“It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains.” So opens Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, a delightful twist on the well-loved, seventeenth-century novel Pride and Prejudice. Written by “Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith,” Pride and Prejudice and Zombies incorporates the major aspects of the plot of the original novel, telling the tale of Elizabeth Bennet and her sisters, single women searching for love and marriage in a society which values this above all else. However, there is one drastic change: England has been invaded by hordes of zombies, who terrorize the people, feasting on the flesh of the living. Mr. Bennet has trained his daughters to be expert warriors since they were very young, ensuring their ability to protect themselves against the “Unmentionables,” but risking their marriage prospects. Zombie-hunting was considered unbecoming of proper, middle-class, young women, and the Bennets cannot afford a proper dowry.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is unique in its approach to the Austen novel, using large parts of the original novel, but giving the storyline a completely unique outlook. It contains the universal themes that Pride and Prejudice is remembered by, but also introduces aspects that the modern audience can appreciate. Those who have read Pride and Prejudice will best understand the humor of the story, but anyone can enjoy the lively story, filled with “ultraviolent zombie mayhem,” as the cover claims. The book is illustrated with images that are not for the squeamish, and some of the description of the zombie attacks is a bit graphic. However, the zombies are secondary to the overall story—the main plot revolves around Elizabeth Bennet in her pursuit of a happy ending, against all odds. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is an intriguing story of love, transformation, and brains, which I would recommend to anyone.