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Abi is Currently Reading

Abi is currently reading

Pride and Prejudice

by Jane Austen

bookshelves: 100-books-2022, classic, historical, romance, would-re-read, obsessed, historical-romance, read-in-audio, currently-reading

Reading for the 4th time

read in December 2022

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Abi said: " Re-read as of May 30 2023
Read this audio book this time round, loved it just as much in this format. 🥰

Re-read as of Dec 18 2023

***Giggles and kicks legs***

No matter how many times I re-read this or re-watch it (I love most of the adaptions, but admi Re-read as of May 30 2023
Read this audio book this time round, loved it just as much in this format. 🥰

Re-read as of Dec 18 2023

***Giggles and kicks legs***

No matter how many times I re-read this or re-watch it (I love most of the adaptions, but admittedly, 2005 is my favourite), it never ceases to amaze me.

No author is more deserving of 5 stars than JANE AUSTEN. At 18 she brought these characters to life, and unknowingly birthed the romance genre into what it is today. She also ruined every young woman's standards ever, as Mr Darcy, rather unfortunately, does not exist!

Lizzie and Darcy's relationship unfolds deliciously slowly, the true definition and blueprint of a slow burn! Often labelled as enemies to lovers (although not entirely on his part) the novel set the standard for the rom-com genre, which no book has lived up to since.

Lizzie and Darcy's story is timeless, going beyond the lines of a simple romance, and it exerts itself into the territory of very profound and significant novel. Feminism was in its very early stages, Mary Wollstonecraft's A Vindication of the Rights of Woman was published only 2 decades prior, and the suffragettes were nearly a century away from being formed.

What Austen did with Pride and Predjudice was a comment on the flaws of her society through the guise of a romance novel. The five daughters of Mr and Mrs Bennet can make no living for themselves as respectable daughters of a gentleman and, therefore, have to rely on the prospects of Marrying well. Mrs Bennet attempts the role of matchmaker, and after her daughter Jane's near success with Bingley, believes this will "throw them in the way of other rich men". This statement falls her out of favour with the proud Mr Darcy, as stated by him when proposing to Lizzie.

The proposal scene is my reason for loving this book. I feign shock every time I read it, even though I know it almost by heart. This shock simulates what Lizzie feels at this moment. How can a man she hates, speak so plainly and honestly of his love for her, when she was sure the disgust she felt for him was reciprocated? What on earth has happened for him to see her that way and how?

'In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.'

And this, ladies and gentlemen and everyone else, is where I audibly squeal even though I am sitting alone in my room.

I wonder at what it must've been like to read this novel at the time it was written. She sold the novel for only £110, which, despite being a lot of money, she later regretted due to its success, even in her lifetime. Therefore, many young Regency and Victorian women would have read this with nothing at the time to compare it to and expressed their shock at the surprise and drama of Mr Darcy proposing in such a way.

The reason Enemies to lovers (I know I have said this is not, but it indeed laid the foundations for it) is so timeless, is because there's something so enticing about someone seeing and acknowledging all of your faults and falling in love with despite all of them. This is why I blush every time I read this. It's just so beautiful, and it wouldn't be the same without reading it yourself.

The movie/TV adaptions are good, but none of them do this justice. There is a scene towards the end of the book where Lizzie asks Darcy when and how he fell in love with her.

'I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look, or the words, which lay the foundation. It was too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew it had begun.'

Lizzie to Darcy:

'Now be sincere; did you admire me for my impertinence?'
'For the liveliness of your mind, I did.'

Lizzie to Darcy:

'Why, especially, when you called, did you look as if you did not care for me?'
'Because you were grave and silent and gave me no encouragement.'
'But I was embarrassed.'
'And so was I.'
'You might have talked to me more when you came to dinner
'A man who felt less might'

***giggling***

For this scene alone, the book is worth it!

Anyway, happy reading to all who have not yet had the pleasure of reading one of the most ground-breaking works of the 19th century and perhaps ever. Its relevancy remains steadfast, it remains in publication, and it is loved all over the globe.

So if you haven't read it, please, I ~~threaten you~~ beg of you, read it as soon as you can!