven and the characterization is outstanding. Typical Austen--fabulous!(less)

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Feb 10, 2009

Cara rated it

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Recommended to Cara by: Ginny

Shelves: classics, books-made-into-movies, to-re-read

I finally finished! It took me awhile but it was worth it. I think what made it kind of hard for me to get into it was because I had watched the movies beforehand (which actually helped me to follow the timeline of the book better.)

This book doesn't really need a review, I mean it's a classic! There isn't a better recommendation than standing the test of time.

What a wonderful romance and I'm glad I read the book because we do miss out on some of the details that are not ...more

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Apr 05, 2010

Choupette rated it

· review of another edition

Recommended to Choupette by: V. V., Mariam, Suzy

Shelves: classics, own-or-access, studied, 2009

Pride and Prejudice: a memoir (Volume Two)

Despite sundry misgivings (see Volume One), upon their second meeting Choupette spent a most agreeable few days in the company of Miss Bennet (though it was unfortunately never exactly clear to which Miss Bennet was being referred), Mr Darcy, Mr Bingley, &c. Their society was so unexpectedly charming, so delightfully amusing, that Choupette was forced to admit that though she had not always loved them so well, in fact she had quite detested t...more

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Feb 16, 2011

Hope rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: classics, heroes-i-love, jane-austen, reviewed, movie-was-better, british

In order to write this review…

I’m going to set-aside the fact that I think Mr. Darcy is highly overrated.
(I’m also going to forget the fact that he is terrible with proposals).

I’m not going to mention that Lizzie is obviously mercenary, only deciding that her feelings for Darcy have changed after she’s seen his giant house.
I’m not going to tell you that I think she’s really quite a vain, petty heroine, deciding that she dislikes a man because she heard him s...more

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Feb 28, 2008

Natalie rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: romantic-drama

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I really thought this was a moving book. It is a moving story of romance, hurt, and hope. It is written by Jane Austen, I got this syponosis from GOOD READS:
When Charles Bingley, a rich single man, moves to the Netherfield estate, the neighborhood residents are thrilled, especially Mrs. Bennet, who hopes to marry one of her five daughters to him. When the Bennet daughters meet him at a local ball, they are impressed by his outgoing personality and friendly disposition. They are less impress...moreI really thought this was a moving book. It is a moving story of romance, hurt, and hope. It is written by Jane Austen, I got this syponosis from GOOD READS:
When Charles Bingley, a rich single man, moves to the Netherfield estate, the neighborhood residents are thrilled, especially Mrs. Bennet, who hopes to marry one of her five daughters to him. When the Bennet daughters meet him at a local ball, they are impressed by his outgoing personality and friendly disposition. They are less impressed, however, by Bingley’s friend Fitzwilliam Darcy, a landowning aristocrat who is too proud to speak to any of the locals and whom Elizabeth Bennet overhears refusing to dance with her.

Bingley and the oldest Bennet daughter, Jane, soon form an attachment. Any serious relationship between the two, however, is opposed by Bingley’s sisters (who do not approve of Jane as a wife for Bingley because of her mother’s lower status) and by Darcy (who believes that Jane is indifferent to Bingley). Meanwhile, Darcy finds himself attracted to Elizabeth despite his objections to her family. He is drawn to her spirited wit and expressive eyes, and Caroline Bingley’s jealous criticisms of Elizabeth can do nothing to lessen Darcy’s admiration.

As Darcy grows more interested in Elizabeth, Elizabeth continues to despise him and is instead attracted to George Wickham, a handsome and personable militia officer. Wickham tells Elizabeth that his father worked for Darcy’s father and that he and Darcy grew up together. Stating that he was favored by Darcy’s father, Wickham claims that Darcy disobeyed his father’s bequest of a clergyman’s revenue to Wickham out of selfish resentment. Wickham’s tale makes Darcy appear not only proud but cruel, and Elizabeth accepts Wickham’s account without question, disliking Darcy even more because of it.

In the midst of Jane and Elizabeth’s developing relationships, the Bennet family is visited by Mr. Bennet’s cousin, William Collins, a clergyman who will inherit Mr. Bennet’s estate when he dies because of a legal stricture known as an entail. Full of apologies for the entail and praises for his patroness, Lady Catherine De Bourgh, Mr. Collins informs the Mrs. Bennet that Lady Catherine has instructed him to marry and that he plans to choose a wife from the Bennet daughters. He settles on Elizabeth, but is stunned and offended when she refuses him. He quickly turns his attention to Elizabeth’s friend, Charlotte Lucas, who wants to marry for security rather than love, and the two are soon engaged and married.

