So I've finished Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen and I loved it so much that I had to share a Top 5 list.
1. Austen's Style - The story is written in third person, but it feels different that other books of this style. It's as though an outside observer is telling the tale. Somehow, Austen is able to invite you inside everyone's head for a more intimate look at what each character is thinking rather than just the main character. For me, it makes the story that much more interesting.
2. The Humor - I'm a dry humor sort of gal, so I really appreciate Austen's sense of comedic timing. I especially love Mr. Bennet in this regard. He's hilarious.
"An unhappy alternative is before you, Elizabeth. From this day you must be a stranger to one of your parents. Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do." -Mr. Bennet
3. The Humanity - None of Austen's character are without fault and each character suffers from a very real flaw - greed, vanity, pride, silliness, etc. Only Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy are able to escape their own shortcomings and then, only after they have openly wounded each other.
4.Wickham & Lydia - I have to single these two characters out. They are both so absurd and cause so much trouble throughout the whole story that you can't help but feel like that deserve each other. Lydia's sole ambition is to get married while Wickham's is to get money. From their union, each is given what they long for though neither is content for long. The fact that they are stuck with each other in the end is poetic justice.
5. The Romance - I love Love, so it's easy to like this book. But Austen brings more to the table when she writes the romance between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. It's a potent commentary on what we expect in love and what it actually should be. Both characters must search within themselves to find a person worthy of love. And that's what makes their relationship compelling. The willingness to be more than what the other person expects.
1. Austen's Style - The story is written in third person, but it feels different that other books of this style. It's as though an outside observer is telling the tale. Somehow, Austen is able to invite you inside everyone's head for a more intimate look at what each character is thinking rather than just the main character. For me, it makes the story that much more interesting.
2. The Humor - I'm a dry humor sort of gal, so I really appreciate Austen's sense of comedic timing. I especially love Mr. Bennet in this regard. He's hilarious.
"An unhappy alternative is before you, Elizabeth. From this day you must be a stranger to one of your parents. Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do." -Mr. Bennet
3. The Humanity - None of Austen's character are without fault and each character suffers from a very real flaw - greed, vanity, pride, silliness, etc. Only Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy are able to escape their own shortcomings and then, only after they have openly wounded each other.
4.Wickham & Lydia - I have to single these two characters out. They are both so absurd and cause so much trouble throughout the whole story that you can't help but feel like that deserve each other. Lydia's sole ambition is to get married while Wickham's is to get money. From their union, each is given what they long for though neither is content for long. The fact that they are stuck with each other in the end is poetic justice.
5. The Romance - I love Love, so it's easy to like this book. But Austen brings more to the table when she writes the romance between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. It's a potent commentary on what we expect in love and what it actually should be. Both characters must search within themselves to find a person worthy of love. And that's what makes their relationship compelling. The willingness to be more than what the other person expects.
RSS Feed