Monday, February 1, 2016

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES // Oh My


Warning: As always, I try to stay relatively spoiler free. But it doesn’t hurt to proceed with caution.

Rating: Three stars—Good


Well, this one was…interesting. As much as I am generally a purist when it comes to the books I love, I must admit that I quite liked the idea of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES. (If you’ve read my review of ILLUMINAE, you’ll know I get excited about zombie fiction.) So let’s talk a bit about what I liked and what I didn’t. 

The Culture. I love what Seth Grahame-Smith did with this. In the majority of zombie media I’ve encountered, the world is being turned topsy-turvy by a massive influx of the walking dead—consequently, all established conventions and rules have been thrown out the window. Not so here. It’s incredibly amusing to watch the characters attempt to go about their normal lives like nothing catastrophic is happening—attending balls, visiting friends and relatives, traveling, sightseeing, going on walks—all the while doing their best to avoid getting attacked by the “manky dreadfuls”. 

Before this book, I’d never considered what a culture built around zombies as a matter of course would look like, so it was delightful to see how England has grown used to the long-term presence of this plague. At the time this story is set, the people of Britain have had a couple generations to adjust, to the point where zombies are now considered more of an inconvenience than an immediate threat—no need for society to grind to a halt. People know when to avoid going out—especially during rainy times when the ground is soft (which allows the dead to climb more easily from their graves, in case you were wondering). And conventions may not be extinct, but they have changed somewhat in that becoming an accomplished young lady now includes learning how to wield a sword. 

The Characters. Grahame-Smith has kept most of the characters true to their original forms. Jane Bennet is still as compassionate as ever. Mary is just as odious. Lydia and Kitty remain their shallow, flirtatious selves. And so on. BUT, I was little put off by some of liberties Grahame-Smith took with my favorite characters. 

Don’t get me wrong, I love that he has taken the time to make Lizzy an even stronger, more capable young woman. I love that she is this kick butt, accomplished fighter, and I love how that combines with everything else to make her feel even more fleshed out (in some ways) than the original Lizzy. (At which point, all the Austen purists move in to strike me down.) Grahame-Smith has added more fire to her fiery personality, and he has given her a stronger sense of honor that makes her even more relatable, in my opinion. However, I think he goes too far. I can’t say I’m comfortable, AT ALL, with Lizzy ripping out someone’s heart and taking a bite. I mean, excuse me. *squinty eyes* Lizzy is one of my favorite characters of ever, and I would prefer it if she weren’t represented as a savage cannibal person. She is strong and clever and beautiful in her ability to stand up for herself, defend her honor and her family, and verbally joust with Mr. Darcy. She definitely doesn’t need to detract from that by acting like a feral animal. So yeah, I would have much preferred if she had retained, in the face of the walking dead, a heightened respect for human life and human decency. 

I was also disappointed with the tweaks made to Mr. Bennet (Lizzy’s father) and Mrs. Gardner (Lizzy’s aunt). I loved those characters in the original, and I respected them because they are some of the best people in that story. So I was bothered that Grahame-Smith felt the need to include some mentions of extra-marital dalliances for both of them (separate cases, of course). Maybe that wouldn’t bother you, but I felt it detracted from the overall tone of the story. Beyond that, I was frustrated with how Mr. Bennet treats his wife. In the original PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, while he has no great respect for her silliness, he is amused by her and rather fond of her, in a distracted sort of way. Overall, he treats her better than she deserves, and when he teases her, it’s all in good fun. But in P&P&Z, he’s downright rude to her most of the time. I just, I don’t know, I loved him in the original book and I couldn’t love him in this one, which made me sad. 

Other Issues. Often, Lizzy repeats the details of her training and backstory, and it got a little tiresome after a while. Not only is it repetitive, it doesn’t feel true to form. As a martial artist, I’ve found that those who frequently reference their training in order to establish a sense of dominance (and in rather bragging terms, as Lizzy does) do not usually tend to be very good at what they do. So if Lizzy is the fighting master she claims to be, she wouldn’t feel the need to bring it up as often just to convince people to take her seriously—she would know her abilities could speak for themselves. 

Furthermore, as an honorary grandma, I wasn’t pleased with all the innuendo Grahame-Smith slipped in there. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE was such a clean story—something I would happily recommend to everyone and their coffee maker. But I wouldn’t feel as comfortable blindly throwing P&P&Z at just anyone. 

Beyond that, the writing wasn’t hugely spectacular. Grahame-Smith uses a lot of Jane Austen’s own words, and I enjoyed those parts. But many of his additions felt forced, like he wasn’t fully comfortable using regency language. Many of the fight scenes also came across as rather unbelievable, so I couldn’t take the story as seriously. It’s one thing if I’m suspending disbelief for the zombies—that’s fun. But there’s a limit to how much I’m willing to suspend disbelief, and I (personally) think it would have been better if everything aside from the zombies had been realistic because then the contrast would have been more stark and thus more enjoyable. 

There were other aspects of this story that made me roll my eyes and grumble, but those were the main ones, so I’ll leave it at that. 

