It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains.
When this book was first announced, I said that if the text melded zombie warfare with Jane Austen's story half as well as the cover did, I was sold. And it does, just as well as the cover.
This is... pretty much exactly what it says--Pride and Prejudice, with some key words changed from Austen's text and some scenes added in to create much zombie mayhem along with the other romantic entanglements. Not only is Darcy a man of consequence because of his wealth, but also because of the amount of unmentionables he has killed.
Some was a little over the top. I'm not sure Lizzie's "warrior code" really meant she had to eat the hearts of those she killed (that weren't zombies). Sometimes she went a little too hard core for me. On the other hand, kicking Darcy in the face after his first proposal? RIGHT ON.
Also, it's illustrated! I like the fact it's illustrated more than the illustrations themself--but with a list of illustrations in the front? It really plays into the older editions of Pride and Prejudice.
It's silly and fun and, if you're like my friend Marie, whose two favorite things are Jane Austen and zombies? This is for you.
I laughed the whole way through it and am hoping that Quirk classics mixes up a few more of my favorites. Jane Eyre with vampires? Faerie mischief mucking up War and Peace? Robotic monkeys wreaking havoc in Great Expectations? Oh wait, that was a South Park episode.
What do you hope to see in revamped classics?
Ok-- I would like to state that I bought this book and I'm really, really liked it. This letter from the publisher however, kinda ruins it for me. (Also, do you really want to accuse one of your distributors as "stealing your thunder"?) As someone who used to work in marketing and PR, epic fail. There's a way to be light-hearted and funny without talking to people like they're 5.
PR reps need blogs more than bloggers need review copies. The majority of the books I review are ones I got from the library or purchased. Yes, I review books that publicists and authors give me and I like that. But free books? That's just extra icing and sprinkles on the cake. I was here years before people started giving me books, and if that well dried up tomorrow, I'd still be here. Free books is not why I'm here, and that's not why most of the blogs I read are here either.
And I'm doubly disappointed, because I strongly felt the need to comment on this letter with my review of the book. I've seen the article mentioned a few times today out there in blog land and felt that if I reviewed the book, I also had to comment on the letter. I wanted this post to be about Elizabeth Bennett kicking some zombie ass. And it's not. Boo.
4 comments:
I might have been tempted to read this book, but the affair of the letter has put me off of it completely.
I'll stick with the original. Ms. Austen's publicists have never done me any harm.
CB-- I can't blame you, because it might have put me off as well. Which is really sad, because the book is freaking awesome!
Also, the dog in your picture looks a lot like my dog!
You did hear the writer has a followup planned?
"Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter"
http://www.bookspotcentral.com/2009/04/abraham-lincoln-vampire-hunter-seth-grahame-smith/
I'll probably read it at some point, but I won't rush.
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