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bluesleepy's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
maggiespages's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
alabooks's review
3.0
It was a cute modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice with South Asian teens at the center. I enjoyed the different changes and adaptations the author made. I also enjoyed the modern topic she centered it around: classicism and predatory dating.
bhavya_reads's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
ngreader's review
3.0
UGH this book. I kept going back between 2 and 3 and I'm just going to say it's a 2.5.
WHAT IT DID NICE: Loved learning about the debate team and the exploration of sexism in the field. Liked how it explored different elements for some of the sub-plots like Lydia (or Lidia) and the Wickham character and the Charlotte and Colin characters romance as well as the change of Jane the sister to Jay the best friend.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: Lidia was still a bully and that was never addressed. DasGupta loves Austen and keeps trying to cram Austen's 1800's British words into modern American-Desi teenagers and it. Doesn't. Work. This is one of those books that has the problem of the author loving the source material so much that they couldn't let it go and it really hinders the plot. The Lady Charlotte character was completely unrealistic and honestly the whole book suffered from a very superficial plot. Also Jay and Bingley getting back together with like no details? Hated that.
It's (sadly) not it for me because, despite exploring some really great concepts, ultimately it just wasn't a good book.
WHAT IT DID NICE: Loved learning about the debate team and the exploration of sexism in the field. Liked how it explored different elements for some of the sub-plots like Lydia (or Lidia) and the Wickham character and the Charlotte and Colin characters romance as well as the change of Jane the sister to Jay the best friend.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: Lidia was still a bully and that was never addressed. DasGupta loves Austen and keeps trying to cram Austen's 1800's British words into modern American-Desi teenagers and it. Doesn't. Work. This is one of those books that has the problem of the author loving the source material so much that they couldn't let it go and it really hinders the plot. The Lady Charlotte character was completely unrealistic and honestly the whole book suffered from a very superficial plot. Also Jay and Bingley getting back together with like no details? Hated that.
It's (sadly) not it for me because, despite exploring some really great concepts, ultimately it just wasn't a good book.
_camk_'s review
2.0
This is really a 1.5, not a 2.
+ Brings to light sexism and misogyny.
- The writing. The writing is like whiplash from these weird old era conversations full of unfunny unquips to a normal modern conversation. So many of the long conversations were just cringey to read. Like what was the point of Colin and Catherine De Burgh speaking the way they do - it was pointless and so over the top and unrealistic.
- Leela. I couldn't like her. She is one of the most unlikeable versions of Elizabeth Bennet and I've read quite a few retellings.
- All the characters are so flat.
+ Brings to light sexism and misogyny.
- The writing. The writing is like whiplash from these weird old era conversations full of unfunny unquips to a normal modern conversation. So many of the long conversations were just cringey to read. Like what was the point of Colin and Catherine De Burgh speaking the way they do - it was pointless and so over the top and unrealistic.
- Leela. I couldn't like her. She is one of the most unlikeable versions of Elizabeth Bennet and I've read quite a few retellings.
- All the characters are so flat.
maryandherlibrary's review
4.0
3.75✨
i went into this with zero expectations and was surprised by how much i enjoyed this?? really liked the characters and it was just so fun!! loved the banter and how well it dealt with serious themes
i haven’t read pride & prejudice but i know the characters and most of the plot from memes and movie clips so i feel confident in saying that this was quite close to the source material. it was definitely fun to have so many references but i feel like (especially in the end) it ended up forcing the plot to do things and the characters to say things that didn’t fit into the story quite that well. i loved the very unique and original take on the story and kinda wish the author had let herself stray a bit further from the source material at times
still definitely recommend it!!
i went into this with zero expectations and was surprised by how much i enjoyed this?? really liked the characters and it was just so fun!! loved the banter and how well it dealt with serious themes
i haven’t read pride & prejudice but i know the characters and most of the plot from memes and movie clips so i feel confident in saying that this was quite close to the source material. it was definitely fun to have so many references but i feel like (especially in the end) it ended up forcing the plot to do things and the characters to say things that didn’t fit into the story quite that well. i loved the very unique and original take on the story and kinda wish the author had let herself stray a bit further from the source material at times
still definitely recommend it!!
zbrarian's review
4.0
A teen retelling of Austin’s Pride & Prejudice, set in the world of high school debate. Leela and Firooze are Elizabeth & Darcy reincarnated. Her pride and is prejudice jump right from their first meeting at a debate tournament. Full of diverse characters while focusing on the familiar issue of misogyny, tolerance, accepting others for who they are, and a story that gives girls the voice they were missing from the original; standing up for what they believe in.