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Pride: A Pride & Prejudice Remix
Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9780062564047
Pride and Prejudice gets remixed in this smart, funny, gorgeous retelling of the classic, starring all characters of color, from Ibi Zoboi, National Book Award finalist and author of American Street.
Zuri Benitez has pride. Brooklyn pride, family pride, and pride in her Afro-Latino roots. But pride might not be enough to save her rapidly gentrifying neighborhood from becoming unrecognizable.
When the wealthy Darcy family moves in across the street, Zuri wants nothing to do with their two teenage sons, even as her older sister, Janae, starts to fall for the charming Ainsley. She especially can’t stand the judgmental and arrogant Darius. Yet as Zuri and Darius are forced to find common ground, their initial dislike shifts into an unexpected understanding.
But with four wild sisters pulling her in different directions, cute boy Warren vying for her attention, and college applications hovering on the horizon, Zuri fights to find her place in Bushwick’s changing landscape, or lose it all.
In a timely update of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, critically acclaimed author Ibi Zoboi skillfully balances cultural identity, class, and gentrification against the heady magic of first love in her vibrant reimagining of this beloved classic.
Pride and Prejudice gets remixed in this smart, funny, gorgeous retelling of the classic, starring all characters of color, from Ibi Zoboi, National Book Award finalist and author of American Street.
Zuri Benitez has pride. Brooklyn pride, family pride, and pride in her Afro-Latino roots. But pride might not be enough to save her rapidly gentrifying neighborhood from becoming unrecognizable.
When the wealthy Darcy family moves in across the street, Zuri wants nothing to do with their two teenage sons, even as her older sister, Janae, starts to fall for the charming Ainsley. She especially can’t stand the judgmental and arrogant Darius. Yet as Zuri and Darius are forced to find common ground, their initial dislike shifts into an unexpected understanding.
But with four wild sisters pulling her in different directions, cute boy Warren vying for her attention, and college applications hovering on the horizon, Zuri fights to find her place in Bushwick’s changing landscape, or lose it all.
In a timely update of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, critically acclaimed author Ibi Zoboi skillfully balances cultural identity, class, and gentrification against the heady magic of first love in her vibrant reimagining of this beloved classic.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published September 18, 2018
About the author
Ibi Zoboi
30 books2,419 followersIbi Zoboi's debut novel American Street was a National Book Award finalist. She is also the New York Times Bestselling author of Pride, My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich, and Punching the Air with co-author and Exonerated Five member, Yusef Salaam. She is the editor of the anthology Black Enough: Stories of Being Young & Black in America. Born in Haiti and raised in New York City, she now lives in New Jersey with her husband and their three children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,591 reviews
December 7, 2018
It's a truth universally acknowledged that when rich people move into the hood, where it's a little bit broken and a little bit forgotten, the first thing they want to do is clean it up.
3½ stars.
This was so much better than I was expecting, honestly. Pride and Prejudice is full of Austen's trademark wit and social criticism, but most "retellings" I encounter seem to reduce the story to "girl meets guy; guy is a dick; they get together anyway", which I guess is a very oversimplified way of looking at P&P. I probably wouldn't have taken a chance on this if it wasn't by the author of American Street.
As it turns out, though, Pride is a very clever retelling, rich in culture and snark. Haitian-Dominican Zuri Benitez lives in Bushwick, Brooklyn. She witnesses the gentrification of her much-loved neighbourhood, as more and more rich people move in and drive up property taxes. The arrival of the moody but gorgeous Darius, and his rich family, triggers an exploration of race and class, and especially how the latter can cause divisions within race.
Zoboi has really taken the Austen tale and made it her own here. She uses it as a guideline, but never hesitates to move outside the box. This is not merely the same old story being told yet again. Haitian and Dominican food and culture play a huge part in the telling of this story, instantly setting it apart from other P&P retellings.
Zuri is a poet, inspired to attend Howard University by her reading of Coates' Between the World and Me. Like everyone, she longs for better and more, but this should not be mistaken for a lack of pride in who she is and where she comes from. She is fiercely-protective of her family, her background and her hood. The inclusion of her poetry in the novel is a highlight, and, unlike in some YA novels about artists, it is surprisingly very good on its own.
I am glad that it was so much more than a romance because, truth be told, I could have done without the romance altogether. Zuri has such a strong voice, her poetry is so raw and beautiful, and her sisters are so charming, that I felt a little disappointed whenever Darius was on page. He was the only main character who didn't really interest me, though I do appreciate the important discussions he fostered.
Zoboi's exploration of race and class among young black women living in America is not only important, but a wonderful reading experience too. She should not be overlooked.
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November 14, 2018
This was a super quick listen and it was really enjoyable too! I loved how it was a retelling, and a really thoughtful one at that. It wasn't just the story placed wherever, everything served a purpose and I loved that. This truly is a pride and prejudice remix that you should try out!
February 15, 2019
Very much enjoyed this novel! Review to come.
February 4, 2019
I wanted to like this because I love the idea of a fresh, modern take on Pride & Prejudice, especially one that incorporates diversity. But the story fell flat in many ways: the writing told instead of showed, the pacing was too fast and missed all the important beats of the original P&P, and the feelings that the characters had for each other (both hate and love) made no sense. The book could have explored so many themes on class, culture, gentrification, etc. but barely touched upon any of those things, so it traded in tension and impact for a very fluffy, flimsy romance instead.
June 28, 2020
So here's the thing. I was so so excited about PRIDE. I loved the idea of this modernized retelling (I love the idea of any retelling, really, they just so rarely live up to the hype), I loved that this was an #ownvoices story, and also hello look at that amazing cover, I loved that, too. It's stunning, gorgeous, so so great. And so much of the story itself worked for me.. while so much of it didn't.
Straight out of the gate I have to say that I think this was the best contemporary/realized version of PRIDE & PREJUDICE out there right now. This story is perfectly suited to this setting. The Bennetts become the Benitezes, the loud gregarious warm overly-involved Haitian-Dominican family that rules their little block of Brooklyn; host of block parties, makers of too much food, proud of their roots and their little corner of the world. Darcy and Bingley become the brothers Darcy, a wealthy family who renovate the old crumbling house across from Zuri's family apartment, turning it into a little mini mansion and invading the 'hood with their more affluent, and refined, tastes and attitudes.
I loved that this became a clash of culture without making it white vs black. I enjoyed the rich culture that Zoboi infused into the pages of this story, particularly through the character of Madrina, but whereas I should've found PRIDE fascinating and compelling.. I felt it kinda fell flat for me. I hate to say it but I was bored at least half of the time. There were some great shining moments (and again some of my faves were the interactions between Zuri and Madrina) but not everything translated. I felt that Darius' character (the real Darcy) was pretty weak, I don't think enough time was spent on Zuri's prejudices, and I just wish their interactions had been better fleshed out. But I think it was a choice between the culture and the scene vs the relationship and I suppose most people going into PRIDE are already fans, so maybe it didn't get the same kind of focus because of that? It's hard to say.
The concept is really great, the way the archetypes of the original characters are overlaid onto their counterparts worked well, but I don't think I actually liked any of these characters, really. I thought the spoken word poetry to express Zuri's feelings pretty wonderful, her essay to get into college was lovely, but.. the dialogue (complete with lots! of! exclamation! points!), the author's style of writing, it felt kinda jarring. The second half of this story is definitely weaker, too, as it tries to convince us our protagonist actually likes her love interest as much as she claims, so I didn't feel it really ended on a strong note -- despite the emotional element at play. It could be that trying to keep PRIDE in the original framework is where the actual story faltered as in trying to solidify Zuri's feelings, Zoboi is also trying to add a checkmark next to the Janae and Ainsley (Jane & Bingley) reunion and I'm not sure that worked, either.
