Pride and Prejudice in Space

by Alexis Lampley

Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is arguably the forerunner of all romantic comedies and certainly one of her most popular and irreverent works. And now, graphic designer and Nerdy Ink co-owner—and obsessive fan of Pride and Prejudice—Alexis Lampley gives this timeless, classic, Regency-era romance a new twist, setting it among the stars in a futuristic universe where spaceships and interplanetary travel is the daily norm. Featuring 50+ color illustrations of the Londinium Lunar System, drawings of gowns by Lydia Bennet, and spaceship designs by Elizabeth Bennet, this is a futuristic take on a classic by a dedicated Jane Austen fan, for Austen newbies and super-fans alike.

Genres: Romance, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Retellings, Fiction, Adult, Classics

504 pages, Hardcover

First published October 15, 2024

Reviews

[Chloe Frizzle · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I first saw the title of this book, I laughed at it. Why didn't they come up with a better title? Surely this is just a weird marketing gimmick, and there's more to this book than just putting Pride and Prejudice in Space.
Dear reader, there is nothing more to this book than putting Pride and Prejudice in space.

I reread Pride and Prejudice immediately before reading this book, thinking that it would make it more fun to be able to catch the little references and parallels that this book would have. This novel doesn't have parallels, it has whole conversations and scenes lifted from the original barely changed. Sure, some of the slang has been made "spacey," but nothing of substance has been altered. This is Pride and Prejudice wearing a filter, and not a good one.

Some of the letters and conversations have been updated to make them space-emails (or journals) with new dialogue. Those were my favorite parts of the book, because they were in the author's own voice and provided new takes on the characters and situations. Unfortunately, the fact that they were in the author's voice instead of the stilted Pride and Prejudice voice of the rest of the novel only made it more apparent that the rest of the book was so soulless and lacking in any actual reimagining.

Thanks to Netgalley and Union Square & Co for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Gali · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a truth universally acknowledged that one can never have enough of Elizabeth Bennet and Darcy. I adore Jane Austen's work, and "Pride and Prejudice" is among my favorite books of all time. Therefore, I eagerly seized the opportunity to delve into a retelling of it set in a futuristic universe. For those unacquainted with the original tale or who haven't watched the movies (is it possible??), here's a brief summary.

"Pride and Prejudice in Space" unfolds in the Londinium Lunar System, following the Bennet family, blessed with five daughters. We meet sweet Jane, who sees the good in everyone; spirited and witty Elizabeth, who harbors a passion for spaceships; bookish and reserved Mary, also fond of music; Lydia, an art enthusiast and talented gowns designer; and the youngest, Kitty, with a love for nature and gardens. With their estate set to pass to a relative due to an entailment clause upon their father's death, their mother is determined to see them all married and settled.

When the affable and wealthy bachelor Charles Bingley arrives in the neighborhood, accompanied by his sisters and the aloof Darcy, the mother sets her sights on pairing him with Jane. While Bingley is warmly received, Darcy's prideful demeanor earns him Elizabeth's immediate disdain, sparked by a petty remark. What ensues is a tale as old as time, replete with humor, pride, and prejudice.

Though Elizabeth serves as the primary protagonist, the narrative also delves into the stories of Jane and several other characters. The author vividly paints the futuristic world, inviting readers to yearn for its exploration. I found the adaptation of the original tale delightful and appreciated the subtle changes made to it. Despite my familiarity with the story from numerous readings, this version provided an enjoyable experience. While some lines were directly lifted from the original and the plot largely followed the same lines with a twist or two, it was to be expected.

The book boasts over 50 illustrations depicting the Londinium Lunar System, Lydia Bennet's gown designs, and Elizabeth Bennet's spaceship sketches, all of which I adored. Additionally, diary entries and communications from various characters added depth to the narrative. The setting, descriptions of interplanetary travel, witty banter, and world-building were all highlights for me. I appreciated the portrayal of the sisters as more caring and loving than in the original tale, as well as the alterations made by the author. The substitution of outings with visits to other planets or space escapades added a fresh dimension. The mother remained as irritating as ever, while the father remained indifferent and cynical.

