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Netherfield Prep
It is a truth universally assumed that a stupidly rich boy must be in want of a girlfriend.
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a girl who has just travelled half a world must be in want of a bed.
From her first day at pompous boarding school Netherfield, fiery Australian Lily Brewer comes up against the arrogance of Austin Cooper. Austin and his twin Jax are the hottest guys in school. And the richest. It's quick wits and sass versus suave intelligence and abs, and they refuse to fall for each other. The rest of the school ignores Austin's behaviour for his pretty face and fat wallet. But, Lily can't get past his cold character even while her insults are enough to bring a smile to Austin's usually dour face. As Lily's roommate Anne is getting closer to Jax, Austin and Lily are always at each other's throats despite the sizzling chemistry that both of them deny simmering below the surface.
Between an ardent proposal from her step-mother's simpering nephew, a dashing young fellow-Aussie from the Military College, the twins' scheming bitch of a cousin, Lily's embarrassing family, Austin's intended fiancée, the antics of the twins' best friend, the overbearing Lady Celia, and a whole lot of stubbornness, love seems off the dance card for everyone.
Will pride and prejudice ruin them all? Or will love win the day?
Get ready to spot all your favourite characters in this Young Adult modern reimagining of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, told in dual POV.
Please be aware that this story uses Australian English spelling and syntax.
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a girl who has just travelled half a world must be in want of a bed.
From her first day at pompous boarding school Netherfield, fiery Australian Lily Brewer comes up against the arrogance of Austin Cooper. Austin and his twin Jax are the hottest guys in school. And the richest. It's quick wits and sass versus suave intelligence and abs, and they refuse to fall for each other. The rest of the school ignores Austin's behaviour for his pretty face and fat wallet. But, Lily can't get past his cold character even while her insults are enough to bring a smile to Austin's usually dour face. As Lily's roommate Anne is getting closer to Jax, Austin and Lily are always at each other's throats despite the sizzling chemistry that both of them deny simmering below the surface.
Between an ardent proposal from her step-mother's simpering nephew, a dashing young fellow-Aussie from the Military College, the twins' scheming bitch of a cousin, Lily's embarrassing family, Austin's intended fiancée, the antics of the twins' best friend, the overbearing Lady Celia, and a whole lot of stubbornness, love seems off the dance card for everyone.
Will pride and prejudice ruin them all? Or will love win the day?
Get ready to spot all your favourite characters in this Young Adult modern reimagining of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, told in dual POV.
Please be aware that this story uses Australian English spelling and syntax.
494 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 6, 2017
144 people are currently reading
145 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Stevens
77 books367 followersWriter. Reader. Perpetual student. Nerd.
I started out writing fantasy. But, I like to write anything, honestly. These days, I mainly stick to YA and there's always at least a sprinkling of romance, if not a 'whoops, I dropped the whole packet in'. Almost all my books are set in my home state of South Australia, either in real or fictional places - gotta write what you know - with Netherfield being the only current exception.
Like most writers, I love to read. Although, time for reading at the moment is hard to come by. When I'm not too busy writing, I'm usually reading a number of authors. Some of my favourites are Rick Riordan, Jane Austen, Kate Forsyth, Cecilia Dart-Thornton, Kasie West, John Flanagan, Terry Pratchett, Isobelle Carmody, Christina Benjamin, Emily Rodda, and many more.
I'm an avid fan of Marvel, DC, Doctor Who, Supernatural, Red Dwarf, IT Crowd, and pretty much anything similar. I've recently discovered Richard Ayoade's Travel Man and it's brilliant. I love watching soccer (go Gunners) and thoroughly look forward to seeing Eurovision every year. Celebrity crushes include Anna Kendrick and Chris Evans, because they are wonderful.
I live in Adelaide with my husband and a menagerie of animals – a cat reliving her (sixth) youth, a cowardly Beagle-Cavalier who thinks he’s smaller than he is, one meeping guinea pig who thinks any plastic bag has his greens in, two chickens who are terrified of free-ranging, and a turtle with a penchant for sticking her head up her filter pipe.
I have a Master of Arts (Writing) from Swinburne University of Technology. I also have a Master of Arts (Editing and Publishing) at University of Southern Queensland and, am now working towards my PhD. I also hope to one day undertake a PhD in Creative Writing - perpetual student, am I.
I also organise the Sleeping Dragon Emerging Fantasy Writers’ Collective writing group. The group self-published their anthology Tales from the Sleeping Dragon in 2012.
You can also find me on:
Facebook
Instagram
Wattpad
If you'd like to keep up with all my shenanigans, you can sign up for my newsletter here.
NB: I'm usually happy to discuss review copies of my books. A track record of reviewing is preferable, but not completely necessary.
I started out writing fantasy. But, I like to write anything, honestly. These days, I mainly stick to YA and there's always at least a sprinkling of romance, if not a 'whoops, I dropped the whole packet in'. Almost all my books are set in my home state of South Australia, either in real or fictional places - gotta write what you know - with Netherfield being the only current exception.
Like most writers, I love to read. Although, time for reading at the moment is hard to come by. When I'm not too busy writing, I'm usually reading a number of authors. Some of my favourites are Rick Riordan, Jane Austen, Kate Forsyth, Cecilia Dart-Thornton, Kasie West, John Flanagan, Terry Pratchett, Isobelle Carmody, Christina Benjamin, Emily Rodda, and many more.
I'm an avid fan of Marvel, DC, Doctor Who, Supernatural, Red Dwarf, IT Crowd, and pretty much anything similar. I've recently discovered Richard Ayoade's Travel Man and it's brilliant. I love watching soccer (go Gunners) and thoroughly look forward to seeing Eurovision every year. Celebrity crushes include Anna Kendrick and Chris Evans, because they are wonderful.
I live in Adelaide with my husband and a menagerie of animals – a cat reliving her (sixth) youth, a cowardly Beagle-Cavalier who thinks he’s smaller than he is, one meeping guinea pig who thinks any plastic bag has his greens in, two chickens who are terrified of free-ranging, and a turtle with a penchant for sticking her head up her filter pipe.
I have a Master of Arts (Writing) from Swinburne University of Technology. I also have a Master of Arts (Editing and Publishing) at University of Southern Queensland and, am now working towards my PhD. I also hope to one day undertake a PhD in Creative Writing - perpetual student, am I.
I also organise the Sleeping Dragon Emerging Fantasy Writers’ Collective writing group. The group self-published their anthology Tales from the Sleeping Dragon in 2012.
You can also find me on:
Wattpad
If you'd like to keep up with all my shenanigans, you can sign up for my newsletter here.
NB: I'm usually happy to discuss review copies of my books. A track record of reviewing is preferable, but not completely necessary.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
April 22, 2017
I would like to thank the author for sending me a free copy in return for an honest review.
The setting for this P&P update is very clever, all of the main characters are at a boarding school together. The style of writing is engaging and very funny at times. The alternating pov's give an extra dimension to the story telling.
I'm less impressed with how closely it sticks to the original, some of the events and language used don't really fit the modern setting.
The setting for this P&P update is very clever, all of the main characters are at a boarding school together. The style of writing is engaging and very funny at times. The alternating pov's give an extra dimension to the story telling.
I'm less impressed with how closely it sticks to the original, some of the events and language used don't really fit the modern setting.
April 29, 2017
3.5 stars --(Note: I received a copy from the author, in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to author. I am glad I got a chance to read this book.)
Netherfield Prep is modern retelling of Pride & Prejudice.
