April 1, 2009

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


The Pride and Prejudice we all know has been re-imagined. England is over run with brain lusting Zombies. Elizabeth and her sisters are trained and practiced in the deadly art of Zombie slaying. Elizabeth’s best friend has been stricken with the “strange plague”. And a true gentleman beheads the Zombies for his lady, so that she will not soil her dress.

Without offending die hard Jane Austen fans, maybe Pride and Prejudice should have always had a Zombie element. The Zombies contrast our characters so nicely that they manage to make the sarcasm funnier, the villains more disgusting, and the story even more dramatic. It’s like classic literature in high definition. For instance, when propping Lydia, Mrs. Bennett or Wickham next to hordes of Zombies, the reader does briefly wonder who is viler.

Seth Grahame-Smith’s ingenious idea for a lethal mix of classic Austen text with Zombie references and battles spawns pure entertainment. This re-telling is obviously deliciously over the top. Here’s a taste: “But the presence of a woman who had slain ninety dreadfuls with nothing more than a rain soaked envelope was an intimidating prospect indeed”. And my favorite quote, “Elizabeth and Darcy happened upon a herd of unmentionables…crawling on their hands and knees, biting into ripe heads of cauliflower, which they had mistaken for stray brains”. This edition also contains illustrations detailing the action and adding to its charming ludicrousness.

I plan on gifting this to everyone. What a sneaky way to get my teenage brother to appreciate some classic literature. Literary types and Zombie lovers alike should appreciate the spirit of this reinvention, if they don’t relish every word. I have never read anything like it, so I’m officially begging for a series of classic literature injected with Zombie mayhem.

I'm also offering a brand new copy to one lucky reader. Please leave a comment by April 11th (with a distinguishable email) to be entered.

53 comments:

  1. I can't wait to read this!!! It sounds so great. Please enter me. My address is amandagignac[at]gmail[dot]com. Thanks!!

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  2. I was skeptical when I first heard about this book, but your review and the couple excerpts have piqued my attention. I'd love to be entered :)

    procrastinating139 [at] yahoo [dot] com

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  3. I've posted about this on Win A Book. Don't enter me though.

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  4. I cant wait to read this! Please enter me. I have read so many good things about it and the reviews have been great.

    bacchus76 at myself dot com

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  5. Oh, boy. I might just have to read this! Please enter me.

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  6. My 21 year old son wants to read this one, so please enter me. milou2ster(at)gmail.com

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  7. I have been literally dying (yes, close to the state of zombification- that so is a word in my world). In short please enter me for this drawing! Thanks! Indigo

    ravensquietscreams(at)gmail(dot)com

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  8. please me into this giveaway contest.

    thanks,
    jakewoodworth AT gmail.com

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  9. They should come out with more books reworked with zombies!

    Valorie
    morbidromantic@gmail.com

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  10. Oh, yay! I'm a huge Austen fan and have been dying to get my hands on this.

    sunnylea(at)gmail(dot)com

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  11. The description is cracking me up. Please enter me!

    jgbeads AT gmail DOT com

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  12. Please enter me. I really, really want to read this. Thanks
    rebecca.bradeen(at)verizon(dot)net

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  13. This is probably the only way I'll ever read Jane Austen. Adding the zombies makes it irresistible to me! Thanks for the chance to win.

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  14. I can't wait to read this. Thanks for entering me.

    carolsnotebook at yahoo dot com

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  15. Oh, I've been seeing this one around! Please enter me. Thanks!

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  16. I had heard about this book and would love to read it. I like the idea of getting your brother to read it since it has zombies in it!
    danabuske(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  17. How random is this? I would love to read it, so please include me in the draw.

    gypsyrover21@yahoo.ca

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  18. wow sounds great a have to read

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  19. I'd like to enter.

    bridget3420(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  20. Eeeee! I've been wanting to read this way back when I first heard about it!! Enter me, please and thank you!