However, one aspect troubled me. Given the futuristic setting, it seemed odd that the main protagonists remained idle. What functioned in the original narrative, where upper-class women did not work during the Regency era, felt somewhat out of place in a futuristic society. Nevertheless, I understand the need to remain true to the original tale. Additionally, there were a few typos, instances of the title insertion on odd pages, and an occasional lack of spacing between words, suggesting another round of editing would be beneficial.

Overall, "Pride and Prejudice in Space" was a delightful and charming read that I immensely enjoyed. Despite knowing the outcome, I remained invested in the story throughout. Therefore, I rate it 4 out of 5 stars and highly recommend it to fans of the original book, aficionados of space opera, and anyone seeking a captivating tale. Even those unfamiliar with the original tale will find enjoyment in the story.

* Thank you Edelweiss and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.

* Review in my blog: https://galibookish.blogspot.com/2024...

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Union Square & Co. for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own. I am auto-approved for this publisher.

Someone on the World Wide Web once said You can't judge a book by its cover, but you can sell a bunch of books if you have a good one.

This book has a beautiful cover.

The Bennet sisters, Mr. Darcy, Wickham, Bingley, and Mr. Collins- the beloved characters in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice are still going to balls and trying to wed but they all live in space.

It's the same material but in a flashier location. There was a bit of newness with conversations and journals between the chapters and the illustrations were beautiful and eye-catching.


But it was a hit-and-miss for me.

Publication Date 15/10/24
Goodreads Review 17/10/24
#PrideandPrejudiceinSpace #NetGalley.

[Taylor Walworth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was knocked COMPLETELY sideways by Alexis Lampley's gorgeous illustrations, but in my opinion, they are the singular draw of this particular P&P adaptation, which is otherwise basically exactly what it says on the tin: PRIDE AND PREJUDICE... in space. ("Well, duh?") I just could not fully immerse myself in the Londinium universe, because I was distracted by how much of the writing and dialogue felt like it had been lifted straight from the original novel and just plopped into a new setting. Maybe that was the point? Maybe the story was always meant to be secondary to the graphic design work? In which case: awesome, mission accomplished. But it's still a bit disappointing, as a lover of creative P&P adaptations; I really would have loved to see Lampley absolutely GO FOR IT with this universe and these characters, even if that meant deviating from the original novel a bit more, because I think it would have been so incredible.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[giada · Rating 3 out of 5]

Happy publishing day, Pride and Prejudice in Space!

Pride and Prejudice in Space is exactly what it says on the tin: people going to each other’s houses regency style, except instead of using horses and carriages they do so in spaceships. A perfect solution if you’ve ever read the original Pride and Prejudice and thought to yourself “there’s not nearly enough outer space in here”.

I am a big fan of alternate universe fanfiction, the kind that strips an original novel of all the upholstery and dresses anew the bare bones that keep a story afloat — so you could imagine my surprise when, as I started reading this book, I found that the characters were taken from early 1800s society and planted into whatever year in the future just to maintain the same status quo and etiquette — and many of the things that happen in the original story make sense because they’re rooted in that etiquette, while here in the future there is really no rhyme or reason as to why the Bennet girls can’t inherit the Longbourn property or why marriage is their only viable scope in life.

In this book we get the same story, but instead of seeing everything from only Elizabeth’s eyes, we have every character’s point of view, both in the text and in their private conversations through their equivalent of emails, messages, diaries and scrapbooks. As an addendum, the book features beautiful illustrations depticting the landscapes of the moons of Londinium.

Every modern or genre bending adaptation pales in the shadow of The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, but if you’re missing Pride and Prejudice and still want to feel like you’re reading something new this book might be for you!

[Kerensa · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5 stars rounded down.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a classic book with plenty of adaptations must also want for an adaptation set in space. Or something.

