Warning: this post contains cartoon images of graphic violence.
“It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains.”
- Opening line, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
“Jason Rekulak, editor of Quirk books, called me one day, out of the blue, very excitedly, and he said, all I have is this title, and I can’t stop thinking about this title. And he said: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. For whatever reason, it just struck me as the most brilliant thing I’d ever heard”
“You have this fiercely independent heroine, you have this dashing heroic gentleman, you have a militia camped out for seemingly no reason whatsoever nearby, and people are always walking here and there and taking carriage rides here and there . . . It was just ripe for gore and senseless violence. From my perspective anyway”
- Seth Grahame-Smith, co-author of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
Unfortunately I think this book misses the mark. Not enough zombies by half, and sort of not so well written. Surely Lady Catherine should have been a zombie? Mr Wickham? And the illustrations got the time period all wrong. Illustrator should have studied 1800-1820 fashions a little harder.
This really is an excellent book, no I haven’t read the original! I believe that there is a graphic novel - I can only find Amazon links to it (and I hate that), so if you want to buy it I’d suggest looking up your local independent bookshop here - http://tinyurl.com/indiebookshops
I agree with Rebecca, this book is awful. It’s such a great concept but the it’s really badly written. For some reason the author decided to turn the bennet family into a clan of warrior women which kind of misses the point. I wanted to read how such well known and established literary characters would react in such a mad situation in a realistic way but instead all you get is dull, extended scenes of extreme violence.
I’m currently reading P,and P and Z. I ‘ve not read the original, but vaguely know the story from the BBC series.
‘Extended scenes of extreme violence’? I think you miss Rebecca’s point, Andrew. She said there weren’t enough zombies - I totally agree. But this is a bloody hilarious book.
I haven’t finished the book yet so I hope there is a satisfying end to the ‘unpleasantness’
Perhaps it’s better if you haven’t read the original.
The exchange between Darcy and Elizabeth about balls is worth the price of the book alone!
Sarah, I don’t have a problem with it being violent, I have a problem with it being poorly written, boring and wasting a brilliant concept. I think if you’re going to take on Jane Austen (not a favourite author of mine, but one I greatly respect) you’d better have the wit and intellegence to pull it off. Seth Grahame Smith clearly doesn’t. I think there is a brilliant literature/horror ‘mash-up’ to be written, and P&P&Z isn’t it.
Yeah, this book sounded so great but was really awful - and as an illustrator and costume enthusiast the illustrations really annoyed me (the black and white ones shown above) as the period is all wrong (I would literally have killed to have been able to illustrate a book like this!).
“Sense & Sensibility & Seamonsters” - is a far better read - equally silly but with an actual plot and purpose other than the novelty factory of plonking in a load of zombies and making the Bennet sisters ridiculous ninjas trained in the Orient. I mean, there’s silly and there’s *silly*.
I am really enjoying these comments - and Jemima, sounds like you have a duty to come up with the definitive illustrated version of the “monsters vs classic” genre…