Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is a novel that follows the series of events in the life of Elizabeth Bennet, the second of five daughters in the Bennet family. The story is set in the early 19th century in a small town in England. Elizabeth has four sisters, and the main goal of her mother is to have all the girls married because she and her husband are not able to pay for the girls' living any longer. Their lives completely change when two very rich, unmarried men move into their town, Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy. After meeting Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth has to deal with issues of different views on morality, manners, education, and many other things that she does not agree on with Mr. Darcy due to a big pride and prejudice in both of them.
This novel is considered to be one of the best love stories in British and world literature. It also touches a lot of issues that describe the society of the 19th century in England and gives a clear view on people's thoughts and lifestyles of those times. This book has been my favorite for many years now. In my opinion, the love story between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy is the most touching and exciting thing in all of literature. I am fascinated by the character of Elizabeth that Jane Austen created. Elizabeth is a very complex person with a unique point of view on society, marriage, morality, and relationships. It was interesting for me to read about each of her thoughts, actions, and emotions. I can surely say that Elizabeth is my favorite character in the entire world of literature. I think this book is just priceless because once you start reading it, you can't stop because you become absolutely amazed and intrigued by the story. After reading it, one can learn how difficult relationships between people can be. This novel shows the problems of understanding each other when people from two different worlds meet. This book charms the reader with Austen's great sarcasm and sense of humor. I would recommend this novel to anyone who wants to have a great time reading an amazing novel full of humor and passionate love stories.
Reviewed by Ellie, Grade 12
Comments
Jane Austen wrote in the Regency Era, so this book gave major Bridgerton vibes. At times, the book's plot seemed slow, but overall I liked the story of the spark between the couples and thought that the themes were well-developed. Elizabeth's defiance against societal expectations of women and stubborn nature represented Austen's feminist values and showcased a strong female character. Jane represented a gentle girl who is a romantic, and I liked how she served as a foil to Elizabeth.
Reviewed by AN, Grade 12
Glendale Central Library
I enjoyed Pride and Prejudice. It had everything you would want in a good book. It was funny at times, very interesting, and had good characters. I would recommend this book to anyone above the age of 15. It is an enjoyable story with appropriate language and events, but for the age range I selected. This is because the language used in the book is from the 18th century. That makes it difficult to understand for younger readers with not as much knowledge of more complex literature. It made me look at the world in a different light because I have made the same mistakes many times by judging people by what others say about them instead of getting to know them.
Reviewed by Angelina B., Grade 11
Brand Library & Art Center