Book Review: Pride and Prejudice

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Pride and Prejudicehttp://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1885.Pride_and_Prejudice”>Pride and Prejudice by http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1265.Jane_Austen”>Jane Austen
My rating: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/118880502″>2 of 5 stars

If you want to be ridiculed, admit that you dislike a classic. Since I’m not begging for hate-mail I’ll use the break-up line, “It’s not you, it’s me.”

I know P&P was written in a different era. I know Jane Austen is a posthumous literary rock star. I know it set the stage for a gazillion romantic novels to follow. I appreciate those facts, honestly I do. I understand why teachers encourage us to read this and other similar works.

The characterizations were great. The plot was fine, albeit exceedingly long. There were some great one liners (that I won’t quote for you because I can’t figure out the highlight feature on my Nook).

But the dialogue felt so stilted. This is where you jump up and say, “That’s the time period, idiot!” I know, I know. But sometimes I just wanted to say, “For heaven’s sakes! Spit it out already!” This opinion doesn’t, obviously, apply to Elizabeth. She was the only character who spoke her mind in less than 100 words.

When I wasn’t begging for them to hurry up, I was wondering who in the world was talking. Austen failed to use the traditional “he said, she said” and I found myself going back and counting paragraphs. “Okay…that one must be Darcy, this one is Elizabeth.”

I prefer books with more concise writing, action, intrigue, and a good makeout or seven. Truly, I appreciate P&P but that doesn’t mean I’m in a hurry to read it again.

You may now call the firing squad.

http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3207397-becky”>View all my reviews

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