Book Review: Pride & Prejudice

November marked the second month of our blogger book club, hosted by The Many Thoughts of a Reader. This month we decided to read a classic - Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice". I had actually read this before, but it was probably 5 years ago, so I figured it was worth re-reading it. I had attempted to read P&P when I was in high school but just couldn't get into it - I was actually inspired to read it when it was referenced in "You've Got Mail" (can you tell this is a favorite movie of mine!). When I attempted it 5 years ago, I had a much harder time compared to this time around. I would not say that it is an easy read - you have to really want to read it - but don't let yourself get intimidated by Austen. I've found that the end notes are worth reading as they give a lot of incite into things Austen mentions in passing, like rules of inheritance.

I am guessing that most of you have probably seen the movie, so I don't have to dance around what happens in this book. In the event that you haven't read it or seen the movie, read no further if you don't want the ending spoiled.

The book is basically about the relationship between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. If you read my guest post that I wrote earlier this month, you know that Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy did not get off to a good start. Elizabeth overheard Mr. Darcy insulting her - she didn't have a great impression of him in the first place, so this didn't help and her impression of him was forever tarnished. Her impression of him got even worse after she spoke to a former friend of Mr. Darcy who had nothing but terrible things to say about him - which happened to be lies.

Throughout the book, Elizabeth realizes that Mr. Darcy is not the creep she thought he was. If she had listened to her level-headed sister, Jane, she would have figured this out sooner. But then Austen wouldn't have been able to go on and on about her misconceptions, like she did. This is Elizabeth's reflection after figuring out that she misjudged Mr. Darcy:

"Had I been in love, I could not have been more wretchedly blind. But vanity, not love, has been my folly. Pleased with the preference of one, and offended by the neglect of the other, on the very beginning of our acquaintance, I have courted prepossession and ignorance, and driven reason away where either were concerned. Till this moment I never knew myself." (p. 205)

So what can we learn from Elizabeth Bennet? In my opinion, we should learn to not make rash judgment and don't believe everything you hear - especially if you barely know the source of your information.

I also think we can learn that love is not always linear. What do I mean by this? I think some of us have this fairy tale idea of love and think that if it's meant to be, there shouldn't be set-backs or miscommunications. But that's not always the case. Sometimes you misunderstand one another or sometimes you didn't have the best first impression - but that doesn't mean that a relationship isn't meant to be! I kind of struggle with this - part of me wants to give people the benefit of the doubt, but a bigger part of me buys into the "once someone shows you who they are, believe them" school of thought and wants to protect my heart. But it's good to read books like this that remind me that I don't have to pass judgment so quickly.

Click here to see what Pinkflipflops, author of The Many Thoughts of a Reader has to say!

And you should definitely join in next month! Anyone and everyone is welcome! The December book is The Awakening by Kate Chopin. Pinkflipflops is the host of this reading group - add her blog to your reader and watch for the book group related posts that go up throughout the month!

Happy reading!!