Book Review: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice

By Jane Austen

Release Date: January 18, 1813

Source: Own Copy

Summary: "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 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. Renowned literary critic and historian George Saintsbury in 1894 declared it the "most perfect, the most characteristic, the most eminently quintessential of its author's works," and Eudora Welty in the twntieth century described it as "irresistible and as nearly flawless as any fiction could be."

Review: I have absolutely no idea why I haven't read Pride and Prejudice before now. Seeing as I'm a complete hopeless romantic, you'd think I would have read the book with the notorious Mr. Darcy long ago. Well, I didn't. And now I do believe I have a new favorite book!

Elizabeth Bennett is one of five daughters, all of whom are unmarried. One night, Elizabeth and her older sister are introduced to the well respected Mr. Bingley and his best friend Mr. Darcy at a ball. While Jane is immediately taken by Bingley, Elizabeth cannot help but be appalled with Darcy's horrible manners. Then, throw in the testament of Darcy's character from Mr. Wickham and Elizabeth absolutely cannot stand the man. However, love has a funny way of coming about and Elizabeth finds that she just might start to have feelings for the man she abhorred so much at the beginning.

Oh, where to start? I adored absolutely everything about this book. Darcy is just so cute in how awkward he is around any woman in the novel. Elizabeth is so hard-headed but I loved how she made decisions for herself and didn't let anyone else, especially her mother, control her life. There were so many different story lines and huge events in this book that it was impossible to be bored with any point of the story. 

And, oh boy, what characters! I loved how every single Bennett daughter was so unique in their own way, and the men in this novel were so entertaining. I don't know how Jane Austen can create so many great characters, but she manages to do just that in every single novel I've read by her. From the snarky Mr. Collins to the dashing Mr. Darcy, you're always kept entertained on every page. 

I have to say, Pride and Prejudice is definitely my favorite Austen novel so far and I don't see the others surpassing it. You just can't get any better than Mr. Darcy. Every single romantic out there has got to read Pride and Prejudice at least one point in their lives. If they don't, they're seriously missing out on one of the best romance stories I have ever read. So go pick it up now :)