Prom and Prejudice

by Elizabeth Eulberg

Hardcover, 2011

Status

Available

Call number

F Eul

Call number

F Eul

Barcode

5708

Publication

Point (2011), Edition: 1, 231 pages

Description

For Lizzie Bennett, a music scholarship student at Connecticut's exclusive, girls-only Longbourn Academy, the furor over prom is senseless, but even more puzzling is her attraction to the pompous Will Darcy, best friend of her roommate's boyfriend.

Original publication date

2011-01-04

User reviews

LibraryThing member TheTaleTemptress
This was a fun read, and a cute retelling of the Jane Austen classic, Pride and Prejudice. Although I did enjoy it, it fell a little flat for me. Obviously the story was bound to be a little predictable, if you've read Pride and Prejudice, but I felt that it was just a little too predictable. It
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went beyond just a general parallel and became more like an exact duplicate. I really felt the author could have done a little bit more with this and brought something new into the mix.Although I liked the Lizzie character in this story, there was strength to the original Lizzie that I missed in this one. This Lizzie seemed to let herself be bothered too much by the things around her, whereas the original Lizzie held herself rather above it and was able to keep it more in perspective, until the very last large event occurs that disrupts her entire family.Similarly, Will Darcy seemed a little lifeless to me. I would have liked to have known a little bit more about this character, his life, and his feelings. I wanted to see some emotional reaction or get to know his inner workings a little bit better and see him more as a three dimensional character.My favorite character in this retelling was Jane. She seemed to fit the original Jane rather well, but the author actually improved on her a little bit and gave her a littie of her own strength that the original Jane didn't have. I found this change refreshing and unique. I felt the author brought something new into the character that was very appealing, while still holding true to the original.I did enjoy reading this story, as it was cute and light-hearted. I love this author and think she's enormously talented. I can't wait until her next book comes out. I would recommend this book to others, especially if they haven't read Pride and Prejudice before. Overall, a very fun read.
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LibraryThing member stephxsu
The prestigious all-girls Longbourn Academy takes two things very seriously: money, and prom. For scholarship student Lizzie Bennett, who has no interest in taking one of the stuck-up boys of Pemberley Academy to the prom, this means social suicide. Luckily she has her best friend Jane, a rich girl
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whose family has fallen on hard times.

Jane’s budding romance with the nice Pemberley boy Charles Bingley makes Lizzie happy, she his friend Will Darcy’s superior moneyed attitude has her seething. To make matters worse, Wick, a townie whom Lizzie meets at her local barista job, relates the story of how Darcy brought about Wick’s expulsion from Pemberley. Lizzie is ready to hate Will Darcy forever…until he overthrows all her impressions of him.

PROM AND PREJUDICE is a quick chick-litty read that will most likely raise eyebrows among loyal fans of the classic but be enjoyed by younger readers, or readers who have not experienced the wonderful nuances of Austen’s masterpiece.

Elizabeth Eulberg’s retelling reads easily and quickly, making it a good choice for a light read in between deeper books. Lizzie, with her musical talent and determination to not get caught up in her classmates’ pretentious games, is a likable protagonist. Even 200 years after Mr. Darcy was first imagined, there is still nothing like his type in terms of romantic heroes. Will Darcy obviously doesn’t hold a candle to Fitzwilliam, of course, but loyalty to Lizzie and how he tries to show that he really cares about her is adorable nevertheless.

PROM closely follows the events of the original story, translating every event into its 21st-century counterpart. Unfortunately, the thing that makes Pride and Prejudice so endearing to millions of readers—Austen’s searing social satire—doesn’t make the two-century leap. Things seem to be “flattened”: the book becomes simply a contemporary YA romance, with the difference in socioeconomic class between Lizzie and Will noted but never really used beyond it being a shallow way to make them willfully misunderstand each other.

