Reviewed by Jill Hart
I must admit, though somewhat shyly, that though I am a huge fan of Jane Austen I had never read Pride and Prejudice. I attempted to read it once during my high school years, but the language seemed confusing and I gave up. So, when Bethany House announced their new “Insight Edition” of Pride and Prejudice I jumped at the chance to read it.
This new printing of Austen’s beloved classic includes the original text, but also adds side notes giving the reader a brief definition of certain terms, customs and history behind Austen’s words. The book also includes movie facts and other entertaining tidbits that highlight that many works of art that Pride and Prejudice has inspired such as the 2005 movie starring Kiera Knightley.
The editors at Bethany house did a fantastic job at selecting passages to expound on. For example, Austen speaks of Mrs. Bennet saying, “The business of her life was to get her daughters married; its solace was visiting and news.” In today’s culture this seems a bit, well, shallow, and yet the editors include a note that explains why this would have been so important a job for Mrs Bennet.
I can freely say that I loved the book even more than the movie and I felt the Insight Edition added a whole new dimension to Austen’s work. Jane Austen’s speaks for itself and yet the editors did a wonderful job of adding information that enriched the book and made it even more appealing.
Rating: 5/5
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