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Préjugés et Orgueil
YVous connaissez Darcy : riche, fière, désapprobatrice, froide. Bennet Bethle connaît lui aussi Darcy, ou, au moins, ce type de femme. En tant que collecteur de fonds pour la collection Longbourn, un musée reculé du Queens, il rencontre de nombreuses héritières qui passent leurs journées à s'ennuyer.
En regardant la belle mais hautaine jeune femme s'ennuyer dans un coin lors du gala du musée, Bennet se doute qu'il n'y aura aucune relation possible entre eux. Mais en dépit de son air d'indifférence, l'intérêt de Darcy a été piqué par l'irrévérencieux Bennet, qui la croise fréquemment en compagnie de son amie Charlotte “Bingley” Bingston. Charlotte qui souhaite organiser un bal à l'hôtel Netherfield au profit du musée. Enfin, organiser un bal ou draguer le frère de Bennet, on ne sait pas trop quelle est la raison principale. Cependant, une chose est claire : il n'aime pas Darcy...
En regardant la belle mais hautaine jeune femme s'ennuyer dans un coin lors du gala du musée, Bennet se doute qu'il n'y aura aucune relation possible entre eux. Mais en dépit de son air d'indifférence, l'intérêt de Darcy a été piqué par l'irrévérencieux Bennet, qui la croise fréquemment en compagnie de son amie Charlotte “Bingley” Bingston. Charlotte qui souhaite organiser un bal à l'hôtel Netherfield au profit du musée. Enfin, organiser un bal ou draguer le frère de Bennet, on ne sait pas trop quelle est la raison principale. Cependant, une chose est claire : il n'aime pas Darcy...
352 pages, Pocket Book
First published December 15, 2015
93 people are currently reading
364 people want to read
About the author
Lynn Messina
64 books657 followersLynn Messina is author of more than a dozen novels, including the best-selling Fashionistas, which has been translated into sixteen languages, and a series of Regency romance novels. Her essays have appeared in Self, American Baby and the New York Times Modern Love column. She lives in New York City with her sons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
February 5, 2016
The Heiress and The Museum Fundraiser
TYPE OF AUSTENESQUE NOVEL: Modern-day Retelling, Gender Swap
SETTING: New York City, Present-day
MAIN CHARACTERS:
- John and Bennet Bethle: Two brothers who work in the development department at the Longbourn Collection (a small art museum in Queens)
- Charlotte “Bingley’ Bingston: A socialite heiress who has just rented the penthouse at the illustrious Netherfield hotel
- Darcy Fitzwilliam: Bingley’s wealthy but proud friend
- Mr. Meryton: John and Bennet’s boss who falls over himself to court donors and is often in a tizzy over the prospect of receiving donations and connections from the wealthy upper-crust
WHY I WANTED TO READ THIS NOVEL:
I’ve read and enjoyed two other Pride and Prejudice retellings that are gender swap – Vanity and Vexation and Love at First Slight, and wanted to try another!
Lynn Messina is a new author for me and I love stories that take place in New York City!
WHAT I LOVED:
- I See What You Did There: I loved seeing the parallels between this story and Pride and Prejudice, many were very well thought-out and creative. Such as our two heroes work in a small, “out-of-the-way” art museum in need of funding. Having such “middle class” professions that were dependent on the generosity and support of the wealthy created the same stigma and lack of consequence as being two daughters without impressive dowries and connections in Jane Austen’s day. I also loved the brilliant wordplay around Redcoat Designs and the descriptions of Celia’s tennis game.
- Mr. Meryton: One of my favorite gender-swaps is Mr. Meryton (Mrs. Bennet). His garrulousness, knowledge of patrons’ net worth, and adulation of the wealthy were spot-on representations of Mrs. Bennet. What a brilliant choice! Instead of hunting wealthy gentleman to marry her daughters, Mr. Meryton is chasing wealthy heiresses to write checks for his museum.
- Collin Parsons: Lolzzzzz! This character did not receive a gender-swap, but he did receive a personality swap. Collin is Catherine de Bourgh’s (apparently she refused to swap genders) gay nephew. Instead of a sycophant oozing obsequiousness, he is a sarcastic trust fund baby who has no choice but to follow his aunt’s orders because she administers his trust. It was hilarious to know that his veneration and flattery were more ironic than sincere.
WHAT I WASN’T TOO FOND OF:
- Some Speeches Fit, Some Don’t: As one often sees in retellings, there are phrases and sentences borrowed from Jane Austen’s original text. I have no issues with authors doing this – it is always a fun diversion to play “spot the Jane Austen quote!” I thought there were several great instances where Ms. Messina borrowed or played with text from Pride and Prejudice – one of my favorites being: “Any young woman in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a committee to chair.” However, some uses of Jane Austen’s text, like during the declaration and refusal, felt a little out of place and unnatural.
- Not Quite Men of Action: What does John do when Bingley goes to London? Nothing. What does Bennet do after receiving Darcy’s email? Nothing. While Jane and Elizabeth, restricted by their gender and the society of their day, could not pursue or initiate contact with Bingley and Darcy in Pride and Prejudice, the same limitations don’t really exist for John and Bennet. So when they both didn’t make any contact with the women they were interested in it felt a weak, passive, and was a bit of a turn-off. (Yes, making contact might be awkward, but c’mon…be a man!)
NOTE: There is some (2-3) uses of strong language, so I’d recommend this book for Mature Audiences.
CONCLUSION:
Written with skill and creativity, this novel was a very diverting and unique read! Gender-swapping characters that lived two hundred years ago is definitely not an easy task and I thought Lynn Messina did a marvelous job navigating these complicated waters and delivering a story that is plausible, entertaining, and inventive.