In Conclusion. All in all, I enjoyed the concept of P&P&Z. It was a fun mix-up, and in some places the additions actually made the narrative feel more complex and whole. Grahame-Smith retained much of Jane Austen’s humor as well as adding some of his own, and he balanced the added darker elements with the lighter tone of the original story very well. But (and I realize I sound a little whiny) I would have much preferred a more quality execution and a little more respect for the original characters and story. Still, I’m glad I read it, if only to say that I did. And I would like to give a big shout-out to my sister who bought me a copy so I could read it before the movie comes out February 5th. Let's all give her a round of applause. Just look at the movie tie-in cover—it does make a gorgeous addition to my shelves. 



What about you, my little coffee beans—have you read this one? What are your thoughts on rewrites like this? Are you a strict purist, or are you open to classical remixes? Have you read any books like PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES? Do you think the movie will be any good?

18 comments:

  1. LOL how does one proceed with caution?!?! I have no way of knowing whether what I'm about to read is a spoiler or not. I'll just assume it will be spoiled XD
    I was gifted this many years ago and just couldn't get into it. I have to agree with you that his additions didn't feel all that natural to me, but I'm glad this book had some redeeming qualities for you. I may give this book another go, seeing as how the movie has come out and all. Then again I don't see myself going to see the movie. =/ Thanks for sharing, Liz!

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    1. I've actually been asking myself that question. :P I've been considering changing/removing that warning, since I wondered if it might be more confusing than I had initially thought, so I'm glad you said something. :)
      It was a little hard to get into for me as well, and part of that I think was just adjusting to the differences, since I'm a huge fan of the original. I would recommend reading it, if you feel up to it. :) I was glad that I got to read it, even though its wasn't everything I had hoped for. And the movie is coming out soon, so... I don't think I'll be watching it in theaters, so I'll probably end up waiting till it come out on DVD. You're welcome, and thanks for commenting! :)

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    2. I know what you meant!! XD Before I started reading I just had to ask myself A), will I ever read this book and if yes B) how much do I care about knowing what will happen before hand.
      Well, seeing as I have the copy, I might as well try to read it (again).

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    3. *relieved sigh* Okay, that's good. I still think I'll get rid of it though. Maybe? I feel like it might be a tad misleading. *shrugs* I shall consider this matter.
      *nods* This is good logic.

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  2. What are the odds! I was just talking about how I should consider reading this, because I'm interested in P&P but worried it'll be too classic and wordsy for me =P
    Very happy to see it turned out well(ish!)

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    1. :P I, um, totally read your mind. I hope you like it if you do decide to read it! It still does have much of the same style about it, when it comes to wording, but it might be a little easier to understand on the whole? (I can't be a good judge of that because I pretty much grew up on the classics and they read normally to me.)

      Thanks for commenting! :)

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  3. Oh my gosh, this is something I need to read, even if it isn't perfect -- just so I can say I *have* read it. And so I can see the movie. Because this is something I need in my life. xD

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    1. READ IT, AIMEE, DO IT. It's super fun to be able to say you've read it. And I love that it's sitting there on my shelf, so innocent-like, because it would make a great conversation starter. *nods* I hope you like the movie! I'm looking forward to seeing it. :)

      Thanks for commenting! :)

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  4. I've always passed this by in the library thinking, "That could quite fun, or just plain awful." I don't know. I think agree with you about the changes you said he made to Lizzy. That's way over the top and out of character. I don't think I could read it without getting frustrated. Especially since the writing is a little forced at times and Mr. Bennet isn't his jovial self.

    Great review! I happen to like your "grandma" disclaimers. Even if I do decide to read it, it at least prepares me for what I'm going to encounter. (Because it's asking too much for the blurb to mention something amiss in the content.)

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    1. I know the feeling. :P I saw it in a bookstore a few years back and had much the same reaction. It really was out of character for her, and probably at least some people liked those changes? But I'm definitely more of a purist when it comes to the characters themselves. And I missed jovial Mr. Bennet. *sad face*

      Thank you! Aww, you get a thousand coffee beans for saying that. *gives you coffee beans* I'm totally going to make grandma disclaimers a thing. *nods* I also like to be prepared for what I'm getting into, and yeah, the blurbs rarely mention anything that can give you a hugely good idea of what you're up against.

      Thanks for commenting! :)

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  5. I haven't read the original P&P (I like P&P spin-offs, but I cannot even get myself to think about reading the original. My brain just can't get itself around that idea.)

    I actually liked Mr. Bennett in the book, more than other Bennetts I've seen. Because Mrs. Bennett, in my opinion, kind of sucks. And of course I haven't read the original but she is, as you said, silly, and I cannot abide silly people. So I appreciated that neither did he.

    Let's see... Innuendo doesn't bother me. XD *sigh* Perhaps a fault of mine, but one of the ones I most enjoy.

    But, even if it wasn't your favorite, I'm glad you got something out of it (I have this bad feeling that I recommended it to you or something) and I think it's also okay that you don't like it as much as I do. Because we all have different tastes, and stories are meant to be reimagined for different audiences.