It feels strange to want to recommend this book despite my feelings (and rating) but I would. I still recommend this. I mostly enjoyed the experience (pre-second half this was definitely a solid three despite my niggles) and love that there are readers out there who will be able see themselves in the the role of Zuri, in this setting, when they maybe couldn't connect with Lizzie in the original. That alone is worth supporting this novel.
2.5 stars
** I received an ARC from Edelweiss and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
Straight out of the gate I have to say that I think this was the best contemporary/realized version of PRIDE & PREJUDICE out there right now. This story is perfectly suited to this setting. The Bennetts become the Benitezes, the loud gregarious warm overly-involved Haitian-Dominican family that rules their little block of Brooklyn; host of block parties, makers of too much food, proud of their roots and their little corner of the world. Darcy and Bingley become the brothers Darcy, a wealthy family who renovate the old crumbling house across from Zuri's family apartment, turning it into a little mini mansion and invading the 'hood with their more affluent, and refined, tastes and attitudes.
I loved that this became a clash of culture without making it white vs black. I enjoyed the rich culture that Zoboi infused into the pages of this story, particularly through the character of Madrina, but whereas I should've found PRIDE fascinating and compelling.. I felt it kinda fell flat for me. I hate to say it but I was bored at least half of the time. There were some great shining moments (and again some of my faves were the interactions between Zuri and Madrina) but not everything translated. I felt that Darius' character (the real Darcy) was pretty weak, I don't think enough time was spent on Zuri's prejudices, and I just wish their interactions had been better fleshed out. But I think it was a choice between the culture and the scene vs the relationship and I suppose most people going into PRIDE are already fans, so maybe it didn't get the same kind of focus because of that? It's hard to say.
The concept is really great, the way the archetypes of the original characters are overlaid onto their counterparts worked well, but I don't think I actually liked any of these characters, really. I thought the spoken word poetry to express Zuri's feelings pretty wonderful, her essay to get into college was lovely, but.. the dialogue (complete with lots! of! exclamation! points!), the author's style of writing, it felt kinda jarring. The second half of this story is definitely weaker, too, as it tries to convince us our protagonist actually likes her love interest as much as she claims, so I didn't feel it really ended on a strong note -- despite the emotional element at play. It could be that trying to keep PRIDE in the original framework is where the actual story faltered as in trying to solidify Zuri's feelings, Zoboi is also trying to add a checkmark next to the Janae and Ainsley (Jane & Bingley) reunion and I'm not sure that worked, either.
It feels strange to want to recommend this book despite my feelings (and rating) but I would. I still recommend this. I mostly enjoyed the experience (pre-second half this was definitely a solid three despite my niggles) and love that there are readers out there who will be able see themselves in the the role of Zuri, in this setting, when they maybe couldn't connect with Lizzie in the original. That alone is worth supporting this novel.
2.5 stars
** I received an ARC from Edelweiss and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
August 17, 2021
Reseña completa en tiktok ❤️
January 6, 2019
This gave me SO MANY Lizzie Bennett Diaries feels and I LOVED IT SO MUCH?
April 29, 2019
2.5 stars. I didn’t love it or hate it. I did read it in one day so it is a very quick read, especially if you are a P&P fan and notice some of the beats. But this reimagining felt a bit two dimensional and simple in a lot of ways. I liked the modern take, but it seems like it had a lot to say and a lot of characters, but not enough time to explore either.
Read
August 13, 2019I don't feel like it's fair of me to rate this book.
I don't even know why the hell I wanted to read this.... I HATE LOVE STORIES
So uh I'm pretty sure this is good if you're into that.
I'm not, so I did not have a good time lmao
I don't even know why the hell I wanted to read this.... I HATE LOVE STORIES
So uh I'm pretty sure this is good if you're into that.
I'm not, so I did not have a good time lmao
February 27, 2023
4 stars!
“IT’S A TRUTH universally acknowledged that when rich people move into the hood, where it’s a little bit broken and a little bit forgotten, the first thing they want to do is clean it up. But it’s not just the junky stuff they’ll get rid of. People can be thrown away too, like last night’s trash left out on sidewalks or pushed to the edge of wherever all broken things go. What those rich people don’t always know is that broken and forgotten neighborhoods were first built out of love.”
A Pride and Prejudice remix, Pride is about Zuri a teenage girl who lives in Bushwick with her four sisters and parents. She knows and loves her neighborhood, until the Darcy family renovates and moves into the house across the street. The Darcy's have two teenage boys, Ainsley and Darius, and Zuri HATES Darius from the moment she meets him, and he seems to hate her too....
“We’re not gonna throw away the past as if it meant nothing. See? That’s what happens to whole neighborhoods. We built something, it was messy, but we’re not gonna throw it away.”
I adored this remix. Pride and Prejudice is a story near and dear to me and Zoboi did such a wonderful job with her retelling. I was completely sucked into the story and the neighborhood of Bushwick and all of it's wonderful people. I felt like I was there.
In terms of the original novel, Zoboi was pretty spot on with plot and characters and she did a wonderful job modernizing it. I just wish we had more of a firm resolution at the end, I won't say exactly because spoilers, but it felt like a happy for now instead of a happily ever after. And that's all I shall say.
Austen lovers, give this book a chance!
“We have more space and less time. And the love we had for our whole neighborhood now only fits into this wood-frame house in the middle of a quiet block. We don't know the people who live across the street or on either side of us.”
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“IT’S A TRUTH universally acknowledged that when rich people move into the hood, where it’s a little bit broken and a little bit forgotten, the first thing they want to do is clean it up. But it’s not just the junky stuff they’ll get rid of. People can be thrown away too, like last night’s trash left out on sidewalks or pushed to the edge of wherever all broken things go. What those rich people don’t always know is that broken and forgotten neighborhoods were first built out of love.”
A Pride and Prejudice remix, Pride is about Zuri a teenage girl who lives in Bushwick with her four sisters and parents. She knows and loves her neighborhood, until the Darcy family renovates and moves into the house across the street. The Darcy's have two teenage boys, Ainsley and Darius, and Zuri HATES Darius from the moment she meets him, and he seems to hate her too....
“We’re not gonna throw away the past as if it meant nothing. See? That’s what happens to whole neighborhoods. We built something, it was messy, but we’re not gonna throw it away.”
I adored this remix. Pride and Prejudice is a story near and dear to me and Zoboi did such a wonderful job with her retelling. I was completely sucked into the story and the neighborhood of Bushwick and all of it's wonderful people. I felt like I was there.
In terms of the original novel, Zoboi was pretty spot on with plot and characters and she did a wonderful job modernizing it. I just wish we had more of a firm resolution at the end, I won't say exactly because spoilers, but it felt like a happy for now instead of a happily ever after. And that's all I shall say.
Austen lovers, give this book a chance!
“We have more space and less time. And the love we had for our whole neighborhood now only fits into this wood-frame house in the middle of a quiet block. We don't know the people who live across the street or on either side of us.”
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Shelved as 'dnf'
July 23, 2018DNF at 22%
I think I'm being over critical here. But honestly, I really wished Zuri would have just gotten off her high horse. She never gave the Darcy’s a chance and to be honest it's all because they don’t look or act like boys where she’s from.