Character Identification: Austin- Mr. Darcy; Lily- Elizabeth; Jackson (Jax)- Mr. Bingley; Anne- Jane; Kate and Gemma- Lydia and Kitty; Anders- Wickham
Lily, after her mother’s death, joins Netherfield boarding school with her step-sisters, Gemma and Kate. On the first day of the school she meets ‘the famous’ Cooper twins- Austin (as everyone knows proud and conservative) and Jax (sweet and friendly). And as they say ‘first impression is last impression’, poor Austin gets the worst. Jax falls for Lily’s roommate Anne, while Lily and Austin are like -- well you know how they were like in 'Pride &Prejudice'- Austin tries to separate Jax and Anne, Lily very badly insults him all the time, Austin falls for her and tries to make everything right and then happily ever after. I just wrote almost whole story very boringly but trust me, you will like to read it in this book.
Though all characters, their nature and theme of the story were same to original one, this book was funny, light-hearted, and so lovely. I loved to read it more than pride & prejudice. Reading the story from the POV of both Lily and Austin was different and interesting. I liked the way name of places from the original one used in this book. Brotherly bond of Austin and Jax was awesome. Jax and Anne’s relationship was cute. Sarcastic and not-so=mannerly nature of Lily was all this book required to be liked. Exciting football match in the book was something new and refreshing, I loved that part. The way both boys proposed their girls was very romantic. End of the book was really sweet.
In short, this was lighter and funny version of the old, heavy, royal, mannerly, and serious pride & prejudice. This is ‘Pride & Prejudice’ story for younger generation.
Netherfield Prep is modern retelling of Pride & Prejudice.
Character Identification: Austin- Mr. Darcy; Lily- Elizabeth; Jackson (Jax)- Mr. Bingley; Anne- Jane; Kate and Gemma- Lydia and Kitty; Anders- Wickham
Lily, after her mother’s death, joins Netherfield boarding school with her step-sisters, Gemma and Kate. On the first day of the school she meets ‘the famous’ Cooper twins- Austin (as everyone knows proud and conservative) and Jax (sweet and friendly). And as they say ‘first impression is last impression’, poor Austin gets the worst. Jax falls for Lily’s roommate Anne, while Lily and Austin are like -- well you know how they were like in 'Pride &Prejudice'- Austin tries to separate Jax and Anne, Lily very badly insults him all the time, Austin falls for her and tries to make everything right and then happily ever after. I just wrote almost whole story very boringly but trust me, you will like to read it in this book.
Though all characters, their nature and theme of the story were same to original one, this book was funny, light-hearted, and so lovely. I loved to read it more than pride & prejudice. Reading the story from the POV of both Lily and Austin was different and interesting. I liked the way name of places from the original one used in this book. Brotherly bond of Austin and Jax was awesome. Jax and Anne’s relationship was cute. Sarcastic and not-so=mannerly nature of Lily was all this book required to be liked. Exciting football match in the book was something new and refreshing, I loved that part. The way both boys proposed their girls was very romantic. End of the book was really sweet.
In short, this was lighter and funny version of the old, heavy, royal, mannerly, and serious pride & prejudice. This is ‘Pride & Prejudice’ story for younger generation.
July 16, 2017
I simply must start of by saying this novel earned a massive tick from the start because it is based of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, I dare say the greatest love story of all time – Romeo and Juliet have nothing on the dear Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy. I truly appreciate how true to the original story this was and thoroughly enjoyed picking out all the characters and matching them with their Pride and Prejudice muses. What I found to be so intriguing about this book is that, while it was essentially the same story, I struggled to figure out what exactly was going on and hoping for all the secrets to be unveiled, feeling just as hopeless in regards to the truth of the affairs of the characters and Wickham (Liam Anders) in particular.
Following the plot of the original novel to near perfection, the story begins when Lily Brewer’s mum dies and she is sent to live with her insipid step-sisters at Netherfield, a pretentious and snobby English boarding school. Near falling asleep after a long flight from Australia, Lily is thrown in to the path of the gorgeous Austin Cooper, an arrogant, snobbish and generally rude guy who cares little for any and all below him, and his equally beautiful twin brother, Jax, a boy that loves easily and completely and could be considered the most affable of men. Austin’s vanity and indifferent behaviour fuelled a deep dislike in Lily who believes him to be too proud and conceited to be considered good company. But, despite her spirited and frank nature, Austin finds himself growing more and more attached to the fast minded, intelligent and beautiful girl who refuses to back down from a fight and is more than happy to chuck some insults his way. As their story or witty banter and half-veiled longing continues the arrival of the wealthy, negligent boys of the Military Academy and Lily’s step-cousin and the sole heir to her step-mother’s company sets things a bit on the edge as Lily struggles to get a grip on the affairs of her heart.
I was a little surprised to find that I really enjoyed the way Stevens recreated the original story in the modern setting. While I had hoped it possible, I did not expect to find any retelling of Pride and Prejudice anywhere near as good as the original simply because it is such a timeless piece but I have to say, Netherfield Prep came pretty darn close. While not a life changing or earthshattering read, I found myself enjoying every moment I spent with this book and itching to get back to it when I had other things to do.
In all, this was a fantastic read. I was in such a bad place when it came to reading before opening this book but the soppy teenage romance has really put a little skip in my step – I seriously can’t help my love of all things romantic. While at times I found the language a bit brash at times, it wasn’t enough to phase me all that much – you can’t really have a modern romance with the poise and grace of the romantics of the regency era.
Jovial and light-hearted, Netherfield Prep made me smile, gush and laugh the way the original Jane Austen novels always have, a great read for anyone with a penchant for romantics.
As always, you can find my full review on my blog here
Following the plot of the original novel to near perfection, the story begins when Lily Brewer’s mum dies and she is sent to live with her insipid step-sisters at Netherfield, a pretentious and snobby English boarding school. Near falling asleep after a long flight from Australia, Lily is thrown in to the path of the gorgeous Austin Cooper, an arrogant, snobbish and generally rude guy who cares little for any and all below him, and his equally beautiful twin brother, Jax, a boy that loves easily and completely and could be considered the most affable of men. Austin’s vanity and indifferent behaviour fuelled a deep dislike in Lily who believes him to be too proud and conceited to be considered good company. But, despite her spirited and frank nature, Austin finds himself growing more and more attached to the fast minded, intelligent and beautiful girl who refuses to back down from a fight and is more than happy to chuck some insults his way. As their story or witty banter and half-veiled longing continues the arrival of the wealthy, negligent boys of the Military Academy and Lily’s step-cousin and the sole heir to her step-mother’s company sets things a bit on the edge as Lily struggles to get a grip on the affairs of her heart.
I was a little surprised to find that I really enjoyed the way Stevens recreated the original story in the modern setting. While I had hoped it possible, I did not expect to find any retelling of Pride and Prejudice anywhere near as good as the original simply because it is such a timeless piece but I have to say, Netherfield Prep came pretty darn close. While not a life changing or earthshattering read, I found myself enjoying every moment I spent with this book and itching to get back to it when I had other things to do.
In all, this was a fantastic read. I was in such a bad place when it came to reading before opening this book but the soppy teenage romance has really put a little skip in my step – I seriously can’t help my love of all things romantic. While at times I found the language a bit brash at times, it wasn’t enough to phase me all that much – you can’t really have a modern romance with the poise and grace of the romantics of the regency era.
Jovial and light-hearted, Netherfield Prep made me smile, gush and laugh the way the original Jane Austen novels always have, a great read for anyone with a penchant for romantics.
As always, you can find my full review on my blog here
April 22, 2017
A modern version of Pride and prejudice.. The one and only..
I want to first.; thank the dear author for granting me with a free copy in exchange of an Honest review! And I really appreciate it
I liked the book very much.. It was amusing and funny at times it really made me giggle..
I loved Austen..(our Mr. Darcy) his personality.. Loyalty and protection for the ones closest to him..and his affection (so to say) to our Lily (my dear Elizabeth) whom I really loved and enjoyed her witness and self-respect.. Her personality in general..
The plot was not that appealing at first.. I didn't get attached to the story at first but as I read on.. It really grew on me.. And at my second reading set I was up to 5 PM just wanting to know how it's going to end ( even though I knew the original ending.. I wanted to know your version of it..) and you didn't disappoint me..