The ridiculous characters that we enjoy so much in the original fail to fully make an appearance here: I was dying for more from Jane’s crazy family and the equivalent of Mr. Collins. And sadly, I struggled to find Will Darcy’s appeal. I suppose I was supposed to find his stiff “overtures” to Lizzie attractive, but I couldn’t help but think that the characters’ speech felt unnaturally proper, completely unlike how modern teenagers talk.

Overall, PROM AND PREJUDICE makes for a light chick lit read, but I wonder if the book’s painstaking adherence to the original, from events down to the names, doesn’t end up hurting its good intentions for some readers. I know that I was disappointed that the book seemed to lack the social satire that I enjoy most about Pride and Prejudice.
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LibraryThing member dasuzuki
Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite books and I am always curious about adaptations. This one sounded so cute I couldn't pass it up. It certainly disappoint and was a fun and quick read. Most of my favorite characters from P&P were present and modernized in a way that totally fit a modern,
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teenage setting. Darcy initially snubs Lizzie because she's a scholarship student and this irritates Lizzie enough for her to develop an immediate dislike of Darcy.

I loved the portrayal of both Darcy and Elizabeth. I thought both their characters were channeled well and even little things from the original book are alluded to in this story. Lizzie is an accomplished pianist which is a twist since in the original story she was just passably good but in both instances she captivates Darcy as she plays. I don't know if it was on purpose but in both stories Lizzie is ridiculed after her dress is dirtied, one by tramping through the mud and in the modern version because she had coffee thrown on her. Lydia's character had me laughing out loud. Reminiscent of when she and Kitty embarrassed Jane and Lizzie at a ball, Lydia mortifies Jane by dancing like a mad woman at Charles's party. And really I do mean mortify, there were jazz hands, rockette kicks and more. This Darcy was just as swoon worthy as the original Mr. Darcy in my opinion. I mean come on, he tries to buy Lizzie a book in an attempt to be kind and make up for his earlier disdain. My kind of guy, he certainly knows the way into my heart. lol.

Truly, if you are looking for a light hearted, fun read this is definitely a book you should check out. I am going to have to go check out Elizabeth's previous book, The Lonely Hearts Club, hoping it's just as good.
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LibraryThing member C.Ibarra
Prom & Prejudice explores the plight of scholarship student, Lizzie Bennet, at the very prestigious Longbourn Academy. She was accepted based on her talent with the piano, but this isn’t enough to stop the rich girls from making Lizzie’s experience a difficult one. Thankfully things did work
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out as far as the roommate situation is concerned. She is paired with Jane, who is by far the kindest student at Longbourn. She always goes out of her way to make Lizzie feel comfortable. When Jane’s love interest returns, Lizzie finds herself included in their plans along with Will Darcy. Will makes a not so great first impression and finds himself the target of Lizzie’s anger there after. When Wick enters the picture, Lizzie’s dislike of Darcy grows even more. While the other girls at Longbourn are obsessing over the prom, Lizzie is preoccupied with balancing school, her part-time job, piano lessons, Wick’s wishy washiness, and Darcy’s unwelcome attentions.

Having not read Pride and Prejudice (I will someday) it is impossible for me to compare Prom & Prejudice to its inspiration. With that said Prom & Prejudice on its own was a delight to experience!

Lizzie is a character many will be able to relate to. She is the underdog in almost every way. The one place she shines is her ability to play the piano. The hazing she experienced from the wealthy children she attends school with was heartbreaking, but with Lizzie’s strong character and self-esteem it is next to impossible to feel sorry for her. She is focused, determined, and all around great character. The secondary characters, with the exception of the mean ones, were also just fabulous.

This is a book that can easily be devoured in one sitting. The author has a writing style that flows so smoothly the pages seem to turn themselves. I’d highly recommend this to fans of both contemporary and romantic YA novels.
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LibraryThing member izzyg1
Based loosely on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, PROM AND PREJUDICE tells the story of Lizzie Bennet, a scholarship student at the esteemed Longbourn Academy. A school almost exclusively for the best of high society, any scholarship student is tormented mercilessly until she drops out. Lizzie
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wasn't able to escape the torture, but she was lucky enough to find a good friend in her roommate, Jane. However, even Jane is swept up in the prom craze, and that's only the least of Lizzie's problems. There's also the mysterious Darcy, with his snobby ways of disliking scholarship students, and Lizzie wouldn't deign herself to be nice to him. Except she finds herself unable to stay away. Will her pride and Darcy's prejudice keep them apart?

