Based on the Emmy Award-winning “genius” (The Guardian) web series, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, this is a new novel starring Lizzie’s spunky sister Lydia as she navigates the joys and pitfalls of becoming an adult in the digital age.
Before her older sister, Lizzie, started her wildly popular vlog, Lydia was just a normal twenty-year-old plotting the many ways she could get away with skipping her community college classes and finding the perfect fake ID. She may not have had much direction, but she loved her family and had plenty of fun. Then Lizzie’s vlog turned the Bennet sisters into Internet sensations, and Lydia basked in the attention as people watched, debated, tweeted, tumblr’d, and blogged about her life. But not all attention is good…
After her ex-boyfriend, George Wickham took advantage of Lydia’s newfound web-fame, betrayed her trust, and destroyed her online reputation, she’s no longer a naïve, carefree girl. Now, Lydia must work to win back her family’s trust and respect and find her place in a far more judgmental world.
Told in Lydia’s distinctive, eccentric, and endearing voice, The Epic Adventures of Lydia Bennet picks up right where The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet left off and “offers a fresh take on Pride and Prejudice without ruining it” (The Washington Post, on The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet). Featuring fresh twists, wonderful new characters, and scores of hilarious texts, doodles, and tweets, The Epic Adventures of Lydia Bennet takes you behind the webcam and into the lives of your favorite sisters in a way that’s sure to satisfy existing fans and delight new ones.
*I received this book in a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review.*
I was worried I wouldn't like this book. I have always has a special hatred for Lydia Bennet. As a semi-goody-two-shoes, I could never believe someone could be so thoughtless as to become an embarrassment and create so much trouble for their family. The Lizzie Bennet Diaries changed that for me. Lydia was still thoughtless, but she tried her hardest and was just attempting to make her own way. I still wasn't sure I would enjoy a whole novel from her perspective though.
It should be no surprise to hear that I was wrong to fear this. The first thing I noticed upon reading this book was how well they captured Lydia's voice. I could automatically see Mary Kate Wiles on the screen; recall her exact mannerisms. It was easy to get caught up in the text, just like I had the videos.
The story is lovely. It works perfectly for those of us who dreamed that George Wickham wouldn't be the end of Lydia Bennet. She now has her own story that isn't bounded by the trouble she caused or the mistakes she made. She can move past that. The novel doesn't perfect Lydia either. She doesn't magically grow up and change. She stumbles and falls behind. She is relatable and wonderful and human. I was with her the whole novel, hoping she succeeds because I want to imagine I can succeed too.
The Epic Adventures of Lydia Bennet contains the essence of all our favorite characters from The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, but unveils a whole new story. It is definitely a recommended read.
Reading updates
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6 September, 2015:
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6 September, 2015:
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