Or, to speak from the heart: Girl why. What was the point.

I’m almost always the MOST annoyed by books when I just can’t tell what the POINT of it all was. Did we really write 500 pages of this? Was it worth it? I don’t think so.

This was my book club’s book for this month, which is the only reason I finished it. Were it not for the promise of productive discussion with my beloved book club members, I never would have subjected myself to this entire book. But I read the entire thing, and now here we are. Yay?

I will now stop being coy and explain why this book irritated me so badly.

This book asks the question, “What if Pride and Prejudice were set in space?” To answer that question, it constructs a system of moons orbiting around planet Londonium, and a bunch of interesting spacey locations, and some fun spacey words for things from the regency era. Then it spends 500 pages lovingly recreating Pride and Prejudice SCENE BY SCENE, plot point by plot point, deviating from the book only when it wants to imitate the 2005 movie adaptation instead.

I wanted to set it on fire.

I am pretty familiar with Pride and Prejudice. I last read the book itself about a year ago (and I have a pretty good memory for a lot of the lines from the book), and I was obsessed with the 1995 BBC miniseries growing up. So when I tell you that a huge portion of this book feels like it was written by someone who was looking at the original Pride and Prejudice and just recreating it bit by bit, I’m not making that up. (And plenty of other reviews are saying the same thing, so I think we're all on the same page here).

The fact that this book relies so much on the original text, scenes, and plot of Pride and Prejudice is especially obvious whenever the actual writing style of the author DOES poke through. It’s distinctly, almost jarringly modern in contrast. This, to me, beyond being a bad writing choice, is just sort of sad. I shouldn’t be thrown out of your story whenever your actual authorial voice comes through! You should be writing the whole story from your own heart, not hiding behind Jane Austen’s prose!

Retellings are meant to be transformative, and this one isn’t. It should be. I was excited for this book specifically because I wanted to see how this book would reimagine this story to fit this new setting. But this book is terrified of its own imagination, so it limits itself to toying with the set dressing. Wouldn’t it be cool if people wore bioluminescent ballgowns? Sure, I guess. What if Kitty really liked gardening? What if the Bennet sisters were nicer to Mary, even though they still find her pretty embarrassing when she tries to play piano in public? What if Wickham were a pilot in the starforce reserves or whatever, instead of a normal army officer?

This last one is an example of a change that raises tons of questions about why this world has an army, who they’re fighting, if space-England is still space-colonizing other places - and none of these questions will ever be answered. None of those questions matter to this book. We’re not here to think about implications. We’re here to come up with cutesy names for the shuttles and spaceships that replace the carriages in the original book. Why would we need to worldbuild, beyond coming up with some cool locations for the characters to visit here and there?

If the changes being made to the setting actually had thought put into the implications, we would have had a much stronger retelling to work with. But no. It is, in the most literal sense, just Pride and Prejudice in space.

There’s really very little point in my talking about the plot of this book, because it is EXACTLY the plot of Pride and Prejudice. The only time this book actually changes anything is regarding the Lydia storyline, and even! Then! The end result is functionally not that different. Lydia is still rescued by Darcy and still subsequently separated from her family by her new circumstances. So…why even bother?

Additionally, this book does add an epistolary element and some cool illustrations. This, to me, is the best part of the book. The illustrations are cool (I read an ARC where they were in black and white, but the final full-color ones are definitively gorgeous), the fact that we occasionally get to see handwritten notes between characters is fun, and I’m never going to say no to sci fi chat logs. But it’s just not enough when at least 80% of the book is recreating its source material beat for beat and scene for scene.

Sometimes we do get a scene from a new perspective or add a character into a scene where they weren’t originally, but the conversations that occur are never allowed to actually diverge from the course set in P&P. One example of this is a scene at Netherfield where Jane is added into the scene as a POV character observing Darcy and Lizzie’s interactions. Her inclusion just feels kind of random and pointless, because she doesn’t say anything. Her saying anything would deviate from the original book, you see, and we can’t ACTUALLY do that, so instead…nothing! This happens several more times throughout the book and was irritating every single time.

