My Classics Club Readathon Results and Partial Review of Pride and Prejudice

I did read some of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I read the first 90 pages. I stopped reading in the afternoon because my kids all were staying the night at someone's house and it was the first time I had the house to myself in weeks? Months? I don't even remember how long it has been.

While I read the first 90 pages, I can't honestly tell you much about what I read. What I have figured out is that this is one of the shallowest books I have ever read. For all of it's fancy English and big words, the whole thing so far has been about snagging a husband. Most of the book seemed to be boring conversations where Mr. Darcy tries not to like Elizabeth because "of her lack of connections."

The story is full of women that are fake, gossip about each other, and scheme in order to get a mate. The whole thing reminds me of a nineteenth century version of Mean Girls. And until Elizabeth meets Mr. Wickham on the street, nothing much plotwise had seemed to have happened up until that point.

However, I must admit that I am curious to see just who Elizabeth ends up with and whether or not Mr. Darcy is as horrible as Mr. Wickham claims. So far we only have Wickham's side of the story about being cheated out of his inheritance. I am curious to hear Mr. Darcy's side of the story.

What shocks and fascinates me though is how fast courtship proceeds in the nineteenth century. Nowadays it's not uncommon to date for a year to a few years before becoming engaged. At one point Elizabeth's mother hopes Mr. Collins will propose by the end of the week. The end of the week!?

I do think the novel has the potential to go deeper. There seems to be an underlying theme about who Mr. Darcy truly is. Is his pride and obnoxiousness just an act? Is he truly insecure underneath? Maybe even a good guy? Is Mr. Wickham really a liar and the bad guy? Will Elizabeth fall for Mr. Darcy? I want to know!

I'm also anxious to watch the movie (or is it movies?) of Pride and Prejudice. Maybe after seeing the movie I'll understand a bit more about the first 85 pages or so.