"The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet" by Bernie Su & Kate Rorick

Title: The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet

Authors: Bernie Su & Kate Rorick

Publisher: Touchstone

Publication date: June 24th, 2014

My rating: 3.5 of 5

(Book read on September 21st-22nd, 2014,  from the review copy received from the publisher through NetGalley, in exchange of an honest review.) 

Summary:

Based on the Emmy Award–winning YouTube series The Lizzie Bennet Diaries.

Twenty‑four‑year‑old grad student Lizzie Bennet is saddled with student loan debt and still living at home along with her two sisters — beautiful Jane and reckless Lydia. When she records her reflections on life for her thesis project and posts them on YouTube, she has no idea The Lizzie Bennet Diaries will soon take on a life of their own, turning the Bennet sisters into internet celebrities seemingly overnight.
 
When rich and handsome Bing Lee comes to town, along with his stuck‑up friend William Darcy, things really start to get interesting for the Bennets — and for Lizzie’s viewers. But not everything happens on‑screen. Lucky for us, Lizzie has a secret diary.
 
The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet takes readers deep inside Lizzie’s world and well beyond the confines of her camera — from the wedding where she first meets William Darcy to the local hangout of Carter’s bar, and much more. Lizzie’s private musings are filled with revealing details about the Bennet household, including her growing suspicions about her parents’ unstable financial situation, her sister’s budding relationship with Bing Lee, the perils of her unexpected fame, and her uncertainty over her future — and whom she wants to share it with.
 
Featuring plenty of fresh twists to delight fans and new readers alike, The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet expands on the web series phenomenon that captivated a generation and reimagines the Pride and Prejudice story like never before.

 

 

My Thoughts on the Book:

First of all, I have to admit that I'm a big fan of Pride & Prejudice, and I always have fun watching & reading adaptations & retellings. Of course, not all of them are amazing or good, but mostly they're fun. And The Lizzie Bennet Diaries is one of the adaptations that stands out. From the way the story was retold, to the format & the characters (as well as the perfect cast) - it was almost perfect. And I loved every second of it, from the moment it started, until it was over. So, yes, I'm also a big fan of the web series. So, of course, I was excited about this book.

But, even though overall I liked a lot the book, and it's a nice companion to the web series, it just wasn't as good as the web series. I know it's from the same authors, but to me, it just didn't feel like the same Lizzie as the one from the web series. Similar, but not the same. Maybe it was the journal format, I don't know. Also, I don't know if this can stand alone without the web series, I think it should be definitely read along with the series. Probably, that was the idea. Yes, it goes in more details that are similar as the original novel, but also, a lot of the details that were in the web series, weren't in the book. That being said, I still enjoyed it. Some things I wasn't a big fan of, some I loved, but it was a nice addition for the fans.

If you are a fan of The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, then I recommend this book.

 

 

Challenges: 

Summer Bookish Bingo

2014 Review Pile Reading Challenge