First Impressions

Not only is this a re-telling of the original Pride and Prejudice, but the storyline of the book includes a production of the play (Pride and Prejudice) in a local theatre. Although it loosely follows the storyline and hits several major plot points of Pride and Prejudice, it stands on its own in case you are not familiar with the original classic. Whether you are an Austen fan or not, you can still enjoy the story and get to know the contemporary characters. One of the ways this book stands apart is the production of the play, but that also made the characters not as believable. They don't seem to realize how close they portray the roles they are assigned in the play which I find odd. They are also practicing or preparing for the play a majority of the time. I would have appreciated more depth in the character development outside of play practice. I enjoyed the lines quoted from Pride & Prejudice and how they were incorporated throughout the pages. There is a spiritual perspective woven in but I would consider it to be very light. In my opinion, it is more of a sprinkled-in approach over writing it from a spiritual aspect.

A few fun facts: The author gives you a list of characters and who they are likened to in the book. The characters initials mimic those of the names they are likened to (Dave Davidson as Mr. Darcy and Eddi Boswick as Elizabeth Bennet).

First Impressions is Christian Fiction so it does have a spiritual angle to it, which some readers may not appreciate or find out of character. Although it is a re-telling, I prefer to read it on its own and not compare as that can lead to disappointment. Whether you have read the original or not, you can enjoy this fresh, modern take on a classic.

I received my copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.