What can anyone ever say about this book that hasn't already been said?! Rather than write a critical review like I usually do, I'm just going to share some personal thoughts and feelings because I think most everyone agrees this is a great book and it's a Classic for a reason!

To start, I love romance. I'm a sucker for angst, yearning, and any piece of media that makes me want to kick my feet and squeal. And since I've started reading heavily again, I haven't enjoyed what newer contemporary romance I've read. Much of it feels very sophomoric and reads like bad Wattpad fanfiction (I prefer AO3, myself) which has frustrated me lots! So to end my suffering I thought I'd read one of the most well-regarded romance novels of all time, Pride & Prejudice (the 2005 film is my mom's favorite movie and I love her so it seemed like an obvious place to start).

Halfway through the book, I had this really stupid conversation about Classic Lit with my boyfriend (who recently read Moby Dick) where we both were like, "Wow, these books are actually pretty good. No wonder everyone says you should read them. Who knew??" I finished P&P in only 3-4 sittings because I could not put it down.

What really sets this book apart for me is not only the writing, but the thought and care put into the world building. We get to know not only the characters, but the settings so intimately that you really feel like you're there. Longbourn, Netherfield, Pemberley, Rosings, Meryton, all of them I can picture in my head and they each feel so distinct. And in each of these places live such rich and colorful characters that make this world feel alive and real. Like, if I were to close the book, they'd all continue to live on without the attention of me, the reader. There are side plots, secondary and tertiary relationships, and diverse interactions (meaning that we get to see characters aside from Lizzy and Mr. Darcy talk and interact) that sucked me in and kept the book feeling grounded (quoting myself from my Pagebound forum post here). We get to see how each character handles all of these different and often stressful situations which do such an amazing job in showing us who these characters are, as people. We don't have to be told that Lizzy is steadfast, stubborn, and spirited, we get to see that for ourselves in how she interacts with the world.

Something else that I enjoyed, which is more to do with taste than anything, is the characterization of Elizabeth Bennet. More than once I thought to myself, "Yes, that is absolutely what I would have done in this situation," in regards to how she carries herself throughout the book. One particular example is during her stay at Netherfield, where she and Mrs. Hurst run into Mr. Darcy and Miss Bingley on their walk. The sisters each take Mr. Darcy's arm and purposefully edge her off the path, leaving her to walk alone. And rather than allow herself to be excluded, she just leaves. Lizzy sees what they're doing and rather than entertain their silly games, she flat out refuses to play. It was one of my favorite moments in the entire book! She was so cool! I don't want to call out any authors by name in this review because I think that'd be in poor taste, but so many of the romantic leads I've read come across as pushy, meddlesome, and officious (I looked this word up, ngl) which just makes me cringe! The romantic interest will rebuff the main character and they, for some reason, always "put on a swipe of red lipstick" before throwing themselves into the most embarrassing situation you've ever read.

Anyway, I'm really glad I read this book. I'm always hesitant to pick up classics because of the assumption that they're either boring or too hard to read, and that was absolutely not the case (perhaps I was prejudiced, ha). It's been a while since I've felt some proper yearning and angst which is why I felt so strongly about this book upon finishing it. I know there has to be a treasure trove of contemporary authors out there who match this sort of quality and I feel more determined now than ever to find them!