10 Great Pride and Prejudice Retellings For All Ages
The essence of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice has been the cornerstone of countless romcoms and romance novels: opposites repel and attract until a crisis shows their true colors and they admit their feelings. Pride and Prejudice retellings and reimaginings like Bridget Jones’s Diary, Longbourn, and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies have shown that the strength of Austen’s original story can support any number of new settings and genres. Here are some of our favorite recent-ish works that bring the tale of Lizzy, Darcy, and the others into a wide variety of different settings.
Pride and Prejudice ReTELLINGS For Adults
Ayesha at Last by Uzma Jalaluddin (June, 2018)
Ayesha Shamsi lives with her boisterous Muslim family and, though lonely, she doesn’t want an arranged marriage. When she meets the handsome Khalid, she surprises herself by being attracted to someone so judgmental. When a surprise engagement is announced between her flighty sister and Khalid, Ayesha is torn between how she feels about the straightforward Khalid and his family; and the truth she realizes about herself. But Khalid is also wrestling with what he believes and what he wants. And he just can’t get this beautiful, outspoken woman out of his mind.
First Impressions by Sarah Price
This series reimagines Austen’s works in a contemporary Amish setting, which works charmingly. Replacing the Regency with rural Pennsylvania, and upper-class English culture with that of the Amish, the author covers the same issues of manners, upbringing, morality, education, and marriage within the Amish community as Austen discussed in her work.
Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe by Melissa de la Cruz
In this gender-swapped take we find Darcy Fitzwilliam: 29, beautiful, successful, and brilliant. Back in her small town for Christmas, she meets Luke Bennet, the smart, sardonic slacker son of their neighbor. Luke is 32-years-old and has never left home. When they fall into bed after too many eggnogs, she thinks it’s just another one night stand. But why can’t she stop thinking of Luke? What is it about him? And can she fall in love, or will her pride and his prejudice against big-city girls stand in their way?
Related: Tag Yourself: Pride and Prejudice
Gay Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen and Kate Christie
Like other variations on Jane Austen’s classic romance novel, Gay Pride & Prejudice poses a question: What if some among Austen’s characters preferred the company of their own sex? In this queer revision of the classic original, we find an alternate version of love, friendship, and marriage for Elizabeth Bennet, Mr. Darcy, and others among their circle of friends. But even as the path to love veers from the straight and narrow, the destination remains much the same.
Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld
This contemporary adult novel reimagines a Bennet family for the 21st century. Here, 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. Enter Chip Bingley, a handsome new-in-town doctor who recently appeared on a reality TV dating show. His friend Darcy reveals himself to Liz to be much less charming…And yet, first impressions can be deceiving.
Pride and Prejudice ReTELLINGS For TEENS
First & Then by Emma Mills
Pride and Prejudice meets Friday Night Lights in this contemporary YA. Devon Tennyson’s comfortable life is upended when her cousin Foster, an unrepentant social outlier, comes to live with them. Foster’s skill at football means Devon is forced to spend time around Ezra, the obnoxiously superior and maddeningly attractive star running back.
Emoji Pride and Prejudice: Epic Tales in Tiny Texts by Katherine Furman and Chuck Gonzales
What would happen if the characters of Pride and Prejudice texted each other non-stop rather than engaging in their melodrama directly? Would Elizabeth call Mr. Darcy a poop emoji? Would Darcy drink and dial and accidentally reveal his true feelings complete with a heart emoji? Find out in this condensed version of the classic novel is told entirely in hundreds of emojis.
Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg
After winter break, the girls at the very prestigious Longbourn Academy become obsessed with the prom. Lizzie Bennet, who attends Longbourn on a scholarship, isn’t 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 Charles’s friend, Will Darcy, who’s snobby and pretentious. Clearly, Will Darcy is a pompous jerk—so why does Lizzie find herself drawn to him anyway?
Pride and Prejudice ReTELLINGS For CHILDREN
Pride & Prejudice: A Babylit Storybook by Stephanie Clarkson and Annabel Tempest
This hardcover lap book, ideal for ages ages 3–7, retells Austen’s story with easy-to-follow text and engaging artwork. Elegant balls, surprise proposals, and a visit to Pemberley are just a few events to look forward to in this story about appearances, misunderstandings, and love. Quotes from the original text are woven throughout this retelling, and the imaginative artwork will engage readers of all ages. This is a book to be treasured throughout childhood and beyond.
Cozy Classics: Pride and Prejudice by Jack and Holman Wang
Classics never go out of style—that’s what makes them classic. This board book, part of the Cozy Classics series, condenses the classic novel to just 12 baby-friendly words. Illustrated by photographs of needle felted objects, this is a sweet retelling of a classic romance sure to entertain the youngest of readers.
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Did we miss your favourite Pride and Prejudice retelling? Let us know in the comments!
