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Eligible: A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice
Unavailable
Eligible: A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice
Unavailable
Eligible: A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice
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Eligible: A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

3.5/5

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About this audiobook

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Wonderfully tender and hilariously funny, Eligible tackles gender, class, courtship, and family as Curtis Sittenfeld reaffirms herself as one of the most dazzling authors writing today.

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR AND THE TIMES (UK)

This version of the Bennet family-and Mr. Darcy-is one that you have and haven't met before: Liz is a magazine writer in her late thirties who, like her yoga instructor older sister, Jane, lives in New York City. When their father has a health scare, they return to their childhood home in Cincinnati to help-and discover that the sprawling Tudor they grew up in is crumbling and the family is in disarray.

Youngest sisters Kitty and Lydia are too busy with their CrossFit workouts and Paleo diets to get jobs. Mary, the middle sister, is earning her third online master's degree and barely leaves her room, except for those mysterious Tuesday-night outings she won't discuss. And Mrs. Bennet has one thing on her mind: how to marry off her daughters, especially as Jane's fortieth birthday fast approaches.

Enter Chip Bingley, a handsome new-in-town doctor who recently appeared on the juggernaut reality TV dating show Eligible. At a Fourth of July barbecue, Chip takes an immediate interest in Jane, but Chip's friend neurosurgeon Fitzwilliam Darcy reveals himself to Liz to be much less charming. . . .

And yet, first impressions can be deceiving.

Praise for Eligible

"Even the most ardent Austenite will soon find herself seduced."-O: The Oprah Magazine

"Blissful . . . Sittenfeld modernizes the classic in such a stylish, witty way you'd guess even Jane Austen would be pleased."-People (book of the week)

"[A] sparkling, fresh contemporary retelling."-Entertainment Weekly

"[Sittenfeld] is the ideal modern-day reinterpreter. Her special skill lies not just in her clear, clean writing, but in her general amusement about the world, her arch, pithy, dropped-mike observations about behavior, character and motivation. She can spot hypocrisy, cant, self-contradiction and absurdity ten miles away. She's the one you want to leave the party with, so she can explain what really happened. . . . Not since Clueless, which transported Emma to Beverly Hills, has Austen been so delightedly interpreted. . . . Sittenfeld writes so well-her sentences are so good and her story so satisfying. . . . As a reader, let me just say: Three cheers for Curtis Sittenfeld and her astute, sharp and ebullient anthropological interest in the human condition."-Sarah Lyall, The New York Times Book Review

"A clever, uproarious evolution of Austen's story."-The Denver Post

"If there exists a more perfect pairing than Curtis Sittenfeld and Jane Austen, we dare you to find it. . . . Sittenfeld makes an already irresistible story even more beguiling and charming."-Elle

"A playful, wickedly smart retelling of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice."-BuzzFeed

"Sittenfeld is an obvious choice to re-create Jane Austen's comedy of manners. [She] is a master at dissecting social norms to reveal the truths of human nature underneath."-The Millions

"A hugely entertaining and surprisingly unpredictable book, bursting with wit and charm."-The Irish Times

“An unputdownable retelling of the beloved classic.”-PopSugar
LanguageEnglish
Release dateApr 19, 2016
ISBN9780307736659
Unavailable
Eligible: A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice
Author

Curtis Sittenfeld

CURTIS SITTENFELD is the New York Times best-selling author of the novels Prep, The Man of My Dreams, American Wife, Sisterland, Eligible, and the forthcoming Rodham, which have been translated into thirty languages. She is also the author of the short story collection You Think It, I'll Say It and her short stories have appeared in The New Yorker, the Washington Post Magazine, Esquire, and The Best American Short Stories. Her nonfiction has been published inthe New York Times, The Atlantic, Time, and Glamour, and broadcast on public radio’s This American Life. A native of Cincinnati, she currently lives with her family in Minneapolis.