At the same time, Jane is dismayed to find out that Bingley and the entire Netherfield party have unexpectedly left for London. Caroline Bingley writes to Jane that they do not intend to return, and she predicts a match between Bingley and Darcy’s sister, Georgiana, who is also in London. Although Jane quietly resigns herself to a life without Bingley, Elizabeth is angry for her sister and suspects that Bingley’s sisters and Darcy are trying to keep him from Jane.

Elizabeth visits Charlotte at her new home in Hunsford, Kent, and meets Mr. Collins’ patroness and Darcy’s aunt, Lady Catherine De Bourgh, an overbearing woman who thrives on meddling in other people’s lives. Soon after Elizabeth’s arrival in Kent, Darcy visits his aunt with his cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam. Darcy puzzles Elizabeth with his behavior; he seems to seek out her company, but he never says much. One day, he surprises Elizabeth by proposing to her. Still repelled by his pride and believing Darcy is responsible for Bingley’s separation from Jane and for Wickham’s misfortune, Elizabeth refuses him. The next day, Darcy gives her a letter explaining his role in influencing Bingley away from Jane and details the facts of Wickham’s situation. A careful examination of the facts reveals that Darcy, while proud, is innocent of wrongdoing, leaving Elizabeth mortified at her discovery of how her own pride prejudiced her against Darcy.

After returning home for a month, Elizabeth goes on a trip with her aunt and uncle Gardiner to Derbyshire county, where they visit Darcy’s estate of Pemberley. There they meet Darcy unexpectedly and are all surprised at how graciously he treats them. He calls on Elizabeth at her inn, introduces her to his sister, and invites her to Pemberley for dinner. Darcy is still in love with Elizabeth, and Elizabeth begins to have similar feelings for him.

In the midst of this promising situation, Elizabeth receives two letters from Jane telling her that Lydia has eloped with Wickham, causing Elizabeth and the Gardiners to leave for home immediately. Elizabeth fears that Lydia and the Bennet family are permanently disgraced and that her newly-discovered love for Darcy is hopeless. When Lydia is found, however, she and Wickham marry. After the wedding, Elizabeth discovers that Darcy was instrumental in orchestrating the marriage, thereby saving the reputation and marriageability of the other Bennet daughters.

Bingley returns to Netherfield and soon asks Jane to marry him. Jane, of course, accepts, and Mrs. Bennet’s exultation is only lessened by her irritation at Darcy’s occasional presence. Meanwhile, Elizabeth’s happiness for her sister is interrupted by a visit from Lady Catherine De Bourgh, who has heard a rumor that Darcy and Elizabeth are engaged, which they are not. She lectures Elizabeth on the imprudence of such a match, and then demands that Elizabeth promise not to accept any proposal from Darcy. Elizabeth refuses, causing Lady Catherine to tell Darcy about Elizabeth’s impertinence and to scold him about the folly of an engagement between them. Lady Catherine’s description of Elizabeth’s response to her demands gives Darcy hope that Elizabeth has had a change of heart. He proposes again and Elizabeth happily accepts.
and I am certian that if you like romantic moving love stories you will enjoy this book:)!(less)

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Jan 31, 2008

Amy rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: lit, favorite-books

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. A lot of people go on and on these days about what a romantic Jane Austen was, coupling people up here and there - I've read all of her books, she's one of my favorite writers, but I have to strongly disagree with this idea. Sure, people get together in these books, but Austen doesn't burble on about how their eyes lock across a crowded room. Austen's emphasis is usually on the funny side, and her humor is drier than dry - if you blink, you might miss it. But if you pay attention, you might find...more

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Mar 20, 2009

Troy rated it

· review of another edition

I was forced to read this by my future wife.
I was not, however, forced to give it 5 stars.

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May 28, 2008

Rosianna rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: favourite-books, books-with-strong-female-characters

I'm a great believer in the idea that if anyone didn't like this book it's because they didn't read it properly and/or are possessed. In all seriousness, the wit is timeless and Austen should always be remembered as a literary genius, as I hope she will.

