2025 Reading Challenge discussion

Tell us what you thought of the book! You can leave your review here. Even if you read the book outside of the group, please feel free to let us know what you thought of it.

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Here is my review (Polish edition) the last time I read it a year ago: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Admittedly, it took me a while to get interested in this novel. Jane Austen's writing style is very good, but because it was written in 1819, the style is extremely formal and feels dry to modern readers. The first hundred or so pages drag on a little bit, and the book had to outright say what was wrong with Elizabeth's family for me to understand why their family was regarded to be so low-bred.

However, the book truly picks up speed about halfway through, and the book that had taken me over a week to read the first half of was finished in less than two days. Austen's characters are interesting and well-developed, particularly Elizabeth herself, and Austen does a fantastic job of showing her thought process throughout the novel as she learns more and more about her love interest.

I did itttttttt!!!

Review:

*Giving a review- I was a discussion leader for this book*
For me, I did the unthinkable. I accomplished something I never thought I'd be able to do. I read a Jane Austen novel, a British Romanticism, and i did it all in under two weeks.

I figured the language, the etiquette would be the most difficult part for me. Well... it was I'm not even going to sugar coat it. I had a terrible time keeping myself concentrated in the middle of this novel because of the length of the narrations. After about Chapter 30 however, the book flew by! So don't let the literature bring you down.

Whilst beginning the book, I was overly excited by even picking it up. Reading something that is basically a Legend, being 202 years old, gave me a sense of joy and accomplishment without even starting the story. Speaking of the story, the witty comments from page one left me chuckling and giggling immediately. The sly shade from Austen was just pure joy. Who knew you could be so coy yet insulting and yet you can sound like the most charming person in the room.

Jumping to the middle, I truly felt like my eyes were like raindrops sliding down a glass door. I could NOT keep my eyes focused, my brain functioning. The narration was just so over the top for me. Austen wrote it perfectly, but my thought process is too modern for such a novel.

What became really fun was the last third of the book. I'm judging you. But he likes her. Oh but maybe I shouldn't have been "prejudice". Now she's all lovey dovey, gooey and mushy over her Mr. Darcy. Seriously, so cute! And towards the end with Bingley and Jane.... OH MY GOD! So freaking cute I couldn't even stand it!

The last two chapters had to be my favorite part of the whole book. It was so reassuring to know what happened after 3 marriages, Mrs. Bennet was probably going to die if she didn't get her daughters married, and Mr. Bennet giving slight approval.

Bravo Austen, bravo!

One curious factor that many of us have probably thought of. What would modern day Jane Austen think of her successful novel? It's a question we will never know, but I will continue to be overly curious about.

Every time I read this book I love it the same. It was however my first time reading it in english, before I used to only read it transtaled and I was surprised how easy it was to read. The best word I can think of to describe the writing of it is 'cozy' - it's so light and witty. As for characters Elizabeth will always be one of my favourite book characters. There are of course parts of the book that seem unthinkable to a modern reader, but in the end it always manages to cheer me up.

Imbunche wrote: "Every time I read this book I love it the same. It was however my first time reading it in english, before I used to only read it transtaled and I was surprised how easy it was to read. The best wo..."

Awesome thoughts! I'm glad it can be easily enjoyed in English as it is in other languages.