Ultimately, this all leads me to feeling like this is a book worth flipping through, but not really worth reading if you’re already familiar with the story of Pride and Prejudice. I wouldn’t personally reach for this book over the original. Like, ever.

The only person I can imagine recommending it to is someone who’s bounced off the original P&P and needs something slightly more accessibly written (or like, in a more modern style, essentially) and who also likes sci fi aesthetics. So…if that’s you…by all means! But for most people, if the original P&P is not proving to be for you at the moment, there are a lot of great visual adaptations that I would probably prioritize over this book. Although, since this book is pretty much a scene-for-scene copy of P&P, it does have some moments that typically get left out of adaptations. That’s one point in its favor, I suppose.

Honestly, I think I would feel a lot more kindly towards this book if it were a visual adaptation. I don’t have the same expectations for adaptations as I do for retellings, because they fundamentally function differently. If someone made a movie with a script pulled straight from Pride and Prejudice but a sci fi setting, I would probably be more on board - although not ENTIRELY on board. Knowing me, I’d still want to see at least some interesting changes attempted.

What frustrates me the most about this book is how much potential it’s squandering. The idea of someone who’s so afraid of their own ideas that they resort to dutifully copying a 200-year-old story instead of daring to rework it is…genuinely sad to me! I wouldn’t wish that experience on anyone! And I think Pride and Prejudice ~but in space~ could have been an incredibly fun concept, if it had actually been developed properly and committed to!

Most of my rage comes from disappointment. I wanted to enjoy this. I was primed to enjoy it. But I just couldn’t.

[Silvia]

I was sent this book as an advanced copy by the publisher via NetGalley for reviewing purposes, but all opinions are my own.

DNF @ 18%

...I didn't see the point of this. This is not a book I would consider a retelling, it's at best a space AU that I would see well on ao3 but not as a book people pay money for. And it makes me sad to say this because I do see where the author put her own effort into this, but none of it made any sense to me. Why use actual P&P dialogues, speaking like they do in the book, only changing a few words here and there to fit the space concept? Why do people in space still hold all these visiting people's houses spaceships rules, why is marriage still so important, etc etc etc? I liked seeing Darcy's POV but then doesn't it spoil the fun of finding out, yet again, that's he's madly in love? Idk.

I liked the illustrations though. I wish the e-ARC had been formatted better, because I wasn't able to properly view them or zoom in on them, but I'm sure this is something that will be fixed in the final version.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not original enough to tempt me, but the drawings were very good.

[Thomas]

I told myself I wasn't going to read the original first, but the language felt so dated and familiar I had to download it to compare the two. Lampley lifted the dialogue straight out of Austen's book. I checked out some other reviews of this book, and it turns out it's nothing but a scene-by-scene retelling of the original, only iT's iN sPAcE. Fuck that.

Book clubbers take note: I'm boycotting this book and reading the original book instead. We'll still be talking about the same story.

[Kari · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love a good retelling, especially when it’s a book I’ve enjoyed many times over the years. There is so much that can be done to bring classics into the modern age, and I especially love when populations of people who may have been omitted from the original work are somehow included in the reimagining.

While retellings can vary so much, with some only loosely relying on the source material and others sticking to the original plot, I generally expect there to be some bigger changes that deviate from the original to keep my interest piqued. Unfortunately this one felt like the original work with a modern filter overlaying it. While I did like the world of Londinium and the spacey setting, I noticed that there were entire scenes that seemed to have been taken almost word for word (with some added slang) from the original book. This was honestly disappointing to me because I was hoping for something fresh and new to re-invigorate the original story. Some of the original plot ideas simply don’t feel like they logically work in a futuristic space setting, and I would have loved to see some adjustments made to modernize the themes rather than only the setting.

