Pride and Premeditation takes a new approach to give a classic a new look.

Unique Storytelling

I am going to be honest I have never read Pride and Prejudice. I have seen movie adaptations, so I know what the story is about, but I have never actually made it through the actual book.

That said, I loved Pride and Premeditation. Price did a fantastic job of adapting the classic elements and making them work in a murder mystery setting. Bingley has been accused of murder, and Lizzie, eager to prove herself to her father that she can be a barrister, seeks to prove him innocent on her own. However, being a woman in Victorian England, she meets some bumps. One of the bumps is Mr. Darcy, Bingley’s friend, and family solicitor.

Price develops the story amazingly, focusing on the characters and their dynamics. Price creates this beautiful murder mystery that is reminiscent of Sherlock. It is wonderful how it starts setting up Lizzie’s strong personality and how unfair society is towards women, limiting their worth to what they can do at home. This is a theme repeated throughout the narrative and will resonate with readers. It has that feministic edge, saying women can be whatever they choose to be and that society should not limit them.

It is a great theme that creates relevancy while adding tension to the story.

The rising tension is already incredible because of the murder mystery. However, not all murder mysteries are engaging. Some can be downright boring. That is not the case here. It is incredible to see the rising tension balance off the characters, what they see, what they think, and how they adapt to their situations.

Price shows their passion in the storytelling. They weave together this mystery while also pulling in those elements from the original, working them in to make the story unpredictable.

Characterization

Honestly, the characterization is everything in Pride and Premeditation.

Price was able to capture the strong spirit of Lizzie and the pride she and Mr. Darcy have. That tension between them captures the heart of the classic but gives it new life. Lizzie is so headstrong and observant. Her clever mind and the fact that she is a woman allow her to see the world’s injustices, that not everything is as perfect as Mr. Darcy would hope.

The way their relationship develops is expected, but it was written in such a fantastic way. It has this freshness to it, this passion that develops through their shared love of the law. I loved it, how they butt heads, how they learn to compromise and work together.

Price made sure that they had the personality and passion for keeping the story engaging and moving forward.

Final Thoughts

Pride and Premeditation was such a fantastic novel. From start to finish, from the story to the characterization, to the dynamics, this novel is engaging.

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Product Details:

Pub Date: April 6, 2021	Page Count: 368pp	Age Range: 14 & Over
ISBN: 978-0-0628-8980-5	Publisher: HarperTeen	List Price: $17.99

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