Which brings me to my main reason why I had to stop reading. I get it, she lived in the hood. Did that have to be repeated so many times throughout the book? Every other page was about something “in the hood”. So she lives in a lesser area. Nobody talks like that in the hood. Hell, there really wasn't a need to keep bringing it up or using it as a reason to not like someone.
I feel as if the author was trying too hard to get that point across and I ended up feeling like I was getting beat over the head with it. Maybe I’ll come back to it at a later time, but I’m going to put this one on the backburner for now.
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I think I'm being over critical here. But honestly, I really wished Zuri would have just gotten off her high horse. She never gave the Darcy’s a chance and to be honest it's all because they don’t look or act like boys where she’s from.
Which brings me to my main reason why I had to stop reading. I get it, she lived in the hood. Did that have to be repeated so many times throughout the book? Every other page was about something “in the hood”. So she lives in a lesser area. Nobody talks like that in the hood. Hell, there really wasn't a need to keep bringing it up or using it as a reason to not like someone.
I feel as if the author was trying too hard to get that point across and I ended up feeling like I was getting beat over the head with it. Maybe I’ll come back to it at a later time, but I’m going to put this one on the backburner for now.
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March 1, 2021
Here’s the quick mental calculation that lead me to pick up Ibi Zoboi’s 2018 novel, Pride:
+ 50 points, #OwnVoices title
- 50 points, young adult classification
+ 0 points, Pride and Prejudice retelling
- 10 points, drab turd-brown cover
+ 100 points, Elizabeth Acevedo narrates the audiobook
= 90 total points = okay, go ahead and proceed
Clearly Elizabeth Acevedo’s involvement was the tipping point for me. If she’s attached to a project, I’m in. I honestly wasn’t aware she narrated any books other than her own, and I literally downloaded Pride on my Hoopla library app a few seconds after I discovered she read it.
The book itself was a bit of a fizzle. I liked the Brooklyn setting, but I didn’t really care about any of the characters. I felt no heat between Zuri (Lizzy Bennet) and Darius (Mr. Darcy), and I couldn’t even pinpoint when their relationship went from enemies to lovers.
Even if my 90-point pre-read math would net out at an A-, Pride was more like a C for me.
+ 50 points, #OwnVoices title
- 50 points, young adult classification
+ 0 points, Pride and Prejudice retelling
- 10 points, drab turd-brown cover
+ 100 points, Elizabeth Acevedo narrates the audiobook
= 90 total points = okay, go ahead and proceed
Clearly Elizabeth Acevedo’s involvement was the tipping point for me. If she’s attached to a project, I’m in. I honestly wasn’t aware she narrated any books other than her own, and I literally downloaded Pride on my Hoopla library app a few seconds after I discovered she read it.
The book itself was a bit of a fizzle. I liked the Brooklyn setting, but I didn’t really care about any of the characters. I felt no heat between Zuri (Lizzy Bennet) and Darius (Mr. Darcy), and I couldn’t even pinpoint when their relationship went from enemies to lovers.
Even if my 90-point pre-read math would net out at an A-, Pride was more like a C for me.
December 8, 2020
The Written Review
The May Reading Vlog (aka tier listing 30+ books) is up! Now that you know where this one ranks, click the link to check out the rest!
Zuri Benitez, along with her wild and crazy family, have lived in Brooklyn all her life.
IT’S A TRUTH universally acknowledged that when rich people move into the hood...the first thing they want to do is clean it up.
Sure her neighborhood is a little run down, a little worn...but it's her home. And nothing would ever change it.
We’re not gonna throw away the past as if it meant nothing. See? That’s what happens to whole neighborhoods. We built something, it was messy, but we’re not gonna throw it away.Then the Darcy family moves in next door.
Sure the teenage sons are kinda cute but ugh. They're so rich and nice. They suck.
Meanwhile Janae, Zuri's older sister, is starting to fall for one of the Darcy brothers...and Zuri (who wouldn't admit it, even to herself) kinda sees something in Darius (if only he wasn't such a stuck-up rich guy).
But as Warren, Darius's old friend, comes to town, everything Zuri thought she knew is thrown out the window.
Will close off her heart to the world? Or should she open herself for change?
Ehh.
Ehhhhh.
It was a Pride and Prejudice retelling, which is always a plus for me.
But I strongly feel that when you write a retelling, I feel like you need to bring something else to the table. And when my greatest takeaway from the book is, oh thank gawd this torture is over...to me it just didn't succeed.
The main reason I pulled away from this book is the relationship drama.
I LOVED all the skillful drama in the original tale...but this version just had drama heaped upon drama. It felt petty and unnecessary.
Looking through the other Goodreads reviews, I'm glad I'm not alone in this assessment.
Zuri just felt annoying to me. She just screeched on and on and was just so mean to Darius.
Which Darius - by the way - was a gosh-dang saint and all I could think about is that he deserved so much better than Zuri.
The relationship between Darius and Zuri felt forced to me - it's like...we know they have to end up together because (hello) Pride and Prejudice retelling...and yet, they never seemed to click in a way that would make them last long-term.
Their personalities clashed again and again, and I just ended up wishing Darius would've dumped her and found someone who fit with him better.
And I feel like there was so much more potential to the book - the author could've used it as parallels for so many situations and really delved into some hard-hitting issues...but anything the author may have tried was just overshadowed by the drama. Again. And Again.
All in all, this retelling just shouldn't have been told.
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November 30, 2018
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July 17, 2020
This book...
I wanted to love this book more than I did. I love Pride and Prejudice and I was extremely excited to see that Ibi Zoboi made the decision to remix the novel and set it against the backdrop of Brooklyn and address issues like gentrification. It had so much potential; however, there were two big technical issues with this book that made it fall short.
One of the redeeming qualities of this book was the audiobook experience. It's narrated by Elizabeth Acevedo who does an extremely brilliant job. The characters feel so real and so down to earth. As a reader/listener, Acevedo makes you feel connected to their experiences. I was able to relate to a lot Zuri's experiences and found myself rooting for her when she discovered a world outside of Brooklyn. She learned that she could represent her hood and enjoy seeing different parts of the world at the same time. The passion she had for her family and friends made my heart smile.
Unfortunately, a lot of my enjoyment didn't translate outside of the character development and the audiobook. I honestly felt like there were two different storylines going on. There was one that attempted to build Zuri and the other characters outside of the theme of Pride and Prejudice. And then there was a storyline that attempted to push them into the narrative of Pride and Prejudice. If that sounds like it doesn't make sense it's because it genuinely didn't make sense to me either. It created this conflict that made me question what version of the characters I would be getting once I got to certain chapters. This novel honestly could have been written as a YA contemporary set against the backdrop of a discussion on gentrification. I didn't really see the purpose of the Pride and Prejudice remix especially since it wasn't done well.
Speaking of gentrification, I was excited to see what commentary Ibi Zoboi planned on making about gentrification. Unfortunately there wasn't much conversation. Sure it was alluded to throughout the book in a sometimes subtle manner; however, I felt like she could have been more direct with her thoughts and opinions. It's almost as if she waited until the very end of the novel to even directly address it. It made the ending clumsy and left me feeling like it came out of left field. Had it been alluded to in the rest of the novel, I believe that the ending would have made more sense. Honestly, the lack of direct addressing of this issue made me really disappointed considering that Zoboi's first novel, American Street, addressed so many issues related to Black and Brown individuals.
