Books Read in 2014: THE SECRET DIARY OF LIZZIE BENNET by Bernie Su and Kate Rorick

Book Blurb:
A modern adaptation of Pride and Prejudice based on the Emmy Award-winning and hugely popular YouTube series and transmedia project The Lizzie Bennet Diaries.

There is a great deal that goes into making a video blog. Lizzie Bennet should know, having become a YouTube sensation over the course of her year-long video diary project. The Lizzie Bennet Diaries may have started as her grad student thesis, but it grew into so much more, as the videos came to inform and reflect her life and that of her sisters: beautiful Jane and reckless Lydia. When rich, 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. People watched, debated, Tweeted, Tumblr’d, and suddenly Lizzie—who always considered herself a fairly normal young woman—was a public figure. But not everything happened on-screen. Luckily for us, Lizzie kept a secret diary.

Following the structure of the Jane Austen classic, with each chapter also complementing the addictive videos, this standalone novel has plenty of fresh twists to delight fans and hook new readers. The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet expands on the phenomenon that captivated a generation and reimagines the Pride and Prejudice story like it’s never been done before.

My Review:

Rating:
Story: 5 stars
Narrator: 5 stars

Goodreads bookshelves: books-read-in-2014, audiobook, contemporary-romance, lifetime-favorites

Read from July 01 to 06, 2014

Loved this novelization of the webseries as much as I hoped and then some! I love getting the “behind the scenes” scenes—Lizzie with her parents, more of Dizzie and Jing, and more of Lizzie’s thoughts, reactions, and insights on everything that happened, but, most especially, her relationship with Lydia.

And, of course, it was wonderful to hear it all in the voice of Ashley Clements, Lizzie Bennet herself. She did a pretty good job of imitating all of her costars from the series in the major roles. And, of course, her reprisal of the voices of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet.

It was also fascinating to get more information about Lizzie’s “independent study” projects that she mentions from time to time in the webseries and to “see” more of Dr. Gardiner (and to read/listen between the lines to know that Dr. G was probably also playing matchmaker right along with Gigi).

Excellent, excellent way to round out this modern retelling of Pride & Prejudice.