Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld
Summary (from the publisher): This version of the Bennet family—and Mr. Darcy—is one that you have and haven’t met before: Liz is a magazine writer in her late thirties who, like her yoga instructor older sister, Jane, lives in New York City. When their father has a health scare, they return to their childhood home in Cincinnati to help—and discover that the sprawling Tudor they grew up in is crumbling and the family is in disarray.
Youngest sisters Kitty and Lydia are too busy with their CrossFit workouts and Paleo diets to get jobs. Mary, the middle sister, is earning her third online master’s degree and barely leaves her room, except for those mysterious Tuesday-night outings she won’t discuss. And Mrs. Bennet has one thing on her mind: how to marry off her daughters, especially as Jane’s fortieth birthday fast approaches.
Enter Chip Bingley, a handsome new-in-town doctor who recently appeared on the juggernaut reality TV dating show Eligible. At a Fourth of July barbecue, Chip takes an immediate interest in Jane, but Chip’s friend neurosurgeon Fitzwilliam Darcy reveals himself to Liz to be much less charming. . . .
And yet, first impressions can be deceiving.
Review: In this novel, Curtis Sittenfeld has thoughtfully updated the classic tale of the Bennet family from Pride and Prejudice into a modern-day story. In this version, Liz is a magazine writer in her late 30s living in New York City. Her sister Jane is a yoga instructor who is approaching 40 and also living in New York City and trying to pursue motherhood on her own. When their father has a health scare, they return home to Cincinnati, where their parents and three sisters still live. At a fourth of July get together, Jane hits it off with Chip Bingley, a handsome doctor known for starring on the hit TV reality show Eligible. But Liz finds his doctor friend Fitzwilliam Darcy far less appealing.
Sittenfeld was quite creative in updating the classic novel and turning it into a modern-day story of an American family. Rather than "spinsters" aging out of the marriage market, their mother is concerned about their declining fertility as her daughters approach 40. Rather than long walks in the countryside, Liz and Darcy run into each other on long runs through the streets of Cincinatti. Basically, every little detail was thoughtfully updated or revised with a modern twist. Some of the choices worked better than others. For instance, Liz's sister's elopement and her rushed flight home seemed a bit implausible. I just don't think a grown sibling would fly home under the supposed circumstances.
At times, I did feel like Sittenfeld's writing was constrained by her need to stick to the Austen script. I love Sittenfeld's descriptive prose, but it felt lacking in this at times. It read as if the book was more dedicated to ticking off boxes to include all the hallmarks of the original story in its revised form. I also found Liz distinctly unlikable! In the original, she does have the titular prejudice towards Darcy. But she also comes across as levelheaded, smart, lacking in vanity, and full of integrity. In this version, she is quite devoted to her family despite not particularly liking many of them. But otherwise, she makes poor life choices and is mostly snippy and seems devoid of her admirable traits.
Overall, I really did enjoy this. Sittenfeld somehow is sharply true to the original story while also reimagines it in a fresh light. The Bennett family is just as amusing and maddening as in the original and Darcy is just as steadfast in his commitment to integrity and upholding his and his family's ideals. An entertaining exercise in rewriting an original.
Stars: 4
Related Titles:
Comments
Post a Comment