I really liked how you mixed and turned things up to make it your own version!
AND I really loved how you made them twins!
But there was some parts that didn't go well with the modern theme.. Like some of the conversations.. And sometimes the way they talk even though they are only 17 and 18 which for me was a bit young.. But who am I to judge!
I got a feeling of nostalgia while reading and did the quickest thing I could do after finishing it.. I went and watched the movie (Pride and prejudice 2005) and felt so much again.. Thank you for that!
This is the first book I read of a retelling of another book (if that's what it's called) and I can say that I was empressed and looking forward to reading other ones..
I want to first.; thank the dear author for granting me with a free copy in exchange of an Honest review! And I really appreciate it
I liked the book very much.. It was amusing and funny at times it really made me giggle..
I loved Austen..(our Mr. Darcy) his personality.. Loyalty and protection for the ones closest to him..and his affection (so to say) to our Lily (my dear Elizabeth) whom I really loved and enjoyed her witness and self-respect.. Her personality in general..
The plot was not that appealing at first.. I didn't get attached to the story at first but as I read on.. It really grew on me.. And at my second reading set I was up to 5 PM just wanting to know how it's going to end ( even though I knew the original ending.. I wanted to know your version of it..) and you didn't disappoint me..
I really liked how you mixed and turned things up to make it your own version!
AND I really loved how you made them twins!
But there was some parts that didn't go well with the modern theme.. Like some of the conversations.. And sometimes the way they talk even though they are only 17 and 18 which for me was a bit young.. But who am I to judge!
I got a feeling of nostalgia while reading and did the quickest thing I could do after finishing it.. I went and watched the movie (Pride and prejudice 2005) and felt so much again.. Thank you for that!
This is the first book I read of a retelling of another book (if that's what it's called) and I can say that I was empressed and looking forward to reading other ones..
November 17, 2017
I have never had the pleasure of reading Pride & Prejudice and obviously it isn't fair to compare a YA re telling to the classic but after reading Netherfield Prep I don't think I will have the urge to read P&P anytime soon.
The book itself wasn't that bad it just dragged a bit and some of the language for a "modern day" retelling irked me. Plus the ending started to get a little bit sappy to me.
And I had some issues with some of the characters as well. Lily was a little too strong willed to me. I'm all about a strong non wimpy female MC but it was a little too much. And Anne was the opposite she was too weak. And Cassandra was an asshat. I know why she was but there was no kind of closure really between her and Austin or Lily. Kate and Gemma were total ditzes but Kate started to grown on me in the end. And the biggest asshat of them all, Austin was my favorite character. He was a little too broody at times but I saw a good guy DEEP beneath his layers of arrogance and unpleasantness a lot of the times.
Even with some of the above mentioned things I didn't like about the book it was an interesting story so I kept it at 3 stars and I might even try another book by Elizabeth Stevens.
The book itself wasn't that bad it just dragged a bit and some of the language for a "modern day" retelling irked me. Plus the ending started to get a little bit sappy to me.
And I had some issues with some of the characters as well. Lily was a little too strong willed to me. I'm all about a strong non wimpy female MC but it was a little too much. And Anne was the opposite she was too weak. And Cassandra was an asshat. I know why she was but there was no kind of closure really between her and Austin or Lily. Kate and Gemma were total ditzes but Kate started to grown on me in the end. And the biggest asshat of them all, Austin was my favorite character. He was a little too broody at times but I saw a good guy DEEP beneath his layers of arrogance and unpleasantness a lot of the times.
Even with some of the above mentioned things I didn't like about the book it was an interesting story so I kept it at 3 stars and I might even try another book by Elizabeth Stevens.
July 21, 2017
*I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.*
The premise to this was really interesting to me. It's a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice set in a boarding school. I wanted to love it. Unfortunately, there was little that I really enjoyed.
At the beginning I thought it might be interesting, change things up a bit, and give its own charm to the classic tale that I love so much. For me, however, it kept things too like the original story, which didn't work in this time and setting. The conversations felt stilted because they tried to stay too close to the original. The story also felt forced a lot of times as it tried to stay too close to the original.
It was interesting to see the characters places shifted somewhat. The Darcy and Bingley characters, (Austin and Jax) are twins instead of just friends, the Bennet sisters are not all sisters, having different connections. All of these changes gave the story a better chance of working in a modern setting. The only one I wasn't happy with was the change in the roles of the parents. The mother (stepmother to Lily, our Elizabeth character) was the more understanding parent, the father the one wanting to marry them off to rich men. I just didn't see the point in doing this. The relationship between Elizabeth and her father was something that I enjoyed, so not having it here was a little disappointing.
There was too much focus on relationships and marriage here. The original novel had that, but it was a different time. Women couldn't really support themselves then, so it made sense that they needed to marry well to live comfortably. But that's not the case now. So why was everyone obsessed with marrying the richest men? This just bugged me.
I was not happy with Austin and Lily's relationship. It was lust, not love. They are immediately attracted to each other, but it's pretty much all physical. And I never really felt that this changed. They never got to know each other very well. And when they were together they were constantly thinking of each other as "fine specimen" and other such things.
This had some good ideas, it just didn't work that well for me. I haven't had much luck with Austen retellings in the past, so maybe I should just avoid them.
The premise to this was really interesting to me. It's a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice set in a boarding school. I wanted to love it. Unfortunately, there was little that I really enjoyed.
At the beginning I thought it might be interesting, change things up a bit, and give its own charm to the classic tale that I love so much. For me, however, it kept things too like the original story, which didn't work in this time and setting. The conversations felt stilted because they tried to stay too close to the original. The story also felt forced a lot of times as it tried to stay too close to the original.
It was interesting to see the characters places shifted somewhat. The Darcy and Bingley characters, (Austin and Jax) are twins instead of just friends, the Bennet sisters are not all sisters, having different connections. All of these changes gave the story a better chance of working in a modern setting. The only one I wasn't happy with was the change in the roles of the parents. The mother (stepmother to Lily, our Elizabeth character) was the more understanding parent, the father the one wanting to marry them off to rich men. I just didn't see the point in doing this. The relationship between Elizabeth and her father was something that I enjoyed, so not having it here was a little disappointing.
There was too much focus on relationships and marriage here. The original novel had that, but it was a different time. Women couldn't really support themselves then, so it made sense that they needed to marry well to live comfortably. But that's not the case now. So why was everyone obsessed with marrying the richest men? This just bugged me.
I was not happy with Austin and Lily's relationship. It was lust, not love. They are immediately attracted to each other, but it's pretty much all physical. And I never really felt that this changed. They never got to know each other very well. And when they were together they were constantly thinking of each other as "fine specimen" and other such things.
This had some good ideas, it just didn't work that well for me. I haven't had much luck with Austen retellings in the past, so maybe I should just avoid them.
May 1, 2018
Me: *finishes ebook a bit past midnight.*
Me: *selects next ebook for current read.*
Me: Oh I’ll just read the first chapter because why not?
*Fourteen other chapters later.*
Me: Oh crap?
Me: Reads the remaining chapters of 61 total in the rest of the day with time still remaining...
WHAT????
Damn. Why did I want to read this?
Oh yeah because it’s an Austen modernized.
Why did I want to go through the inevitable heartache and confusion?
Oh yeah because I figured it would be totally worth it.
Was it worth it?
HELL YES!!!!
Damn Stevens knows how to recreate Austen’s famous novel Pride and Prejudice with a modernized twist. I hung onto every word and every sentence like it was oxygen and I was drowning. I was.
Lily and Austin’s story was such an intense and wild ride. I loved it, perhaps even more so then the original. Oh how could I say that? Without the original this might not have been thought of. Wonderful job really. Very Pride and Prejudice esk.
I loved it. I also loved how not only was the Dad the messed up one but the mum was step but not evil. I love the Bingley and Darcy esk characters were not friends (well that too) but brothers. Twins at that. It was an overall lovely story. Lovely and amazing rendition of it all.