TYPE OF AUSTENESQUE NOVEL: Modern-day Retelling, Gender Swap
SETTING: New York City, Present-day
MAIN CHARACTERS:
- John and Bennet Bethle: Two brothers who work in the development department at the Longbourn Collection (a small art museum in Queens)
- Charlotte “Bingley’ Bingston: A socialite heiress who has just rented the penthouse at the illustrious Netherfield hotel
- Darcy Fitzwilliam: Bingley’s wealthy but proud friend
- Mr. Meryton: John and Bennet’s boss who falls over himself to court donors and is often in a tizzy over the prospect of receiving donations and connections from the wealthy upper-crust
WHY I WANTED TO READ THIS NOVEL:
I’ve read and enjoyed two other Pride and Prejudice retellings that are gender swap – Vanity and Vexation and Love at First Slight, and wanted to try another!
Lynn Messina is a new author for me and I love stories that take place in New York City!
WHAT I LOVED:
- I See What You Did There: I loved seeing the parallels between this story and Pride and Prejudice, many were very well thought-out and creative. Such as our two heroes work in a small, “out-of-the-way” art museum in need of funding. Having such “middle class” professions that were dependent on the generosity and support of the wealthy created the same stigma and lack of consequence as being two daughters without impressive dowries and connections in Jane Austen’s day. I also loved the brilliant wordplay around Redcoat Designs and the descriptions of Celia’s tennis game.
- Mr. Meryton: One of my favorite gender-swaps is Mr. Meryton (Mrs. Bennet). His garrulousness, knowledge of patrons’ net worth, and adulation of the wealthy were spot-on representations of Mrs. Bennet. What a brilliant choice! Instead of hunting wealthy gentleman to marry her daughters, Mr. Meryton is chasing wealthy heiresses to write checks for his museum.
- Collin Parsons: Lolzzzzz! This character did not receive a gender-swap, but he did receive a personality swap. Collin is Catherine de Bourgh’s (apparently she refused to swap genders) gay nephew. Instead of a sycophant oozing obsequiousness, he is a sarcastic trust fund baby who has no choice but to follow his aunt’s orders because she administers his trust. It was hilarious to know that his veneration and flattery were more ironic than sincere.
WHAT I WASN’T TOO FOND OF:
- Some Speeches Fit, Some Don’t: As one often sees in retellings, there are phrases and sentences borrowed from Jane Austen’s original text. I have no issues with authors doing this – it is always a fun diversion to play “spot the Jane Austen quote!” I thought there were several great instances where Ms. Messina borrowed or played with text from Pride and Prejudice – one of my favorites being: “Any young woman in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a committee to chair.” However, some uses of Jane Austen’s text, like during the declaration and refusal, felt a little out of place and unnatural.
- Not Quite Men of Action: What does John do when Bingley goes to London? Nothing. What does Bennet do after receiving Darcy’s email? Nothing. While Jane and Elizabeth, restricted by their gender and the society of their day, could not pursue or initiate contact with Bingley and Darcy in Pride and Prejudice, the same limitations don’t really exist for John and Bennet. So when they both didn’t make any contact with the women they were interested in it felt a weak, passive, and was a bit of a turn-off. (Yes, making contact might be awkward, but c’mon…be a man!)
NOTE: There is some (2-3) uses of strong language, so I’d recommend this book for Mature Audiences.
CONCLUSION:
Written with skill and creativity, this novel was a very diverting and unique read! Gender-swapping characters that lived two hundred years ago is definitely not an easy task and I thought Lynn Messina did a marvelous job navigating these complicated waters and delivering a story that is plausible, entertaining, and inventive.
December 11, 2015
After reading the author's The Girls Guide to Dating Zombies and appreciating her quirky humor, I was eager to see what she would do with Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice. Turned it on it's ear, that's what she did. This contemporary, gender-bending mad-cap tale set against the world of a non-profit Venetian Art Museum nestled in Queens, NY was highly entertaining. I think the Austen lover would get a huge kick out of this if they are on the open-minded side, but the romantic comedy lover in general would have a few good snorts and laughs, too.
The story opens when a wealthy heiress arrives in New York and is now fair game for all the charity and non-profit organizations to make a run for her to pass some of her funds their way. Mr. Meryton of the Longbourn, the Venetian housing a fine display of art and anachronistic wonder of Queens, wants to be first on the scene. He rouses the Bethle brothers in their office to go after this potential sponsor.
Bennet works in the development office along with his older brother, John. Bennet focuses on corporate fundraising while John, the handsomer more personable of the two, handles the individuals. They are joined by their youngest brother, Lydon, who makes a lousy intern. John is the one to try to snag Miss Charlotte Bingston and Bennet is happy that the smoozing of rich, snobby socialites do not fall on him.
Charlotte Bingston or 'Bingley' as she prefers isn't typical. She is refreshingly genuine and warm. Bennet is pleased to see John take an interest in her personally because John is also a beautiful person inside and out. But the brothers and the friend that accompany Bingley are just as Bennet pictured them. They hold their noses up at the small-time Longbourn Art Gallery and its quirky Venetian charm along with the people there. Bennet has no use for them especially, Bingley's friend, Darcy Fitzwilliam who is rude and arrogant. Bennet prefers the cute, fun Georgia Wickham who Darcy wronged.
But little does Bennet know that while he is irritated, unimpressed, and annoyed by Darcy, she doesn't feel the same way about him. He suspects her of having her hand in breaking up his brother and Bingley, of destroying Georgia, and her arrogance and view of people being beneath her just seal the deal. And it isn't until her startling admission of this, that Bennet's whole world is shaken.
Alrighty, so this one was a fun romp to a certain extent. I liked the overall spirit of what the author did, but there were pieces that I didn't enjoy. It's tricky to take a story set a few centuries ago and retell it as a modern. Most people choose to highlight and alter to create something that people expect in a contemporary read. While I appreciated that the author gave the full P&P story set in the modern world and enjoyed the heck out of her enhancing and highlighting the comic elements, I felt it also fell short because of stuff that didn't translate well into the here and now.
For instance, the romance. The great romance wasn't there. This modern pair weren't together enough to make it believable. Oh, they had some page time, but they spent it sniping and arguing- not in a charged way, just the plain difference of opinion sort of way. No dates, no friendly chats, no common ground established or peace, but suddenly Darcy is proposing a serious relationship to Bennet. This lack of developing relationship felt fine for the original story, but it didn't work for me in modern NYC. And many times, the use of the quotes from the original particularly during the dramatic conflict scene where he rejects her felt off.