Some aspects of the book that were positives were the gorgeous illustrations, the communication logs in lieu of diary entries, and the extra points of view! If you have never read Pride and Prejudice and have been intimidated by the idea of reading a classic, this modern edition might be a fun one to try. If you do, I recommend a print version so you can get the best view of the gorgeous illustrations!

Thanks to Nerdy Ink and Netgalley for the advanced readers copy!

[kynley · Rating 3 out of 5]

SO I LOVE ALL THINGS PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
and when i saw this tale, i thought “what an interesting concept to move the 1800’s story into a space theme.” and i will say this
THE SPACE THEME WAS FUN!!! there are so many fun aspects about this book, including illustrations. There are entire solar system designed maps, celestial depictions, communication log systems (in place of letters hehe), and other graphics that really bring the world to life. and that part, i genuinely enjoyed!! i honestly probably would’ve loved this story had it been its own creation because it felt very star warsy and star trekky, which i’m a very big fan of. and space romance! who doesn’t love space romance!

what i wasn’t as much a fan of, was that this was literally the story of pride and prejudice, retold in space. some parts of it were nearly identical to the original save for exchanging 1800’s English locations and terminology for dystopian space locations and terminology. which i suppose is definitely what i signed up for when i read it, but i’ve read a handful of pride and prejudice tales that do offer some originality to it and i think i would’ve liked to see that (such as using the outline of P&P but making it its own story, like so many people do with beauty and the beast retelling). but also, i loved the space world-building a lot, which is why it makes it a fun read.

if you’re a lover of P&P and just looking for the story in a new setting, then this could be a really fun read and i will definitely be adding it to my Austen related collection of books! if you’re looking to see these characters with new originality, then i would recommend trying something else!

thank you so much to NerdyInk for the ARC read!

[Eden]

DNF @6%

I was hoping the title was tongue-in-cheek, but this is indeed just Pride and Prejudice… in space… It feels like a fanfiction that should’ve stayed online. The author is obviously a talented illustrator, but the writing was copy & paste Austen with space jargon thrown in. The Regency era manners didn’t fit here at all. I wanted a retelling, not whatever this was.

[Brian Childs · Rating 4 out of 5]

had so much fun reading this book. It’s been over 20 years since I read the original and so there was a bit of a back and forth with my memory and wondering what I thought of it back then.

I was highly skeptical I would enjoy the is based on the title, but the story worked exceptionally well in the alternative setting and the pictures and additions were indulgent and creative.

[Kat Duncan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The illustrations were beautiful, but most of the reason I liked this was that it was basically a copy/paste of the original text, which slaps. Probably my favorite classic novel of all time. But I was certainly disappointed that the author didn’t do more to make it her own. A missed opportunity!

[Lina Cesar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this retelling of Pride and Prejudice. I think the author has done well in moving the story to space. It feels almost completely believable that they have this 19th century society with balls and rules of life even though the story should be set far into the future. I think the feeling comes from the fact that it is a kind of closed system with a planet and its moons which means that you don't question the social order that it is women's life task to get married.

I like how some parts of the story have been adapted to the space theme, but that it is still familiar to those who know the original story. The absolute best thing about the book is the illustrations between chapters and the little bits of insight into other characters' thoughts you get through notes, messages and the like. However, it doesn't reach its full potential when read as an e-book on a small screen because the format doesn't do the illustrations justice. It is probably best to read it in print.

A book for those who like Pride and Prejudice, but want a space twist on the story!

[Joelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is likely my fault for letting my expectations be too high.
I am a sucker for a good Pride and Prejudice retelling. I also love sci-fi, so I thought P&P In Space would be amazing. This just did not hit the mark and I feel like it easily could have.
The illustrations throughout the book were beautiful and necessary because I had trouble picturing some things based only on the author’s descriptions.
I enjoyed the extra page time that Jane, Mary, Kitty, and Lydia got. I liked how Lydia’s situation with Wickham was resolved, especially since this Lydia seemed nicer than in cannon.
I do feel like the author missed an opportunity by sticking so close to the original book, including dialogue, and it threw me off in more than one way. In one sentence I’m in space, but the original dialogue and descriptions would bring me down to earth and make me feel like I was reading the original. Then a sci-fi term would launch me back into space. Maybe the problem is I’ve read P&P so much I have most of it memorized.
I could have accepted the original dialogue (bc it’s hard to improve Jane Austen), but there was no continuity. In the journal entries and waives (what they call instant messages) everyone had a completely different vocabulary. The waive exchanges were probably my favorite parts, so if she could have carried that throughout I think it would have made more sense and I could have enjoyed it more.
A few other small things bothered me:
Apparently the social rules from JA’s day all still applied in space.
The houses/estates looked the same.
The ladies all still wore dresses (I got past this by picturing Padme), but I thought they’d be a little more progressive.
I also found some typos the editor must have missed.

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

2⭐️1.5🌶️

Sci-fi romance
Space romance
Pride and prejudice
Grumpy sunshine
Miscommunication
Dynamic family
Slow burn


The images didn’t fit well on my kindle. There are over 50 images/illustrations throughout the book, that lost their luster being in black and white on my kindle. The illustrations are spectacularly beautiful… but my kindle just didn’t do it justice.

Let me be very clear.

Just because a piece of work is public domain, does not mean that this kind of “adaptation” isn’t plagiarism. If Austen were alive today, she would be suing. This book is not a retelling or reimagining of the classic story… It is literally Jane Austen’s writing, in space. The beginning of it feels like it was copied and pasted, which was a letdown when I was looking forward to a more original interpretation.

The idea of a space P&P retelling is interesting. I found that so much from regency England seemed to decently fit into the futuristic setting, it just didn’t seem futuristic… the juxtaposition was not my favorite.

I wish that the author would have taken her wonderfully developed world building and completely ran with it, creating her version of this classic, instead of sticking so closely to Austen’s dialogue and writing style.

My takeaway from reading it was that this is a book that should have stayed on Ao3. Or maybe it should have been a coffee table book with p&p quotes to reference for the images. A graphic novel would have been amazing!!!

Thank you NetGalley and Union Square & Co for an eARC for this book. All opinions are my own.

[Alicia (aliciasbooksanctuary) · Rating 5 out of 5]

OVERALL STAR RATING: 5/5
CLEAN RATING: 5/5

Now, when I call this one beautiful – let me tell you, INSIDE and OUT, it’s simply stunning. Well worth the price to get the hardcover version in your hands. The author’s very own personal artwork will blow your mind and just adds to the absolute beauty of this labor of love.

I in no way consider myself to be a Sci-Fi fan. My experience with the genre pretty much starts and ends with Star Wars if that tells you anything. While this story is futuristic in nature and does take place in space, it manages to maintain such an authentic Regency and Austen feel. Alexis really did this story justice and it’s just so much fun to read. Of course my Star Wars brain kept picturing Princess Leia cast as Elizabeth Bennett and the sisters Kitty and Lydia running off and dating Stormtroopers, but hey - it works! LOL

I can’t say much more other than if you’re at all a fan of Austen’s work and P&P, I really do believe this is one you need to give a try. I think you’re going to enjoy the experience and appreciate all the little attention to detail that Alexis Lampley put into it. A major win for me and truly unique.

*For more reviews and bookish content, be sure to follow me on Instagram @aliciasbooksanctuary

[Chrissie Whitley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute idea. Pride and Prejudice in Space sticks really closely to the established and well-known script (à la those Disney "live action" remakes)...just made "spacey." This one is obviously in the same vein as Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, with a different style frame. We know the story and it doesn't not feel like if they made P&P Mad Libs.

However, the shine of this one is in its illustrations and artwork, of which there are many. The illustrations give the reader some peak moments and sparks the attention back into gear, and I'm sure this one would be gorgeous on a shelf in its physical form.

I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This affected neither my opinion of the book nor the content of my review.