I read Pride and Prejudice about two years ago, and while many of the details escaped me, I was able to recognize quite a few references in the book. It was fun to see how the author connected the classic story to modern day life, but it must be noted that while the influence is clear, this is still very much its own story. And it was, in fact, a fun story. I loved reading about the pretentious rich girls who were utterly obsessed with prom, which was practically the most important part of their lives. They had to get everything right, from the scarily expensive dresses to the perfect dates.

The romance between Darcy and Lizzie wasn't quite as good as the one between the original two, but I still enjoyed watching them slowly adjust to each other and cheered them on at every twist and turn. In general, the characters were a bit flat, but I feel like this book was intended more to be a fun read rather than something with a lot of character development and deep themes.

PROM AND PREJUDICE was a super-cute book that's sure to appeal to Pride and Prejudice fans. There are many references, and while I didn't pick them all up, I'm sure a lot of you will. This isn't a book that will provide a lot to think about or deal with anything deep, but it was fun to read and I had a good time. I'll definitely be picking up the author's other book to give that a try as well.
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LibraryThing member flashlight_reader
Who doesn’t enjoy a spin off of a Jane Austin tale? In this version of Pride and Prejudice, Lizzie (Bennet) finds herself at Longbourn Academy on a music scholarship. Although she has an amazing talent for playing the piano, no one at the prestigious Longbourn Academy enjoys her presence since
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she is not from a wealthy family. Luckily for Lizzie, she has a wonderful, caring roommate named Jane. Unfortunately, Jane’s boyfriend (Charles Bingley) is best friends with Will Darcy.

Lizzie can’t stand to be in the presence of Will Darcy. Upon her first meeting with Darcy, he snubs her when he found out she was a scholarship student. Of course, Lizzie has spent so much time being tortured by the rich students at her school that she instantly takes offense to Darcy, and makes no attempt to change her opinion of him. To make matters worse, she meets the charming George (“Wick”) Wickam one evening while working at the coffee shop. Lizzie is fascinated with Wick because he was a former Pemberly scholarship student that was horribly mistreated by the despicable Will Darcy. (Notice the irony from the original tale?)

Like the original tale, Lizzie has to realize that Darcy isn’t as evil as she assumes, and that Wick is truly a cad. Swallowing her pride, she makes amends with Darcy and forms the beginning of what we can assume is a nice, healthy relationship.

Like most of the retellings of Pride and Prejudice, this version sticks to the main plot points of the original work. Of the other retellings I’ve read in the past, this one was one of my favorites. Darcy is (as always) misunderstood. While Lizzie prides herself on not being prideful, but inevitably ends up acting like the people she so adamantly dislikes. In this version, however, there are a few twists. Since the characters are too young to think about marriage, the conflict in the novel radiates around the prom. At Longbourn, prom is the equivalent of walking the red carpet at the Grammy’s.

There is really no need to go into much detail about the plot of the story, since most readers are familiar with the story of Pride and Prejudice. The plot of this book stayed at a consistent pace. I enjoyed the unexpected connection between Darcy and Lizzie’s musical idol. I think that added a nice dynamic to his character. As in the original, Wick is eventually shown as the despicable scoundrel that he is. Plus, we find out that Lizzie has a mean left hook!

