Book Review: Pride and Prejudice

What do you call a book that’s praised by all and read by none? A Classic. And Pride and Prejudice belongs to this category of books. A really commendable work by Jane Austen on that. The book is enjoyable to read as such, complete with wit and romance. Add to that Austen’s style of narration through free indirect speech, and an excellent sketch of characters, she just pulls it off as a whole. Though, i felt the book could have been a bit more pacier, there’s enough substance to read, but what happens is that it becomes so predictable in between and i’d to push myself through it. It’s classic literature at the end of the day. And it’s fascinating. But for most of the modern-age punk-rockers and upcoming rappersyo peoplezz, i don’t think this one’s for you. Albeit, i shall recommend to you the 2005 movie of the same name. It’s very lively, cheerful, precise and proves why the novel itself a classic. And to ice it, i’m not sure if any other than Keira Knightley could have pulled off Elizabeth’s role so well. She’s beautiful. 😀

To summarise the plot of this vintage classic, it deals with the family of the five Bennet sisters living in Longbourne near Netherfield, and whose prosaic mother wants to get them married off advantageously as soon as possible. There are a handful of characters etched in the story, but the crux of the plot mainly centers around the eldest two daughters, Jane and Elizabeth. Jane is accepted by all as being the most beautiful woman in the Bennet family, and the plot progresses with her falling in love with a wealthy bachelor Mr.Bingley, who is also considered as the most favourable by everyone. The love is equally reciprocated, but Mr.Bingley abruptly leaves to London soon. Eliza and Jane are convinced that the bingley sisters and Mr.Darcy are conspiring against the marriage, owing to the bennet family being poor, and a embarrassing public display of manners and decorum by the rest of the bennets at the ball.

Meanwhile, Mr.Darcy is introduced at the beginning as Mr.Bingley’s close friend, who is handsome, intelligent and wealthy, but is not convival and is less favorable as he makes an impression of having excessive pride and is condescending. Then there’s is Elizabeth. Quick-witted, lively, and analytical, she forms a prejudice against Mr.Darcy upon overhearing a conversation in which she is slighted by him. In a turn of events, he falls to the girl’s eyes. And eventually, he confessess as being bewitched by her. She refuses, charging him with pride and of taking away her sister’s happiness which is revealed to her by Darcy’s cousin, who turns out to be a liar and a philander. The story then continues with how Mr.Darcy pursues for Lizzy and wins her over in the end. The plot unfolds mostly through conversations, elaborating the sharp critiques of the societies in the nineteenth century and through the views of Elizabeth, with a sharp eye to catch the rivulets of emotions running through the daily life. The relationship between Mr.Darcy and Eliza is gripping at it’s very best. Overall, i’d say the book was a good read. 🙂

Rating: 8/10.