Overall, I hate to say that I didn't enjoy this novel as much as I expected. As much as I love Pride and Prejudice, I feel lie it should have been left out of this book. If she would have written a book that simply focused on a contemporary romance and gentrification I would have enjoyed it more.
I wanted to love this book more than I did. I love Pride and Prejudice and I was extremely excited to see that Ibi Zoboi made the decision to remix the novel and set it against the backdrop of Brooklyn and address issues like gentrification. It had so much potential; however, there were two big technical issues with this book that made it fall short.
One of the redeeming qualities of this book was the audiobook experience. It's narrated by Elizabeth Acevedo who does an extremely brilliant job. The characters feel so real and so down to earth. As a reader/listener, Acevedo makes you feel connected to their experiences. I was able to relate to a lot Zuri's experiences and found myself rooting for her when she discovered a world outside of Brooklyn. She learned that she could represent her hood and enjoy seeing different parts of the world at the same time. The passion she had for her family and friends made my heart smile.
Unfortunately, a lot of my enjoyment didn't translate outside of the character development and the audiobook. I honestly felt like there were two different storylines going on. There was one that attempted to build Zuri and the other characters outside of the theme of Pride and Prejudice. And then there was a storyline that attempted to push them into the narrative of Pride and Prejudice. If that sounds like it doesn't make sense it's because it genuinely didn't make sense to me either. It created this conflict that made me question what version of the characters I would be getting once I got to certain chapters. This novel honestly could have been written as a YA contemporary set against the backdrop of a discussion on gentrification. I didn't really see the purpose of the Pride and Prejudice remix especially since it wasn't done well.
Speaking of gentrification, I was excited to see what commentary Ibi Zoboi planned on making about gentrification. Unfortunately there wasn't much conversation. Sure it was alluded to throughout the book in a sometimes subtle manner; however, I felt like she could have been more direct with her thoughts and opinions. It's almost as if she waited until the very end of the novel to even directly address it. It made the ending clumsy and left me feeling like it came out of left field. Had it been alluded to in the rest of the novel, I believe that the ending would have made more sense. Honestly, the lack of direct addressing of this issue made me really disappointed considering that Zoboi's first novel, American Street, addressed so many issues related to Black and Brown individuals.
Overall, I hate to say that I didn't enjoy this novel as much as I expected. As much as I love Pride and Prejudice, I feel lie it should have been left out of this book. If she would have written a book that simply focused on a contemporary romance and gentrification I would have enjoyed it more.
March 19, 2021
“i have always thought of bushwick as home, but in that moment, i realize that home is where people i love are, wherever that is.”
first and foremost, i have never read pride and prejudice, so my thoughts are strictly based on this novel and not how well it has been adapted/ retold from a different perspective. i very roughly know what it kind of is about, but that’s really it.
the aspect that i absolutely loved the most were zuri’s poems scattered throughout the story that expressed her thoughts and emotions during important passages. that wasn’t something i had expected going into the novel but it was so incredibly beautiful.
i also really enjoyed how the protagonists talked about society’s expectations when it comes to black people, even from the community itself, and how prejudice affects them when they don’t fit in the image that is portrayed by others. reading about this from an ownvoices point of view was really interesting and eye-opening.
what i disliked, however, was the exaggeration of the hate-to-love trope, that i usually love so much. the way it was depicted was genuinely unrealistic and not authentic in the least. so that was a little disappointing, i guess, as it would’ve had so much more potential. all in all though, it was still a super quick read (or listen, since elizabeth acevedo is a queen) and definitely highly enjoyable!
→ 4 stars
first and foremost, i have never read pride and prejudice, so my thoughts are strictly based on this novel and not how well it has been adapted/ retold from a different perspective. i very roughly know what it kind of is about, but that’s really it.
the aspect that i absolutely loved the most were zuri’s poems scattered throughout the story that expressed her thoughts and emotions during important passages. that wasn’t something i had expected going into the novel but it was so incredibly beautiful.
i also really enjoyed how the protagonists talked about society’s expectations when it comes to black people, even from the community itself, and how prejudice affects them when they don’t fit in the image that is portrayed by others. reading about this from an ownvoices point of view was really interesting and eye-opening.
what i disliked, however, was the exaggeration of the hate-to-love trope, that i usually love so much. the way it was depicted was genuinely unrealistic and not authentic in the least. so that was a little disappointing, i guess, as it would’ve had so much more potential. all in all though, it was still a super quick read (or listen, since elizabeth acevedo is a queen) and definitely highly enjoyable!
→ 4 stars
March 12, 2019
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3.5 Stars
Another Pride & Prejudice retelling. When will I get enough of these?????
Yep. That’s about right.
This time around it’s a YA version – set in Bushwick Brooklyn, featuring the Haitian-Dominican Benitez sisters and the Darcy brothers who just moved into a mini-mansion across the street . . . .
“Who are they?
“Rappers and ballers!”
This was a great little upcycle of my old fave. Age appropriate for the teenage audience it is geared toward with plenty of life lessons thrown in about being careful to judge others for being too “bougie” or “ghetto.”
The only complaint I have? Girls who “flirt” physically – by punching, slapping, pushing, any other sort of manhandling of boys . . . . .
I say this as not only a female (old female yes, but still female), but more so as a mother of boys. This sure as shit wouldn’t be allowed to happen if the script was flipped, so keep ya shovey hands off my sons. Now where did I park my helicopter . . . .
3.5 Stars
Another Pride & Prejudice retelling. When will I get enough of these?????
Yep. That’s about right.
This time around it’s a YA version – set in Bushwick Brooklyn, featuring the Haitian-Dominican Benitez sisters and the Darcy brothers who just moved into a mini-mansion across the street . . . .
“Who are they?
“Rappers and ballers!”
This was a great little upcycle of my old fave. Age appropriate for the teenage audience it is geared toward with plenty of life lessons thrown in about being careful to judge others for being too “bougie” or “ghetto.”
The only complaint I have? Girls who “flirt” physically – by punching, slapping, pushing, any other sort of manhandling of boys . . . . .
I say this as not only a female (old female yes, but still female), but more so as a mother of boys. This sure as shit wouldn’t be allowed to happen if the script was flipped, so keep ya shovey hands off my sons. Now where did I park my helicopter . . . .
September 7, 2018
I received a copy via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
I am so disappointed. I was so excited to read an adaptation of one of my favourite classics--especially one with Latinx characters because I'm Latina. Though my particular culture was not represented food-wise, I did see that Zoboi used the religion that is practiced in Cuba (aside from Catholicism). A religion that my family is heavily involved with and that I am also a part of.
Before I get to my deep disappointment in how that was handled, I want to mention the characters and how their behaviour was a mess. Zuri is probably one of the biggest hypocrites I've ever read about. One moment she's pure judgment, then she gets offended when others judge her. Or, she acts like this "don't mess with me" character, but then is super quick to practically pretend like Darius, the love interest, didn't just offend her. There were so many instances where he was outright rude, or she was outright rude and they just kind of...bypassed it? It just felt like a strong case of plot holes and/or just abandoned storylines.
