It is a truth universally acknowledged that a Jane Austen fan in the 21st Century must be in want of a good retelling.
And if you don’t understand what I just did there, this list is not for you, my friend.
I read Pride and Prejudice during my senior year in high school. I thought it was just ok. I know. What a young, naïve cherub I was. But, luckily, my friends in college introduced me to the movie (2005 of course) and it became my new favorite thing. Thus, a niche obsession was born. As such, I’ve familiarized myself with all of Jane Austen’s stories, movie adaptations, and even (and especially) retellings of her works.
It may be bold to say, but I think classic lit retellings MIGHT be my favorite genre of all time. I know. How could it beat out romance? But, I just love seeing how authors take an iconic and classic story and not only make it their own but also make it modern as well. I feel like Jane’s stories lend themselves well to this because the things she writes about transcend time. After a while, though, they all seem to kind of blur together. But some of them stand out among the crowd. Here’s a list of the best (in no particular order).
Prom and Prejudice - Elizabeth Eulberg
This book is very clearly a retelling of Pride and Prejudice. Yes, even by the title you can tell it’s a little cheesy, but it’s a YA novel so maybe just relax a little bit over there. The story is obviously the same, although, they are gearing up for a prom and if I remember correctly, I believe the endgame is a prom date. My favorite part about this read though is that it is geared toward adolescents (referring to them as teens makes me sound like I’m 80 years old). And honestly, they should be introduced to the genius of Jane before they get to high school and get turned off from the original text’s language and setting. All this to say, it’s a good way to get students hooked on a great and timeless story in a way that is interesting to them. It’s also delightful even if you aren’t 13.
Ladies of the House – Lauren Edmondson
Another masterpiece that I picked up on a whim at Barnes and Noble thus why B&N is such a magical place of promise and possibility. This book is based on Sense and Sensibility which really is a highly underrated and underrepresented Austen story. It takes place in DC which is also another reason I love it. I found it to be fresh and exciting thus why you should also give it a shot.
The Murder of Mr. Wickham – Claudia Gray
Doesn’t the title just send a jolt of joy through you? Justice finally served to Wickham. Ok, murder may be a little extreme, but he’s a fictional character after all. Never mind the fact that he’s also one of the most hated in all of literature. One of the very first fuckboys. Anyhow, this book is cool because it combines characters from all of Austen’s novels. Better yet, they all know each other. The Knightleys invite everyone over for dinner and a weekend at their estate and in the process of this, Wickham ends up dead. Of course, everyone has a motive because Wickham is the worst. Gray did a really good job of weaving it all together and even mimicking Austen’s voice and omniscient writing style, which was incredibly impressive. I imagined the characters to look like my favorite movie/tv adaptations of each character, but that became difficult when both Edmund Bertram and Knightley looked like Jonny Lee Miller (if you know, you know). Although, they were cousins in the book which left me feeling somewhat justified.
Netherfield Prep – Elizabeth Stevens
This book is one of my Kindle Unlimited gems. To be honest, Kindle Unlimited has a disproportionate number of Austen retellings in its library, however, the quality is often hit or miss. This one was a hit. It is a P&P retelling, but the characters are in boarding school and again, adolescents. I remember devouring this one. It was engaging and fun and I’d highly recommend. Also, the enemies to lovers tension was top tier.
Northpoint Chalet – Debra White Smith
Debra White Smith is probably the queen of Austen retellings. She has a retelling for each of Austen’s major works, and over quarantine, I read them all. I can confidently say that this is her best one. It’s a retelling of Northanger Abbey of all things; a forgotten work of Jane, really. The characters are adults, which I personally appreciate, and the story is pretty accurate to the original. It is closed door and incredibly innocent, so if you’re looking for some spice, maybe look elsewhere (Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld perhaps). Of course, it has a modern take but still remains incredibly sweet with all of the heart of Jane’s writing.
So, if you’re longing for a classic tale of romance, but want a modern setting so you can imagine yourself in it, I totally get it. In fact, that’s my default setting. Check these 5 out first and call me in the morning. Like I said, I’ve read an obscene number of retellings, but I’d love to hear your faves. Are there any I missed? Leave a comment and let me know what’s up.
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