Prada and Prejudice

I am such a sucker for a Pride and Prejudice retelling. I cannot even begin to count the number of retellings that I have read. With that being said, I must admit that I was a little disappointed with this version.

In this version of Pride and Prejudice, Callie somehow manages to transport herself to 1815 England when she falls and hits her head. That is really hard for me to accept. I feel that the book should have picked one time period and stuck there. Time traveling Jane Austen is not an easy thing to pull off. While the story is taking place in 1815, I liked it. It was really funny at times, and I had to try extremely hard to not snort and bring attention to myself. (I was reading this during a meeting... but don't tell anyone.)

As for sticking with the plot of Pride and Prejudice.... eh. There were some major elements left out. That does not earn high marks in my book. How can you eliminate a major character? Seriously.

The message behind the book is a good one. I do like the element of self-acceptance and speaking up for what you believe is right. Callie, the main character, certainly earns an A+ in that department. In case you didn't guess, this self-acceptance centers around a pair of red Prada pumps. Hence the title.

Overall, it was decent. My students would like it because it's not too deep or complicated. It's like a primer to P&P. Maybe even a pre-primer. Like painting with numbers.

Reader reviewed by The Library Lurker

Prada and Prejudice was everything that I expected it to be: a fast, fun
romantic comedy. Callie is the typical outcast, a science whiz with no
real friends since her best friend moved away and a longing to be in the
"in crowd". When she overhears some popular girls talking about going
clubbing later she decides that she's going to join them, and buys a
pair of real prada pumps to prove her worth. Except she's a clutz, and
on the way back to her hotel she trips and knocks herself out.



She wakes up in 1815 where we meet Emily, and nice girl in an unwanted
engagement, and Alex, a duke. Callie is mistaken for an American friend
of Emily's, Rebecca and is taken into the household. Callie finds
incriminating letters addressed to the duke that make her dislike him
immensely. She also takes it upon herself to break Emily's engagement,
as well as do other meddlesome things that cause much hilarity.



I'd be lying if I said that this book wasn't predictable, but sometimes
predictable is good right? Callie is relatable and I enjoyed her as a
main character. Emily is so sweet and trusting, I wanted her to be my
best friend. Alex is cold and distant, and does and says things that
make Callie mad. I had some trouble with how believable some aspects of
the story were. Callie shows up in jeans and a t-shirt with her Prada
pumps on and all anyone remarks about is that she's wearing mens
clothing. She wears her Prada pumps almost continuously throughout the
book and no one bats an eyelash. I guess that I was just expecting more
questions as to where she came from.



Overall, it was a cute and very fast read that wasn't more than it
promised to be. I enjoyed it, but I might stick with the drama's for a
while...

Reader reviewed by Julie H.

This was a fun, entertaining read, playing off of one of the stalwarts of romance, Jane Austen. Callie is clumsy and miserable, her best friend Katie has just moved away. Her parents are divorced and at the last minute, she decides to join a class trip to England before the start of sophomore year. Callie is already sneaking away from chaperone Mrs. Bentley, trying to figure out how to fit in with the almost A-list girls on the trip. After deciding retail therapy is the way to go, she trips and falls in her new red Prada shoes on the street in London. When she awakens, her surroundings have changed remarkably. Where once where shops and cobblestones, are woods, and more woods. She follows a road of sorts to what appears to be a castle. There, she is mistaken for an American traveler, Rebecca Vaughn. Her friend Emily hasn't seen her since they were young. The duke of Harksbury, man of the manor, comes off as judgemental and rude from the beginning. I enjoyed this story immensely as Callie/Rebecca tried to fit in with this 1815 life and I saw her self-confidence rise ten-fold.  Very well done!

Reader reviewed by Lexie

What can I say beyond 'oh my god why couldn't this happen to me?' I'll
try to however. The title of course eludes to that most famous work, Pride and Prejudice,
but unlike a lot of the Austen-esque sequels and re-invents coming out
this year it has very little to do with those characters and more to do
with the setting, attitudes and way of life.

Callie is a hoot.
Once she acclimates to the situation she doesn't sit idly by and let
things happen around her like she did in present day. She helps to
build Emily's confidence, tramples all over Alex's highhanded treatment
of women and attempts to make things perfect. Of course that old saying
'The road to hell is paved in good intentions...' rears its ugly head,
but its not easy remembering that in 1815 women were little more then
chattel to dress prettily and sell to the highest bidder most of the
time (especially in higher echelons of society).

From a
historical angle the book works well to explain the nuances of society
back then without laboring on about them. Since Callie is impersonating
an American to begin with its naturally assumed she knows next to
nothing about how to behave in public (or private) anyhow. Some things
about society never changes despite the superficial trappings and in
many ways I think that, that lesson is the most important to remember.

My
favorite part of the book is when Callie and Alex are discussing his
lands (about halfway through the book or so). Soon as he mentions
fox-hunting Callie is horrified. Even after she explains she knows what
is entailed in fox-hunting he still acts like she has no understanding
of it. Callie, thankfully, doesn't let him think she's okay with it and
verbally smacks him down. Fox hunting indeed (barbaric!).

Its a short read at just over 210 pages, but there aren't any parts that drag or seem dull. Fans of the recent ITV drama 'Lost in Austen'
might enjoy this quite a bit actually--in many ways Callie is like
Amanda (the main protag of LiA). They both try to set things right from
a modern perspective, but ultimately learn its better to work with the
system then against it.

(Reprinted with permission from the author)

Reader reviewed by GirlwiththeBraids

Who said a school trip to London was going to be easy? And more importantly, why did Callie trip and fall in London? Maybe it was because getting used to five inch Prada heels can be difficult. Or maybe it was fate. Ever since her best friend moved, Callie has become a wannabe and waking up in 19^th century England wasnt planned on her to-do list to catch the eyes of the cool crowd. When a girl in a corset and long dress comes along and insists that Callie is Rebecca, her friend from America, Callie cant help but take the opportunity. Falling in love with a duke, breaking a planned marriage, and going courting can be troublesome, especially when everyone thinks you are someone youre not.

I could say, that I know several authors that could take Prada and Prejudice to the next level. I could also say that the writing was too childish. But I wont. That would lying. Author Mandy Hubbard has a unique sense of dry humor and an eye for outstanding storylines that made this book phenomenal. The writing was charming and repeated thoughts that needed to be echoed. The metaphors are fun to think about, along with everything else. This book is great to read out-loud, especially to a group of middle school girls. The sentences are smooth and slide off the tongue so naturally, its easier to understand and listen to. I will be looking out for future releases by this author!

Release date: June 11th, 2009

Contains: an illegitimate child that was spoken of


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