This was a “cute” read that I enjoyed. I was a breeze to read through; I finished it in one sitting. The cover has peeked the interest of several of my female students, which is inevitable when you mention the word “prom” in a title. I’m excited to use it as an introduction to classic literature and one of my favorite authors of all time!
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LibraryThing member SeCh6
Prom & prejudice is about a girl named Lizzie who got a scholarship to a very rich school. Everyone is very rude to Lizzie but she has a best friend named Jane who is super nice to Lizzie & lets Lizzie borrow her clothes.
The setting in prom & prejudice is mostly at the school campus. I can see a
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big fancy rich school that is always clean and nice.
The main character in prom & prejudice is a girl named Lizzie, who got a scholarship into the school and is a very good at playing the piano. An other main character is a girl named Jane who is a very sweet girl and very nice to everyone.
The plot of this book is to never care of what other people say about you or to you. And that you shouldn’t let people ruin your life by being mean and rude to you.
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LibraryThing member mjmbecky
As far as remakes of Jane Austen's famous Pride and Prejudice go, this one is pretty cute. With our famous "Lizzie" and Darcy now as teens studying in a famous prep school, the result of this romance is not marriage, but prom. If you know the story behind the original story, then the personalities
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of the characters make perfect sense, even if the resulting reasons to be proud might be different. Darcy, in this remake, is so sweet and mature that he almost seems unreal for a teen boy, yet that makes him even more endearing. Let's be honest, we're reading his as a character, and not necessarily as a real to life teen, right?

I really loved this short, clean read. Lizzie and Darcy both have valid reasons to not like the other, and I think that their conflicts are age appropriate and help forward the story. The resolutions along the way are nicely put together, with new ways of showing why Darcy was so stand-offish with Lizzie and how he really is a good, well-mannered guy. Is getting Lizzie and Darcy to prom the real "resolution" to this story? I can't really say that's it, but the overriding story is very cute and fun to compare to the original. I'll be recommending this one to many students I teach, and my adult friends that enjoy a cute remake of Pride and Prejudice.
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LibraryThing member ChristianR
This was very enjoyable. A fun introduction to Pride and Prejudice. Lizzie is a scholarship student at an expensive prep school, and she is very poorly treated by the other students except for her wonderful roommate, Jane. When she meets Will Darcy, he is at first aloof and she concludes that he is
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as arrogant as the other students. She misinterprets many other things related to Darcy, even while he is drawn to her. They ultimately come together after her misconceptions are cleared up and he admits that at first he was condescending because of a previous encounter with a different scholarship student, who had abused his friendship and used him, and others, for his money.
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LibraryThing member Bookswithbite
You know, as much as I love re-tales of classic books, this book didn't seem to grab me as much as I wanted it too. I still enjoyed reading it but I had high expectations for it especially since I love Jane Eyre.

One thing I enjoyed about this book are the strong characters. The main character,
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Lizzie is off the charts. She is an amazing girl who grew a back bone when getting harassed as the new scholarship girl. She is not the same and lets everyone know it. She is strong and level- headed, and finally put her foot down in being treated badly. Will Darcy is a Class A jerk! From the very beginning he made me fume! I mean who does he think he is??? He treated the girls badly and just made me want to slap him. But at last, he did mange to win me back when he finally started to come around and be himself.

The plot line of this book is my gripe. While the characters were amazing, the plot is slow and not very grabbing. I had a hard time staying with the book. And only cause of the characters did I continue to read. I did however, love the idea of prom and what it meant in society. Over all, it's a good book with amazing characters.
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LibraryThing member thehidingspot
I adored Elizabeth Eulberg's THE LONELY HEARTS CLUB, so, coupled with my lifelong love of Jane Austen, PROM & PREJUDICE was a must read. Eulberg's novels are light and rather fluffy and PROM & PREJUDICE is just over 200 pages, making it a quick read... perfect for a weekend.

The characters were
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likeable and the similarities between Eulberg's reimagined versions of Austen's characters were easy to see. I liked that the reader was able to draw parallels between P&P and PROM & PREJUDICE. Although, in PROM & PREJUDICE, Lizzie's mother is, thankfully, nothing like the Mrs. Bennett of P&P. This Mrs. Bennett was much more supportive and considerably less interested in connections.

