Pride and Prejudice

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Pride and Prejudice
Jane Austen
1813

The Summary
Chronicling events in the life of Elizabeth Bennet and her interactions with her rather peculiar family - and, yes, the cool and enigmatic Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy - Pride and Prejudice is a slow-growing romance filled with interconnected webs of acquaintances and various scandals.

The Good
To be perfectly honest, Jane Austen's work is a soap opera waiting to happen.

Within these pages there's romance, melodrama, secret marriages, social schemes, and scandal.  Pride and Prejudice has it all for the Victorian literature lover - but without all the back stabbing and revenge plotting and evil twins discovering.

Well, perhaps there will be some backstabbing.  I can't readily claim Caroline Bingley innocent of any malicious intent - or Lady Catherine, for that matter.

Additionally, beside creating a compelling romance, Austen crafts intriguing and lovable characters who show remarkable and recognizable growth, as well as increasingly human qualities with marked problems and faults.  They're comical, occasionally ridiculous, but familiar and enjoyable.

The Bad
Pride and Prejudice does fall under the rather broad umbrella of Victorian literature.

As such, you know what a pain it can be to read long-winded passages where characters throw their entire vocabulary onto a page.  Granted, Austen is an incredibly skilled writer and she works wonders in her novel; however, she too has the chronic Victorian problem of "over explanation."

More is better, apparently.

The Ugly
No zombies.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

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Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
Seth Grahame-Smith
Jane Austen
2009

The Summary
Filled with zombies, romance, gun-toting Bennet sisters, and ninjas - yes, zombies and ninjas - Seth Grahame-Smith's novel lends an interesting and incredibly unusual twist on the classic work of Jane Austen.

The Good
Some aspects of Grahame-Smith's novel are uproariously funny, not least of all for deciding to mix Jane Austen and zombies.  (Because, let's be honest here, what can go wrong with that particular combination?)

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies forges its own genre, so to speak.  It combines classic literature and zombies, horror and romance, and throws in a dash of overly dramatic kung fu.  So, while this novel isn't entirely typical, it manages to remain interesting, absurd, and highly hysterical.

In particular, Grahame-Smith manages to insert a certain dirty humor you simply won't find in Austen's work, which makes his novel particularly amusing.  The fact that Elizabeth finds Darcy "English" in all the right places seems like such a twist from the mild-mannered miss of Austen's novel - and it's certainly a fact worth chuckling over.

The Bad
Although this novel does have several merits for its absurdity and originality, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is, at its core, a knock off.

Granted, I don't doubt its originality for combining Austen and zombies, but much of it feels to be copied from Austen's work.  She did most of the work, so to speak, and provided Grahame-Smith with much of the material he would use; he simply sprinkled in some zombies and ninjas, and upgraded the Bennet sisters to zombie hunters.

I'm simply pleased credit is given where it is due.

The Ugly
Zombies are flesh-eaters - and the Bennet sisters are a hardcore group of zombie hunters.

Combine the two and zombie carnage is bound to ensue.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

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The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Robert Louis Stevenson
1886

The Summary
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde recounts the story of one man's descent into darkness - and what happens when one tampers with human nature.

The Good
Robert Louis Stevenson has presented a fascinating study of human psychology and morality, and explored what occurs when the soul is divided.

He has taken time and care to craft an intricate, compelling story that will leave you breathless.  And, if you are entirely unfamiliar with Stevenson's work, the conclusion may come as a surprise.

More importantly, he incorporates all the best elements of gothic horror and tells a story of good plotted against evil, civilization plotted against barbarian, science against the nature of man - it's horrifying, but simultaneously enthralling and it will keep you glued to the pages.

As an added bonus, Stevenson's work comes in the form of a novella, which means it's refreshingly brief, if only a little complex.  An avid reader can finish it within an hour or more, but it can easily fit within the span of a day.

The Bad
Stevenson's work falls into the realm of the Victorian literature.

Need I say more?

The Ugly
Stevenson's novella tells the story of one man's - one good man's - descent into madness and his journey into the very heart of darkness, a darkness to which he may ultimately succumb.  Needless to say, the journey will not be a pretty one.  Between individuals being beaten to death, rampant indulgences in promiscuity, and identity theft, it's bound to leave you a bit shaken.

Girl Meets God

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Girl Meets God
Lauren F. Winner
2002

The Summary
Girl Meets God chronicles a year in the life of author Lauren Winner as she negotiates her religious conversion from Judaism to Christianity and comes to terms with her new religious life.

The Good
Winner creates an intriguing memoir, weaving together aspects of her life, her dueling religious identity, and her knowledge of Christianity and Judaism. She creates a catalog of her life as she experienced it through the lens of her religions.

More importantly, Winner writes from a place of experience, laying her life bare and sharing her most intimate memories, thus her novel rings with great truths and terrible moral dilemmas.

Her journey and her life may even appear familiar to the reader, because she documents her doubts, her triumphs, her hopes, and her greatest fears, as well as her thoughts.  She offers insight into life - and religion - and tackles what it means to be human, what it means to be alive, and what it means to have a relationship with God.

It's fascinatingly human and deeply religious.

The Bad
Life isn't always pretty - and when religion is thrown into the mix, it can get down right confusing.

And, like I said, Winner's novel is fascinatingly human and deeply religious, which may not be your cup of tea.

The Ugly
Let's just say life isn't always exciting, and Winner's memoir can become slightly dry and slightly wordy.  She is, after all, an academic and it does occasionally happen.  So some parts may be worth skimming, if you find your attention wavering.