I’m afraid I could go on forever if I keep giving compliments like this but holy. Made me remember just why Pride and Prejudice is one of the best and why it’s so well loved.
Absolutely stunning job. Thank you for writing such an amazingly heartfelt (and funny) piece. Adored it!
Me: *selects next ebook for current read.*
Me: Oh I’ll just read the first chapter because why not?
*Fourteen other chapters later.*
Me: Oh crap?
Me: Reads the remaining chapters of 61 total in the rest of the day with time still remaining...
WHAT????
Damn. Why did I want to read this?
Oh yeah because it’s an Austen modernized.
Why did I want to go through the inevitable heartache and confusion?
Oh yeah because I figured it would be totally worth it.
Was it worth it?
HELL YES!!!!
Damn Stevens knows how to recreate Austen’s famous novel Pride and Prejudice with a modernized twist. I hung onto every word and every sentence like it was oxygen and I was drowning. I was.
Lily and Austin’s story was such an intense and wild ride. I loved it, perhaps even more so then the original. Oh how could I say that? Without the original this might not have been thought of. Wonderful job really. Very Pride and Prejudice esk.
I loved it. I also loved how not only was the Dad the messed up one but the mum was step but not evil. I love the Bingley and Darcy esk characters were not friends (well that too) but brothers. Twins at that. It was an overall lovely story. Lovely and amazing rendition of it all.
I’m afraid I could go on forever if I keep giving compliments like this but holy. Made me remember just why Pride and Prejudice is one of the best and why it’s so well loved.
Absolutely stunning job. Thank you for writing such an amazingly heartfelt (and funny) piece. Adored it!
June 29, 2017
I receive a copy from the author, in exchange for an honest review.
Actual Rating: 3.5
Thank you Elizabeth Stevens for the opportunity to read your book. This was a great read. This was a great reimagined version of Pride & Prejudice. I really enjoyed it. The writing style was great, and it made the story more relatable. The characters were great as well. Austin was the Mr. Darcy of the story, and I think seeing his softer and nicer side was great. His twin brother, Jax, was Mr. Darcy best friend of this story, a sweet and kind character. He was also kind of shy. Lily was Elizabeth Bennett. I thought she was really interesting and sweet. Anne, Lily's roommate was the older sister of Elizabeth in this story. She and Jax fall in love. Austin tries to break them apart. Then Austin falls for Lily, and tries to help Jax. The only thing about this version is that it is way funnier and amusing to read. I really liked the ending. I wish there was more. Overall, a funny reimagination of a beloved classic by Jane Austen.
Actual Rating: 3.5
Thank you Elizabeth Stevens for the opportunity to read your book. This was a great read. This was a great reimagined version of Pride & Prejudice. I really enjoyed it. The writing style was great, and it made the story more relatable. The characters were great as well. Austin was the Mr. Darcy of the story, and I think seeing his softer and nicer side was great. His twin brother, Jax, was Mr. Darcy best friend of this story, a sweet and kind character. He was also kind of shy. Lily was Elizabeth Bennett. I thought she was really interesting and sweet. Anne, Lily's roommate was the older sister of Elizabeth in this story. She and Jax fall in love. Austin tries to break them apart. Then Austin falls for Lily, and tries to help Jax. The only thing about this version is that it is way funnier and amusing to read. I really liked the ending. I wish there was more. Overall, a funny reimagination of a beloved classic by Jane Austen.
April 23, 2018
*Thak you Voracious Readers and Elizabeth Stevens for the free copy of this book in exchange with an honest review*
I have to admit I had high expectations for this book! What I mean with that is that I wasn't expecting to be anything close to Austen's work, but I was expecting to find all the characters I already love in a new background, but with the same personalities in the original book. "Netherfield Prep" managed to live up to my expectations and I devoured the book in two days' time!
I won't say that there weren't some things that I didn't particularly like, but I won't focus on them, because overall I really enjoyed the book. There's one thing that I want to point out though. Lily is extremely liked by everyone and also everyone seems to be attracted to her! If I remember correctly, there are 4 boys in total that fall in love with her and I thought that it feels a bit too much and a bit unrealistic. It's like there weren't other girls in that school and everyone loved Lily as soon as she came in and all the boys were in her feet, begging her to spend some time with them.
My favourite character has to be Jax, he was simply the cutest little bean ever! He's relationship with Anne and I think it really captured Bingley and Jane's relationship. he was so spontaneous and fun, the total opposite of his moody brother. Together they had the funniest exchanges, with Jax trying to get Austin to loosen up and Austin being the ever sarcastic teenager!
The book is written in two different POV's. It interchanges between Lily and Austin and it's something I really liked, because it gives us insight in both their views of the same event and we can understand better what they think of each other. I also liked their relationship a lot and I'm so glad because Elizabeth and Darcy are my favourite and I wanted to love them in this reimagining too!
All in all, "Netherfield Prep" is a very good reimagining of "Pride and Prejudice" that I read as fast as I could, since I wanted to see how the events would unfold next! Even though I knew the plot and how it would end, that didn't lessen my enthusiasm for the book at all!!
I have to admit I had high expectations for this book! What I mean with that is that I wasn't expecting to be anything close to Austen's work, but I was expecting to find all the characters I already love in a new background, but with the same personalities in the original book. "Netherfield Prep" managed to live up to my expectations and I devoured the book in two days' time!
I won't say that there weren't some things that I didn't particularly like, but I won't focus on them, because overall I really enjoyed the book. There's one thing that I want to point out though. Lily is extremely liked by everyone and also everyone seems to be attracted to her! If I remember correctly, there are 4 boys in total that fall in love with her and I thought that it feels a bit too much and a bit unrealistic. It's like there weren't other girls in that school and everyone loved Lily as soon as she came in and all the boys were in her feet, begging her to spend some time with them.
My favourite character has to be Jax, he was simply the cutest little bean ever! He's relationship with Anne and I think it really captured Bingley and Jane's relationship. he was so spontaneous and fun, the total opposite of his moody brother. Together they had the funniest exchanges, with Jax trying to get Austin to loosen up and Austin being the ever sarcastic teenager!
The book is written in two different POV's. It interchanges between Lily and Austin and it's something I really liked, because it gives us insight in both their views of the same event and we can understand better what they think of each other. I also liked their relationship a lot and I'm so glad because Elizabeth and Darcy are my favourite and I wanted to love them in this reimagining too!
All in all, "Netherfield Prep" is a very good reimagining of "Pride and Prejudice" that I read as fast as I could, since I wanted to see how the events would unfold next! Even though I knew the plot and how it would end, that didn't lessen my enthusiasm for the book at all!!
Read
April 13, 2017This was, to date, my favourite book to write! It gave me a whole new appreciation for the original, for Austen's wit and words, and for Darcy's point of view. Editing was a pain since I kept getting distracted by the story. But, I figure an author who loves their work can't be a bad thing. My aim with this story was to bring a love of Austen's world to a new readership and give people a bit of entertainment.
Lily and Austin will always be my OTP, and I'm hard at work writing the next chapters in their story.
Lily and Austin will always be my OTP, and I'm hard at work writing the next chapters in their story.
October 24, 2020
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars
This, as the title tells you, is a modern retelling of JA's P&P. It was easy to pick out the characters from canon although the names are not at all close to JA's. Plus their relationships to each other are different. For instance: Darcy is now Austin (Oz) Cooper while Jackson (Jax) is his identical twin brother and recognized as based on Bingley . Their personalities and behavior do remind you of canon. There are no five Bennet sisters; however, we do have a family of four stepsisters with their behaviors reflecting the original. Jane is not one of these but is recreated as Anne, Lily Brewer's roommate. The plot is also easily recogized as a reworked modern variation set at a Prep School where most of our characters are in the 12th level.