Like, he
It's like Zuri couldn't decide who she wanted to be, and what would make her mad. I really disliked her, almost from the beginning, with how quickly she judged the hell out of the other male character, Ainsley, and how she treated her sister. I get that this is the prejudice part of the book, but like, it was too much. Also, back to the avoiding conflict thing: this book didn't give us a chance to ache for Darius, or for Zuri to miss him, or want him in the way that Elizabeth ached for Darcy. Someone wrote in their review that this felt like a "then this happened, and then this happened" story and I have to agree.
But it's not all Zuri. Darius is also an asshat who kept playing the "I can't help who I am, or who I was raised as" card. It's called compassion, jerk. Especially when you move to a whole new place with whole new people.
There were just a lot of situations that were handled really badly. The relationships, the progression of events, that ending. Wtf. I can't. I just can't.
Finally, the representation of the Orishas. When I first read that Madrina (which stands for Godmother, so that was fitting) was the daughter of Oshun, which is the Orisha of love, I was excited because the only other book I've read with anywhere near that kind of representation was Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi.
For those of you who've read this book, know that when you are talking about the Orishas, it's nearly impossible to only mention one. My stepfather put it best when I asked him about this topic because I wanted to make sure I understood my frustration with the representation of my religion in this book: When you are the child of an Orisha and are "blessed", or acknowledged as this through ceremony, you'll always have two Orishas because it's like a child and their parents' relationship.
The fact that only Oshun was referenced in this book for the purpose of love (which is ironically funny because Zoboi specifically mentions at the beginning of the book that Oshun represents more than just love) and that no other Orisha was mentioned was insulting. If you're going to delve into a religion, don't make it just a tool in a romantic storyline. The celebrations and dances and ceremonies were nice, but even if you have a specific Orisha you've been told you're a child of, you still acknowledge the holidays and celebrations of the other Orishas. I found it insulting and it read like little research was put into this aspect of the book.
Besides the fact that this book was a mess and that the characters were really dislikable, it was the religion aspect that really threw me off. By the end, I just really wanted it to end.
Onto the next one, I guess.
Happy reading!
I am so disappointed. I was so excited to read an adaptation of one of my favourite classics--especially one with Latinx characters because I'm Latina. Though my particular culture was not represented food-wise, I did see that Zoboi used the religion that is practiced in Cuba (aside from Catholicism). A religion that my family is heavily involved with and that I am also a part of.
Before I get to my deep disappointment in how that was handled, I want to mention the characters and how their behaviour was a mess. Zuri is probably one of the biggest hypocrites I've ever read about. One moment she's pure judgment, then she gets offended when others judge her. Or, she acts like this "don't mess with me" character, but then is super quick to practically pretend like Darius, the love interest, didn't just offend her. There were so many instances where he was outright rude, or she was outright rude and they just kind of...bypassed it? It just felt like a strong case of plot holes and/or just abandoned storylines.
Like, he
It's like Zuri couldn't decide who she wanted to be, and what would make her mad. I really disliked her, almost from the beginning, with how quickly she judged the hell out of the other male character, Ainsley, and how she treated her sister. I get that this is the prejudice part of the book, but like, it was too much. Also, back to the avoiding conflict thing: this book didn't give us a chance to ache for Darius, or for Zuri to miss him, or want him in the way that Elizabeth ached for Darcy. Someone wrote in their review that this felt like a "then this happened, and then this happened" story and I have to agree.
But it's not all Zuri. Darius is also an asshat who kept playing the "I can't help who I am, or who I was raised as" card. It's called compassion, jerk. Especially when you move to a whole new place with whole new people.
There were just a lot of situations that were handled really badly. The relationships, the progression of events, that ending. Wtf. I can't. I just can't.
Finally, the representation of the Orishas. When I first read that Madrina (which stands for Godmother, so that was fitting) was the daughter of Oshun, which is the Orisha of love, I was excited because the only other book I've read with anywhere near that kind of representation was Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi.
For those of you who've read this book, know that when you are talking about the Orishas, it's nearly impossible to only mention one. My stepfather put it best when I asked him about this topic because I wanted to make sure I understood my frustration with the representation of my religion in this book: When you are the child of an Orisha and are "blessed", or acknowledged as this through ceremony, you'll always have two Orishas because it's like a child and their parents' relationship.
The fact that only Oshun was referenced in this book for the purpose of love (which is ironically funny because Zoboi specifically mentions at the beginning of the book that Oshun represents more than just love) and that no other Orisha was mentioned was insulting. If you're going to delve into a religion, don't make it just a tool in a romantic storyline. The celebrations and dances and ceremonies were nice, but even if you have a specific Orisha you've been told you're a child of, you still acknowledge the holidays and celebrations of the other Orishas. I found it insulting and it read like little research was put into this aspect of the book.
Besides the fact that this book was a mess and that the characters were really dislikable, it was the religion aspect that really threw me off. By the end, I just really wanted it to end.
Onto the next one, I guess.
Happy reading!
September 22, 2018
More reviews up on my blog Inside My Library Mind
As a retelling...
I loved that this was a diverse retelling of Pride and Prejudice. And in my opinion, Zoboi picked the perfect setting to retell this story. The Bennets become the Benitezes, who host block parties and have a lovely little community, while Darcy and Bingley become the rich brothers Darcy, who are threatening to completely change the landscape of Zuri's hood. I loved how Zoboi used that premise to retell the Pride and Prejudice story.
This is a straightforward retelling, which uses a lot of the original story's elements and but does it in a new, refreshing way. Zoboi does clever things with discussing privilege (and she contrasts two black families in this, which was amazing).
However...
I hated the writing. Absolutely detested it. This is just exposition for 300 pages. There's no show, it's just tell. All the damn time. It felt basically like the author telling me "and then this happened, and then this, and this is how I felt". I absolutely hated that.
I find heavy exposition annoying even in complex Fantasy settings (even though I get that sometimes it's necessary). But there's no need to have such heavy exposition in a contemporary book, and to me, it was a testament of poor writing. Moreover, once I started fixating on the writing, I started to notice a bunch of stuff that I found insufferable. For example, the overuse of the words shady and corny. Let me tell you, the number of times Zuri found things to be corny or shady was disquieting.
The dialogue was one of the worst parts of this book for me. It was so jarring and felt so artificial. There was an overuse of exclamation points over and over again, and I cringed on every single page. None of the conversations or interactions felt organic, they just felt so strained and awkward.
I disliked the characters
Maybe it was due to the writing, but I did not like any of the characters in this book. They felt really two dimensional and lacked any sort of distinctive qualities for me. Moreover, I found them to be really inconsistent and they constantly did things that clashed with what they said and were just basically nonsensical.
And their relationships with each other were the worst. I did not find the romance believable at all. I did not find Zuri's hate nor her love for Darius to be well written and I had a hard time believing and investing myself into their relationship. It was just exposition of hate, then an afternoon of small talk (that we were told about, not shown) and then she was in love with him. I hated it on all sorts of levels.
To sum up
Ultimately, this book was a big disappointment. Am I glad it exists? Absolutely. Did it work for me? Absolutely not. A lot of potential, but for me a miss, and I would not really recommend this one.
As a retelling...
I loved that this was a diverse retelling of Pride and Prejudice. And in my opinion, Zoboi picked the perfect setting to retell this story. The Bennets become the Benitezes, who host block parties and have a lovely little community, while Darcy and Bingley become the rich brothers Darcy, who are threatening to completely change the landscape of Zuri's hood. I loved how Zoboi used that premise to retell the Pride and Prejudice story.
This is a straightforward retelling, which uses a lot of the original story's elements and but does it in a new, refreshing way. Zoboi does clever things with discussing privilege (and she contrasts two black families in this, which was amazing).
