II was very disappointed in reading this (and I only read it because of the upcoming release of the movie adaptation) to find that about 90% of this is actually Jane Austen's canon. There is nothing new as far as the basic plot but Seth Grahame-Smith adds a word, a sentence, a phrase or as much as a paragraph here or there in order to insert something or other about Zombies or what he takes for comedy. And at times these additions are totally outré, out of place and then ignored by the characters. For example: at about 10% we have the scene at Netherfield in which Elizabeth has come down to the drawing room after being with Jane, who has a terrible cold, and Caroline states to Darcy, “You write uncommonly fast.” Darcy: “And you prattle uncommonly much.” More canon from C. and Darcy then says, “And how odious indeed that I should so often suffer to write them in your company.”…etc., etc., etc. These snide little remarks from Darcy are inserted and there is no reaction...from Caroline or from Elizabeth? Then another example of a sentence dropped into place with its adding nothing to the goings-on: at 37% - “Apparently overcome with excitement, Charlotte dropped to the ground and began stuffing handfuls of crisp autumn leaves in her mouth.” No reaction from those around her?
And I have to add these sexual innuendos, and he thinks to get a laugh. I groaned. @63% (Mr. Darcy has shot some zombies on Pemberley grounds while Elizabeth and the Gardiners are visiting.) “She remembered the lead ammunition in her packet and offered it to him. ‘Your balls, Mr. Darcy?’ He reached out and closed her hand around them, and offered, ‘They belong to you, Miss Bennet.’” Out of the blue – Really? And when Jane asks Elizabeth when she realized she was in love with Darcy “…I hardly know when it began. But I believe I must date it from my first seeing the way his trousers clung to those most English parts.”
Then must you additionally portray Mrs. Gardiner as having adulterous behavior? @ 64% “…she set off in quest of her former acquaintance, and (unbeknownst to the sleeping Mr. Gardiner) her evening was spent in the satisfactions of intercourse renewed after many years’ discontinuance.” Is this really necessary? It, again, adds NOTHING to the plot! The Gardiners have always been favorites of mine and I don't like to see this written of her.
There are so many WONDERFUL variations written in JAFF and if you want to use one with paranormal characters and stories I can easily find others which are not only the author’s own creations but also a better story line; not this man’s simple adding to the best of stories. Oh, I do know why a paranormal tale was selected by Hollywood: what with Twilight, Grimm, Vampire Diaries, Once Upon a Time, etc, being so popular but it seems the fact that this author wrote Tim Burton’s Dark Shadows simply gave him the connection and the Hollywood crowd took the easy way of finding a Jane Austen tale with paranormal shades.
Elizabeth in this tale is a different character: she refers to herself as the bride of death. And she has some grim thoughts when confronted by annoying or even bad behavior: thoughts of chopping off a sister’s head, of both cutting out Darcy’s heart and cutting off his head to present to Jane as revenge for how he separated Bingley from Jane.
The activity with the zombies does not provide a grand adventure, a teaming up of ODC to win a battle, but rather some occasional skirmishes: walking into Meryton, visiting a church, the Netherfield Ball, etc. our characters are beset upon by the undead and they use their skills to dispatch one and all. There is some argument about whether having trained in China or in Japan has provided the best Masters and there is also the matter of the architecture at Pemberley being rendered in the Oriental manner.
So do you have to read this book to anticipate the movie? NO. As most is Jane Austen’s canon you know what to expect. Way over priced as it is not creative at all.
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Top reviews from other countries
zenderfly
I feel a bit cheated out of some major Zombie action!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 30, 2011
Charlie&Dean
Genau was der Titel verspricht
Reviewed in Germany on November 24, 2017
Duncan from London
Great concept; good book; but not as well-written or likeable as the original.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 4, 2016