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Reviews for Eligible

Rating: 3.5821606813627254 out of 5 stars
3.5/5

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  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Retelling of Pride & Prejudice. The Bennets live in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Darcy is a neurosurgeon. Bingley and his sister are involved in reality TV.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Eligible since is a modern take on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. So, of course, I had to read it."Well before his arrival in Cincinnati, everyone knew that Chip Bingley was looking for a wife." Said Chip had been on the television reality show Eligible, hoping to find love, and broke all the girls' hearts by marrying none of them. His Hollywood career over, he went back to practice medicine in a new town.For Mrs. Bennet, Chip's arrival in Cincinnati was perfect timing. The two eldest Bennet daughters, Jane nearly forty and Liz not far behind, were returning home to help out after Mr. Bennet's coronary artery bypass surgery. After all, Mrs. Bennet couldn't handle an invalid AND chair the Women's League fundraising luncheon. As far as Mrs. Bennet was concerned, having a medical man in the family would be a perk.Only Liz knows that Jane opted for artificial insemination after the break up of her last relationship. Liz writes for a magazine and has no plans for children. But she has been in love with her 'best friend' Jasper Wick for years, although they never became a 'couple' until after Jasper's married. Fourteen years Liz waited for him to realize they were meant for each other. Jasper had no intention of divorcing his wife, so Liz becomes his 'best friend' with benefits.Liz soon discovers not only mom but dear old dad needs 'handling,' beginning with mom's shopping addiction and the huge medical bills piling up because dad was uninsured. Living at home still are Mary, in graduate school, and freeloaders Kitty and Lydia, in their early twenties.The Bennet family are invited to the Lucas's house to meet Chip, where, of course, his friend Darcy snubs Liz. Meanwhile, 'cousin Willie' has made millions and shows up looking for a wife, and a snarky Caroline Bingley warns Liz off.You know the story--just not this version of the story. Everything is updated: the daughter's ages, their sex lives, and the problems they face are very 21st c. Racism, sexual orientation, transgender issues, and the artificial reality of television make appearances.It is a very funny novel, and overall a very clever updating of Austen. I especially loved Sittenfeld's version of Mr. Bennet. "I don't suppose that any of you can appreciate the terror a man might feel being so outnumbered," Mr. Bennet said. "I often weep, and there are only six of you."I thought the updated scene of Liz trying to get to an ailing Jane was handled well; in the original, Liz walks through dirty lanes and fields, arriving in most unfashionable condition. Sittenfeld has Liz jog across town, arriving drenched in sweat. Each version of Liz shows how she places family bonds above social approbation, and in each she proves herself to be healthy, active, fit, and glowing.Showing my age, and early monogamy, it was discomforting to read about all the premarital sex going on. All the sexual tension between Darcy and Elizabeth? I sure missed that. And where Austen's Liz has her own pride, Sittenfeld's Liz is a terrible drunk. Not my favorite handling of this character.Eligible also misses the darker side of Austen: the soldier's camp gathered because of the looming war with France, Liz's challenge to the social hierarchy by not kowtowing to her social superiors, the church held in thrall by those who hold the living to the point of the Rev. Mr. Collins being instructed on what to preach. And Wick is an almost comic philanderer, Liz willing to settle for his terms, when Wickham was a seducer of a young heiress, a liar, a gambler, and an gold-digging opportunist--very evil qualities in Austen's day.But I applaud Sittenfeld's novel for picking up on Austen's witty social jabs and the bright and sparkling aspect of the original.I obtained a copy of the book through my local public library.
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a reader in possession of a sentimental mind must be in want of a retelling. Eligible: A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice by Curtis Sittenfeld is the fourth installment in The Austen Project, a series that pairs contemporary authors with Jane Austen’s six complete novels. Attempting to modernize Pride and Prejudice, arguably Austen’s most famous work, is a daunting task. Sittenfeld’s dedication and effort deserve credit, but unfortunately, in her hands the plot, characters, and atmosphere fall horrifically flat.