However...
I hated the writing. Absolutely detested it. This is just exposition for 300 pages. There's no show, it's just tell. All the damn time. It felt basically like the author telling me "and then this happened, and then this, and this is how I felt". I absolutely hated that.
I find heavy exposition annoying even in complex Fantasy settings (even though I get that sometimes it's necessary). But there's no need to have such heavy exposition in a contemporary book, and to me, it was a testament of poor writing. Moreover, once I started fixating on the writing, I started to notice a bunch of stuff that I found insufferable. For example, the overuse of the words shady and corny. Let me tell you, the number of times Zuri found things to be corny or shady was disquieting.
The dialogue was one of the worst parts of this book for me. It was so jarring and felt so artificial. There was an overuse of exclamation points over and over again, and I cringed on every single page. None of the conversations or interactions felt organic, they just felt so strained and awkward.
I disliked the characters
Maybe it was due to the writing, but I did not like any of the characters in this book. They felt really two dimensional and lacked any sort of distinctive qualities for me. Moreover, I found them to be really inconsistent and they constantly did things that clashed with what they said and were just basically nonsensical.
And their relationships with each other were the worst. I did not find the romance believable at all. I did not find Zuri's hate nor her love for Darius to be well written and I had a hard time believing and investing myself into their relationship. It was just exposition of hate, then an afternoon of small talk (that we were told about, not shown) and then she was in love with him. I hated it on all sorts of levels.
To sum up
Ultimately, this book was a big disappointment. Am I glad it exists? Absolutely. Did it work for me? Absolutely not. A lot of potential, but for me a miss, and I would not really recommend this one.
March 14, 2019
i heard 'pride and prejudice retelling' and 'characters of colour' and my heart was like 5 STAR IT!!! but i take my reviewing career seriously so i couldn't just rate a book i didnt read
Pros
- the fierce pride zuri has for her african-latino heritage
- the fierce love zuri has for her family, especially her older sister
- the storyline follows pride and prejudice pretty closely so it's very easy to see the parallels as well as where the author chose to go original
- i loved the mixed heritage and how it was expressed in zuri's family through food, dress, dance, etc. it was really interesting to read about and was so unique bc you dont see these cultures expressed in YA
- talk of class and financial status
- the poetry was a very personal touch
- it was incredibly easy to read, i finished it in pretty much one sitting
Cons
- zuri was really judgemental and rude, i get the whole haters-to-lovers who bicker and roll their eyes at each other but the charming aspects of elizabeth and mr. darcy felt missing in these characters
- they just pretty much hated each other one minute and the next they were kissing ?? boi??
- i didn't find zuri or darius to be that great tbh, they were both pretty awful to each other and then they quickly jumped to 'i've never met anyone like you'
- the writing is very 'telling' and it felt tiring to read, like someone explaining something to you rather than following a cute love story
- the dialogue felt inauthentic to me, not with the slang of their language, just in the way they talked to each other, the overuse of words like 'corny', the exclamation points, a lot of unnecessary back and forth, it just made it feel VERY superficial
i think this book meant to be a lot of great things and while i found a lot of flaws and disappointments while reading, i can recognize the positive aspects and appreciate the book for that
Pros
- the fierce pride zuri has for her african-latino heritage
- the fierce love zuri has for her family, especially her older sister
- the storyline follows pride and prejudice pretty closely so it's very easy to see the parallels as well as where the author chose to go original
- i loved the mixed heritage and how it was expressed in zuri's family through food, dress, dance, etc. it was really interesting to read about and was so unique bc you dont see these cultures expressed in YA
- talk of class and financial status
- the poetry was a very personal touch
- it was incredibly easy to read, i finished it in pretty much one sitting
Cons
- zuri was really judgemental and rude, i get the whole haters-to-lovers who bicker and roll their eyes at each other but the charming aspects of elizabeth and mr. darcy felt missing in these characters
- they just pretty much hated each other one minute and the next they were kissing ?? boi??
- i didn't find zuri or darius to be that great tbh, they were both pretty awful to each other and then they quickly jumped to 'i've never met anyone like you'
- the writing is very 'telling' and it felt tiring to read, like someone explaining something to you rather than following a cute love story
- the dialogue felt inauthentic to me, not with the slang of their language, just in the way they talked to each other, the overuse of words like 'corny', the exclamation points, a lot of unnecessary back and forth, it just made it feel VERY superficial
i think this book meant to be a lot of great things and while i found a lot of flaws and disappointments while reading, i can recognize the positive aspects and appreciate the book for that
August 10, 2019
< b> Audiobook narrated by Elizabeth Acevedo 6h 08min 18secs.
3.5 stars
Better than I anticipated. A contemporary retelling of Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice , Pride is set in contemporary Brooklyn (specifically the neighborhood of Bushwick) and focuses on the dreams of the Benitez family. Our main protagonist, Zuri is a Howard University hopeful with the gift of expressing herself and her culture through slam poetry. Along with her sisters- Janae, Marisol, and the twins-Layla and Kayla, Zuri has grown up proud of her Haitian-Dominican roots and is quite disturbed by the arrival of a new rich family-the Darcys.
It's a truth universally acknowledged that when rich people move into the hood, where it is a little bit broken and a little bit forgotten, the first thing they want to do is clean it up.
While older sister, Janae and Ainsley Darcy quickly find the chemistry between them hard to resist, the road is fairly rocky for Zuri and Darius Darcy. Can they overcome their class differences?
It is during the reading of this book that I realized how much space Elizabeth Bennett takes in the original. As fascinating as Zuri is, sometimes I wanted to take her by the shoulders and shake her. Man, this girl could be more than a bit over the top in her opinions. On the other hand, her poetry kept me absolutely intrigued and I felt these very personal thoughts was a perfect device in seeing Zuri's personality in a different light.
One character that greatly improves from the original is Zuri's mother. Of course, given the difference in time periods this was to be expected. Unlike the original that just wanted to see her daughters married, Zuri's mother wants her five daughters to fulfill their dreams while not forgetting where they come from.
As for the Benitez sisters, Janae(Jane) is a college student and motherly figure, Marisol( Mary) annoys all her family members with her lofty views, and the twins Layla (Lydia) and Kayla(Kitty) remain as boy crazy as ever. But given the story is really about Zuri, the reader never gets to know them as well. Probably why there remains a great trend of different retellings focusing on the different sisters.
Definitely would recommend to any Austenite or a new reader who would like a more modern version.
Goodreads review published 10/08/19
3.5 stars
Better than I anticipated. A contemporary retelling of Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice , Pride is set in contemporary Brooklyn (specifically the neighborhood of Bushwick) and focuses on the dreams of the Benitez family. Our main protagonist, Zuri is a Howard University hopeful with the gift of expressing herself and her culture through slam poetry. Along with her sisters- Janae, Marisol, and the twins-Layla and Kayla, Zuri has grown up proud of her Haitian-Dominican roots and is quite disturbed by the arrival of a new rich family-the Darcys.
It's a truth universally acknowledged that when rich people move into the hood, where it is a little bit broken and a little bit forgotten, the first thing they want to do is clean it up.
While older sister, Janae and Ainsley Darcy quickly find the chemistry between them hard to resist, the road is fairly rocky for Zuri and Darius Darcy. Can they overcome their class differences?