One thing which this author has is that there is some serious romance between these teenagers, all aged about 17 going on 18. In fact by the end there are several engagements. I don't see this as how our modern young people get on at all. There is even some talk of sexual activities...but not described in detail...more as a passing comment.
The Rosings dorm of this school happens to be where the rich and connected reside. Many young girls are looking for future husbands from Rosings. And there are, of course, parents who are pushing them to make those connections. Ironically here you will find Mr. Brewer is the male counterpart to Mrs. Bennet...all nerves and pushing his daughters and stepdaughters to find a rich, connected husband. And, of course, we do have a Wickham type and one girl who "falls" for his seduction as did Lydia.
I found it most interesting to read now this author took JA's phrases and reworked them to fit her story. However they all remain easily recognized as translations of JA's writings.
The chapters move back and forth being told from Lily's and then Austin's POV.
A big difference here is that Lily has just lost her mother and so travels from where they were living in Australia to England to now being under her father's supervision. And as the story goes on we find that Liam Anders (Wickham) was also from that country. Liam does have a close connection to the Cooper family as did Wickham with the Darcys in canon.
Both main characters have major changes happening as they turn 18: one inherits an estate outright (as does his brother) while Lily's trust fund is then under her control. Both families also have relatives who try to control the futures of these young people. After all we did have an entailed estate in canon and an aunt who was determined to marry her nephew off to her own daughter. You will find much the same in this story.
I will say that this story kept my attention. It is a long read.
This, as the title tells you, is a modern retelling of JA's P&P. It was easy to pick out the characters from canon although the names are not at all close to JA's. Plus their relationships to each other are different. For instance: Darcy is now Austin (Oz) Cooper while Jackson (Jax) is his identical twin brother and recognized as based on Bingley . Their personalities and behavior do remind you of canon. There are no five Bennet sisters; however, we do have a family of four stepsisters with their behaviors reflecting the original. Jane is not one of these but is recreated as Anne, Lily Brewer's roommate. The plot is also easily recogized as a reworked modern variation set at a Prep School where most of our characters are in the 12th level.
One thing which this author has is that there is some serious romance between these teenagers, all aged about 17 going on 18. In fact by the end there are several engagements. I don't see this as how our modern young people get on at all. There is even some talk of sexual activities...but not described in detail...more as a passing comment.
The Rosings dorm of this school happens to be where the rich and connected reside. Many young girls are looking for future husbands from Rosings. And there are, of course, parents who are pushing them to make those connections. Ironically here you will find Mr. Brewer is the male counterpart to Mrs. Bennet...all nerves and pushing his daughters and stepdaughters to find a rich, connected husband. And, of course, we do have a Wickham type and one girl who "falls" for his seduction as did Lydia.
I found it most interesting to read now this author took JA's phrases and reworked them to fit her story. However they all remain easily recognized as translations of JA's writings.
The chapters move back and forth being told from Lily's and then Austin's POV.
A big difference here is that Lily has just lost her mother and so travels from where they were living in Australia to England to now being under her father's supervision. And as the story goes on we find that Liam Anders (Wickham) was also from that country. Liam does have a close connection to the Cooper family as did Wickham with the Darcys in canon.
Both main characters have major changes happening as they turn 18: one inherits an estate outright (as does his brother) while Lily's trust fund is then under her control. Both families also have relatives who try to control the futures of these young people. After all we did have an entailed estate in canon and an aunt who was determined to marry her nephew off to her own daughter. You will find much the same in this story.
I will say that this story kept my attention. It is a long read.
May 6, 2017
A modern reimagining of Jane Austen's 'Pride and Prejudice'.
When Lily Brewer’s mum dies, she’s shipped to the other side of the world to her step-sisters’ pompous English boarding school, Netherfield.
There, she meets Austin Cooper. Arrogant as hell but with abs to die for, Austin soon becomes the bane of her existence.
His twin brother, Jax, is the complete opposite. Kind and sweet, Jax soon strikes up a thing with Lily’s roommate, Anne.
Austin, though seems keen to keep them apart.
Will pride and prejudice ruin them all?
Or, will love win the day?
Rating: 4.5/5 Penguins
Quick Reasons: P&P Retelling for the win!; I mean really, do I need any other reason to adore this?!; the characters are superbly individualized, with enough hints at the original to keep them straight in my mind; lovelovelove the modern day boarding school setting; a lot of weird comma usage?
Huge thanks to Elizabeth Stevens and Sleeping Dragon Books for sending me a free digital galley of this title in exchange for an honest review! This in no way altered my read of or opinions on this book.
The two teams took their places and Austin faced off against their keeper. He found me, nodded and winked before he took the shot. It curved perfectly into the top left corner of the net and I knew what that look had been; 'this one's for you.'
Be still my beating heart.
Be still, MY beating heart! I know what you're all thinking. "Really, Beth?! ANOTHER P&P retelling?! Haven't you read enough of those yet?!?!?!?!" And the answer is....NEVER. I can never ever ever read enough P&P retellings for it to get old, so....get used to it and suck it up, beakers. You'll be seeing a lot more of them to come; they're here to stay! They've lugged their many suitcases out of the car, dragged them up the stairs, and perched themselves on my shelves --both the physical and the digital ones-- in pretty little rows. They're not going anywhere...except maybe to work with me, tucked into my purse.
That being said. Elizabeth Stevens brought a hint of the new along with the classic in this modern-day retelling, and I absolutely ADORED every step of the journey! The characters have all been given different names. The relationships in a lot of instances have been changed--for instance, not all of the Bennet sisters are ACTUAL sisters in this version. I adored how out of the box and creative Elizabeth Stevens decided to be with these characters; she gave them all such vibrant, loud personalities, while still maintaining the integrity of the original characters. It was both a refreshing change and a beautiful nod to the original content, I'm super impressed.
"Well, I think it's all very romantic." Gemma took her phone back.
"You would!" I retorted. "You wouldn't know romance if it pissed on your head."
"Oh, that wouldn't be very romantic, Lily." Anne shook her head and I rolled my eyes.
There was, throughout, a weird issue with commas in random or wrong places that sort of broke me out of suspended disbelief...but these were such minor and easy to forget issues, I didn't have trouble quickly falling back into the story and following the flow of the plot. In fact, I got rather used to the awkward comma placement, and learned how to ignore it whenever they popped up. The plot, the characters, and the entertainment were more than enough to make up for such a small grammatical problem, it didn't subtract from my enjoyment of the read at all!
This was a super adorable, entertaining, modern-day P&P retelling and I will be on the lookout for more of Elizabeth Stevens' works in the coming future. The characters are vibrantly written and imbued with their own unique quirks...while still maintaining enough of the original characters for readers to tell who's meant to be whom. I definitely recommend this to lovers of Pride and Prejudice, boarding school romances, and bad-boys turned "good." Don't pass this ball down the field, penguins; run with it and score!
June 18, 2017
Good read. I can't speak on how well it is compared to Pride abd Prejudice because i haven't read any Jane Austin books. Hey hey hey now don't yall go beating up in me. In my defense, I have started Pride and Prejudice a couple of times.
Anyway, it was story story. Lily mom had died and she now has to live with her gold digging dad and stepmom. I liked how the rokes were reversed with parents. I have to say that even though I liked the hea I wasn't fond of Austin.
The way he meddled in his brother life is ridiculous. I also didn't like neither Austin's nor Lily's trait of judging people. Both had their reason both were wrong to judge in the first place. And Austin declaration of love was a complete insult.
Also I understand where the other reviewers are coming from when talking about the characters dialogue. The brothers would call each other brother and called the cousin cousin. It was a very formal way to speak with each other. But hey maybe that's how rich people speak to each other.
With that said, I did keep reading and I enjoyed the story. A decent read I think.
*This is an arc
Anyway, it was story story. Lily mom had died and she now has to live with her gold digging dad and stepmom. I liked how the rokes were reversed with parents. I have to say that even though I liked the hea I wasn't fond of Austin.