    Pride and Prejudice holds up so well due in part to its universal nature. The particulars may differ, but the fundamentals of courting, social structure, and reputation remain the same. Where Eligible goes wrong is in the gargantuan changes made; nothing feels familiar because everything is different. Sittenfeld bequeaths main characters with lazy nicknames (Elizabeth is Liz, Fitzwilliam Darcy is just Darcy, and Mr. Bingley is Chip), as well as gives them uncharacteristic professions (Liz works for a gossip magazine, Jane is a yoga instructor, and Chip is a doctor/reality show star). Notably, they are also aged up a decade or so. Jane resembles herself the most, but Mr. Bingley as Chip is completely unrecognizable. His obsession with finding love, going so far as to join a reality show resembling The Bachelor, appalls. These new characters are not just modern versions of their namesakes, they are obnoxious caricatures. Nothing amuses or satisfies the reader when once loveable characters come off as shallow and unpleasant.

    When characters change so drastically, relationship dynamics alter too. Much of the appeal in Elizabeth’s and Mr. Darcy’s courtship comes from their witty banter. They do not converse much in this retelling; they text and have hate sex. In the original work, Jane and Mr. Bingley complement each other so well because they have gentle and shy demeanors. Unfortunately, Chip’s flirtation with fame and Jane’s sudden, life-altering decisions lead to forced and awkward interactions on the page. The Bennett family relationships do not escape the massive rework either. In an effort to create an element of differentiation between the generations, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet are portrayed as close-minded and quarrelsome relics with little to no patience for their exasperating brood of grown children. Their youngest daughters, Lydia and Kitty, lazy, CrossFit obsessed Millennials, refuse to respect their parents and act out in ridiculous ways. Mary barely interacts with anyone, and Liz and Jane merely visit their family, as they both live in apartments in New York. Too many superficial interactions transform a classic satire into a gossipy and humorless mess.

    The most surprising addition to the plot is the inclusion of a new character that plays a large part in the scandal that almost destroys the Bennet family’s reputation. Mr. Wickham (Jasper) does appear in the novel, but his moment in the spotlight is miniscule compared to the new character, Ham, who Lydia finds herself enamored with. This twist is certainly the most “modern” element of the story, and the most unexpected, especially since it has no counterpart in the original work. Unfortunately, the scandal does not come off as controversial and damaging as everyone seems to think it will. Ironically, this is probably because Ham is the most likeable character in the novel.

    Curtis Sittenfeld’s Eligible is a poor representation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. The changes are so bizarre that they will likely leave you speechless. Prepare yourself for the last chapter, as it pops up out of nowhere, has no purpose whatsoever, and wraps up the plot on an even more dissatisfying note. By the end of the novel you may end up asking yourself, was the author actually a fan of Pride and Prejudice prior to tackling this book? It certainly doesn’t seem like it.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    There are some things that I love about this book. Normally, I would be horrified for anyone to tamper in any way with Austen. But as I read the book, I found that the contemporary parallels, such as the dysfunction of the Bennet family and the personalities of the characters, and the specifics (the Tudor being allowed to run down, the employment status of the 2 younger sisters, etc) produced a deeper emotional response in me. In Austen's story, there is such restraint - and I love that - but my emotions are more "muffled" or something - it's like I can't quite imagine just how annoying Mrs. Bennet it - but in Sittenfeld's version I found her repulsive, which maybe was Austen's intent?? - or maybe not! Or maybe Austen intended her to be annoying yet charming. Anyway, I am eager to go back to P&P again, and see if my reaction is different after reading Sittenfeld.

    The reality-show ending left me cold - that's why I only went with 4 stars. I really dislike reality TV, so maybe for many modern readers that was a clever touch, but the author lost me there.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I loved it! My only disappointment was that Lady Catherine wasn't there and her role and important speech at the end was given to Catherine Bingley.
    Totally believable in the 21st century with similar not identical happenings
    Mrs. Bennett was annoying in a new way. Kitty and Mary were given a lot more attention
    This was my favourite of the Austen Project books and I own all...
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Placeholder Review: I LOVED IT.

