Book Check-In 10/5/20

This week I read (listened to) Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I had never actually read this one before, despite loving the 2005 movie adaptation!

Like I mentioned in my last check in, I’ve been listening to more audiobooks at work, especially classics that I might have a hard time actually getting through.

Thoughts below the cut!

I liked this book. I love that it doesn’t pass the reverse Bechdel test (2 men talking to each other about something besides a woman). I love how messy the Bennets are. This was interesting because normally I don’t go into reading a book with so much information on it. The movie, but also it’s talked about all the time and so I’ve seen so much about it. I think because of that I didn’t like book Mr. Darcy as much as I expected to. He doesn’t make as overt big gestures to fix the issues Lizzie has with marrying him (besides helping out with Lydia and Wickham). I love the scene in the movie where he’s hyping Bingley up to propose to Jane. In the book, we only get the implication that he told Bingley he approved of the marriage. I did like some of the bits it went more in depth with, the family felt more fleshed out.

Last year I read an adaptation of P&P (despite not having read the original), Unmarriageable by Soniah Kamal. It’s set in modern day Pakistan, where in some ways the culture is similar to in Jane Austen’s time, where marriage is the way women can gain success for their futures. I really loved that adaptation, and highly recommend it to anybody who likes P&P.

I’d give Pride and Prejudice 4/5 stars. I’m not huge on older books, but all the adaptations from this one really makes it worth it.

I’m still reading The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin (I know it’s been kind of slow going).

As always, you can see all the books I’ve read on my reading list.