Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen * * * * *

Pride and Prejudice is the second novel published by Jane Austen, and it is without question her most famous. It has become one of those cultural cornerstones that most people know even without having read it. You would be hard-pressed to find someone who has not at least seen one adaptation. For me, the definitive version will always be the BBC adaptation. I do not think there is a better one.

This was actually my first time reading the novel itself, and I experienced it as an audiobook narrated by Rosamund Pike. I do feel a warning is necessary here. If you start with her version, you will be spoiled. Pike is an exceptional narrator. Her delivery is precise, expressive, and perfectly attuned to Austen’s irony. At times it feels less like a reading and more like a performance. It is hard not to wish she had narrated all of Austen’s novels. Honestly, she could read just about anything and I would listen.

Pride and Prejudice is peak Austen. The characters are sharp and memorable, and the dialogue sparkles. There is also a strong sense of movement throughout the novel. Compared to some of her other works, the characters travel more and cover greater distances. The world feels larger and more active. And while Mr Darcy does not step out of a pond soaking wet on the page, the scene remains just as effective in the novel. The BBC addition was a brilliant visual choice.

Elizabeth Bennet, or Lizzy, is Austen’s most famous heroine for a good reason. She is intelligent, observant, and often delightfully sarcastic. More importantly, she is capable of self-reflection. When she realises she is wrong, she owns it. She is more aware of the realities of the world around her than her own parents.

Mr Darcy initially comes across as distant and full of himself. Over time, however, a different picture emerges. He is socially awkward and uncomfortable in company. He is reserved rather than arrogant. He knows his own worth, but he is also aware of the expectations placed upon him and does not always know how to navigate them. Darcy is a man of action rather than words, and when he does act, his sincerity finally becomes visible.

Wickham is one of Austen’s scoundrels. He is charming, plausible, and deeply unreliable. He is not as complex as Lizzy or Darcy, but that is intentional. His role is to complicate the narrative and to demonstrate how easily people can be misled by confidence and half-truths.

This is Austen’s tightest novel narratively. There are no meandering plot points, meetings that feel unnecessary, characters that are not used to the fullest. Each plot point, each character serves a purpose and makes the world feel alive.

If you only read one Jane Austen novel in your life, make it Pride and Prejudice. It is witty, thoughtful, and remarkably readable. Few novels earn their reputation so fully, and fewer still feel this alive two centuries later.