Review: Prom and Prejudice

Prom and Prejudice

Elizabeth Eulberg

Publisher: Point

Release Date: January 1, 2011

Pages: 231

Source: Bought

Ratings: 4 Stars

Summary (from Goodreads):

After winter break, the girls at the very prestigious Longbourn Academy become obsessed with the prom. Lizzie Bennet, who attends Longbourn on a scholarship, isn’t interested in designer dresses and expensive shoes, but her best friend, Jane, might be — especially now that Charles Bingley is back from a semester in London.

Lizzie is happy about her friend’s burgeoning romance but less than impressed by Charles’s friend, Will Darcy, who’s snobby and pretentious. Darcy doesn’t seem to like Lizzie either, but she assumes it’s because her family doesn’t have money. Clearly, Will Darcy is a pompous jerk — so why does Lizzie find herself drawn to him anyway?

Will Lizzie’s pride and Will’s prejudice keep them apart? Or are they a prom couple in the making? Whatever the result, Elizabeth Eulberg, author of The Lonely Hearts Club, has concocted a very funny, completely stylish delight for any season — prom or otherwise.

I was greatly looking forward to Elizabeth Eulberg’s second novel after her lovely first novel the Lonely Hearts Club. Prom and Prejudice was exactly what I expected and wanted in Eulberg’s retelling of Jane Austen’s classic (and one of my favorite books) Pride and Prejudice.

I love how Elizabeth Eulberg was able to adapt Pride and Prejudice without making it feel forced. Eulberg stayed very close to the original story, yet was still able to make the story uniquely her own. I loved the idea about prom being this huge, important event, because for many people and schools it is. Eulberg was able to transport Jane Austen’s character and world into a 21^st century high school.

One of my favorite things about this book was how Eulberg kept the characters the same as the original, but they had their own, separate personalities from the original. Lizzie was smart, strong, intelligent and witty. Will Darcy was just as swoon worthy as the original Darcy. He might not have been as brooding but he was definitely still swoon worthy. I think my favorite updating of Austen’s characters was Eulberg’s equivalent of Mr. Collins. Eulberg’s character named Collin, literally had me laughing out loud. He was just as awkward and annoying as the original Mr. Collins. I loved how he would drone on and on about pointless stuff.

Elizabeth Eulberg was able to write a great adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, one with everything I wanted and expected. One thing I know for sure from Elizabeth Eulberg’s writing is that she can never fail to make me smile or put me in a good mood. Both Lonely Hearts Club and Prom and Prejudice were able to do both and I expect anything else Elizabeht Eulberg will be just as wonderful as her previous two books.