    I could have gone on reading this book for months and been happy. I may be the only person to provide an early review that has NOT read "Pride and Prejudice," however that does not dampen my enthusiasm a bit. I adored the Bennets, even the repulsive ones like Kitty. The hilariously witty commentary provided by Mr. Bennet had me rolling. And of course, I was thrilled by the love story between Darcy and Liz.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    It was better than Twilight.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    What a delightful surprise. I’ve read Ms. Sittenfeld’s writing before (Sisterland), and I’ve read Pride and Prejudice, so I knew it would be entertaining. I also knew how it would end, sort of, so it wasn’t exactly suspenseful. And yet I read 500 pages in 24 hours. I stayed up too late reading last night, and started up first thing this morning.

    If you’ve read Pride and Prejudice you know the characters – the basic personality types are still there, but everyone is aged up a fair bit, and the two sisters who don’t live at home have returned because of the patriarch’s heart attack. It continues from there, and it is mostly delightful. The title stems from the Bachelor-style TV show that one of the male love interests had previously appeared on.

    A couple of things – I vaguely recall Mr. Bennet being a quiet but kind father, and Mrs. Bennet being extremely obnoxious but perhaps with her heart in the right place. This telling, however – hoo boy. Mr. Bennet is mostly a jerk who seems at times unable to accept that his very smart daughter is in touch with reality while he is not. His dismissiveness comes across as misogynistic, as opposed to just suffering 80s sitcom dad-ness. And Mrs. Bennet – racist, transphobic, obnoxious. I really wouldn’t have minded a diversion in the retelling that involved her running away and never returning, possible because she was being detained forever by the TSA. Just a wretched character.

    I probably wouldn’t have picked it up if not recommended by a book club, but I’m really glad I did. I think it’s a fun read, especially for a long, lazy weekend.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I received this as an ARC from Net Galley. Thank you!

    I absolutely LOVED this book! The humor, the sarcasm, the whole story was wonderful!
    Another hit for Ms. Sittenfeld!
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    Skip this remake! The side flap summary makes this sound like a decent modernization of Pride and Prejudice and it's all a lie. It wasn't terrible all the way up until Elizabeth becomes dunderhead and hangs tight to Jasper, the cheating plonker despite seeing the ongoing trend of he's not going to divorce his wife. And also, hello? Cheater? There are so many other men out there, why did she have to get hung up on a cheater? Why would she even start a relationship/continue the relationship after finding out?! I just wanted to reach into the book and shake Elizabeth. I don't understand how Jane Austen could write a strong, modern woman back in 1800s and now in the 21st century, Elizabeth has regressed into a...I don't even have words.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    A special thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

    Where do I start? Okay, so I'm a fan of Sittenfeld's other books, so it was a no-brainer to request Eligible. When I found out it was an adaptation of Pride and Prejudice that takes place mostly in Cincinnati, I have to admit, I was worried that it was going to be a total flop. That being said, for the most part, Sittenfeld actually pulls it off! There are a few liberties, which are to be expected since this is modern day, however things are for the most part left in tact and yet makes it sound like her own and not a retelling.

    I did struggle a bit with the third-person perspective. Like Austen, she tries to replicate this perspective and if I had a criticism it would be that I don't think she was overly successful - the story was very agile and manic at times. I also stumbled with some of the language, words like "erstwhile" and "egregious" are not words you hear every day, and didn't sound appropriate to modern day. Perhaps she was trying to pay homage to Austen through language, but to me, these words are simply out of place.

