Epic Fail [Paperback]

Claire LaZebnik (Author)

Book Description

Release date: August 2, 2011

Will Elise’s love life be an epic win or an epic fail?

At Coral Tree Prep in Los Angeles, who your parents are can make or break you. Case in point:

As the son of Hollywood royalty, Derek Edwards is pretty much prince of the school—not that he deigns to acknowledge many of his loyal subjects.

As the daughter of the new principal, Elise Benton isn’t exactly on everyone’s must-sit-next-to-at-lunch list.

When Elise’s beautiful sister catches the eye of the prince’s best friend, Elise gets to spend a lot of time with Derek, making her the envy of every girl on campus. Except she refuses to fall for any of his rare smiles and instead warms up to his enemy, the surprisingly charming social outcast Webster Grant. But in this hilarious tale of fitting in and flirting, not all snubs are undeserved, not all celebrity brats are bratty, and pride and prejudice can get in the way of true love for only so long.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Jane Austen fans will have fun finding the clever parallels in this contemporary take on PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, while Austen innocents can just sit back and enjoy the romance.” (Polly Shulman, author of ENTHUSIASM)

“I thoroughly enjoyed this charming tale about the joys and perils of going to school and navigating relationships with the celebrity set and their complicated offspring. Claire LaZebnik has done anything but fail.” (Jen Calonita, author of Secrets of My Hollywood Life)

About the Author

Claire LaZebnik lives in Los Angeles with her TV-writer husband and four children. She has co-authored two books about autism with Dr. Lynn Kern Koegel (Overcoming Autism and Growing Up on the Spectrum). Her previous novels include Knitting Under the Influence,The Smart One and the Pretty One, Families and Other Nonreturnable Gifts, and Epic Fail.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: HarperTeen (August 2, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061921262
• ISBN-13: 978-0061921261
• Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 0.8 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (140 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #165,428 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

THE TROUBLE WITH FLIRTING is now available! It's my second YA novel, and if you liked EPIC FAIL, you'll like THE TROUBLE WITH FLIRTING. It's a lighthearted romance loosely based on Jane Austen's MANSFIELD PARK (but with one big twist). Please check it out!

Meanwhile, come visit me on my Facebook page Claire LaZebnik Writes--we have book giveaway contests and silly conversations about anything and everything--and read my blog at www.clairelazebnik.com. You can contact me easily through either. I love to hear from my fans!

Happy reading!

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Hobbitsies Reviews: Perfect pick-me-up August 9, 2011

By Tara Gonzalez

Format:Paperback

Cute cute cute! Epic Fail is freaking adorable and fun - a perfect pick-me-up on a rainy, sad day.

When I first started reading Epic Fail, I had no idea it was a modern take on Pride and Prejudice until someone told me, but then I thought about it and I definitely saw the similarities as I was reading. This is awesome on two levels - I love Pride and Prejudice, but Claire LaZebnik was clever/talented enough to make the story her own without overdoing the retelling. I never once thought "yeah, yeah, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy already did this" - I was too invested in what was happening to Elise and Derek.

A lot of the elements in Pride and Prejudice would have been tough to translate to modern times, but the setting for Epic Fail was very crafty. A prep school in LA suited the story perfectly.

I liked Elise's character a lot - I thought she was witty and clever, just like Elizabeth. I must admit, I had no real affinity for Derek until the end, but that's true with Mr. Darcy as well.

Overall, I loved reading Epic Fail. It definitely brightened by day, and even though it was one of those books where I knew exactly how it would end, I couldn't stop reading - it was too much fun getting there. Epic Fail is a fun and adorable book, and I definitely suggest it to anyone in need of a pick-me-up.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Epic Fail = a monumental success. October 2, 2011

By Danielle

Format:Paperback

Loosely based on Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice, Claire LaZebnik's Epic Fail is a wonderfully re-imagined homage to the classic love story of the headstrong, opinionated Elizabeth and the intimidating, aloof Mr. Darcy. Retold in a modern day setting for young adults, LaZebnik successfully captures both the magic of Austen's story as well as the social differences and hierarchy of 19th century England against the backdrop of a Los Angeles prep school and American Hollywood "nobility."