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  21. This sounds fun!! Count me in please :)
    bunnybx at gmail . com

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  22. It sounds like a fun read. Please count me in. Thank you!

    nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com

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  23. It would not be a lie to say that my friend and I have been waiting our whole lives for Zombies to come to Regency England. count me in!

    Lexie.Cenni@gmail.com

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  24. Pride and Prejudice with zombies? I'd kick myself if I didn't enter this giveaway. Please count me in. Thanks!

    tiffanyak1986(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  25. sounds like an awesome read! please enter me!!

    nicolemarielum @gmail.com

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  26. Looks like a great read. Sounds like such fun to see how the two concepts are combined.

    rubymoonstone at gmail dot com

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  27. Sounds like an amazing book!Pride and prejudice with zombies? Please enter me!

    jenhabs@hotmail.com

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  28. This sounds like fun.... I've always had a obsession with zombie movies. Must give this a read! Thanks for sharing...

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  29. Oh how fun! This book sounds great. I'd love to read it.

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  30. I keep seeing this one all over the place and it's really got me interested. I'm definitely in if you're giving one away :P.

    arconna at yahoo dot com

    Thanks!

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  31. I'd love to have my name in for a chance to win. Thanks.

    tanabata2000 at gmail dot com

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  32. Don't enter me, Sara, but I just had to say I don't think I could handle this! I love P&P, but zombies? Not so much.

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  33. oh my! that sounds awesome. if i don't win, i'm going to go out and purchase a copy for my friend the "Jane Austen" Fan's wedding in June.

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  34. oh, and it's madam_diva[at]yahoo[dot]com

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  35. I'd love to enter. Thanks!
    bj19662001 (at) yahoo (dot) ca

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  36. This sounds amazing! Thanks for the giveaway!

    screamingicecube at bellsouth dot net

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  37. Please enter me if international.

    elizascott2005[at]yahoo[dot]co[dot]in

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  38. Please enter me, this seems like a fun read, ere is my e-mail:

    madeleine444 AT gmail DOT com

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  39. I feel like i need to read this book! and i would love to enter your contest...kt_dug@yahoo.com

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  40. I loved Jane Austen growing up (as with the BBC adaptation) but I think plus zombies is so awesome. Would love to read this book!

    hornbill @ gmail.com

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  41. Pride and Prejudice is my favorite Jane Austen book..I's love to read this adaptation! Thanks!
    castellanoamy at yahoo dot com

    I also blogged about this here
    http://chicbookreviews.blogspot.com

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  42. I've been telling everyone about this book--most of the time, they think I'm joking. Of course, I haven't even seen a copy on a shelf, so I'd love to win a copy!

    muse2323 @gmail .com

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  43. How intriguing... Throw my name in please!
    sena.sagani[at]gmail[dot]com

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  44. Zombies! Yes!!!

    twonickelsoradime (at) gmail

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  45. I so want to read this. Thanks for the giveaway!

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  46. I am totally intrigued by the concept of this novel. Sounds fantastic, due in large part to your positive review! Please enter me as well! : )

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  47. What a fun, fun, fun book!

    Lesley
    lesly7ch(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  48. I'm totally dying to check this out. How crazy! I'm also totally amused by your review and will be following (via RSS) in the future!

    violetreads at gmail

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  49. This looks fantastic! Please enter me!

    Rachelhwallen@gmail.com

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  50. I'm not much of a Jane Austen fan but this is so interesting, I just can't pass it up. Enter me, too, please!

    Thanks! :0)
    librarygrinch at gmail dot com

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  51. I saw something about this a while ago and it looks really fun! I'd love to have the chance to read it :)

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  52. Contest is closed...Winner is Bunny B!!! Thanks for all your entries.

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  53. I'm about halfway through this book right now and I am LOVING it! It makes me wonder what all the classics would be like...."Wuthering Heights and Zombies!" "Jane Eyre and Zombies" etc, etc. Fantastic book!

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