Then there is Darcy, herself. Now, I get that the author has to make her into the arrogant, socially awkward, yet physically handsome character who will make mistakes and then grow and change. But I felt this Darcy had many strong negative traits without even a glimpse that there is another side. Even away from Bennet, when Darcy is with Bingley, she isn't nice and is more like a cold-hearted snob through and through. There were no subtleties or hints that there is more to her and the reader and Bennet have her wrong or feeling her likeable. Later when the change comes, it is so abrupt and huge that it feels like a whole new character.
Now what did work for me was the comedy side.
Bennet has this dry wit and is a great narrator. Loved being along as he observed the quirky workings of stuff in his office, his over the top drama llama boss, his always look at the bright side brother John, and his irritation with little brother, Lydon. Bennet sees himself as the one out of them all that sees things clearly and he does up to the point of getting pricked when Darcy unjustly insults him leaving him vulnerable to believing every bad thing about her.
Lydon was a crack up. He is so delightfully full of larceny and cunning. He does as little work as possible, kisses up to the boss, takes what he likes, and comes out of a bad situation smelling like roses. He is unapologetic and incorrigible.
Another character that had me smiling was Darcy's cousin, Collin. Collin is a trust fund baby and likes his creature comforts, but he doesn't mind a little work as a volunteer helper in John and Bennet's department. But his favorite thing to do is stirring pots- particularly Lady Catherine. He sees the subtleties and ironies and shares this trait with Bennet. Every scene Collin is in just sparkles.
So, I'm going to pronounce it a win overall. I had a good time and laughed many times. It's a story that invites laughter and probably shouldn't be taken seriously. I think perhaps the characters are meant to be more caricatures of Jane Austen's characters so that is the spirit folks need to approach the story. I would definitely recommend it to Austenesque lovers who enjoy modern retellings and appreciate comedy in their stories, but also the fan of Romantic Comedy in general.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
The story opens when a wealthy heiress arrives in New York and is now fair game for all the charity and non-profit organizations to make a run for her to pass some of her funds their way. Mr. Meryton of the Longbourn, the Venetian housing a fine display of art and anachronistic wonder of Queens, wants to be first on the scene. He rouses the Bethle brothers in their office to go after this potential sponsor.
Bennet works in the development office along with his older brother, John. Bennet focuses on corporate fundraising while John, the handsomer more personable of the two, handles the individuals. They are joined by their youngest brother, Lydon, who makes a lousy intern. John is the one to try to snag Miss Charlotte Bingston and Bennet is happy that the smoozing of rich, snobby socialites do not fall on him.
Charlotte Bingston or 'Bingley' as she prefers isn't typical. She is refreshingly genuine and warm. Bennet is pleased to see John take an interest in her personally because John is also a beautiful person inside and out. But the brothers and the friend that accompany Bingley are just as Bennet pictured them. They hold their noses up at the small-time Longbourn Art Gallery and its quirky Venetian charm along with the people there. Bennet has no use for them especially, Bingley's friend, Darcy Fitzwilliam who is rude and arrogant. Bennet prefers the cute, fun Georgia Wickham who Darcy wronged.
But little does Bennet know that while he is irritated, unimpressed, and annoyed by Darcy, she doesn't feel the same way about him. He suspects her of having her hand in breaking up his brother and Bingley, of destroying Georgia, and her arrogance and view of people being beneath her just seal the deal. And it isn't until her startling admission of this, that Bennet's whole world is shaken.
Alrighty, so this one was a fun romp to a certain extent. I liked the overall spirit of what the author did, but there were pieces that I didn't enjoy. It's tricky to take a story set a few centuries ago and retell it as a modern. Most people choose to highlight and alter to create something that people expect in a contemporary read. While I appreciated that the author gave the full P&P story set in the modern world and enjoyed the heck out of her enhancing and highlighting the comic elements, I felt it also fell short because of stuff that didn't translate well into the here and now.
For instance, the romance. The great romance wasn't there. This modern pair weren't together enough to make it believable. Oh, they had some page time, but they spent it sniping and arguing- not in a charged way, just the plain difference of opinion sort of way. No dates, no friendly chats, no common ground established or peace, but suddenly Darcy is proposing a serious relationship to Bennet. This lack of developing relationship felt fine for the original story, but it didn't work for me in modern NYC. And many times, the use of the quotes from the original particularly during the dramatic conflict scene where he rejects her felt off.
Then there is Darcy, herself. Now, I get that the author has to make her into the arrogant, socially awkward, yet physically handsome character who will make mistakes and then grow and change. But I felt this Darcy had many strong negative traits without even a glimpse that there is another side. Even away from Bennet, when Darcy is with Bingley, she isn't nice and is more like a cold-hearted snob through and through. There were no subtleties or hints that there is more to her and the reader and Bennet have her wrong or feeling her likeable. Later when the change comes, it is so abrupt and huge that it feels like a whole new character.
Now what did work for me was the comedy side.
Bennet has this dry wit and is a great narrator. Loved being along as he observed the quirky workings of stuff in his office, his over the top drama llama boss, his always look at the bright side brother John, and his irritation with little brother, Lydon. Bennet sees himself as the one out of them all that sees things clearly and he does up to the point of getting pricked when Darcy unjustly insults him leaving him vulnerable to believing every bad thing about her.
Lydon was a crack up. He is so delightfully full of larceny and cunning. He does as little work as possible, kisses up to the boss, takes what he likes, and comes out of a bad situation smelling like roses. He is unapologetic and incorrigible.
Another character that had me smiling was Darcy's cousin, Collin. Collin is a trust fund baby and likes his creature comforts, but he doesn't mind a little work as a volunteer helper in John and Bennet's department. But his favorite thing to do is stirring pots- particularly Lady Catherine. He sees the subtleties and ironies and shares this trait with Bennet. Every scene Collin is in just sparkles.
