Pride and Prejudice 1813 by Jane Austen (#ProjectGutenberg ~ https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/1342 )

Much as been written of Austen and her work. I will have little to add to the slew of reviews, summaries, and analysis. Pride and Prejudice is a novel of manners, that explores and satirizes the domestic affairs of the landed gentry of England in the 19th century. For the current reading audience, there are those who find Austen's description and her characters' tribulations a romantic escape into another world that is both alien and familiar.

As a reader, I've never been overly interested in plots that are centred on romantic relationships. Those narratives that have held my attention the most are comedies, Shakespeare's romantic comedies in particular. This probably comes from my early exposure to the Hollywood comedies of the 1930s, especially the screwball escapades and Fred & Ginger's fancy footwork flights of fantasy. This early cinema exposure is also likely the foundation for my current enjoyment of Korean #romcoms.

My impression of Austen's novel is a mixed one. One can not fail to appreciate her control of language, her rich descriptions, and her strongly developed characters, who are very memorable. As to the satire and comedic elements, Mrs. Bennet's flighty dramatics, and Mr. Collins' pompous regard for others, move between realism and caricatures. For me, there were many situations and various characters' behaviour that were annoying.

Overall, you could say I enjoyed the novel for the art of the writing, and the effectiveness of creating a world with richly developed characters.

#JaneAsten #NovelOfManners, #PrideAndPrejudice #BookReview #Book #Books #PicturePromptBingo