Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen book cover
Classic Romance

Pride and Prejudice

by Jane Austen

Five sisters, one entailed house, and a proud rich man who calls Elizabeth Bennet merely tolerable.

★★★★½ 4.5 / 5

Funny, sharp and far more readable than its reputation, with one of fiction's great heroines, held back only by formal language and a few slow stretches. Four and a half out of five.

Pride and Prejudice: summary, chapter by chapter, review, books like it and book vs movie

Every guide comes as a video and a full written article. Pick the one you need: the review is spoiler-free, the ending explained is not.

Pride and Prejudice quick review in 1 minute

Is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen worth reading? A one-minute, spoiler-free review: the setup, the catch, and my score.

What is Pride and Prejudice about?

Pride and Prejudice (1813) is Jane Austen’s comedy of manners about Elizabeth Bennet, one of five daughters who could lose their home, and Mr. Darcy, the proud rich man she decides to dislike at first sight.

Below you’ll find a spoiler-free review, a full summary, how the book compares with the 1995 series, the 2005 film and the 2026 Netflix series, and six romances to read next.

It's England, around the turn of the eighteen hundreds. The Bennet family has five daughters and a problem: their house can only be inherited by a man, so when Mr. Bennet dies, the girls could lose their home.

So Mrs. Bennet has one mission. Marry her daughters off, preferably to someone rich.

Today I'm walking you through the whole plot of Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen, from the first dance to the final wedding. Full spoilers, so if you want the book to surprise you, come back after.

Read it if
  • You love romance and witty dialogue
  • You like enemies to lovers
  • You want to read it before the Netflix series
Skip it if
  • Old-fashioned language really isn't for you (start with the 1995 series)

Pride and Prejudice review scorecard

Characters
5
Humor
5
Romance
4.5
Readability
4
Pacing
4
Average4.5 / 5

Pride and Prejudice: questions people ask

What is Pride and Prejudice about?

It's England, around the turn of the eighteen hundreds. The Bennet family has five daughters and a problem: their house can only be inherited by a man, so when Mr. Bennet dies, the girls could lose their home.

Is Pride and Prejudice worth reading?

Funny, sharp and far more readable than its reputation, with one of fiction's great heroines, held back only by formal language and a few slow stretches. Four and a half out of five. Read it if: you love romance and witty dialogue; you like enemies to lovers; you want to read it before the netflix series. Skip it if: old-fashioned language really isn't for you (start with the 1995 series). Review: Pride and Prejudice →

Is there a summary of Pride and Prejudice?

The full plot of Pride and Prejudice: the Bennets and the entail, the first ball, Mr. Collins, Wickham's lies, Darcy's first proposal and letter, Pemberley, Lydia's scandal, Darcy's secret, Lady Catherine and the second proposal. Summary: Pride and Prejudice →

Is there a Pride and Prejudice movie or series?

Pride and Prejudice on screen: the 1940 film, the 1995 BBC series with Colin Firth, the 2005 film with Keira Knightley, Bridget Jones and Fire Island, and Netflix's 2026 series with Emma Corrin and Jack Lowden. Book vs movie: Pride and Prejudice →

What books are like Pride and Prejudice?

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding, Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld, The Hating Game by Sally Thorne. Books like it: Pride and Prejudice →

When was Pride and Prejudice published?

In 1813. It was Jane Austen's second published novel.

Is there a new Pride and Prejudice adaptation?

Yes. Netflix's six-episode series, written by Dolly Alderton and starring Emma Corrin and Jack Lowden, premieres December 3, 2026.

Who does Elizabeth Bennet marry?

Mr. Darcy. She refuses his first proposal, then accepts his second after learning the truth about Wickham and what Darcy did for her sister Lydia.

Books mentioned in these videos

Persuasion
Jane Austen
Persuasion book · Persuasion audiobook
North and South
Elizabeth Gaskell
North and South book · North and South audiobook
Jane Eyre
Charlotte Bronte
Jane Eyre book · Jane Eyre audiobook
Bridget Jones's Diary
Helen Fielding
Bridget Jones's Diary book · Bridget Jones's Diary audiobook
Eligible
Curtis Sittenfeld
Eligible book · Eligible audiobook
The Hating Game
Sally Thorne
The Hating Game book · The Hating Game audiobook

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