Title: Prom & Prejudice
Author: Elizabeth Eulberg
Publisher: Scholastic Point
Pub. Date: 1.1.2011
Genre: Contemporary YA
Keywords: Retelling, Prejudice, Romance, Elite Schools, Friendship
Pages: 231
Description (from Goodreads):
After winter break, the girls at the very prestigious Longbourn Academy become obsessed with the prom. Lizzie Bennet, who attends Longbourn on a scholarship, isn’t interested in designer dresses and expensive shoes, but her best friend, Jane, might be — especially now that Charles Bingley is back from a semester in London.
Lizzie is happy about her friend’s burgeoning romance but less than impressed by Charles’s friend, Will Darcy, who’s snobby and pretentious. Darcy doesn’t seem to like Lizzie either, but she assumes it’s because her family doesn’t have money. Clearly, Will Darcy is a pompous jerk — so why does Lizzie find herself drawn to him anyway?
Will Lizzie’s pride and Will’s prejudice keep them apart? Or are they a prom couple in the making? Whatever the result, Elizabeth Eulberg, author of The Lonely Hearts Club, has concocted a very funny, completely stylish delight for any season — prom or otherwise.
I adored Elizabeth Eulberg's THE LONELY HEARTS CLUB, so, coupled with my lifelong love of Jane Austen, PROM & PREJUDICE was a must read. Eulberg's novels are light and rather fluffy and PROM & PREJUDICE is just over 200 pages, making it a quick read... perfect for a weekend.
The characters were likeable and the similarities between Eulberg's reimagined versions of Austen's characters were easy to see. I liked that the reader was able to draw parallels between P&P and PROM & PREJUDICE. Although, in PROM & PREJUDICE, Lizzie's mother is, thankfully, nothing like the Mrs. Bennett of P&P. This Mrs. Bennett was much more supportive and considerably less interested in connections.
The characters were likeable and the similarities between Eulberg's reimagined versions of Austen's characters were easy to see. I liked that the reader was able to draw parallels between P&P and PROM & PREJUDICE. Although, in PROM & PREJUDICE, Lizzie's mother is, thankfully, nothing like the Mrs. Bennett of P&P. This Mrs. Bennett was much more supportive and considerably less interested in connections.
I did think that there were times when Eulberg would have been better off straying a bit further from Austen. For example, the language was archaic at times and didn't seem to fit the contemporary setting. I would have preferred Eulberg to abandon her attempt to match dialogue... it made the conversation awkward and, at times, almost forced.
Overall, I'd recommend PROM & PREJUDICE, but I preferred THE LONELY HEARTS CLUB. Read Eulberg's debut first, then pick up her sophomore release if you like the first.
Review copy provided by Amazon Vine.
The concept is definitely cool; I like the idea of a modern high school retelling of P&P, like what the movie Clueless did for Emma.
ReplyDeleteI preferred TLHC too. Wasn't overly keen on this one. :/
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a fun book and I haven't read TLHC, so I want to check both out. Great review :)
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