So, I'm going to pronounce it a win overall. I had a good time and laughed many times. It's a story that invites laughter and probably shouldn't be taken seriously. I think perhaps the characters are meant to be more caricatures of Jane Austen's characters so that is the spirit folks need to approach the story. I would definitely recommend it to Austenesque lovers who enjoy modern retellings and appreciate comedy in their stories, but also the fan of Romantic Comedy in general.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 29, 2022
As much as I wanted to love this, I wasn't feeling it. A modern day, gender-bent Pride and Prejudice sounds like it'd be my thing but this was so poorly executed that it ended up just being a chore. First of all the narration is in present tense which was a jarring and complicated read from the start. Even getting past that, however, was the dialogue. Again, this was supposed to be a modern day retelling and yet the characters still talked like Austen characters. I originally thought it was a way to distinguish the upper and lower class of the characters, but they all talk in this flowery language that felt unnatural. Also, gender-bending didn't work in this case. Every thing in the plot is exactly the same except the majority of the major players flipped genders. Darcy doesn't work as a woman though because she comes off as too emotional or too bitchy... Elizabeth (renamed Bennet Bethle here) didn't read right either as he was so obsessed setting up John and Bingley that we missed him actually developing feelings for Darcy. And maybe it's because he's male and doesn't talk about his emotions as females often do...but this didn't feel right. It just felt squished together and uninteresting. Quite disappointed.
January 5, 2016
Review originally posted at
All Books Considered: 4 STARS
I really enjoyed this retelling -- you all know I read a lot of retellings of Jane Austen, some better than others. I believe this is the first gender reversal retelling I've read and it was really good. The art fundraising/patronage made the perfect modern setting to keep with the canon of P&P and I really, really liked both Bennet and Darcy. All of the secondary characters were spot on, especially Mr. Meryton. I laughed out loud several times! The only complaint I have is part of the ending -- while the overall ending was definitely canon, there was this lead up to the ending that felt so not canon to me. Obviously, retellings are fun because they stretch canon and sometime turn it on its head but since the rest of the book was so close to the original, this part that was so based on lust felt very off to me.
I would have no hesitation in recommending this book to fans of Jane Austen -- I loved the gender bending twist of this retelling of P&P. It felt modern but true to canon, which I love!!
I really enjoyed this retelling -- you all know I read a lot of retellings of Jane Austen, some better than others. I believe this is the first gender reversal retelling I've read and it was really good. The art fundraising/patronage made the perfect modern setting to keep with the canon of P&P and I really, really liked both Bennet and Darcy. All of the secondary characters were spot on, especially Mr. Meryton. I laughed out loud several times! The only complaint I have is part of the ending -- while the overall ending was definitely canon, there was this lead up to the ending that felt so not canon to me. Obviously, retellings are fun because they stretch canon and sometime turn it on its head but since the rest of the book was so close to the original, this part that was so based on lust felt very off to me.
I would have no hesitation in recommending this book to fans of Jane Austen -- I loved the gender bending twist of this retelling of P&P. It felt modern but true to canon, which I love!!
December 15, 2015
****Four and a half stars!
If that's really your definition of a well-rounded man, then I'm no longer surprised you know only six. I'm shocked you know any at all."
Messina cleverly parallels people, plot and circumstances and draws them into the modern world - you will recognise everything if you are a P&P lover. In fact, you will eagerly anticipate to see how certain famous confrontations are handled. This truly is a classic reinvented that I believe will appeal to both old and new readers alike. This is just a fun read!
Full review at:
http://greatreadsandtealeaves.blogspo...
If that's really your definition of a well-rounded man, then I'm no longer surprised you know only six. I'm shocked you know any at all."
Messina cleverly parallels people, plot and circumstances and draws them into the modern world - you will recognise everything if you are a P&P lover. In fact, you will eagerly anticipate to see how certain famous confrontations are handled. This truly is a classic reinvented that I believe will appeal to both old and new readers alike. This is just a fun read!
Full review at:
http://greatreadsandtealeaves.blogspo...
October 23, 2017
En plus d'être une réécriture moderne d'Orgueil et Préjugés, ce livre se propose d'inverser les sexes des protagonistes : Darcy et Bingley sont des femmes riches et séduisantes et les Bennet sont des frères travaillant pour un musée en quête de mécènes. Si je trouve l'idée bonne, elle pousse à s'interroger sur ce que le lecteur va attendre et pour ma part, j'ai tout de suite pensé à une lecture plutôt féministe. La version de Jane Austen, bien que l'argent soit dans les mains des hommes, était déjà extrêmement moderne et féministe. Elizabeth ne souhaitant se marier que par amour et choisir sa vie. Ici, le message n'aurait plus d'intérêt dans la bouche de son double masculin aussi bien à cause de son sexe que de l'époque. Tournons-nous donc vers Darcy et Bingley, deux jeunes héritières dont la fortune vient de leurs ancêtres ou de leur gentil papa et qui se contentent de le dépenser ou de s'occuper d'oeuvres de charité contrairement à leurs frères ou cousins qui eux, travaillent. Seriously ? Donc le féminisme, c'est raté, on repassera. Après, il ne s'agissait que de mes attentes, ce n'était peut-être pas du tout dans les intentions de l'auteur mais il me semble que je n'était pas la seule à attendre cela.
En revanche, j'ai beaucoup aimé le cadre : New-York, l'art, les musées. C'est intéressant et bien amené et on sent tout de suite que l'auteur est à l'aise avec le sujet et met du même coup son lecteur dans les mêmes dispositions. Les frères Bennet sont bien sympathiques et c'est une petite romance qui se laisse lire avec plaisir. Là où Lynn Messina est très visiblement moins dans son élément, c'est lorsqu'il s'agit de trop se rapprocher de la trame originale et de retranscrire un dialogue par exemple. Honnêtement, on a parfois l'impression de faire un bon dans le passé avec un langage qui n'a absolument plus rien de naturel. Il y a aussi des petites choses dont la logique ne fonctionne plus dans ce schéma et que l'auteur a négligé d'adapter. Par exemple, le frère de Bingley qui la suit partout et cède à ses caprices. Dans l'original, c'est lui qui a l'argent et en tant que célibataire, Caroline Bingley ne peut pas vivre seule, elle n'a donc pas vraiment le choix. Ici, ça n'a plus lieu d'être. En résumé, plus l'auteur reste à bonne distance de l'oeuvre de Jane Austen, mieux c'est.
