Review: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

Posted by Cynical Sarah on June 15, 2010

I can’t recall ever reading a Jane Austen novel. I’ve seen a few of the movies based on her books, but based on what I saw, I had no urge to read the books. At heart they seem to be basically Victorian era romance novels; however, you throw in some zombies, and I’m intrigued.

I had actually stopped at the bookstore the other day to pick up a different book, but in a moment of judging a book by its cover, I decided I had to give Pride And Prejudice And Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith a try.

I was curious how someone could incorporate zombies into a Jane Austen novel without treading too much on her own style of storytelling as well as her basic storyline.

Of course, since my experience with Jane Austen is through the movies based on her work, I can only rely on my impression of how the story measures up to those. And it measures up well. The wit and flirtation between characters is all still there, and that overall feel of the Victorian era sensibilities.

Basically what Seth Grahame-Smith seemed to do was ask how the story might be different if you introduce a plague of zombies into it as well. It’s not that they are suddenly besieged by zombies like a horror story, but instead “the plague” is something that has affected England for years and is something the characters have learned to deal with.

The Bennet sisters are all well trained in the “deadly arts” so they can serve the crown by killing zombies. Meanwhile, their mother is still concerned with marrying them off. Their social status is a stumbling block to them marrying well, plus Grahame-Smith adds the element of their decidedly unlady-like killing talents to that.

The result was more entertaining than I thought it would be. The addition of the zombie killing aspect is subtle – just a side quirk to a story that is still focused on the Bennet girls finding love – but Elizabeth’s thoughts as a result of being a well-trained zombie killer are a hilarious contradiction to what a proper lady should be thinking in that day and age.

What was a period romance novel is turned into a laugh-out-loud comedy instead. Jane Austen purists will be horrified, but if you want a light, entertaining twist to a classic, this one has my thumbs up.

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Tags: book review, Jane Austen, review, Seth Grahame-Smith

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