Prom & Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg

Jan. 2011/231 pgs.

About the Book: (from publicist) Lizzie Bennet, who attends Longbourn Academy on scholarship, isn't exactly interested in designer dresses and expensive shoes, but her best friend, Jane, might be—especially now that Charles Bingley is back from a semester in London. Lizzie is happy about her friend's burgeoning romance, but less than impressed by Will Darcy, a pompous jerk who looks down on the middle class. So imagine Lizzie's surprise when Will asks her to the prom! Will Lizzie's pride and Will's prejudice keep them apart? Or are they a prom couple in the making? From Elizabeth Eulberg comes a very funny, completely stylish prom season delight of Jane Austen proportions.

Sarah Teen LibrarianSays: Prom and Prejudice is a cute, light retelling of the classic Pride and Prejudice. If you have readers who enjoyed the original, this will most likely circulate well among them.

The book stays true to the original which is both good and bad. I would have liked to see a bit more originality but instead at times it felt as though the author was making sure she got in every detail from Austen's book. Because of this we don't seem to get a lot of character development. This is more for fans of the original and readers who know the original storyline.

The characters aren't developed much. I knew who they were because of the original story, but readers not familiar with the classic might have some trouble. There's not a lot of a relationship developed between Lizzie and Will and I was left a bit frustrated because I didn't really ever know what it was they saw in each other. This was what made the book as a whole not work. While there are moments that I liked, as a whole it felt like the author was trying to hard to carbon copy Pride & Prejudice, only in a modern setting. The school "prom" that is supposed to help drive the story only makes apperances when it's necessary to the plot and to remind readers of the title, but there's very little with the prom at all, which might be disappointing to readers looking for a book about the famed school dance.

The author does take good care of the story and Austen fans will appreciate that Elizabeth Eulberg is a fellow fan. The romance is light and the book's modern take has a bit of a "Gossip Girl" feel to it. It's a quick read and I would recommend it to readers who are already fans of Jane Austen. It would be a cute book to read for a book club along with the original to compare versions. I know my teens are going to love it-it won't stay on my library shelf for long!