The way he meddled in his brother life is ridiculous. I also didn't like neither Austin's nor Lily's trait of judging people. Both had their reason both were wrong to judge in the first place. And Austin declaration of love was a complete insult.
Also I understand where the other reviewers are coming from when talking about the characters dialogue. The brothers would call each other brother and called the cousin cousin. It was a very formal way to speak with each other. But hey maybe that's how rich people speak to each other.
With that said, I did keep reading and I enjoyed the story. A decent read I think.
*This is an arc
April 20, 2017
I'm guessing if you've picked this up it's because you're a fan of the source. This sticks incredibly faithfully to Austen's novel, but giving it the updated setting/characters. For the most part it works well, providing us with an entertaining romance.
There's no getting away from the fact that Austin and Lily are the stars of the show. Their spats are great fun to read, though I was less keen on the continued references to Austin's rock-hard abs. There were plenty of things Lily came to love about him, and this felt a little cheap.
No plot details needed here. It was fun unpicking the similarities with Pride and Prejudice, and this was an entertaining read. I can feel it might be time for another return to the original!
Thanks to the author for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
There's no getting away from the fact that Austin and Lily are the stars of the show. Their spats are great fun to read, though I was less keen on the continued references to Austin's rock-hard abs. There were plenty of things Lily came to love about him, and this felt a little cheap.
No plot details needed here. It was fun unpicking the similarities with Pride and Prejudice, and this was an entertaining read. I can feel it might be time for another return to the original!
Thanks to the author for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
April 20, 2018
First I would like to thank the author for gifting me a copy .
To start with I was not getting into this story then I remembered that the first time I read this story the names were different and the times were different and I was an awful lot younger. Change a little focus and there was the story I know and love. The more I read the more I enjoyed.
Young Adults will love the love story in this book, they will fall in love with Austin an obnoxious,arrogant,rich boy who meets a Lily who travels half way around the world to live with her Dad and step mom an step-sisters.Lily is lovely and out going and loves football.
Austin and twin Jax share a room at Netherfield High as do Lily and her roommate Anna.
The story is laced through with pride and prejudice and through great story telling, pain, laughter and soul searching of the main characters.
Highly recommend
To start with I was not getting into this story then I remembered that the first time I read this story the names were different and the times were different and I was an awful lot younger. Change a little focus and there was the story I know and love. The more I read the more I enjoyed.
Young Adults will love the love story in this book, they will fall in love with Austin an obnoxious,arrogant,rich boy who meets a Lily who travels half way around the world to live with her Dad and step mom an step-sisters.Lily is lovely and out going and loves football.
Austin and twin Jax share a room at Netherfield High as do Lily and her roommate Anna.
The story is laced through with pride and prejudice and through great story telling, pain, laughter and soul searching of the main characters.
Highly recommend
April 22, 2017
I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK!
If you must know, i loved Pride and Prejudice and i was a bit hesitant to read this, scared that i might be disappointed or that the classic story might be butchered and not given any justice. But i was proved wrong.
This book has been true to the original one in a way that the author has kept most of the things that made Pride and Prejudice, what Pride and Prejudice is.
First off, the author has more than creatively turned things a bit and made it into a modern version of the Austen's classic novel. Motorbikes, buses, LGBTQ, etc. Stevens made it into a version of her own while staying true to the classic novel.
I also loved the fact that she has a way of making things more interesting, like what she did with the places Longbourn, Netherfield, and Rosings. Instead of names of estate, like that of the original book, she turned it into names of dorm wings and name of school.
What I also liked about this is how the love story went. It was loyal to the book but it also has its own, unique, story making it still mysterious and making you want to read more to know what will happen next.
If you must know, i loved Pride and Prejudice and i was a bit hesitant to read this, scared that i might be disappointed or that the classic story might be butchered and not given any justice. But i was proved wrong.
This book has been true to the original one in a way that the author has kept most of the things that made Pride and Prejudice, what Pride and Prejudice is.
First off, the author has more than creatively turned things a bit and made it into a modern version of the Austen's classic novel. Motorbikes, buses, LGBTQ, etc. Stevens made it into a version of her own while staying true to the classic novel.
I also loved the fact that she has a way of making things more interesting, like what she did with the places Longbourn, Netherfield, and Rosings. Instead of names of estate, like that of the original book, she turned it into names of dorm wings and name of school.
What I also liked about this is how the love story went. It was loyal to the book but it also has its own, unique, story making it still mysterious and making you want to read more to know what will happen next.
April 20, 2017
Not many people know that I absolutely adore the OG of Pride and Prejudice. It is absolutely, hands down, my favorite book to read. So when there was an opportunity to read an updated version of P&P, I was definitely down. It was obvious from the start that Austin and Lily, two of the main characters, were adorable and I quite loved their arguments. Throughout the book I could not help myself from comparing scenes to the original, and while I did love the characters, I think some of the scenes could have been better written to match the more modern characters while those same scenes were perfectly matched for Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth. I am probably being biased due to my love of the first book. If you love Pride and Prejudice as much as me then I highly encourage you to read this book due to its fresh take in a more modern day society.
April 24, 2017
I want to thank the author for a free copy of her enjoyable book in exchange for an honest review.
Most readers will be drawn to this re-imagining as existing fans of 'Pride & Prejudice', but as someone who is only familiar with the story through the screen adaptations, I will provide a review from someone coming to it with fresher eyes.
The characters all had charm and something relatable about them, however for 17-18 year olds, I though they occasionally spoke a little too 'worldly'. I appreciate this would have come from the setting of the privileged world the book inhabits, but I thought there wasn't enough 'teen-talk' to make it feel completely grounded in the modern age. I wasn't quite sure what timeline it was set within to be honest, but this didn't stop my enjoyment.
The dual POVs was a nice touch, alternating between Austin and Lily kept the read moving along. It was well paced for the most part, though it could have moved between scenes a little faster at points.
This book would appeal to fans of the YA market and young at heart readers looking for a sentimental romance with an edge.
Most readers will be drawn to this re-imagining as existing fans of 'Pride & Prejudice', but as someone who is only familiar with the story through the screen adaptations, I will provide a review from someone coming to it with fresher eyes.
The characters all had charm and something relatable about them, however for 17-18 year olds, I though they occasionally spoke a little too 'worldly'. I appreciate this would have come from the setting of the privileged world the book inhabits, but I thought there wasn't enough 'teen-talk' to make it feel completely grounded in the modern age. I wasn't quite sure what timeline it was set within to be honest, but this didn't stop my enjoyment.
The dual POVs was a nice touch, alternating between Austin and Lily kept the read moving along. It was well paced for the most part, though it could have moved between scenes a little faster at points.
This book would appeal to fans of the YA market and young at heart readers looking for a sentimental romance with an edge.
March 24, 2021
This is probably the best rendition to Pride and Prejudice, there's some quotes from the original book. and their relationship though a little different , it's really sweet. Probably I'll add it to my favorites.
maybe I would've liked a little more at the end . but the proposal seemed just perfect for them. simple and sweet.
maybe I would've liked a little more at the end . but the proposal seemed just perfect for them. simple and sweet.
May 16, 2017
I knew it was going to be a great modern Pride and Prejudice adaptation when the classic opening line was altered to "It is a truth universally assumed that a stupidly rich boy must be in want of a girlfriend".
I am a huge Jane Austen (and now I must admit Austin Cooper) fan. While I of course love reading the original Pride and Prejudice, I have always enjoyed the spin-offs too and Netherfield Prep did not disappoint. What I particularly loved about Netherfield Prep was that is seems to have been written almost as a modern mirror image of the original. For those of us who know the original story intimately, it is easy to follow this modern version almost paragraph by paragraph with the original but with completely modern characters, scenes, context and language.
