Daily Bookshot: Zombie Jane!
June 2, 2009 by Rob
Filed under Daily BookShot
I’m sure there aren’t too many people out there who haven’t heard of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith – Quirk Books’ recently released zombie-induced version of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.
Aside from Grahame-Smith’s rather controversial adaptation of the Austen classic, which has certainly given it a lot of publicity, the book is easily recognisable from its rather iconic cover – a Regency portrait of a young woman, which has been ‘zombiefied’ by Quirk’s in-house artist Doogie Horner. I love the cover – I have since the first time I spotted it (mainly because I’m a bit of a closet zombie fan), and now, thanks to a very kindly Welsh lady called Bethan Jones, it’s a cover I can admire in the flesh, any time the fancy takes me.
Bethan is the MGA (Macdougall Gabriel Associates) publicist for this novel in the UK, and when I found out that she had promotional posters displaying the novel’s cover artwork, I sheepishly asked her for one. Bethan responded in the positive, not only sending me a coveted poster, but also a surprise complimentary copy of the novel too, which I’m so grateful for. Thanks a lot Bethan!
Although I’m up to my neck in reading commitments right now, I have read a couple of chapters of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies already, and I’ve got to say that it looks like a superb choice for a bit of light reading, especially when it’s read alongside Austen’s original.
Sure it’s silly, and perhaps even a bit sacrilegious, but it’s oh so clever too. As an example compare these two very short extracts from the opening chapter:
Original:
‘My dear Mr Bennet,’ said his lady to him one day, ‘have you heard that Netherfield Park is let as last?’
Mr. Bennet replied that he had not.
‘But it is,’ she returned; ‘for Mrs Long has just been here, and she told me all about it.’
Mr. Bennet made no answer
‘Do you not want to know who has taken it?’ cried his wife impatiently.
‘You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it.’
Zombie version:
‘My dear Mr. Bennet,’ said his lady to him one day, ‘have you heard that Netherfield Park is occupied again?’
Mr. Bennet replied that he had not and went about his morning business of dagger sharpening and musket polishing – for attacks by the unmentionables had grown alarmingly frequent in recent weeks.
‘But it is,’ returned she.
Mr. Bennet made no answer.
‘Do you not want to know who has taken it?’ cried his wife impatiently.
‘Woman, I am attending to my musket. Prattle on if you must, but leave me to the defence of my estate!’
Funny stuff eh? And not a little clever too. I recommend you give this one a try, and if you send Bethan a nice message on Twitter (@BethanKJones) who knows? She may be able to grace you with a complimentary copy too. Good luck!
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Rob, a self-confessed bibliophile, is without any hope of rehabilitation. He gets unnaturally excited over anything book-shaped, and if book sniffing were a crime then he would have been locked up years ago (which wouldn't bother him in the slightest provided his cell were lined with books)
haha. i’ve never read “pride and prejudice” but i’ll probably read this one because ha! zombies make everything better.
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..Or possibly everything worse, until some zombie huntin’ hero comes along and makes things better again.
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I admit this doesn’t appeal to me at all. What a way to ruin a classic. (Ok, it’s just not my type of humor. I’m sure some classic lovers love it!)
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Hi Rebecca,
It is rather sacrilegious to the classic isn’t it? That said it is just a bit of fun, and if it encourages people to explore the real Austen then I guess it’s all good.
Warmest
Rob
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