If you like that, try these … Pride and Prejudice

Hi all!

Welcome to another post of If you like that, try these …, my weekly post series where I share book (and sometimes movie or TV show) recommendations based on a book I’ve read. A new post comes out every Thursday!

Today’s pick is my favourite novel of all time …

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

 

What’s it about?

Elizabeth Bennet is the second sister of five, and their mother is obsessed with finding all five of her daughters rich husbands to marry, before their father passes away and the household is inherited by a male cousin. When Mr Bingley and his friend Mr Darcy arrive in town, Lizzie has to contend with her younger and wilder sisters, fend of a proposal from the world’s most boring person, and somehow get her elder sister engaged, all the while dealing with the arrogant, handsome and proud, Mr Darcy.

What are the themes/elements?

Aristocracy, class divide, courtship, enemies to lovers, family, gender injustice, humour, journeys, marriage, prejudice, pride, reputation/virtue, romance, satire.

So …

What’s it about?

Margaret Hale’s is forced to move to an industrial town after her father leaves the Church. At first, she hates this new place she’s been brought to as she witnesses the rise of the Industrial Revolution and the poverty and suffering that is heaped upon the local mill workers. She makes friends with the workers, but clashes with the mill owner, John Thornton. However, a fierce attraction between them springs up.

Why did I choose it?

North and South is such a beautiful novel and I chose it because it’s very remnant of Pride and Prejudice. While definitely not as funny, North and South discusses class divide due to the industrial Revolution, but also features an enemies to lovers romance. Thornton is a lot like Darcy: he’s arrogant, proud, and rude to those beneath him. And Margaret is a lot like Lizzie: intelligent and sweet. Margaret goes on an emotional journey in the novel: from hating and opposing Thornton, to understanding and loving him.

 

What’s it about?

The novel features Bridget Jones’s diary entries over the course of a year where she’s determined to: visit the gym three times a week, lose weight and form a relationship with a handsome, responsible man. But this clumsy, hilarious heroine didn’t realise exactly how much her life would change in a year.

Why did I choose it?

Not many people are aware, but Bridget Jones’s Diary is loosely based on Pride and Prejudice … just much more modern and more ‘romantic comedy’ like. The plot is very, very similar too: Bridget overhears one of her love interests, Mark, make rude comments about her (like Darcy does Elizabeth); Mark’s surname is Darcy; the other love interest, Daniel, is based off of Wickham; the two love interests know each other; Bridget feels a lot of pressure to get married; she works at Pemberley Press … yeah, that’s a lot of similarities right there. Bridget also goes on an emotional journey over the year, as she tries to better herself and her life.

 

What’s it about?

Sarah works as a housemaid for the Bennet family, and she’s a bit ambivalent about working in a household with a ridiculous mother and five loud young women, mostly hellbent on marrying. But there’s just as much romance, heartbreak and intrigue downstairs as there is upstairs, especially when a new footman arrives.

Why did I choose it?

I chose this novel because it’s set at the same time as Pride and Prejudice, but features other characters: the servants. But Longbourn isn’t just a Pride and Prejudice “fan-fiction”; it also features discussions about class divide, particularly those faced by the lower class during the Napoleonic Wars. It also discusses gender injustices, as much of the household is worried about what will become of them when Mr Collins, as the male heir (a cousin), takes over the house.

 

What’s it about?

Set six years after the events of Pride and Prejudice, Lizzie and Darcy are happily married with a beautiful son and all is right in their world. That is, until Lydia, Lizzie’s youngest sister, arrives at Pemberley with the news that her husband, Mr Wickham, has been murdered.

Why did I choose it?

Another obvious reason I chose this book – because it’s set in the same world with the characters, just set six years later. In this book, we get to see Darcy and Lizzie happily married (which was the only thing lacking in the original), but this time, there’s been a mUrDeR.

 

What’s it about?

Jane is obsessed with the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice, particularly Colin Firth’s Mr Darcy. When a wealthy relative bequeaths her a trip to an English resort that caters to people obsessed with Jane Austen, Jane’s fantasy of falling in love with a Regency man might just be possible in Austenland.

Why did I choose it?

This book is just a gem! It’s the perfect book for Austen fans who have ever dreamed about living in one of her novels. Jane is hilarious and sweet, and obsessed with Darcy – although she’s prejudiced, like Elizabeth too. And then there’s the love interest, which I won’t spoil, but he’s a lot like Darcy too. The book comments on the expectations of marriage and everyone having a happily ever after, much like the original Pride and Prejudice, but make no mistake: this is chick-lit. And it’s super fun.

 

What’s it about?

The Lizzie Bennet Diaries is a web series on YouTube that follows a modern Lizzie Bennet as a communications major, who starts a vlog for her thesis and documents her life when the wealthy medical student Bing Lee moves into the neighbourhood, bringing his rude friend, William Darcy, along with him. (The creators of the web series also wrote a book.)

Why did I choose it?

So I fell in love with the web series when I was overseas – I literally stayed in my hotel room in Rome to watch it, instead of going outside. It’s the best modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice I’ve ever seen. The web series tackles everything the book touches on, but does so in a modern way: for e.g. the discussion of Lydia’s “reputation/virtue” after she runs off with Wickham, is discussed in a very different way in the series – which modern viewers will relate to. I highly recommend this series – the episodes are between 2-8 mins long, so shouldn’t take you long at all!

 

What’s it about?

Zuri Benitez is proud of her home town of Brooklyn, her family, and her Afro-Latino roots. But her rapidly gentrifying neighbourhood is making it difficult to be proud of. When the wealthy Darcy family moves in across the street, Zuri doesn’t want anything to do with them … even though her older sister starts falling for one of the Darcy sons. Zuri can’t stand the other son, Darius, but they learn to understand one another. But with another cute boy vying for her attention, and college applications, Zuri has a lot to worry about.

Set for publication: Sept 18, 2018.

Why did I choose it?

This book isn’t out yet, but I wanted to include it because it sounds like an incredible and unique “remix” of Pride and Prejudice. Aside from Bride and Prejudice (WHICH IS AMAZING), a Bollywood movie adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, I can’t think of a single retelling or adaptation that doesn’t feature white characters. So I’m incredibly excited for Ibi Zoboi’s take on my favourite novel ever.

And there we have it: if you like Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, try those seven recommendations! 

Do you know of any other similar books or shows/movies that I didn’t mention? Is there another diverse retelling that I don’t know of? What books would you like to see me discuss next time? Let me know!