N'en attendez donc pas de grands discours féministes ou la parfaite austenerie mais une romance sympathique, pas désagréable à lire et assez amusante, et vous ne serez pas déçu.
http://janeausten.hautetfort.com/arch...
En revanche, j'ai beaucoup aimé le cadre : New-York, l'art, les musées. C'est intéressant et bien amené et on sent tout de suite que l'auteur est à l'aise avec le sujet et met du même coup son lecteur dans les mêmes dispositions. Les frères Bennet sont bien sympathiques et c'est une petite romance qui se laisse lire avec plaisir. Là où Lynn Messina est très visiblement moins dans son élément, c'est lorsqu'il s'agit de trop se rapprocher de la trame originale et de retranscrire un dialogue par exemple. Honnêtement, on a parfois l'impression de faire un bon dans le passé avec un langage qui n'a absolument plus rien de naturel. Il y a aussi des petites choses dont la logique ne fonctionne plus dans ce schéma et que l'auteur a négligé d'adapter. Par exemple, le frère de Bingley qui la suit partout et cède à ses caprices. Dans l'original, c'est lui qui a l'argent et en tant que célibataire, Caroline Bingley ne peut pas vivre seule, elle n'a donc pas vraiment le choix. Ici, ça n'a plus lieu d'être. En résumé, plus l'auteur reste à bonne distance de l'oeuvre de Jane Austen, mieux c'est.
N'en attendez donc pas de grands discours féministes ou la parfaite austenerie mais une romance sympathique, pas désagréable à lire et assez amusante, et vous ne serez pas déçu.
http://janeausten.hautetfort.com/arch...
November 19, 2017
http://www.leslecturesdemylene.com/20...
16/20 - Une réécriture sympathique qui nous donne le sourire :)
16/20 - Une réécriture sympathique qui nous donne le sourire :)
October 22, 2017
Un coup de coeur absolu pour cette réécriture très moderne et pourtant intemporelle d'Orgueils et Préjugés.
Cherchez qui est qui est juste génial et les scènes clés de mon roman préféré de tous les temps sont toutes là. La modernité ne casse pas le mythe et chaque personnage est juste formidablement baigné dans cette version 2.0 .
Chronique complète à venir...
Cherchez qui est qui est juste génial et les scènes clés de mon roman préféré de tous les temps sont toutes là. La modernité ne casse pas le mythe et chaque personnage est juste formidablement baigné dans cette version 2.0 .
Chronique complète à venir...
February 22, 2017
Clever rewrite of P&P. The author flips the story by switching the male and female roles. So Darcy and Bingley are women, and Jane and Elizabeth become John and Bennet. For some reason, in my million readings of P&P, I never noticed that Wickham's first name was George. So when the author flips the sexes, George becomes Georgia and Georgiana becomes George. I got tripped up any time either was mentioned. Wait, what?
My favorite character was definitely the author's take on Mr Collins, who is not a clergyman but Bennet's friend Collin Parsons. Still related to Catherine de Bourgh, still obsequious, but now all tongue in cheek. He outlandishly sucks up to Catherine, but only for his own (and Bennet's) amusement. The lady eats it up. He's really quite endearing.
Longbourne is recreated here as a down on its heels museum in Queens. The descriptions of it reminded me of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston which was in fact designed to look like a Venetian palazzo. I have always found this museum to feel somewhat magical, transporting me from the city streets of Boston to the courtyard of an Italian palace. I cringed every time Darcy rolled her eyes at how tacky it was.
I was very impressed with the writer's sense of humor. A favorite line went something like she pined for him, then repined. And finally supined. Or something like that. I'll try to find exact quote later. My cat is lying on me and I don't want to disturb her. Later.
My favorite character was definitely the author's take on Mr Collins, who is not a clergyman but Bennet's friend Collin Parsons. Still related to Catherine de Bourgh, still obsequious, but now all tongue in cheek. He outlandishly sucks up to Catherine, but only for his own (and Bennet's) amusement. The lady eats it up. He's really quite endearing.
Longbourne is recreated here as a down on its heels museum in Queens. The descriptions of it reminded me of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston which was in fact designed to look like a Venetian palazzo. I have always found this museum to feel somewhat magical, transporting me from the city streets of Boston to the courtyard of an Italian palace. I cringed every time Darcy rolled her eyes at how tacky it was.
I was very impressed with the writer's sense of humor. A favorite line went something like she pined for him, then repined. And finally supined. Or something like that. I'll try to find exact quote later. My cat is lying on me and I don't want to disturb her. Later.
September 21, 2015
Thank you to NetGallery.com and to the publisher for the ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
In the 25+ years since I was forced to read Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice for 11th grade English class, I have developed a deep, deep disdain (okay - hatred) for most “classics” since I have a hard time placing myself within the story. Since this adaptation is set in today’s world with all of the necessary pop culture references, I was able to devour the story, begin to remember the original tale from suppressed memories, and actually appreciate the tale since I knew I didn’t have to spit out a paper about the ongoing themes within the novel.
What I loved: I really enjoyed how Ms. Messina flipped the sexes of the main characters and wrote the story from a man’s point of view. Since Elizabeth Bennett was never much of a “girly-girl” it seemed easier to picture her as a male.
What I didn’t love: The entire theft plot seemed a little far-fetched but still an interesting way to get Bennet and Darcy together in the end. Of course, I don’t have the slightest memory of how it happened in Austen novel, so I could be criticizing what could be considered the most romantic ending of all time.
