Book Review - Prom and Prejudice

By: Elizabeth Eulberg

Published by: Scholastic

Release Date: January 1, 2011

Source: Scholastic

5 out of 5 stars - I loved this book and highly recommend it!

Synopsis (from Scholastic):  It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single guy in his spring semester at Pemberly Academy must be in want of a prom date.

After winter break, the girls at very prestigious, very wealthy, girls-only Longbourn Academy are suddenly obsessed with the prom, which they share with the nearby, equally elitist, all-boys Pemberly school. Lizzie Bennett, who attends Longbourn on scholarship, isn't exactly 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 Will Darcy, Charles's friend, who's as snobby and pretentious as his friend is nice. He doesn't seem to like Lizzie either, but she assumes it's because her family doesn't have money. It doesn't help that Charles doesn't seem to be asking Jane to be his prom date, or that Lizzie meets George Wickham, who tells her that Will Darcy sabotaged his scholarship at Pemberly. Clearly Will Darcy is a pompous jerk who looks down on the middle class - so imagine Lizzie's surprise when he asks her to the prom!

Will Lizzie's prejudice and Will's pride keep them apart? Or are they a prom couple in the making? From Elizabeth Eulberg comes a very funny, completely stylish prom-season delight of Jane Austen proportions.

I approach any re-telling of Pride and Prejudice with a lot of caution. Why? Because it's one of my Go-To-Books. You know those books; they are the ones that you read over and over again for comfort, predictability and to re-capture that moment of "that did NOT just happen"?

 

But what Elizabeth Eulberg did with Pride and Prejudice makes me want to shout things like "perfect" and "brilliant" and "go, run, buy it now". In Prom & Prejudice, the protagonist, Lizzie, is a girl in a very elite boarding school and she's there as a Scholarship Student based on her incredible musical ability. And here's where Elizabeth's style of writing really takes off. She illustrates the prejudice Lizzie faces with such quick, touching and cringe-worthy moments that you feel like you want to reach out and help Lizzie in any way you can. As a reader, I understood Lizzie's stubborn pride and her feelings of not fitting in and just wanting to get through it all for the sake of her talent.

 

The plot sticks closely to the original's even maintaining some of the familiar quotes. And yes, all the major characters are there but there are delightful twists that showcase the modern feel of the book.

 

Now, the romance. The reason I re-read Pride and Prejudice is for the romance. Sure the character studies are interesting but oh, the perfectly paced romance is what I really want to experience. Once again, Elizabeth gives the reader that push and pull between Lizzie and Darcy. Those moments of misunderstanding. Those moments of "that did NOT just happen". Like here from page 88 when Darcy asks Lizzie to dance with him:

I was in a daze on the dance floor. It was like having an out-of-body experience. I found myself going through the motions, but also looking around trying to figure out where the ambush was coming from. Darcy slipped his arms around me, with much more ease than Colin had, and before I knew it, we were in something approximating an embrace. Darcy was several inches taller than me, and he leaned his head down so our eyes locked.

 

I was face-to-face with the enemy.

Did you sigh along with me or shake your head knowing what Lizzie felt? I had to give you a taste of Lizzie's voice because I understood her from page one and she drew me in with her logic and stubbornness.

 

As a busy mom of three, I have very little time to myself and I can honestly say that I finished Prom & Prejudice in a day. I just couldn't put it down. So go to your favorite bookstore and if you're in a mood for a well written, romantic read be sure to pick it up. I loved Elizabeth's style so much that I turned around and downloaded her first book,  Lonely Hearts Club , to my ereader. And now, I can sit back and read what is surely another well written story.