Pride and Prejudice and the Zombies

Yes, yes - I read this book and let me tell you the parts that were Jane Austen's writing were simply delightful. I can never get tired of reading her and every time I do read P&P I see something new. Something wise, wonderful and witty. I've often said if I could travel back in time, I'd be at Jane's door step in a heart beat.

Now the Zombie part. I admit, that it did surprise me as to how well this "mashable" feature worked and fit into the book - for the most part. Some of it was hilarious and I liked how at one point early in the book it showed that the Bennet sisters can work well as a team despite their differences. And that there can be a sisterly cohesiveness between them. However, I think that thought only works if you've read the book previously.

I also loved how Elizabeth thirsted for blood and at one point is able to yank out the heart of her enemy and eat it. It is so over the top and it gives a hilarious aspect to that particular scene. I kind of imagined her standing there and eating this live beating heart as you would a Red Delicious apple.

But I didn't like a few lines given to my beloved Lizzy. In the following scene Lizzy is responding to Lydia who thinks she can find husbands for each of her sisters. In this book Wickham becomes and invalid who is constantly lying down in his own piss on a matterss and has to be constantly changed out of diapers.

Elizabeth says to Lydia: "I thank you for my share of the favour," said Elizabeth, "but I do not particularly desire the rest of my life spent emptying piss pots." - Elizabeth is way way too elegant in wit and her use of language to ever say something blatant like the word "piss". So I really didn't like this particular line and a few like it when it came to Lizzy.

The next character is Mrs. Bennet. What is funny is that in this case there was nothing Grahame-Smith could add to her character. Austin topped him in regards to that character and is probably laughing at him from the beyond.

The parts written by Seth Grahame-Smith at times worked too hard to be funny in a very juvenile way. Almost reminded me of the Austin Power movies and all the pee jokes. Grahame-Smith went out of his way for the charcters to vomit or in the case of Charlotte and the things he did to her it felt more tragic than funny. Specially since the poor girl is already married to the insufferable Mr. Collins.

But at the end Lizzy is Lizzy and Mr. Darcy is Mr. Darcy and still a great love story. The two are perfect even as Zombie slayers.