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Aug 05, 2010

Ken-ichi rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: classics, high-school, favorites

Huh, can't believe I haven't added a review for this. I just re-read it after finishing Persuasion for the first time, and, as in previous readings, loved it. Obviously I don't have any pointed additions to centuries of criticism, so I'll just say Elizabeth and Darcy remain two of my favorite characters, the former for her wit and indomitable vivacity, and the latter for his self-righteous propriety subtended by genuine warmth. I guess I enjoy the company of Elizabeths, and aspire to be somet...more

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Jul 26, 2010

Shellie (Layers of Thought) rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: not sure

Shelves: genre-classics, genre-general-fiction-literature, available-in-audio, country-uk-ireland, read-abandoned, read-in-2010, genre-womens-chic-lit-romance

Abandoned!

I tried this in audio with two formats, and read a bit. In the first the reader did not have a pleasant voice - stuffy and with a nasal sound. Very annoying. The second reader's narration was much more pleasant but after listening for a few hours I know now that I will become very annoyed and frustrated with the conversations and what appears to be petty manipulations and suppositions by the characters.

I am not a big romance fan, had enough Victoriana as a kid ...more

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Jan 09, 2009

Keith rated it

· review of another edition

I probably can't add anything to the hundreds of other reviews of this classic, so I'll tell a story about it instead.

When I was about 26, I decided to go back to school for my Master's (in Computer Science). As part of the application process, I had to take the GRE. One evening I was hanging out with my girlfriend and going through one of those vocabulary guides that list words you might see on standardized tests like the GRE. I was reading out to her the words I didn't know and wa...more

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Jun 04, 2010

Liz (Consumed by Books) rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, 5-star, classics, own, class-page-stage-and-screen, highly-recommended

I wanted to note that I’m sharing this review as part of Jane in June, which is hosted by Misty at Book Rat. if you’d like to participate in Jane in June, there’s still plenty of time to join the fun!

I’ve read Pride and Prejudice twice and I have to be honest and say that this will be a review in which I gush a lot about this novel. I enjoyed this book even more the second time around than the first and I honestly have no complaints about it. It’s one of my all time favorite books...moreI wanted to note that I’m sharing this review as part of Jane in June, which is hosted by Misty at Book Rat. if you’d like to participate in Jane in June, there’s still plenty of time to join the fun!

I’ve read Pride and Prejudice twice and I have to be honest and say that this will be a review in which I gush a lot about this novel. I enjoyed this book even more the second time around than the first and I honestly have no complaints about it. It’s one of my all time favorite books, and is definitely a feel good read for me.

A lot of people berate the plot of Pride and Prejudice as unoriginal, and this is a statement with which I disagree. I find it to be sort of classic love tale, and a lot of works are actually loosely based around its plot, such as Bridget Jones's Diary, not to mention that more modern adaptations have been made of some of her other books. Even knowing the plot I still enjoy reading this book and watching adaptations of it. I have to say that the ending always leaves me very satisfied.

I really love the characters which Austen gives us here. I love the snarkiness of Mr. Bennet, the fact that Mrs. Bennet is so obnoxious, and the descriptions of Lady Catherine de Bourgh's haughtiness. I enjoy watching Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth throughout the novel, and I have to say that during this read, I found Elizabeth to be quite relatable. I definitely don't think the anxieties she experiences throughout the novel are exclusive to her admiration for Darcy. I think Austen does a great job of crafting and developing them throughout the novel. She does a fabulous job of tying social norms and expectations of the time period into her work, which really shows in her characterizations of Elizabeth and Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Obviously she doesn't pay as much attention to Kitty and Mary, but she is still careful to tie up their stories at the end of the novel.

One reason why I think I enjoyed this novel even more this time around is because I've matured as reader since I first read this, and I found Austen's prose to be much more readable, yet still not dry. I don't feel weighed down by the prose and I still feel as though I see so much of the characters' emotions.

I could probably go on for a while about how much I love this novel, but I think I'll leave it at this. I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't read it. I know this will incite some of my GR friends to poke and encourage me to read Elizabeth Gaskell's North and South, which I invite and encourage (even though my copy and I are in differnt states until the end of the month).(less)

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About Jane Austen

Jane Austen (16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was an English novelist whose works of romantic fiction, set among the landed gentry, earned her a place as one of the most widely read writers in English literature, her realism and biting social commentary cementing her historical importance among scholars and critics.

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“A lady's imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony in a moment.” — 5,429 people liked it

“I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book! -- When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.” — 4,652 people liked it

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