While I know it is part of the English canon, and rightly so, with its insights to the societal values of the time and the richness of the language, I still found this novel did not hold my concentration very well. Some parts of the story were quite exciting or humorous and I was drawn in at these times, but mostly, I found the novel to be verbose and long-winded.
Also, the feminist side of me didn't want to believe that women should be so actively thinking of who they will marry and be on the constant lookout for the perfect partner. However, the romantic side of me knows that no matter the era, the pursuit of marriage is actually the main thought had by an unmarried woman, and it is in the thoughts of all those who surround her, whether we wish to believe it or not! We can scoff at internet dating and the business of creating the perfect wedding, but in every era, children are raised with the idea that the fairytale wedding is the ultimate life achievement and a sure sign of success. So, while Mrs Bennett seems excessive in her encouragement of her daughters' marriages, deep down we know it is what every mother wants for their daughter, and what every woman wants for herself.
I had to watch the movie, in the end, to see if it helped me to be a bit more excited about the book, and the movie was brilliant! A story like this needs the visual, to enable the viewer to actually see how a character looks at another character, and how their tone of voice conveys their sincerity. So in this case I recommend see the film first. You can't help but love the story then.
My rating:
**