What I learned: This explains why I love “Clueless” so much.
Overall Grade: B+
www.fsam15.wix.com/fluffsmutandmurder
December 23, 2017
I loved this rewriting : original and perfectly written, the 21st century suits Jane Austen and Lynn Messina suits her work as well ❤️
February 17, 2016
Sadly, was too slow for me, and the whole 'written in present tense' thing made it very difficult to get lost into the book. Plus all the names being bandied about at the start didn't allow me to connect with the characters, so I found myself more confused than anything while reading this.
May 9, 2020
(In case you were wondering this book contains some language, mentions of sex, LGBT characters, and minor pop culture references)
It is a truth universally acknowledged that no reincarnation of Austen's works can ever come close to the original. Lynn Messina does her best with this one, though.
I'll admit, having been burned by Austen retellings before, I went into this with extremely low expectations. It didn't seem very popular, the cover looked, dumb, it was free on Amazon, and the four Austen-esque books I read before Prejudice and Pride ranged from atrocious to tolerable at best. After the first page, pleasebegood, pleasebegood, pleasebegood started ringing in my head like a mantra because it was clever and witty and filled with nods to the original while remaining uniquely its own. All this from page one, y'all. I kept reading, and let me tell you, it did not disappoint.
Having read my fair share of P&P variations over the years, I've only found a handful (maybe less) that are actually worth the paper it's printed on. Jane Austen is the best because she's so incredibly clever. I mean, I'm sure there are people out there who just like her books for the romance-which is great, don't get me wrong-but if you don't appreciate her quick wit, you are seriously missing out. Austen's unique voice is what's lacking in so many retellings. Authors are so eager to imitate or re-imagine the original stories, they forget the humor and biting commentary that go with it. And while no one can truly match Austen's writing style, Messina does a good job of channeling the third person omniscient narrator of Pride and Prejudice.
I've read my fair share of modern-day P&P adaptations, and most of them treat the original story superficially. Authors will focus on the Lizzie/Darcy romance and ignore everything and everyone else. If it's done well, it's fine, but more often than not, it oversimplifies the plot and the story falls flat. Messina takes the opposite approach and tries to create a faithful, albeit modernized, rendition of Pride and Prejudice. (She even remembers the Hurst's! After my past few retellings, even I was starting to forget about the Hurst's). You can tell she's familiar with her source material because Prejudice and Pride is filled with nods to the original that'll have hardcore fans feeling like Captain America on the hovercraft.
There's some wordplay and some clever moments that really make this a fun re-imagining. Messina really makes an effort to translate some of the social norms from Austen's time into a modern-day context. Mrs. Bennet's matchmaking reborn into the Mr. Meryton's overly enthusiastic fundraising, and it's perfect. Collins is not as simpering and fawning and more snarky, and I love it. Some of the parallels seem forced and out-of-place, like the piano scene at Rosings, but overall, it was a successful modernization.
There are some aspects of the gender-swap that didn't seem to fit the story as well for me, personally, especially because it often felt like the Bethle (i.e. Bennet) brothers had little-to-no agency. (I thought the intermixing of Darcy and Lizzie's roles in Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors was a more successful gender-swap). My other complaint was the use of the original text in this book. There were a few clever uses, but a lot of it felt clunky and unnatural, especially in contrast in the rest of the dialogue. But this is just me nitpicking, because this really is one of the better P&P retellings I've read and deserves way more love than it's been getting on the internet.
It is a truth universally acknowledged that no reincarnation of Austen's works can ever come close to the original. Lynn Messina does her best with this one, though.
I'll admit, having been burned by Austen retellings before, I went into this with extremely low expectations. It didn't seem very popular, the cover looked, dumb, it was free on Amazon, and the four Austen-esque books I read before Prejudice and Pride ranged from atrocious to tolerable at best. After the first page, pleasebegood, pleasebegood, pleasebegood started ringing in my head like a mantra because it was clever and witty and filled with nods to the original while remaining uniquely its own. All this from page one, y'all. I kept reading, and let me tell you, it did not disappoint.
Having read my fair share of P&P variations over the years, I've only found a handful (maybe less) that are actually worth the paper it's printed on. Jane Austen is the best because she's so incredibly clever. I mean, I'm sure there are people out there who just like her books for the romance-which is great, don't get me wrong-but if you don't appreciate her quick wit, you are seriously missing out. Austen's unique voice is what's lacking in so many retellings. Authors are so eager to imitate or re-imagine the original stories, they forget the humor and biting commentary that go with it. And while no one can truly match Austen's writing style, Messina does a good job of channeling the third person omniscient narrator of Pride and Prejudice.
I've read my fair share of modern-day P&P adaptations, and most of them treat the original story superficially. Authors will focus on the Lizzie/Darcy romance and ignore everything and everyone else. If it's done well, it's fine, but more often than not, it oversimplifies the plot and the story falls flat. Messina takes the opposite approach and tries to create a faithful, albeit modernized, rendition of Pride and Prejudice. (She even remembers the Hurst's! After my past few retellings, even I was starting to forget about the Hurst's). You can tell she's familiar with her source material because Prejudice and Pride is filled with nods to the original that'll have hardcore fans feeling like Captain America on the hovercraft.
There's some wordplay and some clever moments that really make this a fun re-imagining. Messina really makes an effort to translate some of the social norms from Austen's time into a modern-day context. Mrs. Bennet's matchmaking reborn into the Mr. Meryton's overly enthusiastic fundraising, and it's perfect. Collins is not as simpering and fawning and more snarky, and I love it. Some of the parallels seem forced and out-of-place, like the piano scene at Rosings, but overall, it was a successful modernization.
There are some aspects of the gender-swap that didn't seem to fit the story as well for me, personally, especially because it often felt like the Bethle (i.e. Bennet) brothers had little-to-no agency. (I thought the intermixing of Darcy and Lizzie's roles in Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors was a more successful gender-swap). My other complaint was the use of the original text in this book. There were a few clever uses, but a lot of it felt clunky and unnatural, especially in contrast in the rest of the dialogue. But this is just me nitpicking, because this really is one of the better P&P retellings I've read and deserves way more love than it's been getting on the internet.
