By EMILY O’LOANE
Ever since 2005 when Pride and Prejudice was adapted into a well-received movie starring Keira Knightley, Jane Austen’s novels have experienced a renewed surge in popularity amongst the mainstream teenage public.
The novel Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith capitalizes on this trend, creating a quirky, sci-fi thriller that fans of Jane Austen, especially teenage fans, will love. The book is a playful, easy-to-read adaptation of the classic novel; however, the original text of the book remains largely intact despite the addition of zombies. Like the back cover of the book says, Grahame-Smith is able to make this renowned piece of literature into a book that someone would actually want to read.
The novel reads like an updated, sci-fi version of the actual Pride and Prejudice; Grahame-Smith takes the original text of the book and adds in a zombie plague that is terrorizing the countryside in which the main drama plays out amongst the Bennett family and their neighbors.
All the Bennett daughters- Jane, Elizabeth, Kitty, Lydia, and Mary- are trained in the Asian art of sword fighting and are known in their county for their beauty as well as their warrior prowess. Their skills add a level of realism to the story; Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth’s love interest, falls for her fine eyes as well as her ability to protect her family.
Zombie attacks occur frequently throughout the book. In Chapter 4, when Mr. Darcy first meets Elizabeth at a party, zombies invade the ballroom, and the Bennett sisters must protect the partygoers, which is when Elizabeth and Darcy’s tumultuous relationship begins.
Surprisingly, the addition of zombies doesn’t pollute the plot line. Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy’s romance remains as captivating as it did in the original text. Instead, the zombies provide an additional sense of suspense and humor to the plot, which is refreshing to those who frequently re-read Austen’s books.
The characters of the book remain as appealing as ever in this rendition of the classic novel as well. Elizabeth’s strength, Jane’s sweetness, Mr. Bingley’s adeptness, and Mr. Darcy’s misunderstood shyness will continue to create fans among those who read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies instead of the original version. If anything, the book will instill a desire to read more of Austen’s books, or at least Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters by Ben H. Winters, which was also published by Quirk Classics.
Based on the publisher of the book, it is obvious the book should be read in an ironic, comical way; Grahame-Smith is not creating a great work of literature here. He is simply trying to make a major piece of literature become appealing to the public, especially to the pop culture fanatics of the world.
The book Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is a great option for anyone looking for an entertaining read. Whether an avid Jane Austen fan or just a casual reader, the book provides an entertaining story that will appeal to all.