Book Review: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen & Seth Grahame-Smith

The moment I saw the name of this book in Entertainment Weekly, I knew I would like it. Oddly enough, zombies and classic literature are two of my favorite things. I had never seen them merged together before, however. Grahame-Smith does a fantastic job of using Jane Austen’s classic novel as a basis for a zombie-genre novel. While it’s all very tongue-in-cheek, he manages to remain respectful of the original work.

For those unfamiliar with the story (or it’s many adaptations), the original Pride & Prejudice follows the story of the Bennet sisters and their various attempts at love. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies adds the element of a long-term zombie infestation to the basic plot, transforming the Bennet sisters into Japanese-trained zombie-killing warriors. I thought it was interesting that the writer chose to feature a manageable infestation rather than the zombie apocalypse that is so prominent in the genre. It’s as if the zombies are mostly a minor inconvenience to the town, except when they invade a society ball.

This book won’t be for everyone – I can only imagine what my tenth grade British Literature teacher would say about it – but it is an entertaining read. I could have used more zombies, believe it or not, but that didn’t take away from my interest in the book. One of the most interesting things about it, I think, is how the zombies are referred to by the people of Meryton. Where zombie novels (and movies) set in modern-day times refer to them simply as “zombies” or “the undead,” P & P & Z‘s characters call them “the unmentionables” or “the sorry stricken.” It’s all in keeping with the proper style of British speech, and it works wonderfully.

If you’re a zombie fan with a good sense of humor, or a Jane Austen fan with a really good sense of humor, this might be just the book for you.

It’s available in Kindle Edition, paperback and as a deluxe hardcover.