December 20, 2017
Bennet Bethle and two of his brothers, John and Lydon, work at the Longbourn museum, where they solicit donations from wealthy patrons. One day, Charlotte “Bingley” Bingston, a wealthy heiress, moves into the penthouse suite of the Netherfield hotel, and it doesn’t take long for Longbourn to swoop in. Bennet views much of his job through a lense of amusement, but even he can see how quickly Bingley and John become smitten with one another. Less desirable are Bingley’s brothers and her friend, the cold and proud Darcy Fitzwilliam.
Jane Austen’s classic is retold in a clever and modern way by Lynn Messina in “Prejudice and Pride.” All of the beloved characters from Austen’s are here, although most have switched genders. Messina does a good job of capturing the essence of these characters in Bennet, John, Darcy, and more. The story hits all the essential plot points of the original without ever getting stagnant or dull; indeed, this retelling breaths a new kind of life into a much-loved classic. Would be equally enjoyable even for readers unfamiliar with the original “Pride and Prejudice,” but is certainly more fun when you’re on the lookout for familiar characters and scenes.
(Review originally written for San Francisco Book Review.)
Jane Austen’s classic is retold in a clever and modern way by Lynn Messina in “Prejudice and Pride.” All of the beloved characters from Austen’s are here, although most have switched genders. Messina does a good job of capturing the essence of these characters in Bennet, John, Darcy, and more. The story hits all the essential plot points of the original without ever getting stagnant or dull; indeed, this retelling breaths a new kind of life into a much-loved classic. Would be equally enjoyable even for readers unfamiliar with the original “Pride and Prejudice,” but is certainly more fun when you’re on the lookout for familiar characters and scenes.
(Review originally written for San Francisco Book Review.)
May 13, 2020
This really was a waste of time but I will say it was at least entertaining. I mostly skimmed it. I was excited about a genderbent P&P retelling, but after the first few pages I was so confused I had to reread them. First of all, the present tense! It was so weird. I never got used to it. And the language, sometimes modern, sometimes direct quotations from the original that the characters would say one second after f-bombing in the previous sentence. It was completely jarring. I wish the author would have stuck to one or the other. The Bennet brothers did not seem believable to me, mostly because of the way they talked, although I liked the female versions of Bingley and Darcy. Overall, not really worth your time unless you really have nothing better to do. I did read it in one day so that's saying something. I'd rather see this in a movie than a book, I think.
October 7, 2017
J’aime énormément les récits de Jane Austen et je suis toujours ravie d’en découvrir une adaptation, que ce soit un autre point de vue sur l’histoire, une suite concernant la vie de tel ou tel protagoniste ou que ce soit un récit plus moderne et revisité de l’intrigue. Lynn Messina, nous offre à travers ce récit, une réécriture du classique Orgueil et Préjugés qui se veut plus moderne, plus actuel en intervertissant les rôles des personnages : les hommes deviennent des femmes et inversement.
[...] Je ne peux pas dire que je n’ai pas apprécié cette lecture, mais je ne peux affirmer non plus son contraire. De bonnes choses ressortent de ce récit. Mais également des erreurs qui rendent la lecture délicate.
http://www.sariahlit.com/2017/10/prej...
[...] Je ne peux pas dire que je n’ai pas apprécié cette lecture, mais je ne peux affirmer non plus son contraire. De bonnes choses ressortent de ce récit. Mais également des erreurs qui rendent la lecture délicate.
http://www.sariahlit.com/2017/10/prej...
May 24, 2022
Fun, modern retelling
I genuinely enjoyed the overall story line specifically how true to the original this was. I especially liked the frequent nods to the original, Wickham working for Redcoat Design, etc. The narrative being in the immediate present tense was somewhat off-putting for me. The book was overall clean until about 2/3rds through when the f-bomb was dropped repeatedly and unnecessarily in my opinion. While I'm not the grammar police, were also some obvious typos throughout the book. Despite these minor complaints, I really enjoyed this one!
I genuinely enjoyed the overall story line specifically how true to the original this was. I especially liked the frequent nods to the original, Wickham working for Redcoat Design, etc. The narrative being in the immediate present tense was somewhat off-putting for me. The book was overall clean until about 2/3rds through when the f-bomb was dropped repeatedly and unnecessarily in my opinion. While I'm not the grammar police, were also some obvious typos throughout the book. Despite these minor complaints, I really enjoyed this one!
August 16, 2022
Such a fun retelling of the classic story!
If you've never read pride and prejudice, this book will make absolutely no sense. It's public domain so go read that first, but then come enjoy this modernized, gender flipped take on the original and if, like me, you are utterly hooked on fun retellings of the story, you will definitely enjoy this one. Mrs Bennet is now a fussy museum director, Lydia is foolish and lazy as ever as Lyton the intern, and so on and so on. Really fun read.
If you've never read pride and prejudice, this book will make absolutely no sense. It's public domain so go read that first, but then come enjoy this modernized, gender flipped take on the original and if, like me, you are utterly hooked on fun retellings of the story, you will definitely enjoy this one. Mrs Bennet is now a fussy museum director, Lydia is foolish and lazy as ever as Lyton the intern, and so on and so on. Really fun read.
July 10, 2020
An interesting contemporary re-telling of the classic. Most of the characters are gender-swapped (Catherine de Bourgh is, mercifully, left almost as-is, in all her faux aristocratic micromanaging glory), and they tend to speak in an odd blend of contemporary Americanisms mixed with lines from the actual book. A light fun read, overall.
September 18, 2018
.
The story hold up to the swaps I am not convinced about lydon/Georgia. But the most off putting thing was the tense it's 3rd party present which makes it sound like a script or plot outline instead of a novel.
The story hold up to the swaps I am not convinced about lydon/Georgia. But the most off putting thing was the tense it's 3rd party present which makes it sound like a script or plot outline instead of a novel.
