Books

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Graphic Novel

By Leroy Douresseaux
May 18, 2010 - 11:55

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Graphic Novel cover image is courtesy of barnesandnoble.com.

Pride and Prejudice is, of course, the novel written by celebrated English novelist, Jane Austen, and first published in 1813.  Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is a 2009 novel by Seth Grahame-Smith with Jane Austen credited as co-author.  It combines Austen’s classic Pride and Prejudice with elements of modern zombie apocalypse fiction.  This “mash-up” novel and bestseller also mixes in Chinese and Japanese martial arts.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies follows the plot of the original Pride and Prejudice, but takes place in an alternative version of early 19th century England.  In this world, zombies (also called the “unmentionables” and “stricken” among other names) roam the English countryside.  The protagonist of the original novel, Elizabeth Bennet, and the rest of the Bennet clan are now a fearsome zombie-fighting unit, with the father, Mr. Bennet, guiding his daughters in martial arts and weapons training.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies focuses on the same characters and deals with the same issues as the original novel.  Elizabeth (“Lizzy”); her sister, Jane; the object of Jane’s affection, Charles Bingley; and his Bingley’s friend, the haughty Fitzwilliam Darcy interact in a story of class and social status, education, manners, and marriage in the aristocratic society of early 19th century England

Earlier this month, Del Rey Books published Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Graphic Novel, a comic book adaptation by writer Tony Lee and drawn by comic book artist Cliff Richards (Buffy the Vampire Slayer).

THE LOWDOWN:  I’ve never read Jane Austen, but I’ve seen two film versions of Pride and Prejudice, including the recent one starring Keira Knightley, and the 1995 Oscar-winning version of Sense and Sensibility, directed by Ang Lee.  I like zombie movies, and I have read one zombie novel, the novelization of the original Dawn of the Dead film.

I’ve also never read the novel Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, and didn’t plan on reading it… until I read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Graphic Novel.  Who would think a Jane Austen novel and zombie fiction would mix so well.  Now, I want to read an actual Jane Austen novel and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

Admittedly, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Graphic Novel starts off a bit slow.  It reads like a storytelling disaster.  However, it quickly gels into an engaging read because Tony Lee captures both the essence of Austen and the entertainment value zombies can add to a story.  I don’t know how much Lee had to edit from Seth Grahame-Smith’s 2009 novel, but the 176-page Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Graphic Novel sometimes reads like a book twice its size, which is mostly good, and only occasionally bad.

Cliff Richards’ tight compositions are impressive.  I don’t think Hollywood’s best costume designers, art directors, and set decorators could do a better job creating the costumes, sets, and environments for a Jane Austen film than Richard did drawing them for a comic book.  Richards’ detailed illustrations and graphic storytelling will transport the reader to the idyllic version of early 19th century England that is Jane Austen.  Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Graphic Novel may leave you wanting more Austen and zombies

POSSIBLE AUDIENCE:  Fans of Jane Austen and zombies, as well as people looking for quirky concepts, will like Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Graphic Novel.

B+

There is more of me at www.negromancer.com.

 

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12