I did think that there were times when Eulberg would have been better off straying a bit further from Austen. For example, the language was archaic at times and didn't seem to fit the contemporary setting. I would have preferred Eulberg to abandon her attempt to match dialogue... it made the conversation awkward and, at times, almost forced.

Overall, I'd recommend PROM & PREJUDICE, but I preferred THE LONELY HEARTS CLUB. Read Eulberg's debut first, then pick up her sophomore release if you like the first.
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LibraryThing member yearningtoread
At Longbourn Academy, nothing is so highly esteemed as Prom. Prom, prom, prom - it's the most important event of the year, and if you don't go, you must have died in the night. Or you'll just have to live with a really bad reputation.
Lizzie Bennet doesn't plan on going to prom. Her reputation is
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already looking like a smashed bug. The first week at Longbourn, someone slushed a strawberry smoothie into her face. But at least she has two friends - Charlotte, the bookworm friend who doesn't really like parties; and Jane, her perfectly kind and adorable roommate who loves Lizzie just like she is.
You see, Lizzie is a scholarship student at the Academy, which has 99% spoiled, filthy rich brats as its inhabitants. And right across the way is Pemberly Academy, for the boys. It's the same deal.
But when Charles Bingley, the adorably sweet guy from Pemberly begins to really like Jane, Lizzie is introduced to his snotty sister Caroline, and his best friend, Will Darcy. Will Darcy is proud and doesn't like scholarship students...he's just like everyone else. Or is he?
But when scandal hits Longbourn and Pemberly for the second time in just as many years - between Jane's sister Lydia and ex-Pemberly bad boy Wick - Lizzie must overcome her prejudices against Darcy to help Lydia, or else who she thought Darcy was before will color her depiction of him forever.

________________________________________

My thoughts -
How cute! I wasn't sure what to be expecting from this book, but I quite enjoyed it and definitely recommend it. It wasn't as polished or detailed as I was hoping - the writing was a bit plain for my taste - but nevertheless it was so fun and sweet and innocent and I will definitely be reading it again!

Character notes -
I felt a really strong connection with Lizzie. If I was in her situation, I would have done the same exact thing and felt the same way. And while I didn't always admire her choices (choices I myself would have made), I admired her as a person and loved the way she was always genuinely caring for people, even if she was a bit wary at first.

Darcy... Yes, I absolutely loved this teenage portrayal of Mr. Darcy. He was the clearest character to picture and the best developed. I felt like I did was reading the original and/or watching the movies: I was interested in him, then disliked him, then I hated his guts...then I felt sorry for him. And then - I loved him!! At first, I felt like he laughed a little too much and showed a bit too much emotion for Mr. Darcy, but it fell in easily with his character and I love the direction Elizabeth Eulberg took it. His and Lizzie's interactions as the lead roles were absolutely perfect and fitting for the story. Their relationship was handled with care and their fights, irritation, and then love for each other was pulled off without fault. (Darcy is by far my favorite character.)

As for the other characters... Jane and Charles are almost exactly like their originals. I found Caroline to be really super annoying...like the original, but...not. I liked certain scenes she was in (like the cabin scenes), but most of the time she was just annoying. Cat de Bourgh was...weird. Collins was hilarious and Charlotte was a sweetie. And Wick... I liked his character (and hated...), but his nickname really really really bothered me. It would have been better if they had called him George. Or "G". Anything. Anything but Wick. Ugh - for some reason it just bugs me!

Story notes -
Prom and Prejudice was very closely related to Pride and Prejudice, of course, but I really liked the original way Eulberg pulled it off. I was surprised as though I was reading the story for the first time. I think she might have switched around the order of certain things (just a tiny bit, not enough to really notice), and she added some really neat surprises - my jaw actually dropped and I squealed at one of them! The story was fairly smooth. I loved that all of my favorite scenes were kept - and I totally felt the right emotions at the right times. (Mr. Collins proposal, Mr. Darcy's letter, a lot of his and Lizzie's fights... They were all there!)