August 12, 2022
Un retelling d'orgueil et préjugés version XXIe siècle avec une inspiration de gossip girl qui ne me convient que moyennement. Les personnages sont fades et je n'ai eu aucune affinité avec eux. Dommage.
August 3, 2023
Wonderful
This is a clever and engaging modern retelling of Jane System's classic. The creativity and humor used to tweak the tale is marvelous. If you're a Jane Austen OR Lynn Messina fan, you'll greatly enjoy this book.
This is a clever and engaging modern retelling of Jane System's classic. The creativity and humor used to tweak the tale is marvelous. If you're a Jane Austen OR Lynn Messina fan, you'll greatly enjoy this book.
April 12, 2024
2.5 to be honest. this was a quick and easy read, I liked that the whole thing was set in New York and Bennet was a man/Darcy a woman. It started very modern but ended up sounding like a pale copy of the original with things that just didn’t make sense in the 21st century…
January 23, 2021
This is a cute retelling and I enjoyed the twist of characters and the modern setting.
April 5, 2021
It doesn't quite work for me as the original (pride and prejudice) with the different time period and gender switch but it was a good retelling. I quite enjoyed the antics of the side characters.
July 12, 2022
Très divertissant !
Read
December 24, 2023Money
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 7, 2024
Encore un livre totalement inutile qui surfe sur la vague commerciale de Jane Austen, exploite une possible bonne idée et n'en fait rien de valable.
August 31, 2024
Le début est très sympa. Le côté moderne bien amené puis... Des longueurs, des rebondissements inutiles et une fin traînante... J'ai peiné sur le dernier tier.
December 14, 2015
4.5 stars
A unique take on a classic - we've had modern adaptations (Bridget Jones), we've had cultural adaptations (Bride and Prejudice). Now - the genders of Pride and Prejudice iconic characters are changing.
Yes, Darcy is now a rich woman, and Bennett (not Elizabeth) a working man.
My favourite book, I know it back to front, can quote it with ease - not every adaptation gets my seal of approval. So this both intrigued and worried me.
I have given it a good rating though, as you can see. So yes, I liked it. When an author places the story in a new setting (here contemporary New York), making changes can suit the new time and place.
I really enjoyed seeing how Messina made the changes to totally reverse the genders - a lot had to change for it to work. And on the whole, I thought she managed it very successfully.
The five sisters aren't all present, though Bennett does have multiple brothers (an older with similar traits to Jane, a younger who is of course Lydia). Mrs Bennett becomes his boss, still annoyingly insufferable and overwrought at times, but with a streak of meanness in him that's hilarious (mostly centring on his employees' benefits at the museum cafe). Bennett, being a modern man, works for a living, as an advertising man in a museum, seeking new clients.
And it is their constant search for new benefactors that starts off the novel, with the unforgettable line:
"Any young woman in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a social committee to chair."
From that point on, you know that everything you know about Pride and Prejudice is going to be turned on its head... Just a little.
So to Darcy then, here her first name. Again, I really liked her. Bennett is a affable and smart young man. I never found Darcy as rude and pompous as her namesake original, but I did all the way through have terrible trouble picturing the new incarnations in anything other than period costume and their original genders. I had to force myself to remember who they are in this book. But that's just my familiarity with Austen's work struggling against Messina's.
It was lovely to follow the familiar plot along and see how Messina made changes that incorporated the original's words and story, but altered them for the modern world and alternate genders. I got caught up in the faltering love story and my favourite characters and scenes (a proposal, Mr Collins' equivalent, Lady Catherine is still there, the trip to Pemberley).
I didn't feel my love for Austen spoiled at all by a new take on her work, I appreciated the time and effort the author has taken to consider how to update but still pay tribute to her predecessor and throughly enjoyed a fresh look at how Austen is still relevant to today's world of love and relationships.
Review of a NetGalley advance copy.
A unique take on a classic - we've had modern adaptations (Bridget Jones), we've had cultural adaptations (Bride and Prejudice). Now - the genders of Pride and Prejudice iconic characters are changing.
Yes, Darcy is now a rich woman, and Bennett (not Elizabeth) a working man.
My favourite book, I know it back to front, can quote it with ease - not every adaptation gets my seal of approval. So this both intrigued and worried me.
I have given it a good rating though, as you can see. So yes, I liked it. When an author places the story in a new setting (here contemporary New York), making changes can suit the new time and place.
I really enjoyed seeing how Messina made the changes to totally reverse the genders - a lot had to change for it to work. And on the whole, I thought she managed it very successfully.
The five sisters aren't all present, though Bennett does have multiple brothers (an older with similar traits to Jane, a younger who is of course Lydia). Mrs Bennett becomes his boss, still annoyingly insufferable and overwrought at times, but with a streak of meanness in him that's hilarious (mostly centring on his employees' benefits at the museum cafe). Bennett, being a modern man, works for a living, as an advertising man in a museum, seeking new clients.
And it is their constant search for new benefactors that starts off the novel, with the unforgettable line:
"Any young woman in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a social committee to chair."
From that point on, you know that everything you know about Pride and Prejudice is going to be turned on its head... Just a little.
So to Darcy then, here her first name. Again, I really liked her. Bennett is a affable and smart young man. I never found Darcy as rude and pompous as her namesake original, but I did all the way through have terrible trouble picturing the new incarnations in anything other than period costume and their original genders. I had to force myself to remember who they are in this book. But that's just my familiarity with Austen's work struggling against Messina's.
It was lovely to follow the familiar plot along and see how Messina made changes that incorporated the original's words and story, but altered them for the modern world and alternate genders. I got caught up in the faltering love story and my favourite characters and scenes (a proposal, Mr Collins' equivalent, Lady Catherine is still there, the trip to Pemberley).
I didn't feel my love for Austen spoiled at all by a new take on her work, I appreciated the time and effort the author has taken to consider how to update but still pay tribute to her predecessor and throughly enjoyed a fresh look at how Austen is still relevant to today's world of love and relationships.
Review of a NetGalley advance copy.
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