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jenmangler's review against another edition
4.0
I so enjoyed reading this book. I was a little worried, as I adore Pride and Prejudice, but I had nothing to fear. This is a wonderful reimagining of the story. And I really loved Zuri. She's fantastic.
stephaniesteen73's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this retelling of Pride and Prejudice, set in modern-day gentrifying Bushwick, Brooklyn. The book kept true to the spirit of the original without being bound by all the specific details. Loved rooting for Elizabeth Bennet - aka Zuri (ZZ) Benitez.
bhnmt61's review against another edition
4.0
This re-telling of one of the all-time great novels (Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice) was a sloooow start for me. Haitian-Dominican Zuri Benitez and her four sisters live in a diverse, colorful neighborhood in Brooklyn. When the deserted house across the street is torn down and rebuilt by a well-to-do black family, a whole cascade of changes in Zuri's life begin. And that's before she gets to know their sons.
What works really well is the setting. I wanted to move to Bushwick immediately. And also Zuri. She is strong, opinionated, stubborn, and--although she would never admit it-- terrified of all the changes that are coming at her like a rushing river. Her beloved older sister comes back from college changed, the neighborhood is changing, her friends are suddenly interested in boys, college is looming on the horizon.
What doesn't work so well is the romance between Zuri and Darius Darcy, the new boy across the street. Darius doesn't have much personality. In fact, it's hard to understand why Zuri dislikes him so intensely, because unlike the original Darcy-- who was a rude snob who publicly embarrassed Lizzie at a dance the first time they meet-- Darius just seems like a blandly nice guy. So Zuri's dislike comes across as simple reverse snobbery, which makes her seem kind of ridiculous.
Because of that, it took me quite awhile to warm up to her. But by the end of the novel, she had me completely won over. Like the original, this retelling is about class, economics, and strong women finding their place in the world. Zoboi adds in the element of race, which works well. But I think this novel works best if I think about it without referring to the Austen original.
What works really well is the setting. I wanted to move to Bushwick immediately. And also Zuri. She is strong, opinionated, stubborn, and--although she would never admit it-- terrified of all the changes that are coming at her like a rushing river. Her beloved older sister comes back from college changed, the neighborhood is changing, her friends are suddenly interested in boys, college is looming on the horizon.
What doesn't work so well is the romance between Zuri and Darius Darcy, the new boy across the street. Darius doesn't have much personality. In fact, it's hard to understand why Zuri dislikes him so intensely, because unlike the original Darcy-- who was a rude snob who publicly embarrassed Lizzie at a dance the first time they meet-- Darius just seems like a blandly nice guy. So Zuri's dislike comes across as simple reverse snobbery, which makes her seem kind of ridiculous.
Because of that, it took me quite awhile to warm up to her. But by the end of the novel, she had me completely won over. Like the original, this retelling is about class, economics, and strong women finding their place in the world. Zoboi adds in the element of race, which works well. But I think this novel works best if I think about it without referring to the Austen original.
bookschaosnart's review against another edition
5.0
I actively dislike every Pride & Prejudice adaptation I've ever read so I wouldn't have picked up this one with out it being a book club pick. I'm so glad they picked it. It was a great story and the parallels with Pride & Prejudice in this modern day story were enough to be familiar but not enough to have me dislike it. Well written, poignant, and a great representation of the life of a happy family in Brooklyn.
andotherworlds's review against another edition
4.0
4.5
If you plan on reading this (which I strongly encourage) please, please, please listen to the audiobook! It is narrated by the Elizabeth Acevedo and it is flawless.
If you plan on reading this (which I strongly encourage) please, please, please listen to the audiobook! It is narrated by the Elizabeth Acevedo and it is flawless.
thechanelmuse's review against another edition
3.0
Great idea for a modern day retelling of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice centered around race, culture, socioeconomic status, gentrification, and stereotypes. All the pieces are there. However, the fast pace and lack of fully fleshed out characters hinder it.
msrcreation's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely loved this! It's a wonderful Pride and Prejudice retelling. The romance was adorable and so sweet. I really loved their hate to love journey and learning to understand each other. The main character takes no sh*t from any one and I love it. She stands up for her self and others. The family interactions were so cute. The poetry through out the book was also lovely. I was shocked when I realized Elizabeth Acevedo did the narration for the audiobook and she did a wonderful job with bringing this story to life.
jennrocca's review against another edition
3.0
It took me some time to get into the story. I didn’t love it when I started but, by the end, I was there. I’d love a chart of how the characters and scenes in this book map to Pride and Prejudice. Some are clear and some I think I missed. Good book. Would recommend. Light read. The teens in book club seemed to like it.