It is during the reading of this book that I realized how much space Elizabeth Bennett takes in the original. As fascinating as Zuri is, sometimes I wanted to take her by the shoulders and shake her. Man, this girl could be more than a bit over the top in her opinions. On the other hand, her poetry kept me absolutely intrigued and I felt these very personal thoughts was a perfect device in seeing Zuri's personality in a different light.
One character that greatly improves from the original is Zuri's mother. Of course, given the difference in time periods this was to be expected. Unlike the original that just wanted to see her daughters married, Zuri's mother wants her five daughters to fulfill their dreams while not forgetting where they come from.
As for the Benitez sisters, Janae(Jane) is a college student and motherly figure, Marisol( Mary) annoys all her family members with her lofty views, and the twins Layla (Lydia) and Kayla(Kitty) remain as boy crazy as ever. But given the story is really about Zuri, the reader never gets to know them as well. Probably why there remains a great trend of different retellings focusing on the different sisters.
Definitely would recommend to any Austenite or a new reader who would like a more modern version.
Goodreads review published 10/08/19
February 11, 2019
Sooo bummed because this just wasn't for me. I really couldn't connect with the story or the characters and i just didn't like it :(
10/10 for the amazing poetry snippets tho!
10/10 for the amazing poetry snippets tho!
December 30, 2018
In Ibi Zoboi's YA retelling of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, the characters are reimagined into the present day time period of Brooklyn, New York. Protagonist Elizabeth Bennet becomes 17-year-old Zuri Benitez who is watching her Bushwick neighborhood gentrify into something she doesn't recognize. She's going off to college soon and the fear is real that the comfort and culture of her community will be stolen away. Mr. Darcy becomes Darius Darcy who moves into a newly constructed home across the street with his wealthy family and their “snoody” attitudes. All additional reimagined characters are easy to recognize and equally fun to watch, and all the major plot points from the classic are covered. Pride is a smart retelling that I thoroughly enjoyed.
One of my favorite things about this book was the inclusion of poetry. Zuri writes poetry as a coping skill as well as an art form and the verse threaded throughout this story is stellar. It sets the tone for Zuri's emotions and I was excited every time I arrived to one. I also really appreciated Zuri's perspective about how original residents of an established neighborhood may feel when gentrification occurs. It's happening to my spouse's family and I can identify with Zoboi's description that even sounds disappear. It's an adjustment that requires a sort of grieving process, or strong and protective individuals that strive to resist it like Zuri.
The pride is fierce, the prejudice is strong, and the commitment to family, community and Afro-Latino roots abounds. With clean teenage romance, Pride shines love like the sun and is a safe read for most anyone. Enjoy!
My favorite quote:
"Rivers flow. A body of water that remains stagnant is just a cesspool, mi amor! It's time to move, flow, grow. That is the nature of rivers. That is the nature of love!"
One of my favorite things about this book was the inclusion of poetry. Zuri writes poetry as a coping skill as well as an art form and the verse threaded throughout this story is stellar. It sets the tone for Zuri's emotions and I was excited every time I arrived to one. I also really appreciated Zuri's perspective about how original residents of an established neighborhood may feel when gentrification occurs. It's happening to my spouse's family and I can identify with Zoboi's description that even sounds disappear. It's an adjustment that requires a sort of grieving process, or strong and protective individuals that strive to resist it like Zuri.
The pride is fierce, the prejudice is strong, and the commitment to family, community and Afro-Latino roots abounds. With clean teenage romance, Pride shines love like the sun and is a safe read for most anyone. Enjoy!
My favorite quote:
"Rivers flow. A body of water that remains stagnant is just a cesspool, mi amor! It's time to move, flow, grow. That is the nature of rivers. That is the nature of love!"
September 5, 2018
"It’s a truth universally acknowledged that when rich people move into the hood, where it’s a little bit broken and a little bit forgotten, the first thing they want to do is clean it up.”
Pride is one of those books that I’ve hyped myself up for anf was a nervous wreck before reading because I so desperately wanted to love it. I can happily say that I was hooked from the first sentence and I did not want to put this book down. We follow Zuri Benitez as she tries to hold onto the familiarity of her quickly changing neighborhood. When the wealthy Darcy family moves in across the street, and her older sister Janae starts to fall for Ainsley, Zuri fights to hold onto herself and her home as everything is rapidly moving forward.
Things I liked
My absolute favorite thing about this story, and what drew me to it initially, was the commentary on gentrification and class that was expertly woven with a classical story. I feel like it modernized the story in such an authentic and relevant way that I was floored and would recommend Pride on that criteria alone. I loved seeing Zuri’s perspective on her changing neighborhood and the pride and identity she found because of where she was from, how that shaped her, and the challenges of leaving that safe space for the first time. It was just so good.
Zuri and Darius are a dynamic cuo who completely captured my heart. I loved their banter and bickering. We get to spend a lot of time with them and really see their relationship progress and I was all kinds of here for it.
Things I Didn’t Like
I would have loved to see more sisterly relationship stuff from the Benitez family, because sibling relationships is always a favorite focus of mine in books, but I understand that wasn’t the focus of this story. There are some really great moments, particularly with Janae, but I always want more.
I’m always drawn to modernized retellings, probably because it’s a way to read classics (that I tend to avoid) in a fresh and unique way. Pride is an excellent example of a retelling that really brings new life into a well-known story. The discussion of Pride - in your name, your home, your town, were all so personal and touching, while showcasing universal feelings of unease and doubt when confronting change. Pride was just a jy to read and I loved it more as the story continued.
I received a copy of the book from Blazer + Bray via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
April 7, 2018
LOOK AROUND LOOK AROUND AT HOW LUCKY WE ARE TO BE ALIVE RIGHT NOW.
this book. is so freaking good.
this book. is so freaking good.
January 20, 2019
I am always here for Pride and Prejudice retellings
Watch me talk about this more in my January wrap up part 1: https://youtu.be/QH49gc-xJ7I
Watch me talk about this more in my January wrap up part 1: https://youtu.be/QH49gc-xJ7I
December 16, 2018
Ladies and gentleman, I've officially found the worst book of 2018.
(And this is coming from someone who read about a "brother fucker" and a roach infested apartment.
I must also say this was the winner for the most disappointing book of 2018.
I heard about this book back in February from Entertainment Weekly and became obsessed about reading it. There was an incident at Book Con where I almost got a ARC of the book but Black Jesus was looking out for me, trying to warn me.
I finally got a hold of this book (from the library) and was so excited to read it.
A retelling of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice from a black-latino perspective. Yasss please.
Honey. What resulted was poor writing...heck this was just downright lazy writing. Exposition ran throughout the pages and now I'm in fear that it has leaked into my bloodstream and damaged my soul.
The characters were one-dimensional and just... (calling on the strength of Jesus) they had no chemistry. How are you incapable of writing chemistry between the characters. The writer controls everything.
So Zuri, the main character was detestable and ignorant. I mean textbook ignorant. We're all ignorant about something but this was the kind of ignorance where she was proud of her ignorance. How dare you get educated along with whites ignorance. I love never leaving my block. I love never stepping out of my neighborhood and never experiencing new things.
But then the writer confuses everything by telling (because remember....exposition) how much Zuri love to read, how she wants to go to Howard University. It's not like she's afraid to experience anything new...she legit refuses to experience anything new. I'm baffled.
Then there's random side stories about rich people being nice/bougie, sexual assault, a random guy named Warren (WHO ACTUALLY HAS CHEMISTRY). And don't get me started on Darius (the male love interest) who didn't pay her any attention, clearly didn't like her, all of a sudden profess his non-chemisty having love for her.
