Pride and Prejudice

I only read this after watching (and loving) the A&E six-hour movie, but now I reread Austen’s books every few years. Pride and Prejudice is no longer my favorite, but it is the powerful Elizabeth that pulled me into Austen’s view of the world and keeps me discovering more and more about her characters.

"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."

From Goodreads:

So begins Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen's witty comedy of manners--one of the most popular novels of all time--that features splendidly civilized sparring between the proud Mr. Darcy and the prejudiced Elizabeth Bennet as they play out their spirited courtship in a series of eighteenth-century drawing-room intrigues.

My thoughts:

Hands down, a damn fine piece of literature. Jane Austen creates a world you want to march right into and never leave. Her characters are dynamic. Her prose is flawless. Her settings are timeless. And Mr. Darcy - well, let's just say if he's offering me wine, I will not be turning that down. A five-star classic that is as poignant and relevant today as when it was first penned.

Okay the writing is witty, but I am not personally interested in the life of snobs and would be snobs, even of the novel satirizes them.

When in doubt about what to read, returning to Austen is never wrong. Rosamund Pike's Audible version is a gem.

While this was not my first time taking in this beloved story or immersing myself in the pages of this book it was the first time that I read it alongside other individuals as part of a bookclub. Charming, witty, and appropriately labelled "timeless," P&P is a must-read for Austen's prose, satire, exploration of gender dynamics and relatable characters (*even the nauseating ones!) It was delightful having an opportunity to engage in a bookclub discussion steered through a feminist-lens, provoking stimulating conversations on social mobility, couplehood, gender roles, economic status and the perils of presumptuousness. This is a wonderful read to cozy up with for the second, third, or perhaps even fourth time...:)