Some of the dialogue lacks strength, bu this was easily overlooked.

The only thing that confused me (and only at first) was where the story took place. Like, England? That's what it felt like. But no, it keeps referencing to East Coast places. So, it's on the East Coast. But I was a little confused as to what city. Not that it mattered much...I just couldn't figure it out.

Something I can't make my mind about - the society that these teenagers live in. It seemed a bit odd...old fashioned. I know this is supposed to take after an old book that takes place in an old-fashioned society... But in the first ten chapters I felt like Longbourn was far removed from our society. However, after that I became used to the extremely proper way the characters talk to each other (among other things) and the story swept me away. I liked that aspect, and yet I didn't....

One phrase to sum up this book (final thoughts) -
Adorable and light! I finished this book in one day and totally loved it. I could not put it down! It's a great vacation read - this summer while I go beach camping with my family, I think I'll bring this along and enjoy the sweet retelling of this awesome love story one more time. :)

Nothing to worry about for the parents, by the way. Not even a single cuss word. A references to Wick getting drunk with a girl and trying to "take advantage of her". He tries again with another girl, but they are caught. Both characters are drunk but it is implied that nothing has happened between them. Exactly (almost) like the original.
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LibraryThing member RefPenny
Based on Pride and Prejudice, this book is about Lizzie Bennet - a scholarship student at the exclusive boarding school - Longbourne Academy. Although most of the girls look down on Lizzie and make her life a misery she does have 2 friends - Jane, her room mate and Charlotte. Jane falls for Charles
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Bingley , a student at the nearby boys' school, Pemberley and so Lizzie meets Will Darcy, Charles' best friend.
This book is a great adaptation of the Jane Austen classic - sticking to the main plot line whilst changing many details to make the story relevant to modern teens.
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LibraryThing member AnnaKay21
It was a really cute retelling of a much loved classic. A very quick read though, and if you're looking for an unpredictable book this isn't for you. Still, loved the characters the same as ever which was a surprise because teenagers can be hard to love sometimes. Overall very cute and I would
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definitely recommend it!
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LibraryThing member skaohee
Prom and Prejudice is a retelling of my favorite book ever - Pride and Prejudice. But in this modern day retelling, Lizzie attends boarding school and that's how everyone is connected. The characters are obviously modeled after the original characters, but they seem to have a uniqueness about them
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at the same time and surprisingly, I didn't find myself comparing them to the characters in Pride and Prejudice at all - I enjoyed the book as it was.

I have to admit that I was a tad bit skeptical going in to this book because I was afraid that no one could do what I consider to be a "proper retelling" worthy of Pride and Prejudice, but Ms. Eulberg blew me away with her ability to make me forget that I was even reading a retelling.

I would recommend this book to classic and YA contemporary lovers alike. It's a fast read and a guaranteed feel-good.
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LibraryThing member mamzel
A fast spoof on Pride and Prejudice, Prom and Prejudice takes place in a private school where the goal is getting a date for prom. Elizabeth (lizzie) Bennet is a talented pianist, on scholarship at the Longbourn Academy where all the girls jockey for the best arm candy from the nearby boy's school,
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Pemberly.

The story stays pretty faithful to its inspiration and Lizzie has her ups and downs with the mysterious Will Darcy. It's a cute update for a timeless story.
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LibraryThing member Ceilidhann
Everyone knows something about “Pride and Prejudice”, even if it’s only fragments of a plot or character they’ve gleamed from a TV show or internet review or Googling pictures of a dripping wet Colin Firth. The iconic story of social standings, misunderstandings and the oft-imitated Lizzie
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and Mr Darcy has had an indelible impact on literature at large, particularly YA and romance (two genres which are heavily entwined). The chances are that you have seen or read at least one version of the story, be it through the diary of Bridget Jones or the undead twists of Seth Graheme-Smith. Elizabeth Eulberg, former publicist to one Stephenie Meyer, brings her own twist to the table, through the scope of a privileged boarding school, where connections are key and the end of year prom is the highlight of the social calendar. So far, so typical for the tale. However, where Eulberg’s book fails in the same way countless Austen re-imaginings before it have failed.

