Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is a 2009 parody novel by Seth Grahame-Smith. It is a mashup combining Jane Austen's classic 1813 novel Pride and Prejudice with elements of modern zombie fiction, crediting Austen as co-author. It was first published in April 2009 by Quirk Books and in October 2009 a Deluxe Edition was released, containing full-color images and additional zombie scenes.
Quirk Books editor Jason Rekulak developed the idea for Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
after comparing a list of “popular fanboy characters like ninjas,
pirates, zombies, and monkeys” with a list of public domain book titles
such as War and Peace, Crime and Punishment, and Wuthering Heights.[3][4] He turned the project over to writer Seth Grahame-Smith.
Grahame-Smith began with the original text of Austen's novel, adding zombie and ninja
elements while developing an overall plot line for the new material;
"you kill somebody off in Chapter 7, it has repercussions in Chapter
56".[1] According to the author, the original text of the novel was well-suited for use as a zombie horror story:
You have this fiercely independent heroine, you have this dashing heroic gentleman, you have a militia camped out for seemingly no reason whatsoever nearby, and people are always walking here and there and taking carriage rides here and there . . . It was just ripe for gore and senseless violence. From my perspective anyway.
The story follows the plot of Pride and Prejudice, but places the novel in an alternative universe version of Regency era
England where zombies roam the English countryside. Described as the
"stricken", "sorry stricken", "undead", "unmentionables", or just
"zombies", the deceased ancestors of England are generally viewed by the
characters as a troublesome, albeit deadly, nuisance. Their presence
alters the original plot of the story in both subtle and significant
ways: Messages between houses are sometimes lost when the couriers are
captured and eaten; characters openly discuss and judge the
zombie-fighting abilities of others; women weigh the pros and cons of
carrying a musket (it provides safety but is considered "unladylike").
Elizabeth Bennet
and her four sisters live on a countryside estate with their parents.
Mr. Bennet guides his daughters in martial arts and weapons training,
molding them into a fearsome zombie-fighting army; meanwhile, Mrs.
Bennet endeavours to marry the girls off to wealthy suitors. When the
wealthy and single Mr. Bingley purchases a nearby house, Mrs. Bennet
spies an opportunity and sends the girls to the first ball where Bingley
is expected to appear. The girls defend the party from a zombie attack,
and attraction sparks between Mr. Bingley and the eldest daughter Jane
Bennet. Elizabeth clashes with Bingley's friend, the haughty
monster-hunter Fitzwilliam Darcy.
The Bennets are shaken when Bingley and his companions suddenly
abandon his country home and return to the walled fortress city of
London with little explanation. When the local militia arrives in town to exhume
and destroy dead bodies, Elizabeth becomes friendly with one of the
soldiers, George Wickham, who tells Elizabeth that Darcy cheated Wickham
out of an inheritance.
Elizabeth's dislike of Darcy intensifies when she learns that Darcy
plotted to separate Bingley from her sister Jane. Elizabeth vows to
avenge the slight to her family by killing Darcy, and she is afforded
that opportunity when he appears unannounced at the cottage where she is
visiting her newlywed friend Charlotte (who has been secretly bitten by
a zombie and is slowly turning into one herself). Before Elizabeth can
fetch her katana
and behead him, Darcy surprises her by proposing marriage. The scene
culminates in a vicious verbal and physical fight, in which Darcy is
wounded. He escapes with his life and writes a long letter to Elizabeth
explaining his actions. He separated Jane and Bingley out of fear that
Jane had contracted the "mysterious plague" and with regard to the
allegedly wronged soldier Wickham, Darcy explains that Wickham had
attempted to elope with Darcy's younger sister to take her considerable
fortune – this was the "inheritance" that Wickham had claimed. Elizabeth
realizes that she has judged Darcy too harshly, and is humbled. Darcy
realizes that his arrogant nature encourages people to believe the
rumors about him, and resolves to act more appropriately.
Elizabeth embarks on a trip around the country with her aunt and uncle, fighting zombies along the way. At Pemberley
she encounters Darcy, who repels a horde of zombies. Darcy's changed
attitude and mannerisms impress Elizabeth and lead her to consider
reconciling their relationship; her hopes are dashed when her younger
sister Lydia elopes to London with Wickham. The Bennet family fears the
worst, but receive word that Wickham and Lydia have married, following
an "accident" that has rendered Wickham an incontinent quadriplegic.
After visiting the Bennets, the couple adjourns to Ireland. Elizabeth
discovers that it was Darcy who engineered the union, thus saving the
Bennet family from ruin. Meanwhile, Mr. Collins who previously married
(the secretly-plague-stricken) Charlotte Lucas, realizes she has turned
into a zombie, and hangs himself, after allowing Lady Catherine to
behead Charlotte.
Darcy and Bingley return to the countryside, and Bingley resumes
courting Jane. Elizabeth hopes to renew her relationship with Darcy, but
his aunt, the Lady Catherine, interferes, insisting that her daughter
Anne is a better match for her nephew. Lady Catherine challenges
Elizabeth to a fight to the death, intent on eliminating the
competition, but Elizabeth defeats Catherine and later her cadre of ninjas.
Elizabeth spares Catherine's life. Darcy is touched by this gesture,
and returns to Elizabeth. They cheerfully wipe out a field of zombies
(their first battle as a couple) and begin a long and happy future
together, insofar as the ever-present threat of zombie apocalypse permits it.
The thriller will begin this year
SOURCE : WIKIPEDIA
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