    The short, digestible chapters made this book easy to devour given its size. Sittenfled is definitely gifted and did right by Austen. All-in-all, a fun read and I would definitely recommend - it isn't just for fans of Pride and Prejudice or Curtis Sittenfeld.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    For some reason I could NEVER get into Pride and Prejudice but this? The CD was delightful, read by Cassandra Campbell. At first I was slightly overwhelmed with keeping the five daughters in my head but this story quickly became a steady series of happenings for all of them, of course, most especially, for Jane and Liz.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Surprisingly entertaining.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Another modern retelling of P&P. I didn't hate it, which does happen. Aside from spending way too much time setting up the parallels and differences of 2013 Bennetts and 1813 Bennetts, the book flowed pretty well and the retelling had enough differences to maintain interest. My favorite character was Cincinnati.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A delightfully refreshing retelling of the Jane Austen classic 'Pride and Prejudice', this book proves to be a fast read and true to the source material, while modernizing it for current audiences. An excellent book for any non-Austen fans out there wanting to explore her books.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book was fan-bloody-tastic. I've read one of the other Austen Project books and wasn't super impressed. This one, however, takes the P&P story and astoundingly finds new ways to run with it and flesh out basically every character. Liz and Darcy are OTP obviously, and just like with P&P I spent like 3/4 of the book just dyingggg for them to finally get together. But I want to highlight the roles played by the other Bennet girls: giving Kitty and Lydia separate lives, while still being really close and similar in temperament, is something new I hadn't seen in other P&P variants. Mary is as curmudgeonly as ever, though we do get a peek at her inner life, too. But everything about this just works SO WELL it's hard to describe. The modern reasons for Liz & "Wickham" to fall apart, for Jane and Bingley's distance, for their mother's obsession with marrying her daughters off... it all honours the source material while changing enough to make it believable in 2016.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This was our choice for our November book club. I absolutely loved this book! It was basically an Americanized version of Bridget Jones. So of course I pictured Colin Firth as Darcy throughout the whole book... le sigh. I absolutely hated the mother and Liz got on my nerves as well a few times but that's why it's a great read. I got into the story and the characters! Definitely a modern twist with all the characters and I was happy with the ending.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I've read several other retellings of "Pride and Prejudice" that were less than impressive, and for the most part had sworn off reading any more. But Sittenfeld's version was terrific, bringing the story into modern times. Liz Bennet is a magazine writer living in New York when she's called home to Cincinnati to help during her father's recuperation from a heart attack. There she meets haughty neurosurgeon Fitzwilliam Darcy and his friend Chip Bingley who recently appeared on a match-making reality show. Highly recommended.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice is hilarious, fun, and just a great story.

    Sittenfeld adds her own modern twists to the original story, and I think it was very well done. She addresses issues in our society regarding feminism, racism, and the LGBT community that really speak to modern times. And I think the Bennet family would really address these issues the way they did if they were brought to the 21st century.

    So overall, it was an interesting retelling that made me laugh out loud multiple times.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Eligible is exactly what it says it is: a modern (Americanized) retelling of Pride and Prejudice. The characters and basic plot are the same and the modern updates are interesting and believable. Overall I did enjoy it but there were 2 things I took minor issue with. First is the relationship between Liz and Wick. I'm not sure if it truly falls in line with Liz's character. Second, and this one really is minor, is how the chapters are divided. Specifically the sheer number of them. There are 181 chapters and some of them are only a paragraph or two long. I received a copy of this book through a goodreads giveaway.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    How many times can Pride & Prejudice be re-written? Seemingly, I guess an infinite number. I enjoyed Sittenfeld's first novel, Prep and also American Wife, but she seemed to be phoning this one in. In her version, written post-housing bubble, Elizabeth is a writer for a magazine in New York & her sister Jane is a yoga instructor (although how anyone lives in New York City with that occupation is beyond me) They return home to Cincinnati because their parents have sustained financial reverses and are going to have to sell their house, which in this book is called "the Tudor."Darcy in this version is a surgeon while Chip Bingley is a reality TV star on a TV show much like "The Bachelor." The younger Bennett sisters don't seem to work. Instead Lydia (who is unspeakably vulgar) and Kitty spend their days in crossfit training, while Mary is working on her third post graduate degree. Mrs. Bennett has gone beyond being a silly woman and is now selfish, homophobic and racist while Mr. Bennett is also much more clueless than in the original version. And the whole sub-plot of Lydia and Mr. Wickham seems to have been thrown into the trashcan. The whole book is much more mean spirited than the original. I expected butter from Ms. Sittenfeld.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Beneath a fluffy, chick lit exterior, this novel updates Jane Austen's classic social satire with a surprisingly thoughtful look at love, marriage, family, parenthood, and feminism.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Getting hold of this book took ages - the Kindle was priced too high (or so I thought, based on the quality of previous Austen Project titles), the secondhand copy I ordered went AWOL in the post, the library copy I reserved was already on loan - but let me tell you, Eligible was well worth the wait! I'm going to buy my own copy - hell, even at full price! - and in hardback, and then beat over the head all the previous Austen Project authors who ruined a good idea. THIS is how you update Austen!While using the ingredients of the original novel, Curtis Sittenfeld hasn't just turned out a sad imitation of Austen's Pride and Prejudice, she has crafted a witty, modern and captivating story full of endearing characters, believable interactions, sweet romances and droll humour. I'm gushing, but I mean every word. I love that Liz, a journalist, is still the only level-headed member of the Bennet family - apart from her feelings for Jasper Wick - and Darcy is now a brain surgeon ('the only question is if being a surgeon gave you a god complex or if your god complex is what led to your being a surgeon'), and Kathy de Bourgh is a famous feminist! And 'Chip' Bingley is the star of a reality TV dating show, the 'Eligible' of the title, while Jane drops a bombshell of her own!I absolutely adored this reworking of Austen, which works far better than all the rest - I think Melissa Pimentel's twist on Persuasion was the second best. Sittenfeld understands the secret of a good 'Austenuation', obviously (or perhaps P+P is just simpler to update): use the same threads, but weave a different tapestry (with bonus points for annoying all the puritanical Austenites with bad language and - shock horror! - scenes of a sexual nature!)
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Just like it says on the book - A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice. A lot of words are used by Ms. Sittenfeld to convey the plot but, few words are used to physically describe the characters - thus I was really unable to picture them and "get into the story". Although 3/4 in I was invested in what happened.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I appreciate it for the first part until Darcy was besmirched and became a lowly creature which can be referred to as fuck boy or fuck buddy for this matter. Then I passed that part and accepted it as a modernized story.