High schools, on the surface, seem like an ideal setting for a modern day Austen re-telling. Many of the social mores and expectations present in the original tale translate surprisingly well to the heightened teenage stakes so commonly found in teen comedies and dramas. “Clueless” stands as arguably the most effective adaptation of “Emma” because it understands how to remain honest to the source material while still leaving enough wriggle room to allow for necessary deviations. “Prom and Prejudice” does none of that. It takes the shallowest reading of the source material imaginable and joins the dots to form a coherent and recognisable adaptation of the story, but with none of the wit, charm or social commentary of the original. Eulberg is so desperate to be as honest to the plotting of the original work that she ends up regurgitating each plot point and leaves behind something that’s not particularly enjoyable (although it’s a very quick, mindless read) and incredibly dull. While a re-telling of something as iconic as “Pride and Prejudice” requires some faithfulness to the material, with a basic understanding of what Austen was trying to discuss, simply recounting it with a few minor contemporary changes is utterly pointless.

There’s no spark to this tale at all. Lizzie is a scholarship student at a prestigious school, where she is bullied mercilessly for not being as privileged as her classmates, while Darcy is the wealthy boy from the nearby boys’ school who she takes an immediate dislike to. The stakes just aren’t there for this story – prom invites aren’t exactly marriage proposals, and the author totally failed to make me feel the importance of the social workings of this world. Just being told that prom is important is not enough. It didn’t help that all the snooty rich bullies Lizzie went to school with were as fully developed as the villains from the Tintin comics. None of the teenagers in this story talk like teenagers: They talk like lazy Austen rip-offs read by twenty something adults. The dialogue feels so completely at odds with how the rest of the book is written. The style jumps from colloquial teenagers to 19th century formality as found in the summaries of Spark Notes. Given that the novel is set in America, yet everyone talks like Regency England, I can’t help but think Eulberg was forced to rush this book out by an impatient editor.

Overall, “Prom and Prejudice” is a fluffy and quick read that I finished in about 3 hours, including tea breaks, but as an Austen adaptation, it is decidedly underwhelming, the shallowest take on the source material imaginable. There are glimmers of potential within the story – tackling the saturation of consumerism amongst the teenage generation, the American class system – but they’re ignored in favour of showing how this book is so totally like Austen but with a modern twist, and in the end it feels patronising and irritating. If you want an Austen re-telling that actually manages to balance fluff and satire in a modern setting, take “Clueless” every single time.
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LibraryThing member loveofreading
As can be easily deduced by the title, Prom & Prejudice is a modern retelling of Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice. Set at an elite private school, Lizzie Bennett is a scholarship student among trust fund kids who immediately see her as an unfit 'connection' to make in their "high society." Will
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Darcy is exactly as Jane Austen portrays him — exceedingly wealthy, rude, full of pride, and a man with whom we could live happily ever after!

Much like modern adaptions such as Shakespeare's Twelfth Night into She's the Man, Prom & Prejudice is the perfect tool not only to get young readers interested in Jane Austen, but it's an excellent way to help readers to understand the plot. With an understanding of the plot, the student can better appreciate the story and not get lost in the words. Eulberg handles Austen's masterpiece beautifully, keeping the story as close to the original as possible, but with a few decisive changes so as to make it her own.

I noticed that a lot of the characters' dialogue sounds like it's reminiscent of the regency era. However, I feel like it kept the story from being cheapened by modern slang or colloquial language. Eulberg preserves much of Austen's language and the original traits of her iconic characters. Even if the names weren't all the same, any reader could pick out who is who.

I enjoyed Prom & Prejudice more than I expected to. I picked it up because I love Elizabeth Eulberg's novels. She's an incredible writer and her books are easy to sink into on my daily commute. It got me in the mood to watch Pride & Prejudice again, so part of my weekend has been devoted to watching the BBC production, featuring a very handsome Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy. The lake scene, anyone?