[Steve Stuart · Rating 4 out of 5]

I suspect this is a love-it-or-hate-it book. I thought it was thoroughly entertaining.

It's definitely just a sci-fi skin applied on top of the original, rather than an adaptation. And it's a little weird to just slap on spaceships and glowing plants, while keeping the Regency-era balls and primogeniture and patriarchy and domestic service. But the creative interstitials (sketches, chat logs, travel brochures, etc) were a lot of fun.

[nefeli]

I got approved for this arc and I am beyond excited !!

The concept of the book (one of my all time favourite classic love stories + SET IN SPACE) immediatelly got me interested, and that cover is absolutely GORGEOUS

i can not wait to start reading this yayyy

"A huge thank you to Union Square & Co. - A subsidiary of Sterling Publishing for providing me with an Advanced Reader Copy"

[Alex · Rating 1 out of 5]

I recieved this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Firstly, I will talk about what I really liked about this novel.

1. The mixed media - it was such a great idea to open the book with illustrations on the galaxy and planetary area the story is set in. It really helped set up the world and get the reader into the world. Also the communcation lots, the journal entries, the illustrations of the people/animals/space ships really helped build this worl for the reader. It appears the art was done by the author themselves as well as Erik Jacobson which - wow! - both of them are extremely talented and if they ever collab to make a graphic novel one day, I will definitely be interested in buying it!

2. The cover is absolutely stunning!

3. Having Pride and Prejudice set in space is a very smart idea! I can immediately imagine all sorts of situations and dynamics and story that could be told just from moving this classic novel into a wildly different genre/setting such a space! It is a genius idea.

4. Having Mr Darcy as a pov character is a great idea, and I was very excited to read his thought process and feelings.

5. This book is perfect for Austen fans who want to dip back into the world of Pride and Prejudice but want just a splash of something new in it.

However, my positive end there. Unfortunately this was a huge disappointment for me.

1. This book is almost 1:1 copy-paste of the Austen original with a few words and things changed to make it spacey. In the 9 chapters I read, every single line or sentence that I found funny or really enjoyed was actually taken straight out of the original P&P without any or much tweaking - I checked with my very own copy of the classic.

2. The next big disappointment is that there is not nearly enough sci-fi in it for my personal preference. When I read Sci-Fi, I expect much more fluidity when it comes to the characters', relationships, gender, sexuality, race, appearances etc.

Judging from the illustations in this book alone, the Bingely family and everyone in this story are still all white middle-class Englishmen wearing Austen-esque dresses to balls and such. On top of that, the Bingley family dynamics and work is exactly the same as the original. Why am I reading a sci-fi novel where 19th Century Traditional Straight Men/Women roles and dynamics are still happening? Why aren't the daughters doing more space stuff? Why do none of the daughters do any serious sci-fi jobs, research, interests, or hobbies?

It's absolutely fine to go to balls in space but, where 's the tech? Nothing techy with their outfits? Nothing floating in the air? No robots or andriods or cyborgs or alien species at the ball either?

3. Setting Pide and Prejudice in space is genuinely a great idea, I can definitely see and imagine all sorts of potentials with this, but this book plays it a bit too safe and a bit too faithful to original classic where almost whole sections are carbon copies of what Austen wrote, which is a shame.

If this book had been a bit more loosely based on the original and heavier on the sci-fi I truly think I would've eaten this up within a matter a hours.

DNF'd at Chapter 9.

[Victoria Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a beautiful rendition of a favorite story made beyond charming with so much extra content. I loved the drawings and sketches as well as the coms. I’m almost sorry that I read the ARC as the full color version I saw in the bookstore was gorgeous. It took me a while to get into this new version but about halfway it took off and kept me interested.

