Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

June 1, 2009
Adult/High School-Austen's England is overrun with "unmentionables." Etiquette and polite society still reign, but they do become strained when, for example, the ball at Netherfield is interrupted by an attack on the household staff. In this parody, Grahame-Smith maintains the structure and language of the original while strategically inserting zombies into the story. The surprise is how little changes. Elizabeth Bennett is still known for her beauty and intelligence. Here, she is also known for her expertise in the "deadly arts," abilities that only make her a less-desirable marriage partner. There is the constant physical peril that echoes the menace underlying the original. In addition to a life of homeless spinsterhood, the sisters fear having their brains eaten, or being bitten and turned into zombies themselves (a fate to which one character does unfortunately fall prey). The unmentionables also magnify the satirical aspects of the story. A few key arguments, such as the final confrontation between Elizabeth and Lady Catherine, become all-out brawls to the death. (Lady Catherine is famous for her fighting skills and army of ninjas.) And of course Darcy is a renowned swordsman, known for his gentlemanly ferocity. The concept alone is worth a chuckle. The undead are popular at the moment, and teens will be attracted to this clever version of a frequently assigned classic. However, they should be prepared for a somewhat slow read. The author has not accelerated the pace or created suspense in this mashup."Angela Carstensen, Convent of the Sacred Heart, New York City"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 5, 2009
You'll either love or loathe the idea of this classic rewritten to include hordes of brain-seeking zombie "unmentionables" and a Shaolin-trained Elizabeth Bennett. It is silly, of course, and at times unnecessarily crude (Do we really need this many puns on the word balls?), but it's also a great deal of fun-particularly when Elizabeth dreams about beheading her wayward sister Lydia. Verdict: As Grahame-Smith has retained 85 percent of the original text, Austen aficionados may enjoy seeing the familiar story through this new lens. Fans of satirical zombie films and horror-comedies like Shaun of the Dead and Army of Darkness will enjoy it, too. Buzz is high for this publisher's breakout title, which includes ten discussion questions. Recommended for all popular fiction collections.-Karl G. Siewert, Tulsa City-Cty. Lib., OK

Copyright 2009 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2009
This may be the most wacky by-product of the busy Jane Austen fan-fiction industryat least among the spin-offs and pastiches that have made it into print. In whats described as an expanded edition of Pride and Prejudice, 85 percent of the original text has been preserved but fused with ultraviolent zombie mayhem. For more than 50 years, we learn, England has been overrun by zombies, prompting people like the Bennets to send their daughtersaway to China for training in the art of deadly combat, and prompting others, like Lady Catherine de Bourgh, to employ armies of ninjas. Added to the familiar plot turns that bring Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy together is the fact that both are highly skilled killers, gleefully slaying zombies on the way to their happy ending.Is nothing sacred? Well, no, and mash-ups using literary classics that are freely available on the Web may become a whole new genre. Whats next? Wuthering Heights and Werewolves?(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)