Teachers, if you're looking to give teen girl readers a stepping stone to understanding Pride & Prejudice, Elizabeth Eulberg's Prom & Prejudice is an excellent way to do just that! It's like Gossip Girl meets Jane Austen him — an odd, but undeniably effective and enjoyable combination!

For ages 13 & up.

3.5 Stars
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LibraryThing member chaoticbooklover
I've heard some great things about this book, and while I love all the Pride & Prejudice "remakes" this one will now be at the top of my list. I always thought that the characters belonged in high school, and putting them in a prestigious prep school was even better.
LibraryThing member HeatherLINC
This is a fun, modern retelling of one of my favourite books. I thought the author did a great job capturing the essence of the original characters and I especially loved the brooding Will Darcy. Lizzie Bennett is a very worthy protagonist - kind, strong, intelligent and determined. I also enjoyed
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the setting of the book, the snobbish school for rich girls where Lizzie is made to feel unwanted since she is only there because of a scholarship. This book is a delightful introduction to a beloved classic and one I would highly recommend.
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LibraryThing member Sheila1957
A teen retelling of Pride and Prejudice set at an elite boarding school where Lizzie has won a scholarship and is going through being harassed. She meets Will Darcy when he returns from London and both judge the other as lacking. Lizzie learns that what she thought is not true and Will learns new
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things as well.

I enjoyed this a lot. It had the frame of Pride and Prejudice but it is all modern teen age scenario. I liked Lizzie and Jane. Lydia was a brat. Darcy is not as aloof and is more down to earth. Wick is still a jerk, loser, and user when all is said and done. The story does well in contemporary days. I had fun reading this and did it in one sitting. Great book!
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LibraryThing member JessBass87
Sweet and creative way of retelling a true classic.
LibraryThing member mountie9
The Good Stuff

* absolutely delightful retelling of Pride and Prejudice for the YA set - and for those like me who never made it through the overly flowery original novel -- I know I know but hey I'm more of a get to the point kinda gal
* Nice surprise plot twist that I didn't see coming
* Light
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and fun
* Nice morals -- no surprise there since its basically a retelling of Pride and Prejudice
* It actually inspired me to TRY and read Pride and Prejudice and if not, will be grabbing my copy of the AE mini series with yummy Colin Firth
* Loved brashy Lydia
* Look forward to reading other books by this author

The Not so Good Stuff

* Sort of jumpy at times in terms of jumping from scene to scene
* Could have had a bit more romance

Favorite Quotes/Passages

"Imagine the chaos that erupted a few years ago, when a scholarship student not only snagged the most sought-after boy at Pemberley, but showed up in a dress from Macy's (the horror!) and caught the eye of the New York Times reporter, who ended up putting her, and her story, on the cover of the Style sections. Up to that point, most students tolerated the two scholarship students in each class. But this was too much."

"I'm guessing your daddy doesn't think saying things like 'venti half-calf, skinny latte' is too impressive, either. But if that makes you feel smart - when really, you're just asking for a decaf coffee with skim milk - who am I to judge."

"I wanted to look away, but it was one of those horrifying scenes that you just can't take your eyes off of. Just when I thought it couldn't get worse, she did jazz hands."

What I Learned

* Sucks to be a scholarship student

Who should/shouldn't read

* Fantastic for the YA's on the younger side. Some of the more jaded YA readers may find it a bit too clean
* Good for those who enjoy the themes and ideas in Pride and Prejudice but cannot get by the flowery writing

4 Dewey's

I received this from Scholastic in exchange for an honest review
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LibraryThing member sawcat
This is basically on of those bad teen high school movies in book form, with a few plot points and names from Pride and Prejudice added. Characters not very likeable, not even Lizzie. Its just a bad, vapid retelling of Pride and Prejudice, with some glaring grammar mistakes.

Rating

½ (142 ratings; 3.6)

Pages

231
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