Book Review: Eligible

02.1.2017

Like most books, I picked this one up with no prior knowledge of it's contents (probably off of Powell's New + Recommended list). I was pleasantly surprised to find a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice! Eligible is the delightful and familiar tale of Lizzy Bennet, her family, and Mrs.Bennet's quest to get any of her 5 daughters married to a man of means. What I loved about Eligible was that the author stayed very true to the characters while modernizing them seamlessly. Jane is sensible and pragmatic, Mrs.Bennet is exasperated and a little manipulative, Lydia and Kitty are thick as thieves and a little wild, and Mary is awkward and unaware. Avid P&P fans (ahem, Mackenzie Broderick) may hold a more critical eye to the novel, but a pleb like me who has only read P&P twice will no doubt enjoy the classic tale of women, ambitions, and marriage, told in a modern setting.