Jane Austen v Zombies

[Martyn]

I am not sure what to make of this new phenomenon known as 'literary mash-ups'...some dude took Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and intercut the text with zombie scenes...what does everybody think?

Jane Austen v Zombies

[Shel, ad astra per aspera]

So, for example, when Elizabeth is slighted by Mr Darcy at the ball – "she is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me" – the "warrior code" demands she "must avenge her honour ... She meant to follow this proud Mr Darcy outside and open his throat." She's thwarted, however, when a crowd of "unmentionables" pour into the ballroom, and she and her sisters are forced to draw their daggers. "Mr Darcy watched Elizabeth and her sisters work their way outward, beheading zombie after zombie. He knew of only one other woman in all of Great Britain who wielded a dagger with such skill, such grace and deadly accuracy."

Maybe it's my mood this morning - everything seems like small stuff to me these days - but I say, let him take a dagger to a great work of literature if he wants to.

What's next, though... War and Peace with zombie soldiers? Moby Dick with whale-eating werewolves? The Stranger with vampires (wait. That one might actually...)...?

I don't think it will make it into the Western Canon... but I do feel for the paper being used to print it.

[Patrick, The Special School Bus Rider]

All I can said is if that fellow who intercuted Pride and Prejudice starts demanding to be treated as an equal to Johnathon Lehen as a writer, I will pay five dollars to each person who kicks him in the nuts sack for me. :/

[Abi]

That sounds hilarious. And almost certainly not so terminally dull as Pride and Prejudice.

[Kerry, flame-haired janeite]

I am an Austen fanatic as you all know and I can't wait to read this! I've bought copies for my non-virtual book group (if you can call it that, it's just me, my sister, and my friend Meg) to read. I had to order them online because the two different bookstores I stopped by were sold out. And this is interesting, Borders had it shelved in Humor while B&N had it shelved in Young Adult?! They were on back order too, so we have yet to receive them. I love the cover!

[image error]

[[deleted user]]

I'm not planning to read it, but somebody let me know what happens if a zombie dares to approach the terrifying Lady Catherine de Bourgh.

And if you Janeites have a cat with an affinity for the Regency period, be sure to submit a photo to Purr and Petulance .

[Afsana]

oh you can not be series someone has actually written the above?

There is the justification to modernising it if you willbut to butcher it !!!!!

But to each there own but I shall ot be reading it!!

[Jonathan, the skipper]

. . . wake me up when it's over . . .

[Dan, deadpan man]

Jonathan wrote: " . . . wake me up when it's over . . ."

There will be no waking up when your brains have been devoured!

[Kerry, flame-haired janeite]

I finally got the copies in for our book club. Can't wait to read it!

[Brian, just a child's imagination]

i never read jane austen. is this a good place to start? :D

[Kerry, flame-haired janeite]

Brian wrote: "i never read jane austen. is this a good place to start? :D"

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Nice one Brian. I needed a good giggle today.

[Adrian]

While we're waiting or not waiting for the zombie film version, someone else has jumped in to give us Jane Austen's Fight Club

At least it's kept under four minutes. Even though Miss Austen was unlikely to engage in fisticuffs, her correspondence provides evidence of coarse & questionable taste: she wrote a letter in which she jokes about a woman's miscarriage, claiming that the misfortune was caused by the woman finally getting a full view of her husband's face.

[Kerry, flame-haired janeite]

That video made me laugh Adrian!

I have to admit that I couldn't get through all of Pride & Prejudice & Zombies. It was a funny concept and it made me laugh for the first 100 pages or so, but then the joke got stale, and I couldn't finish it.

I will watch the film adaptation though! I love a good zombie movie!

[Adrian]

Kerry wrote: "I have to admit that I couldn't get through all of Pride & Prejudice & Zombies. It was a funny concept and it made me laugh for the first 100 pages or so, but..."

I read the first few pages and was disappointed that the writer didn't attempt to parody Austen's style. Then I skimmed through it ... illustrations worthy of a high school student ... ninjas ... ugh.

[Kerry, flame-haired janeite]

Yeah, no, he simply took her exact text, cut it short in places, and mixed in his zombie and ninja stuff. It was funny for a bit and then it wasn't.

[Elizabeth, bubbles]

A friend alerted me to this Austen manuscript controversy. I was thinking some of you might be interested, and I didn't see it mentioned elsewhere. It is a bit more dry than that cover, that's for sure. :)

BBC Report

Bodleian Austen Day

Austen's Digital Manuscripts

[Martyn]

Yeah I read about this. Interesting stuff.