Let me be the first admit that, although I was curious, I was also highly skeptical when this book was announced.
What? Pride and Prejudice, the great Jane Austen novel that I've read a gazillion times--with zombies? And yet, it struck me that, in the right hands, it could be a good read.
But I didn't really expect it to be. Frankly, I figured I'd make it, oh, 30-40 pages in before the one-note joke got old and I tossed the book aside, ready to move onto something more substantive.
Well.
Was it low expectations, or is this book just that fun? Not only did I finish it, I read it compulsively, sniggering out loud at various points (I'm not someone who laughs out loud often while reading; apparently I need more visual cues).
What makes it work is that the "co-author," Seth Grahame-Smith, uses the Austen text in a respectful (yes!), approachable way, not only integrating zombies into the mayhem of life in Meryton (and all of Britain), but with a tongue-in-cheek updating of some of Austen's language and by occasionally giving a more direct ironic twist to Austen's telling of the story. Instead of a tired joke, the zombies become a part of the story, and their appearance is often directly related to character development within the story--not to mention the use of weaponry.
I'd love to share some of the text with you. But of the many passages I marked for quoting, all are spoilers--for yes, even as someone who knows Pride and Prejudice pretty well, there are surprises. So, reluctantly, I decided not to. I will share this, from the back cover: "Jane Austen is the author of Sense and Sensibility, Persuasion, Mansfield Park, and other masterpieces of English literature. Seth Grahame-Smith once took a class in English literature."
Oh--and did I mention? For book groups, there's a reader's discussion guide at the end with some very insightful questions. Go read it. Have fun.
(Rumor has it that Grahame-Smith is now working on Abe Lincoln, Vampire Hunter. Publisher Quirk Books just announced today another revisionist Austen, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters. You can find the book trailer here. It's by a different author, though; can he live up to Grahame-Smith's accomplishment? Stay tuned.
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