Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice by Katherine Woodfine, Jane Austen

Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (Puffin Plated) (Awesomely Austen - Illustrated and Retold)

by Katherine Woodfine and Jane Austen

A fresh, funny and accessible retelling of Jane Austen's best-known story, with witty black and white illustrations throughout.

Elizabeth Bennet is the second eldest in a family of five daughters. Although their mother is very keen to see them all married to wealthy men, Elizabeth is determined that she will only ever marry for love.

At a ball, Elizabeth meets Mr Darcy, who at first she believes is proud and haughty.

But perhaps there is more to him than first meets the eye...

Katherine Woodfine is best known for her historical series, The Sinclair Mysteries, which includes The Clockwork Sparrow. A huge fan of Jane Austen from a young age, she's perfectly placed to bring the Bennet sisters to a new audience.

Eglantine Ceulemans captures all of Austen's satire and wit, bringing her colourful casts to life with warm and funny black and white illustrations.

Illustrated and retold editions are also available for: Emma, Persuasion, Sense and Sensibility, Mansfield Park and Northanger Abbey. The perfect way to discover Austen for the first time, this bright and bold collection features some of the most inspiring and famous heroines in English literature. For readers aged eight and up.

Reviewed by clq on

3 of 5 stars

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I know I should have liked this more than I did, and that I'm wrong not to. I also tend to really enjoy classics, which is why it surprised me a little that I found this to be... just fine.

I think I might be falling between two stools. I've seen/read/heard nineteenth century Britain portrayed in the way this book does plenty of times before (no doubt, much of what I've seen was inspired by this book in the first place), but I also don't know enough about the time-period to fully appreciate what I'm sure is a treasure-trove of historical references for those who really appreciate them. That's my fault entirely, and I realise that it's more than a little unfair to not appreciate the jokes and curiosities of a book based on having seen them be retold in different ways in many other places.

And, unfortunately, pretty much knowing the story before reading it became and issue. It's a charming story, but unfortunately I found myself just waiting for what I knew would happen. I wasn't engaged to the point where I really enjoyed the ride to get there.

Fortunately, once everything had been set up to facilitate it, the last part of the book happened - and I loved it. It took until the last fifth of the book, but at that point I started feeling immersed in the conversations, started appreciating the emotions of the characters, and started... well, feeling like I needed to know what happened next. It wasn't about the story any more, it was about how the characters interacted, and how they reacted to what they were told and what was happening. It almost felt like I'd started reading a different book. And then, unfortunately, it ended.

I can see why Pride and Prejudice has become a classic, and I appreciate that it is a valuable window into both the culture and the writing of the past. But stacked up against other classics I've read, where I've loved both the story and the writing in their own right, I feel that, for me, the historical significance was needed to save Pride and Prejudice.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 2 March, 2017: Finished reading
  • 2 March, 2017: Reviewed