- Emma Campbell Webster
You read the title of this book and you scream. You toss it wildly across the room away from you, not because you despise the book but because this must be a dream and if you keep holding the book you might wake from the dream.
I didn't quite react this way when I saw this book in the book store but almost. I was extremely excited by the idea of this book as I am sure you are too. Who doesn't LOVE create your adventure books? and who doesn't LOVE Jane Austen? If you answered 'Me' to either of those questions this is the end of our beautiful friendship. But enough of that, to the book!
'Being Elizabeth Bennet' begins the story from the start Pride and Prejudice. The main story is simply retold until you reach your first decision and then things begin to get exciting. Your first decision is whether you should wander down the path to your right or meander down the path on your left. Not a taxing decision to make you might think but in this book no decision is simple. Whether it is a decision to attend a picnic or not, or whether to accept Mr Darcy's proposal first time round, death, despair or delirious happiness could be just around the corner. In the time that I have read this book I have died many, many times. Poor Lizzie I am afraid, must accept constant death though because I am determined to try every option. My favourite death so far (can I say have one?) is Lizzie dying of a broken spirit as Mr Wickham burns sections of the bible in front of her.
Another exciting aspect of this book is that all the other Jane Austen characters make cameo appearances through the story. You can meet the Crawfords when they visit Netherfield Park, bump into Anne Elliot in Bath and be strongly rebuked by Mr Knightly. I really wanted to see what would happen if I matched Lizzie up with other Austen heroes and it really got my imagination going. Could Lizzie be really happy with any other lead or even not lead male from Jane Austen books? Could you do this massive swap husbands thing and end up with Emma Woodhouse and Henry Tilney together? or Fanny Price and Colonel Brandon? Edmund Bertram and Elinor Dashwood? The possibilities are endless and very interesting. However, let's just keep Mr Tilney single and alive today so I can meet him!
I think this book is great! The only negative I have is that I think Lizzie deserves more happiness from the different endings. The majority end with her dead or distraught but hey, if it all becomes too morose perfect excuse to watch the dvd again! (The six hour version of course, death to the new adaption!)
Hmmm...
