“ “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.” So begins Pride and prejudice, Jane Austen's witty comedy of manners—one of the most popular novels of all time-- that features spendidly 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. Renowned literary critic and historian George Saintsbury in 1894 declared it the, “most perfect, the most characteristic, the most eminently quintessential of it's author's works,” and Eudora Welty in the twentieth century described it as, “irresistible and as nearly flawless as any fiction can be.” “The wit of Jane Austen has for partner the perfection of her taste.”--Virginia Woolf.”-Goodreads.com
I give it: 6 out of 5 stars.
Good for a: down day.
Reviewed by: Caressa.
Several years ago a great friend of mine (Karly, if you're reading this ;) ) read Pride and Prejudice and absolutely loved it. She urged me to read it, as we often shared books, and I ordered it. When I finally did receive the book, it was difficult for me to make it through the first one hundred pages. After a certain amount of time, I set aside the book and resolved to read it later. There were more pressing and interesting books on my bookshelf as I perceived it at that time.
Recently, however, I resolved to finish my classics. As a child, I was never much interested in them, and I had not read what I call the 'Boomer Books' of my generation (as a child, I noticed my grandfather's bookshelf had much more advanced and beautiful books in his own literary collection then my school, and I made the assumption POPULAR literature was a terrible, terrible thing, only recently growing out of it). I decided to start with the book I so long ago set aside, Pride and Prejudice.
However, I will admit, the first two hundred and fifty some pages were alluring only because of the beautiful, witty language with which they were presented. It took me three days to read up to this point, an extremely long amount of time against my usual pace. It was difficult, until one became acquainted with the characters, to identify one Miss Bennet from one another as they all attended the same events and were referred to, often, in this manner. It was also difficult to discern to whom the dialog belonged.
However, after those pages, I finished the book in less than a day; the plot became to me beautiful, flawless, and enchanting. I rooted for the characters avidly and found myself more pleased with Darcy sometimes then Elizabeth.
When I finished the book I was so deeply satisfied, I was able to sit for many minutes reflecting on the skillful ending and writing skills. I was not displeased, uneasy, nor did I feel the desire to jump directly into another book because my thirst for literature has been so well quenched. This in itself is not an easy accomplishment.
Although I can only reflect on how wonderful I perceived this book, I would not at all recommend it to those who are impatient readers. If you are in the habit of reading the last page of a book before you start, you could not satisfactorily summarize the plot nor gain its content. However, if you are an avid book "nerd" desiring a book like this or to recover some yet unknown opinions of the classics, this is the perfect book to start on. While possibly dissatisfied with the beginning, you cannot doubt its craftsmanship and you walk away with a very satisfied feeling.
I would like, very much, if you disagree with me to leave your opinions in the comments or leave a link to your blog; I'll be sure to check it out and comment or reblog your post. :)
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