When it comes down to reading, I think I would almost say that the classics should be the one that is most err... mencabar... (I am currently in a lost of sentences). So when I think of a book to write about here, I thinkI should start with the classics first. It's not like I dwell a lot in old Medieval papyrus-smelled manuscripts, just the old ones where the language makes you go 'Huh?' and often 'What the f- is he trying to say?"

So, on my first entry, I thought I should be talking about the classics. Of course you have William Shakespeare which I personally called 'the man who cannot talk in a short sentence'. Then the Regency era came and introduced us to the fine ladies; Miss Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters. Of course there's this big debate in the lit world about who was the best romance writer, Austen or Bronte. For me personally, I chose Austen, for the reason that she really understood the aristocratic society at the time and tackle the social environment of the era with such wit and delicacy. In today's world, I cannot compare Miss Austen with anyone as I believe in a manner of literature, she's more profound than writers nowadays. But anyhow, If we have Plum Sykes and Helen Fielding to capture the wit, and Cecelia Ahern to represent the warmth of a story, I can say that Austen is all of them and more.

Geez, I am writing like some kind of old spinster librarian...

(sorry,pic came from Amazon website)

But if I were to recommend a classic, I would of course jump at the chance to recommend Pride and Prejudice. Now, if you are not Malay and love reading, I think you would have read it. But if you're Malay, I can almost be sure you haven't read it yet (unless you're forced to because it's compulsory for literature class). I myself tried reading for the sake of curiosity. I did not think I would enjoy it because of its font type and that smell of cheap books by PENGUIN Publication (yergh).However, the first sentence of the book captured my attention.

"IT is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."

So if you never read or even watched or even heard of it, I will put the synopsis as short as possible here (but if you knew me well enough, you'll know my definition of 'short' is quite far-fetched).

Pride and Prejudice is a story about one Elizabeth Bennet (Lizzie), the second child of five daughters of the Bennets who thinks her family is ridiculous but love them anyway. Her sister Jane, the beauty of the lot were the hope of the family to marry a rich man in order to save her family from destitution as at the time in England,all family fortune will go directly to the male heir which in this case would be their annoying cousin Mr. Collin. The stretch of this family includes Mr Bennet who is as sarcastic and clever as Elizabeth who loves his Lizzie dearly, his wife Mrs Bennet who would not care about anything other than marrying her daughter off to any rich man, the third daughter Mary whose life is all about books and moral obligation, Catherine who follows anything her youngest sister does and Lydia the youngest, who cares nothing about conduct and civility but to enjoy herself extensively.The comings of a certain gentleman by the name of Charles Bingley gave this hope especially to Mrs Bennet who would not even try to sound undesperate to marry her daughter to him. However, his bestfriend, a rich man by the name of Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy instead despised the family's attempt to wealth. At the same time, a young militia by the name of Wickham has won fair Elizabeth's heart much to the dismay of Mr Darcy who has a dark history with the man and who, despite trying to further himself from the Bennets, actually fell in love with Elizabeth.  

The story revolves around the relationship that emerged between Elizabeth and Darcy, who are both stubborn and actually misunderstood each other a great deal which explains a lot of heated discussion between both any time they see each other (you can't say them fighting or arguing cuz the language were too civil to be read as an argument... except when they really fought at Charlotte's house).     

I find that Elizabeth is actually the epitome of the modern women who has their own ideas and understanding of the world. In her days where all women can think of is to marry for benefits, she came out declaring that she would rather be a spinster than to marry someone she did not love. She refused to sacrifice her happiness for her family (explain why she rejected Collin) or her principle for wealth (explain why she rejected Darcy at first). She's quick-witted, spontaneous and vivacious, but at the same time her mind and ideas did not go too far from the norms of society. She still enjoys being civil and following rules that aren't ridiculous.

Darcy in the other hand is a mysterious being who often being misunderstood because of his lack of communication skill,usually being called 'rude' and 'arrogant'. He is a man all women want to have; rich, handsome and caring (as opposed to the modern poor, unhygienic and rude hobos of a man...). And being played by Colin Firth and Matthew MacFadyen in the screen adaptation doesn't hurt either..hehe

You may find yourself having a difficult time reading it at first. You'll come to see word like 'incandescent' and 'malignant' and 'incorrigible' and sentences that kept repeating itself that made you wonder why the hell ancient people talk in circles. But once you get used to it, you'll find that these difficult word actually helps you understand the description more. Example;

 "Mr Bennet was so odd a mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humour, reserve, and caprice, that the experience of three and twenty years had been insufficient to make his wife understand his character. Her mind was less difficult to develope. She was a woman of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper. When she was discontented, she fancied herself nervous. The business of her life was to get her daughters married; its solace was visiting and news."

And once you get a hang with the literature, you'll find the book 'unputdownable'.I actually slept late at night and woke up early in the mornings to read it, like, 5am in the morning kind of early when I reached the middle part (oh yeah, the story are divided into 3 parts) just to read it. Like, even Stephen King cannot make me read like that (well, but of course that's because who would want to read Stephen King alone late at night?). And the romantic words... man, I am not a romantic at heart, but the words are beautiful (in a not so icky way), you just want to ate it for breakfast. Like;

``In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.''

Any man using the word 'ardently' with me will score romatic points... BIG TIME!

I do agree with Elizabeth in one way or another which is why I loved her character so much. Example of her ideas

``I know you do; and it is that which makes the wonder. With your good sense, to be honestly blind to the follies and nonsense of others! Affectation of candour is common enough; -- one meets it every where. But to be candid without ostentation or design -- to take the good of every body's character and make it still better, and say nothing of the bad -- belongs to you alone. And so, you like this man's sisters too, do you? Their manners are not equal to his.''

If you want me to rate, hmmm... well, I would say 4.2 out of 5.

a) b) 
A. The BBC adaptation starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth
B. New PnP cover, also poster for PnP movie adaptation starring Keira Knightley and Matthew MacFadyen.