In which zombies help me save face

Shhhh...I have a secret. Come a little closer.

Closer...

*whispers* I’ve started reading Pride and Prejudice.

Wait, wait, calm down!

I'm reading the one with the zombies. So it's not the same thing. No, it's NOT!

We’re all aware by now of how I feel about Jane Austen. So when my sis-in-law Emily told me about this new development, I was still hesitant. And, I'll confess, a little worried. Could this be the book that finally cracked my rock-solid defense wall against the world of Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy? So I held off. Other people told me about it. Even Chris expressed interest (because, really, zombies in 19th-century English literature? What's better entertainment than that?) But I didn’t want to read it. I’ll admit it: deep down, I was afraid that if I read this version and liked it, I’d have to read the original. And if I liked that, then I’d be sucked into this thing I’d so proudly stayed far away from for so long.

Finally, though, I picked up a copy at Powell’s. I needed to validate my parking stub, because of course paying $12.99 for a book is better than paying $1.60 for parking. I was with all three girls and without Chris, so therefore not at liberty to browse around for any of the books on my ever-increasing list, but then I turned a corner and there were the cold, dead eyes of Elizabeth Bennett staring out at me from a shelf of best-sellers. Who could resist?

Even then, it took me over a week to start it. Of course, I had to finish re-reading Twilight again (*stamps foot* no, I am NOT obsessed!) But what better segue into zombies than vampires? So a few days ago I started reading. Granted, I haven’t had more than 5 minutes of uninterrupted reading time since then, but...

Here’s what I have to say: it’s awesome for what it is. I love how the “new” story flows nicely in and out of the original. For example:

“She retrieved her dagger and beheaded the last of her opponents, lifting its head by the hair and letting her battle cry be known for a mile in every direction.

Elizabeth found herself at last within view of the house, with weary ankles, dirty stockings, and a face glowing with the warmth of exercise.”

Or how about this:

“Poor Jane! I am sorry for her, because, with her disposition, she may not get over it immediately. It had better have happened to you, Lizzy; you would have opened this Bingley’s stomach and strangled him with his own bowels, I suspect.”

See what I mean? It’s awesome!

My favorite line so far, I think (there are a lot of good ones) is this:

“She watched as Darcy drew his blade and cut down the two zombies with savage yet dignified movements. He then made quick work of beheading the slaughtered staff, upon which Mr. Bingley politely vomited into his hands. There was no denying Darcy’s talents as a warrior.

‘If only,’ she thought, ‘his talents as a gentleman were their equal.’”

However, don’t you Austen groupies go getting too excited now, because I honestly don’t think this is opening any doors for me. I like it for what it is, but I’m not terribly involved in the actual Pride & Prejudice part of the story. I may read the real version when I’m finished with this one, but then again I may not. And I may watch some version or another of the films (although if they ever made the Zombie one into a film I'd be all over it!), but, again, I may not.

But you're right, it’s true; I can never again say I’ve never read a book by Jane Austen.