Comments (68)

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Feb 11, 2024sgcf rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
This is Jo Baker's retelling of "Pride and Prejudice" from the servants' perspective and their daily chores, within the Bennet household. There’s a particular focus on the housemaid, Sarah, and her boss, Mrs. Hill – both strong female…
Nov 18, 2023Alpha_zzz rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
This wasn’t an easy book to get through. The writing is different and many times I had to re-read a sentence or two to understand its context. I found it very, very slow moving and it wasn’t until near the end that the true action…
Sep 07, 2022peachmcd rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
I want to echo JCLElanorS's joy in finding a well-written and researched, class conscious, Jane Austen spin-off. I'm so tired of reading about and watching aristocrats! I know the Bennets aren't, but they aspire to be, and their happy…
Aug 21, 2022Olena_Straight rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Excellently researched novel, written with craft, with deep insight into the inner experiences of the protagonists, and empathy for the servants’ lives. The rich and powerful of Pride and Prejudice are part of the sub-narrative for a…
Jul 23, 2022llocas rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
The writing is so good - reading the book is like watching a movie.
Feb 22, 2022JCLElanorS rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
As a die-hard Jane Austen fan, I've sampled more than my fair share of Austen spin-offs. This one stands out for it's beautiful storytelling and unique perspective. It changed and deepened the way I saw the characters of Pride and…
Nov 16, 2021WPL_JessB rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
This book has been on my to-read list for YEARS and I'm so glad I finally picked it up! I loved how Baker seamlessly inserted the new characters into a beloved classic, having them interact with the Bennetts in a way that felt natural and…
Aug 16, 2021AlteredStaite rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
I liked it but then I like historical novels. This was exactly how it was presented —Pride and Prejudice "The Servant's Story". Akin to Downton Abbey and/or Upstairs/Downstairs. A good read.
Aug 01, 2021CoriForrester rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Just delightful and charming.
Sep 21, 2020carolwu96 rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
While many of us are familiar with the original 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘫𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘦, Austen has created such a rich universe that so much has been left unsaid. In 𝘓𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯, while the romance and glamour take place upstairs, the…
May 26, 2020sjpl_DanaLibrariana rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
Fans of "Pride and Prejudice" will appreciate this story of the Bennett household told from the perspectives of the estate's servants. These characters that are the focus of this novel have only a fleeting reference in Austen's original…
Apr 28, 2020
Arlene read and said it was good!
May 24, 2019DominiqueRossier rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Pride and Prejudice from a different point of view. Unlike several other retellings, this one fits with Austen's narrative. It offers another look at various characters (Mr Collins appears a little less silly, or at least his silliness is…
Jan 17, 2019goddessbeth rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
I think the most important thing to note here is: If you are reading this novel because you're a Janeite and you want more Darcy and Lizzie romance, you're going to be disappointed. Although this is based in the story of Pride and…
Nov 16, 2018Jackalope99 rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
I liked this well enough, but it certainly didn't move me -- I definitely like the idea of it more than the executed product. It often felt as though the author was trying much too hard, cramming in "Austen-isms" and Regency wording just…
Jun 21, 2018WoodneathLaura rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Literary look at the servants from Pride and Prejudice
Mar 22, 2018SPPL_Anna rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
I found this more compelling than Pride and Prejudice. Very good.
Mar 18, 2018Jillbookgirl rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
I will never read Austen the same way. A beautiful story full of heartbreak, adventure, and love.
Feb 14, 2018ArapahoeAnnaL rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
Fascinating and deeply engaging story of a housemaid in Jane Austen's Bennet household. Austen is a tough act to follow. That this book has been chosen as a best of the year says something!
Jan 23, 2018JackieStuts rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Perfect in every way. I still find myself wondering what the characters would be doing if the author had continued writing. These people were so important to the operation of Longbourn. It was delightful to discover the intimate details of…
Nov 20, 2017
Either you "dig" Jane Austen and her Georgian times or you don't, as the other comments clearly show, but I truly love this book. It's "Pride and Prejudice" turned inside out and upside down. The entailed Bennets, not as rich as they'd…
Sep 21, 2017lostintheshelves rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
This is one of very few perfect novels I have read. It answers the question I always had about those Jane Austen novels where women need to marry for money--what about the actual flesh and blood women who worked for a living?--but the…
Sep 21, 2017
Just could not get into this novel. I found the first few chapters boring and did not inspire me at all. Returned Sept 2017
Mar 27, 2017DanglingConversations rated this title 2 out of 5 stars
Uninspired writing. Poorly crafted story line with the 'James' war story' interrupting the flow of the downstairs drama and unrealistic, overly simplified characters. Did she need to waste so much space on Sarah's chilblains. I appreciated…
Mar 09, 2017uncommonreader rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
A quite charming imagining of downstairs, the real people inhabiting "Pride and Prejudice".