The other little quirk that some of you true Austen aficionados may enjoy is finding the hidden little links to other Pride and Prejudice spin-offs through Netherfield Prep. Stevens obviously has seen or read as many adaptations as me and ever so cleverly places small references throughout; I mean who isn't waiting for the 'wet shirt scene'!
For those of you who may not yet have experienced the joys of Jane Austen or feel the old school language of her time may be a bit heavy, Netherfield Prep is a fun, very modern and just the right amount of sexy (wait until you read the descriptions of Austin - oh what a man!) adaptation of this all time classic. I couldn't put this book down and even though I knew exactly how it would end I had to keep reading; exactly what a good book should keep you doing.
Netherfield Prep is 5/5 and I can't wait for more from Elizabeth Stevens!
I am a huge Jane Austen (and now I must admit Austin Cooper) fan. While I of course love reading the original Pride and Prejudice, I have always enjoyed the spin-offs too and Netherfield Prep did not disappoint. What I particularly loved about Netherfield Prep was that is seems to have been written almost as a modern mirror image of the original. For those of us who know the original story intimately, it is easy to follow this modern version almost paragraph by paragraph with the original but with completely modern characters, scenes, context and language.
The other little quirk that some of you true Austen aficionados may enjoy is finding the hidden little links to other Pride and Prejudice spin-offs through Netherfield Prep. Stevens obviously has seen or read as many adaptations as me and ever so cleverly places small references throughout; I mean who isn't waiting for the 'wet shirt scene'!
For those of you who may not yet have experienced the joys of Jane Austen or feel the old school language of her time may be a bit heavy, Netherfield Prep is a fun, very modern and just the right amount of sexy (wait until you read the descriptions of Austin - oh what a man!) adaptation of this all time classic. I couldn't put this book down and even though I knew exactly how it would end I had to keep reading; exactly what a good book should keep you doing.
Netherfield Prep is 5/5 and I can't wait for more from Elizabeth Stevens!
dnf-with-no-shame
June 17, 2022DNF @ 32%
Well then.
Well.
Then.
I suppose there is probably an audience for this kinda book, but I am not it.
I have outgrown these dramatics and now all I feel when I read them is my soul slightly inverting into itself in pain because this was exhausting to read. It was so dramatic and cringey. My body literally could not handle how uncomfortably annoying the character perspectives were as navigating between them made my gut recoil and it was like I had this primitive need to expel what my eyes were reading from my body and into the universe so that it could go and die and leave me out of it. Cringe is too vague of a word to explain how much I did not enjoy this rendition of Austen’s classic romantic tale.
I hated how the dialogue was tinged in Regency speak but the plot could not be more modern. The juxtaposition made me feel physically ill while reading.
Also, why was it so long?
This version of the tale made me miss the bounds of propriety so much. Because this iteration of Darcy was just not charming without that societal lens in focus.
What are stakes? I read the whole thing and there really didn’t appear to be any at all.
And the plot? To what aim did it serve? What was it trying to accomplish? No idea, but it sure felt aimless, and that’s not a compliment.
I could spend all day lambasting this story but instead I will leave you with the knowledge that I could not overcome my distaste for the writing style and leave it at that.
Well then.
Well.
Then.
I suppose there is probably an audience for this kinda book, but I am not it.
I have outgrown these dramatics and now all I feel when I read them is my soul slightly inverting into itself in pain because this was exhausting to read. It was so dramatic and cringey. My body literally could not handle how uncomfortably annoying the character perspectives were as navigating between them made my gut recoil and it was like I had this primitive need to expel what my eyes were reading from my body and into the universe so that it could go and die and leave me out of it. Cringe is too vague of a word to explain how much I did not enjoy this rendition of Austen’s classic romantic tale.
I hated how the dialogue was tinged in Regency speak but the plot could not be more modern. The juxtaposition made me feel physically ill while reading.
Also, why was it so long?
This version of the tale made me miss the bounds of propriety so much. Because this iteration of Darcy was just not charming without that societal lens in focus.
What are stakes? I read the whole thing and there really didn’t appear to be any at all.
And the plot? To what aim did it serve? What was it trying to accomplish? No idea, but it sure felt aimless, and that’s not a compliment.
I could spend all day lambasting this story but instead I will leave you with the knowledge that I could not overcome my distaste for the writing style and leave it at that.
February 26, 2018
We started with full marks for premise (contemporary Pride & Prejudice set in an English boarding school) but then suffered many full- and half-star deductions for things I cannot abide, including but not limited to: In fact, I started writing this review with two stars, but after typing out that list, I had to knock it down to one.
It's a shame because some of the writing is quite good, but it needed a good editor (such is often the case with self-published books). I think Stevens has potential as writer, but she lacks a maturity. I think this is most obvious in the differences with which she treats her male and female characters . It suggests a level of under-examined, internalized misogyny that made the writing feel very, very young.
Also there's a good reason 17 year olds shouldn't get tattoos.
Hard no on this book.
It's a shame because some of the writing is quite good, but it needed a good editor (such is often the case with self-published books). I think Stevens has potential as writer, but she lacks a maturity. I think this is most obvious in the differences with which she treats her male and female characters . It suggests a level of under-examined, internalized misogyny that made the writing feel very, very young.
Also there's a good reason 17 year olds shouldn't get tattoos.
Hard no on this book.
April 5, 2018
Netherfield Prep by Elizabeth Stevens is a 3.5 star read. This is a modern take on Pride and Prejudice.
Lily Brewer has just moved half way across the world after her mother died, she was sent straight from the airport to a boarding school. Lily’s father has the idea that she should find herself a rich husband so she’d be set up for life but she has other plans.
Austin Cooper is one of the richest and best looking guys at Netherfield Prep along with his identical twin brother, Austin has a constant scowl on his face, as the intended heir to his over bearing aunt he finds himself expected to marry someone he doesn’t even like.
When Austin and Lily meet there is an instant attraction but also a dislike of each other. I really liked this story, I love when authors take a classic story and put a modern twist on it. This story for me had great potential for a 5 star review but it annoyed me that the author couldn’t keep the story modern, most of the story was “modern” but half the conversations jumped between “modern” and “classic”. The characters start out talking as normal teenagers in 2018 and then half way through the speech it seemed that they jumped back in time. Don’t get me wrong the story was good I just wished the author had kept it modern.
I voluntarily reviewed a gifted copy of this book.
Lily Brewer has just moved half way across the world after her mother died, she was sent straight from the airport to a boarding school. Lily’s father has the idea that she should find herself a rich husband so she’d be set up for life but she has other plans.
Austin Cooper is one of the richest and best looking guys at Netherfield Prep along with his identical twin brother, Austin has a constant scowl on his face, as the intended heir to his over bearing aunt he finds himself expected to marry someone he doesn’t even like.
When Austin and Lily meet there is an instant attraction but also a dislike of each other. I really liked this story, I love when authors take a classic story and put a modern twist on it. This story for me had great potential for a 5 star review but it annoyed me that the author couldn’t keep the story modern, most of the story was “modern” but half the conversations jumped between “modern” and “classic”. The characters start out talking as normal teenagers in 2018 and then half way through the speech it seemed that they jumped back in time. Don’t get me wrong the story was good I just wished the author had kept it modern.
I voluntarily reviewed a gifted copy of this book.
September 20, 2018
A decent modern variation of Pride and Prejudice where the "translation" from regency to contemporary had it's wincing moments...
Lily Brewer (Elizabeth), was an Australian that had just moved to England after her mother died.
Austin Cooper (Darcy), was an orphaned heir with a twin brother Jackson (Bingley). Jane will be recognised as Lily's roommate Anne.
I will let you discover who was who of the rest of the characters, if you chose to read it.
The story unfolds at college and has the adolescent feel that you would expect from a younger ODC but not annoyingly so...
The timeline of canon was easily recognisable although there was no longer separations as it was in the original. Understandable, as it is hard to avoid people on campus...