If the setting of this book is perfect, the characters are even more so. Austen was a master at capturing the essence of people - their foibles, vices, inconsistencies, etc. Her works were very much a commentary on the society of her time, the good, the bad and the ironic. LaZebnik has taken this and created a whole new set of characters that work within her modern setting, who are also are a social product of their era, but who still retain the same basic attributes of their 19th century counterparts. The similarities are just so cleverly executed and discovering them was part of what made this book so enjoyable.

Mr. Benton & Dr. Gardiner (aka- Mr. & Mrs. Bennet) are still the eccentric odd couple. Mr. Benton is a scholarly man who spends a lot of time in his study reading and bemoaning the decline of America's value system. Dr. Gardiner is the new principal of the Benton girls' school, fashion-challenged, slightly petty and starstruck by the social status of her students' parents. Juliana is the quintessential Jane - kind, good, quick to believe the best in people and so sweet. Her love interest, Chase, differs a bit from Austen's Bingley but for the better- he's a bit more assertive and not quite as ineffectual while still being very friendly and kind. Layla is a perfect Lydia - a 14 year-old social climber who is boy-crazy and who is completely unaware of what is appropriate and what is not.

Elise, the protagonist of this story, is a brilliant tribute to Elizabeth Bennet. Fiercely independent, smart, practical, lovably random with her own quirky and wry sense of humor, she is at times blinded by her own assumptions. However, she is also wise and mature enough to admit when she assumes incorrectly. She is a keen observer of human nature and it's interesting to view the cast of characters through her intelligent and discerning eyes.

Derek, the male lead and main love interest, probably had the hardest role to fulfill - that of the inestimable and beloved Mr. Darcy. And he does fill those giant shoes quite well. Standoffish, terse, presumed to be arrogant and unfriendly, yet at times heartachingly vulnerable, Derek presents a confusing and infuriating challenge to Elise. Her sister and best friend, Juliana, has just fallen for Derek's best friend, Chase. As a result, the two of them are continually (and awkwardly) thrown together in all kinds of social situations. As Derek and Elise get to one another better, they have the opportunity to be witness to each other's true character. And in the end, they may realize that their opinions of one another are not as accurate as they both initially thought.

At this point in the review, it's important to note that while this story is a self-described, re-imagining of Pride & Prejudice, LaZebnik has not merely retold the same story. She has taken the bare bones that Austen provided and has created something new and unique that Austen fans and the unfamiliar reader alike will enjoy. Homage or not, there are many things that remain universal that readers will appreciate. The romance is sweet. The relationships feel genuine. The girl/sister drama is just so spot-on and hilarious. The characters are well-developed and unique. The teen issues addressed are relevant. Epic Fail is a beautifully written novel and, personally, it satisfies that Austen craving that surfaces every once in awhile.

Overall, Epic Fail = a monumental success.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Jane Austen Lover says YES to Epic Fail August 11, 2011

By Madison Phillips

Format:Paperback

If, like me, you are such a lover of all of the works of Miss Jane Austen, then you have probably developed a secondary affection for those novels or films that homage the great one. That was one reason why I adored "Bridget Jones Diary" back in the day, and the film "Clueless". This book fits in totally with those two, as it brings Pride and Prejudice to the city where it most belongs, Los Angeles. Seriously, can you think of any town with more "Pride?" Or for that matter, prejudice, as all of us judge the icons that town creates every time we stand at the check-out line frowning at the tabloids.

Well maybe that's just me.

Epic Fail is funny, kind, sweet and just a complete page turner. Because you know it's an homage to Miss Jane, you know it's going to have a wonderfully romantic happy ending, but man you are tense the whole way towards it, just as you would be when reading the original. The dialogue is pitch perfect in this book, and you will care deeply about every single person in this book. You'll hate Chelsea, you'll swoon over Derek, you will come to feel that they are real people in your life who must be DEALT WITH. Run, don't walk, the summer is almost over but there's a lawn chair and a big tall glass of iced tea just waiting for you and this book to show up and start the page turning! LOVED THIS BOOK!