Oh wait....THERE'S MORE! Don't forget alat the last chapter there's a storyline about the gentrification of Brooklyn. But don't worry, they move to even more broken down neighborhood.
This was a waste of my existence
(And this is coming from someone who read about a "brother fucker" and a roach infested apartment.
I must also say this was the winner for the most disappointing book of 2018.
I heard about this book back in February from Entertainment Weekly and became obsessed about reading it. There was an incident at Book Con where I almost got a ARC of the book but Black Jesus was looking out for me, trying to warn me.
I finally got a hold of this book (from the library) and was so excited to read it.
A retelling of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice from a black-latino perspective. Yasss please.
Honey. What resulted was poor writing...heck this was just downright lazy writing. Exposition ran throughout the pages and now I'm in fear that it has leaked into my bloodstream and damaged my soul.
The characters were one-dimensional and just... (calling on the strength of Jesus) they had no chemistry. How are you incapable of writing chemistry between the characters. The writer controls everything.
So Zuri, the main character was detestable and ignorant. I mean textbook ignorant. We're all ignorant about something but this was the kind of ignorance where she was proud of her ignorance. How dare you get educated along with whites ignorance. I love never leaving my block. I love never stepping out of my neighborhood and never experiencing new things.
But then the writer confuses everything by telling (because remember....exposition) how much Zuri love to read, how she wants to go to Howard University. It's not like she's afraid to experience anything new...she legit refuses to experience anything new. I'm baffled.
Then there's random side stories about rich people being nice/bougie, sexual assault, a random guy named Warren (WHO ACTUALLY HAS CHEMISTRY). And don't get me started on Darius (the male love interest) who didn't pay her any attention, clearly didn't like her, all of a sudden profess his non-chemisty having love for her.
Oh wait....THERE'S MORE! Don't forget alat the last chapter there's a storyline about the gentrification of Brooklyn. But don't worry, they move to even more broken down neighborhood.
This was a waste of my existence
March 18, 2022
3 stars
I had high hopes for this one but it was not my favorite Pride and Prejudice retelling. I liked the way it was written and the best things about it were the narration and the poetry Zuri wrote and performed. The main characters were a bit insufferable at times, but it was okay.
I had high hopes for this one but it was not my favorite Pride and Prejudice retelling. I liked the way it was written and the best things about it were the narration and the poetry Zuri wrote and performed. The main characters were a bit insufferable at times, but it was okay.
Audio book source: Hoopla
Story Rating: 3 stars
Narrators: Elizabeth Acevado
Narration Rating: 5 stars
Genre: Contemporary YA
Length: 6h 8m
Read
March 18, 2019A wonderful re-telling of Pride and Prejudice, set in Bushwick. "It is a truth universally acknowledged that when rich people move into the hood, where it's a little bit broken and a little bit forgotten, the first thing they want to do is clean it up."
September 22, 2018
Honest chat. I've never read Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice". Did I lose my writing and reading credentials? Do I stand to continue my bookworm status?
No.
Good.
I've survived over forty years of not reading the story nor watching a film adaptation while thriving on pop-cultural osmosis. In other words, I feigned knowledge of the stories in bits and pieces, and that's fine because a sweet and savory retelling of Austen's tale sprinkled with Oshun's love presented itself to semi-virgin eyes.
Zuri Benitez lives with her parents and four sisters, (Janae, Marisol, Layla, and Kayla) in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn, NYC. She adores her family and finds pride in their love and support. She's Haitian-Dominican and proud of her roots. She's a homegirl and proud. She's a smart girl and proud.
Let's say pride is indeed a vice and, perhaps, a virtue in her life.
When two boys move across the street after gentrification makes living in the working-class neighborhood easier, she finds that her class prejudices may create a bind to discovering new friends and experiences.
Pros :
1. Representation . She's a working-class girl with dreams, aspirations, and goals, born in a Haitian-Dominican NYC family. Hello! Orisha and Oshun love finds itself in an Austen retelling. Yes! Freshness abounds.
2. A Strong Female Protagonist . She's smart, goal-oriented, and strong-willed. While she can come off as judgemental, she's written to receive a bit of what she kicks via friends and family.
3. Good Writing . Zoboi illustrates clear pictures of Bushwick, and even if you've never visited, you swear you ventured there. Crisp nuances permeate the pages as you read. She's straight to the point and matter of fact in issues involving class, race, and love among teens.
4. Interesting Characters . Though they are semi-based on established characters, new dimensions add themselves when topics mentioned above come to play.
5. Quick Pacing . No dragging. Concise. You move along Zuri's journey without hesitation or eye-roll inducing purple prose.
6. No Need for Prior Knowledge of the Source Material . Even though it's a retelling, one necessarily does not need to know of Austen's original work as the story could stand on its own.
7. The Cover . Not only the dust jacket, but the book's inside cover beautifies the book. I did not remove the jacket once. I wanted people to see what I read.
Cons :
None really. I dug the story. So, why didn't I give it a 5? I tend to not overuse my 5s. But, c'mon, 4.5's close, right?
Maybe I'll check out a P&P film. If I do, it's the Colin Firth version. Definitely.
4.5/5
No.
Good.
I've survived over forty years of not reading the story nor watching a film adaptation while thriving on pop-cultural osmosis. In other words, I feigned knowledge of the stories in bits and pieces, and that's fine because a sweet and savory retelling of Austen's tale sprinkled with Oshun's love presented itself to semi-virgin eyes.
Zuri Benitez lives with her parents and four sisters, (Janae, Marisol, Layla, and Kayla) in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn, NYC. She adores her family and finds pride in their love and support. She's Haitian-Dominican and proud of her roots. She's a homegirl and proud. She's a smart girl and proud.
Let's say pride is indeed a vice and, perhaps, a virtue in her life.
When two boys move across the street after gentrification makes living in the working-class neighborhood easier, she finds that her class prejudices may create a bind to discovering new friends and experiences.
Pros :
1. Representation . She's a working-class girl with dreams, aspirations, and goals, born in a Haitian-Dominican NYC family. Hello! Orisha and Oshun love finds itself in an Austen retelling. Yes! Freshness abounds.
2. A Strong Female Protagonist . She's smart, goal-oriented, and strong-willed. While she can come off as judgemental, she's written to receive a bit of what she kicks via friends and family.
3. Good Writing . Zoboi illustrates clear pictures of Bushwick, and even if you've never visited, you swear you ventured there. Crisp nuances permeate the pages as you read. She's straight to the point and matter of fact in issues involving class, race, and love among teens.
4. Interesting Characters . Though they are semi-based on established characters, new dimensions add themselves when topics mentioned above come to play.
5. Quick Pacing . No dragging. Concise. You move along Zuri's journey without hesitation or eye-roll inducing purple prose.
6. No Need for Prior Knowledge of the Source Material . Even though it's a retelling, one necessarily does not need to know of Austen's original work as the story could stand on its own.
7. The Cover . Not only the dust jacket, but the book's inside cover beautifies the book. I did not remove the jacket once. I wanted people to see what I read.
Cons :
None really. I dug the story. So, why didn't I give it a 5? I tend to not overuse my 5s. But, c'mon, 4.5's close, right?
Maybe I'll check out a P&P film. If I do, it's the Colin Firth version. Definitely.
4.5/5
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