Thursday, April 12, 2012

Book Review: Pride and Popularity by Jenni James (Whitney Finalist)

Title: Pride and Popularity
Author: Jenni James
Enjoyment Rating: 6/10
Referral: Whitney Finalist
Source: Electronic Copy
Books I've read this year: 45

Jenni James comments on the Goodreads page for Pride and Popularity saying:

"If you are hoping to find a YA book full of paranormal beasts, sex, or teens who act much more like under-aged adults, I suggest you save your money and do not buy this book. In fact don't buy any of The Jane Austen Diaries. However, if you are looking for a clean, lighthearted, sweet romance, where teens are good and happy and normal--like all of the teens I know (including my own!) then read on."

James is exactly right. Pride and Popularity is a nice, clean, lighthearted YA novel. If you've read Pride and Prejudice or watched Clueless, you can probably imagine how James has transformed Austen's story to work in a high school setting. And it does work-- the book is cute, and light, and funny. But it's not Austen-- it lacks the subtle social criticism that is Austen's genius. Although I liked the book and can definitely imagine my own daughter enjoying it, it felt almost too light and fluffy in comparison to the other books in the category. 


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