    And I am the kind of audience that really liked the book and is very, very much looking forward to the movie. (DO YOU KNOW THAT THEY CAST THE CROW DUDE FROM MALEFICENT AS MR. DARCY I AM SO EXCITED)

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    1. *gasp* I'm scandalized, Heather. :P I mean, that sort of makes sense to me, though. But I hope you do bring yourself to read the original someday, because it's really clever.

      Hmm, you make an interesting point. Mrs. Bennet is very empty-headed and silly and just generally not that lovely as a person. So I can understand wanting to see her treated as she deserves. But I guess the thing that I loved about the original is that Mr. Bennet seemed to realize that it was his own fault for marrying a silly wife, and he was going to be a gentleman and treat her like she was the woman he should have married. But your opinion is equally valid, and I think it's cool that we can look at the same character set up and come to different conclusions. :P

      :P Hey, if it doesn't bother you, it doesn't bother you. I'm more Victorian than a lot of people I know, so I don't judge people who think differently.

      I think you may have recommended it to me, but I also had seen it in a bookstore a few years ago, so it's not entirely your fault that I read it. :P And I am glad I read it, even though it wasn't the bestest thing I've ever read (in my opinion). I agree--it's cool that we can all see the same things and have diverse opinions. It makes the world of story so much more interesting. :)

      I'm glad you really liked it! :) And the movie looks amazing--I'm super excited for it. XD (I DID AND I AM SO HAPPY WITH THE ENTIRE CAST AND GAHA J;ALSKJFA;LSKDFJAS;LDF.)

      Thanks for commenting! :)

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  6. ...What did it do to Lizzy? Biting hearts? *sad face* I do love the sound of the culture though. I've always thought that swords and combat skills and Regency England would go together so well. However, I'm not such a big fan of the sound of the changes to the characters. Mostly because I am such a big fan of the original book. Though I feel a lot of the time writers adding to or adapting Austen's books seem to feel the need to tweak the characters for some reason. I tried a Pride and Prejudice sequel once, and the writer decided it was a great idea for Mary to have an illicit affair resulting in a pregnancy. Well, if there is anyone less likely to do that, I would have thought it was Mary. Never finished that book actually.

    Pride and Prejudice and Zombies sounds like a really interesting concept for a book, and I love the sound of the world, but I think I'll stick to reading the original for now. I did enjoy this review though. Finally I understand a bit more about what this book actually is!

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    1. I don't know. *sobs* The culture is great--it almost makes up for it in my mind. Almost, but not quite. Sword/combat skills and Regency England do pair well--you are wise to have considered this. :) I am also a huge fan of the original book, which might have been why I was more nitpicky. It would be nice to see a retelling that pays full homage to the original characters. I think I actually heard about that retelling, because I think I remember hearing about Mary's illicit affair and going all squinty-eyed because, like, OF ALL PEOPLE? It would not be her. It would be Kitty, probably, if anyone. *facepalm*

      It is a really interesting concept, and I've been wanting to read it for a long time. I guess there are other Jane Austen retellings, like Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, and I would be interested in checking those out at some point. Just, maybe not right away. :P I do want to reread the original soon so I can refresh my memory on how awesome it is. *nods* And aww, thank you! Glad to be of service. *bows*

      Thanks for commenting! :)

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  7. I read this last year, and I remember really liking it. On the other hand, I read it when I wasn't as familiar with the original as I am now, so I have a feeling that a LOT of the things you pointed out in your review would bother me if I reread it.

    I especially agree with you on the culture built around zombies. That was probably my favorite part! I guess even zombies must lose their scariness when they've been around for a couple hundred years.

    Thanks for visiting Lost in My Library!

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    1. I'm glad you liked it! It is a unique idea, and it was fun even if I didn't like everything about it. And yeah, I think I would have liked it better had I not already been hugely familiar with the original.

      The culture in the book is so fascinating. :) I imagine you're right--stuff can only stay hugely scary for so long before people just get desensitized to it.

      You're welcome, and thanks for commenting! :)

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  8. Nice review! I haven't read this one yet because Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorites stories and I'm not that into zombies, so obviously, I thought this was total sacrilege.
    But then I saw the movie trailer, and it did look kinda cool. So IDK. I might read the book then go see the movie, and I might just leave the whole thing alone. I'm not sure yet.

    Anyways, nice review! If nothing else, it sounds like an interesting story.


    Alexa
    thessalexa.blogspot.com
    verbositybookreviews.wordpress.com

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    1. Thank you! :) Yeah, I can see where it would seem like total sacrilege, and hey, it may not be something you would enjoy. I think it's great to be loyal to the stuff you love, and if that means not reading stuff like this, more power to you. I was a little torn coming into it, to be honest. :P But the movie trailer clinched it for me because yeah, it does look cool. Good luck on deciding what you're going to do! :P

      Thank you! It is indeed interesting. *nods*

      Thanks for commenting! :)

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