A substantial read of almost 600 pages but it was not as captivating as I prefer. Sweet and chaste read (some allusion to bedroom activity and a mention of rape but nothing was described).
Some of the original conversations, especially between ODC, was too little altered from canon to fit the modern era and to such an extent that it occasionally made me wince.
I have serious doubts about the marriage mindedness of the twin brothers at the rip age of 18 as well...
Lily Brewer (Elizabeth), was an Australian that had just moved to England after her mother died.
Austin Cooper (Darcy), was an orphaned heir with a twin brother Jackson (Bingley). Jane will be recognised as Lily's roommate Anne.
I will let you discover who was who of the rest of the characters, if you chose to read it.
The story unfolds at college and has the adolescent feel that you would expect from a younger ODC but not annoyingly so...
The timeline of canon was easily recognisable although there was no longer separations as it was in the original. Understandable, as it is hard to avoid people on campus...
A substantial read of almost 600 pages but it was not as captivating as I prefer. Sweet and chaste read (some allusion to bedroom activity and a mention of rape but nothing was described).
Some of the original conversations, especially between ODC, was too little altered from canon to fit the modern era and to such an extent that it occasionally made me wince.
I have serious doubts about the marriage mindedness of the twin brothers at the rip age of 18 as well...
April 12, 2018
Please note that I received a free copy for an honest review. (Elizabeth, thank you so much, I really liked it!)
Overall a really fun read. Stevens manages to capture the essentials of the original Pride & Prejudice characters while giving them a fun little twist. Elizabeth (Lily) remains the same intelligent and sassy girl that she was in the original. Darcy (Oz) is also still the same aloof aristocrat but that's where the parallels end.
Welcome to a Pride & Prejudice that's contemporary and filled with a bunch of twists that are both similar and different to the original.
Overall a really fun read. Stevens manages to capture the essentials of the original Pride & Prejudice characters while giving them a fun little twist. Elizabeth (Lily) remains the same intelligent and sassy girl that she was in the original. Darcy (Oz) is also still the same aloof aristocrat but that's where the parallels end.
Welcome to a Pride & Prejudice that's contemporary and filled with a bunch of twists that are both similar and different to the original.
August 29, 2017
good read
January 27, 2019
Good read.
Beautifully written. I was hooked from page one. I love how the story was re-imagined. It still had the arrogance, pride and romance as the original. Even some of the same language. This version, however, was funnier and easier to read. Normally, I would say don't mess with the classics. I make exception for this! Kudos!
Beautifully written. I was hooked from page one. I love how the story was re-imagined. It still had the arrogance, pride and romance as the original. Even some of the same language. This version, however, was funnier and easier to read. Normally, I would say don't mess with the classics. I make exception for this! Kudos!
October 15, 2018
Not what I expected
U guess my expectation was too high., because this was a bit disappointing to me. I liked that she retold pride and prejudice, but there was a lot that I just didn't like.
First Lily - I can't stand her, she seems loud and crass. Always swearing and ended up in arguments with everyone bar Anne. She's violent and believes her justice is the only one. I have no idea why everyone including Austin was falling for her. She seemed to be brooding throughout the entire story.
Austin- I liked Austin, it he didn't seem to fit into the time period. His character along with Jax are the only ones that resembled the book
My biggest problem was the constant mention of money. Everyone talks about how much money they have or wants. I thought the premises of Pride and Prejudice was Darcy loving Elizabeth beside her not being on his money level yes, but also her lack of ties to someone with honour in their duty and the lack or propriety of her sisters bar Jane and her parents. Her being poor was the least of his worries.
I did like that the story events were similar and I enjoyed Jack and Anne. Three stars and half 🌟
U guess my expectation was too high., because this was a bit disappointing to me. I liked that she retold pride and prejudice, but there was a lot that I just didn't like.
First Lily - I can't stand her, she seems loud and crass. Always swearing and ended up in arguments with everyone bar Anne. She's violent and believes her justice is the only one. I have no idea why everyone including Austin was falling for her. She seemed to be brooding throughout the entire story.
Austin- I liked Austin, it he didn't seem to fit into the time period. His character along with Jax are the only ones that resembled the book
My biggest problem was the constant mention of money. Everyone talks about how much money they have or wants. I thought the premises of Pride and Prejudice was Darcy loving Elizabeth beside her not being on his money level yes, but also her lack of ties to someone with honour in their duty and the lack or propriety of her sisters bar Jane and her parents. Her being poor was the least of his worries.
I did like that the story events were similar and I enjoyed Jack and Anne. Three stars and half 🌟
December 4, 2023
Contains: strong language, underage drinking, reference to sexual assault (not explicit), mentions of sex.
This wasn’t my favorite from this author nor was it my favorite P&P retelling. I liked that the characters are switched up a bit—Lily’s (Elizabeth) step-mom is the voice of reason while her dad is mercenary, Anne (Jane) is her roommate rather than her sister, Jax (Bingley) and Austin (Darcy) are twins not friends.
I didn’t like that it was at times practically word-for-word from the source material. I thought the modern twist was creative but a lot of the original could have been cut out. I hated that they called each other “brother” or “cousin” the whole time. And why in the crap does everyone have a crush on Lily??? Also, the whole Cass character seems to just fade out into oblivion. Other thoughts, do this kids ever go to class? Is there any adult supervision? They seem to drink, party, and sleep around a lot, or they go visit family, or there is another schools soccer team there for like a month. In my mind they also all had Aussie accents even though most of them should have had British accents.
This wasn’t my favorite from this author nor was it my favorite P&P retelling. I liked that the characters are switched up a bit—Lily’s (Elizabeth) step-mom is the voice of reason while her dad is mercenary, Anne (Jane) is her roommate rather than her sister, Jax (Bingley) and Austin (Darcy) are twins not friends.
I didn’t like that it was at times practically word-for-word from the source material. I thought the modern twist was creative but a lot of the original could have been cut out. I hated that they called each other “brother” or “cousin” the whole time. And why in the crap does everyone have a crush on Lily??? Also, the whole Cass character seems to just fade out into oblivion. Other thoughts, do this kids ever go to class? Is there any adult supervision? They seem to drink, party, and sleep around a lot, or they go visit family, or there is another schools soccer team there for like a month. In my mind they also all had Aussie accents even though most of them should have had British accents.
November 30, 2018
Pride & Prejudice is one of my all time favourite novels, and so I can't resist any book that uses it as an inspiration. I have read many modern retellings, both adult and YA, and there have been very few that I failed to at least finish.
This is one of those few.
I enjoyed the characters and the writing was competent enough (with only minor hiccups that a decent edit would've picked up). My problem with the book was that it tried too hard to be faithful to the original. Scenes from Austens' novel seemed to have been transported directly into NP with little regard for how jarringly anachronistic they were. There was a confusing disconnect between the modern setting and the characters words and actions that was fatally distracting for me as a reader.
If I'd wanted to read Pride & Prejudice again I would have plucked Austen from my shelf, if I'd wanted to read some P&P inspired YA fiction I should have been better re-reading Stephanie Wardrop's 'Snark and Circumstance'. Which is what I recommend to anyone who has read, or is considering reading, 'Netherfield Prep'.
This is one of those few.
I enjoyed the characters and the writing was competent enough (with only minor hiccups that a decent edit would've picked up). My problem with the book was that it tried too hard to be faithful to the original. Scenes from Austens' novel seemed to have been transported directly into NP with little regard for how jarringly anachronistic they were. There was a confusing disconnect between the modern setting and the characters words and actions that was fatally distracting for me as a reader.
If I'd wanted to read Pride & Prejudice again I would have plucked Austen from my shelf, if I'd wanted to read some P&P inspired YA fiction I should have been better re-reading Stephanie Wardrop's 'Snark and Circumstance'. Which is what I recommend to anyone who has read, or is considering reading, 'Netherfield Prep'.
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