Pride, Prejudice and Jasmin Field

It’s not often I thoroughly enjoy chick lit. I can count the number of times on both hands that I have read a chick lit book and not rolled my eyes every couple of paragraphs, or wanted to throw the book across the room at some point due to the flakiness of the main characters. Pride, Prejudice and Jasmin Field was one of the few I enjoyed. In fact, I may have enjoyed it so thoroughly that I have gone back and reread my favourite parts numerous times already.

Pride, Prejudice and Jasmin Field is a modern-day retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Jasmin Field is a journalist, who gets the leading role in a stage production of Pride and Prejudice. The director of the play, one Harry Noble, is the Mr. Darcy not only in the show more stage production, but in the book as well. And oh, from the moment Jasmin overhears Harry call her the “ugly sister”, you know how things are going to end up turning out.

While this was thoroughly predictable, it was definitely cute, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Now, does anyone know of a good retelling of Sense and Sensibility? I’m craving a modern-day Col. Brandon. show less

It's amazing to me how many modernizations of Pride and Prejudice have been published. Most of them are pretty bad, but I actually quite enjoyed this one. Set in contemporary London, Jasmin Field (a.k.a. Lizzy) is an opinionated columnist for a women's magazine. She is cast as none other than Lizzy Bennet in a celebrity production of P&P, directed by the incredibly hot yet extremely arrogant Harry Noble. Everyone see where this is going? The story is well-written and funny, and the main characters are definitely likeable. My only complaint is that no one seems to realize that their lives are exactly mirroring the plot of the Austen novel. I mean, they're performing an adaptation of it onstage - yet they don't see that they are acting show more exactly like the characters they portray? I know we're supposed to suspend our disbelief, but there are limits. Janeites should definitely give this a read, though. show less

A better than many re-tell of P&P with less straining to make details fit and more going for the effects the protagonists have on each other. Set in 2000 London in a jornalism+theater milieu, it has a few zingers, though the end is a bit of limp mess.

This is a delightful book that I find myself turning to again and again when I need some lighthearted romantic humor while soaking in the tub. Though the novel is geared towards Austen's fans, it stands on its own. Jasmine Field takes Elizabeth Bennett's feistiness to a modern level, rendering a character you can both associate with and love.

Jasmine, delightfully self-assured with both her weight and her wit, is a writer for a women's magazine hoping to pen better things when she goes with her actress sister to an audition for a charity performance of "Pride and Prejudice." Her raw talent wows the haughty director Harry Nobel, and she is cast as Lizzie, leading to sparks between the two. The events unfold exactly like Austen's novel, show more with the characters going down similar paths. The novel's Lydia, Jazz's other sister Josie, is a more sober, mature woman than Lydia, yet has a one-night stand with the novel's Wickham while having marriage troubles. The scandal seems to come out of nowhere, but after hearing Josie's side, we feel more for her than we ever could for silly Lydia. Kudos to Nathan for developing that character in a new light.

The only thing that puts a bad taste in my mouth is the relationship between Jazz's best friend/roomie Mo (Charlotte Lucas) and sleazy tabloid writer Gilbert (Mr. Collins). Their ridiculousness as a couple is hilarious at first, but it takes a nasty turn when Gilbert threatens to air the Fields' dirty secrets to make some money for him and Mo. Jasmine is eventually forgiving, but the betrayal of these characters, especially Mo's un-Charlotte-like, cavalier attitude towards her best friend, seems too horrible to forget so soon.

The book has too many funny moments to write it off due to a few poor characters. Jasmine herself has a dynamic personality and is a shoo-in for laugh-out-loud lines. Her interaction with her nemesis, the stagehand known as Purple Glasses is hilarious, but I wish it had a better payoff at the conclusion. But the novel maintains a light, fun feel throughout. The romance is satisfying, the dialogue full of humor, and the main character is, thankfully, a woman confident in herself - like Bridget Jones if she had some self esteem. show less

This review and others posted over at my blog.

This book is like a production of Pride and Prejudice wrapped in a modern retelling and the characters are very on the nose. As everyone is introduced, you can tell what part they’ll land in the production. Jasmin, our Lizzie, does have a moment or two when she thinks about her life paralleling that of Lizzie’s, but I had to wonder that she didn’t feel it more often. Maybe that’s too meta, but the characterization was so on-the-nose for people acting as these characters in a play that I couldn’t help but think someone must notice they’re living in a modern version of the story!

Anyway – Jasmin is more outwardly judgmental than Lizzie, especially about people’s physical show more appearances. That rankled a bit and so I didn’t necessarily find her loveable, though I still love the overall story. The Charlotte of the story is also a particularly rotten person and I was shocked – the end addressed it somewhat though, which I found satisfying. The play takes a backseat to the romance and drama, but that’s ok too. I actually think this would make a very good movie (with Matthew Goode as Harry Noble please!)

While I prefer Eligible slightly more, this is fun, contemporary retelling that’s quick to read and one I see myself revisiting. If you’re looking for an English P&P retelling with some low-key Bridget Jones vibes (yes, I know that’s a retelling too) then I think you’ll enjoy this.

British Vocabulary Bonus: Luvvie – an actor who is particularly effusive / Wazzock – a stupid or annoying person show less

In a word, this book was "Lovely" - that's the word that immediately popped to mind when I finished it. Fun story, good characters, and a different setting for Pride & Prejudice.

I think the one thing that kept going through my mind was this: If these people are involved in a production of P&P, and the characters themselves comment on how like their roles they actually are, why don't they find it strange/weird/funny that their lives are imitating the P&P story? Yes, fiction, I get it.

Modern-day retelling of Pride and Prejudice. Journalist Jazz Field is cast in a charity production of Pride and Prejudice, directed by the arrogant Harry Noble. Nice idea but execution falls a bit flat.