    I am grateful to read a story with prospective outlook to the issues of society. But, I am not satisfied with the reason why Lydia runaway. I think it was too weak to pass the biggest climax of the story. Well, it is hard to think of a counterpart in this time setting. The reality show Eligible is not helping either. All I think of is Parks and Recreation instead of The Bachelor so it was a bit funny; this time, my fault.

    My problem is how should I rate it. I enjoyed reading some parts but got bored on some parts. As far as I know, 3-stars reviews are always the most unbiased (most likely objective) review there ever were, so 3-stars it is!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A funny, modern reimagining of a classic. I found it a little slow at the beginning, and had a difficult time getting into the story. But soon enough it picked up, and I found myself enjoying it. It was different enough from the original, that I was eager to keep reading, in order to see what would happen next.
    -----
    "There's a belief that to take care of someone else, or to let someone else take care of you - that both are inherently unfeminist. I don't agree. There's no shame in devoting yourself to another person, as long as he devotes himself to you in return."
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    A fun re-imagining of P&P. Better than fanfic because Sittenfeld is legit. Also I read it because it's set in Cincinnati and I am fond of my years there. The Cincy details were fun, occasionally forced, the the reality TV angle got old fast. But I found myself rooting for fictional characters, so I guess this light and forgettable confection was a-okay.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Loved this book - it's nearly 500 pages long, but it's a very quick read, humorous and with delightful dialogue.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Pretty entertaining and enjoyable for the Jane Austen fan that is always longing for more Austen. At first, I thought the book was going to be pretty fluffy and maybe even trashy but as I got into it I enjoyed it more and more. The modernization was pretty clever and the author found good parallels in the situations of women then and now. I liked that Liz and Jane were in their late 30s and feeling the biological clock ticking although I felt the author could have gone even deeper into the marriage/kids/work/life balance that it difficult for modern women. The writing was good and i was happy to find several situations where it lifted words or dialogue from the original book. In the end i felt like the reality-TV thing overwhelmed the book, though, and even though there were some funny scenes, that aspect of the story really seemed so unlikely. I ended the book feeling as i did at the beginning--that this was just entertaining fluff and not much more.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A modern telling of Pride and Prejudice. Very tongue-in-cheek. I laughed a lot as the story went on. I liked how she brought in so much of today's pop culture. Well done and it stays true to the original. I would read this and Ms. Sittenfeld again. So much fun!