Best Book of the Week!
There has been a plethora of Pride and Prejudice reinterpretations and sequels in the past few years, and I haven’t found the ones I’ve read to be very interesting. Longbourn, however, looks at the novel from a completely different angle, from the point of view of the servants in the Bennet household.
Sarah has been a housemaid for the Bennets since she was a child. Although she is grateful for the kindness shown to her by the housekeeper, Mrs. Hill, she chafes against the limits of her existence and the sheer hard work. She has begun to wish for more.
Mr. Bennet unexpectedly hires a servant named James Smith. There is some mystery about him, for Sarah overhears Mrs. Hill having a heated discussion with Mr. Bennet about him. At first excited to have a new member in the household, Sarah is disappointed by his unkempt appearance and the fact that he never looks at her. Besides, she soon meets the handsome and exotic Ptolemy Bingham, Mr. Bingham’s mulatto coachman.
Aside from presenting fully realized characters and an interesting story, Longbourn imagines a completely different view of the Bennet household and the action of the original novel, which here is only peripheral. We find unexpected sympathy for Mrs. Bennet through Mrs. Hill’s knowledge of her history. Mr. Bennet turns out to have a secret. Lizzie and Jane are still the most likable Bennet girls, but they think nothing of sending Sarah to walk to Meryton in the pouring rain to buy roses for the girls’ dancing shoes. The viewpoint from the kitchen is certain to be an unexpected one.
This novel is fascinating, providing its own rich story while carefully observing the events of Austen’s novel in the background. I loved this truly original re-imagining.
whatmeread 
I’m glad to hear you liked this! Ben gave it to me for (last) Christmas, and it’s been sitting on my nightstand (which, let’s be honest, is a bookshelf), along with The Goldfinch . . .
Well, this one would be a pretty quick read, I think. The Goldfinch is much longer. But both are worth it!
I’m also glad to hear you liked it. I am always skeptical of the Austen spin-offs, but was hoping this one would be good. I had it from the library at one point, but had to send it back unread.
Oh, you should get it back again!
I have seriously considered this book and your review makes me want to go out and grab a copy right now!
I thought it was very interesting and exotic.
The classics are originals and should not be pirated, or sequeled or prequeled. Neither do I think that famous characters should be reimagined as detectives. Yes, they’re out of copywriter, but that shouldn’t be the excuse for stealing someone else’s brainchildren.
I don’t know. I’ve read some pretty imaginative reworkings, but the best ones aren’t really very closely connected to the original. This one is almost entirely about people who were barely mentioned in the original.
In the end I liked this, and the characters were definitely well developed, but I found it slow. I really liked the ending.
Hmm, I didn’r find it slow.