★★★✰✰ 3.75 stars (rounded up to 4)

It isn't surprising that Pride and Prejudice has become such a classic, one that inspired thousands of adaptations and re-tellings. Many of the story's components have become conventions...and to dismiss this novel as a 'girl's book' is not only incredibly superficial but it negates Jane Austen's clever social commentary.
While many of its characters are satirical personifications of certain types of people (the solipsistic and frivolous mother, the disinterested father, the silly sister(s), the intellectual one, and so on) it does so in a compelling way that makes them all the more vivid in the reader's mind. Austen's witty narrative might not appeal to all readers but it is undeniable that her story presents us with sharp-witted portraits.
In spite of her 'prejudices' Liz was an admirable heroine whose loyalty to her family, and in particular to her sister Jane, made her all the more likeable. Her 'romance' with Darcy is but one of the many strands of this rich story that deals with class and gender. What happens between the characters is conveyed in a subtle manner, through carefully selected words...yet the narrative is always buzzing with a vibrant energy.
An entertaining read that definitely lived up to its fame.

This new edition is certainly pretty but the pdf version is too 'large' for my kindle so I had to use my laptop to access it. Although the illustrations of flowers and butterflies are lovely they don't add much to the story (perhaps illustrations of certain scenes would been better suited).

Would love to read and review this, but have no way right now to access a pdf only. Not having a kindle version creates all sorts of issues. Maybe when I get my new tablet I can download it.