[Karyl · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a truth universally acknowledged that there will always be arguments when it comes to retellings of classics. I’ve read enough P&P adaptations to know this. But one of the earliest P&P adaptations I can remember is Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, which literally just added zombies to Austen’s original work. This is much like that, in that most of the novel hews very, very closely to the original, except it takes place in space. I much prefer this style of retelling, keeping a great deal of the original while changing one small thing (in this case, the setting), over changing most everything yet not updating the plot (ie, setting the novel in the modern day but still having the mother obsessed with finding her daughters rich husbands). However, when an author uses P&P as a jumping off point but makes it utterly their own, as in Pride and Preston Lin, it tends to become a beautiful new thing.

At any rate, I loved this version. Lampley’s illustrations add so much to the novel, and I’m so glad this was the first book I read on my new Kindle colorsoft. I also loved the additions of various text and email conversations, which fleshed out the plot without being awkward and strange. Lampley’s handling of Lydia’s scandal is also well done; while I never enjoyed her character, I did feel she didn’t deserve to be yoked to Wickham for the rest of her life. Alas, that was the only option available 200 years ago. I also liked how sensitively Lampley wrote Mary. Instead of a stuck-up prig, she’s a quiet yet keen observer of human behavior, and is often the voice of reason when she can be pulled away from her books.

If you enjoy Pride & Prejudice, give this version a chance. I would also suggest that if you’ve never read it, that this be a good entry to the story.

[Ellen Voets · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of fun for every P&P fan who also likes science fiction.

In general, I thought this novel was a cute retelling of the original story, but I should probably admit that any story that sticks so faithful to this original will get me excited. This however also brings me to the biggest flaw in the story: it doesn't deviate as much from the original as it should, especially when it comes to dialogue. I can get over the fact that apparently in the far future people start behaving and talking again like they did in Victorian England, but I don't like the general copy-paste feeling a lot of the dialogue created. Especially in the beginning I was afraid the story wasn't going to deviate at all, aside from the change in setting. Luckily, there were some minor changes, and I loved them all. I liked that Kitty and Lydia were given a more extensive personality. I loved the chat threads (especially the ones involving Darcy! *squeal*). I adored the images (this book is beautiful, if you don't mind the bright plastic feeling white papers). I loved every additional scene (again, especially those involving Darcy).

To conclude: it's fun, but I wouldn't read it back to back with the original, because it will feel like you are reading the same book twice.

[Lindypie · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️
I love- loved this book. P&P is one of my favorite classics, and this delivered for a unique and memorable new experience. I found myself laughing at new takes, thrilled at having new POVs that I felt were for the most part adqequatelly represented and fleshed out, and still felt that rush of the slow burn romance. We still see the main themes addressed, such as Elizabeth’s struggle for balance between love and shame for her family, her vanity, prejudice and (my favorite) especially her wit. Darcy has more dialogue dare I say and I enjoyed his differences, though his character traits and troubles were also intertwined throughout. I enjoyed getting more kindness from the sisters and more friendliness from Charles. Overall, anyone who is a fan would enjoy this! There’s also beautiful art throughout, and the book reads almost like a journal or scrapbook of sorts which gives it another engaging aspect.

[hannah jenks · Rating 3 out of 5]

well alright but how did the Pride and Prejudice get in space?

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe one of my favorite pride and prejudice rewrites! I also love that there was no back story for why society is in space, I find them so overdone in science fiction. Can't miss out on the artwork either! Stunning!

[Renata]

uhhh OK I did not get very far before abandoning this one. Partly bc I was riding on the high of DNFing All Fours and I was like "look at me, I have free will and I can stop reading a book whenever I want, (as long as it's not for my podcast!)" But also I was like "uhhh this really just is the basic original text of Pride & Prejudice except you did control+F find& replace of like "carriage->spaceship" and "calling card->hyper chat" or whatever. I didn't get very far before getting tired of the gimmick and then I read some reviews here and it seems like....it's basically that all the way through. Like I was not a huge fan of Pride & Prejudice & Zombies but that did a lot more work to change the book.

To be far I guess "Pride and Prejudice in Space" is like. Exactly what it says on the tin.

[Mando Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is definitely Pride and Prejudice in space.