I love the satire of ‘Pride and Prejudice’ and I suppose that means I’m slightly more open to it being updated. In this fourth in the series of Jane Austen updates Sittenfeld gets to play with a great cast of characters.
The whole point of these characters is that we’re not meant to find them particularly appealing, but I find that intriguing. On the whole I think Sittenfeld is successful in transplanting the Bennets et al into modern American society. Bingley is now Chip, a reality TV star/doctor, and Darcy is a brain surgeon. The Bennets are a family obsessed with appearance, but Mrs Bennet has a shopping addiction and Mr Bennet is in denial about the state of the family fortune and his ailing health. Their relationships are fairly true to the original, while having the updates needed to reflect our modern obsessions/concerns.
Personally, from the first pages I was giggling away and laughing out loud on occasion. A thoroughly enjoyable read.