Play Book Tag discussion

Eligible: A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice by Curtis Sittenfeld
4 stars + ♥

I adore Pride and Prejudice. I love the book. I love the BBC miniseries with Colin Firth as Fitzwilliam Darcy. I love Bridget Jones's Diary where Bridget loves Mr. Darcy and Colin Firth plays Mark Darcy. I can tolerate the Kiera Knightly movie but only if I don't look at her mouth when she talks. I have seen Pride and Prejudice plays which were all wonderful.

So, when I saw that Curtis Sittenfeld was releasing a contemporary take on a Victorian classic I eagerly started counting down the days. And it lived up to my expectations.

There are obviously challenges to updating the story, but I thought Sittenfeld handled them masterfully. Mrs. Bennet was a midwestern mom who thought her daughters lives were over unless they got married and had a family (this is still a very prevalent mindset in the midwest). Jane was a yoga instructor, Liz wrote freelance articles for a women's magazine related to women in the workforce and women's rights (I loved this twist), Darcy was a neurosurgeon, and Bingley was a doctor/reality television star (how perfect!). The characters had cell phones, they texted, they worried about their ailing parents, they watched trashy reality TV, and they still struggled with relationships.

I just adored it. It was not highbrow literature. It did not make some social statement like the original P&P did. But I was entertained throughout even though I knew what was going to happen.

Of course, there were flaws too.

Mrs. Bennet and the three younger sisters were horrible people, they were mean and judgmental and shallow. In effect, they were exactly the same as they were in Pride and Prejudice, but they could have been toned down a notch.

Sittenfeld threw in every current stereotype she could find: interracial couples, transgenders, women who chose to have children on their own via artificial insemination, women who don't want children at all, universal health care, lesbians. It was exhausting at times.

Overall, could not stop listening (luckily I was in my car a TON over the last several days) and I enjoyed every minute of it. 21st century chick lit adapted from Victorian Era chick lit. The times have changed but the relationship problems remain the same. And, HEA is the same in any time period!

Oh definitely adding this one to my list . . .great review!

Just a heads up, Anita, it is pretty chick-lit-y!

Great Review! So can't wait!

I'm seeing Curtis Sittenfeld at the Spring Literary Luncheon next week ...

Have you read any of the other books in The Austen Project series?

Cool, I didn't realize that this was a P & P retellings. I read one of other books and enjoyed it. Onto the mountain it goes :-)

BC, I have not read any of the other retellings.

This sounds great. But what's with Kiera Knightley's snuggle tooth?

Sounds fun! Might give it a try when I'm in the mood for something chick lit-y!