Betty1997

Hi all, finished this earlier in the week. I was really looking forward to the book as "Pride and Prejudice is my favourite novel of all time. However I was disappointed by it in it's relation to "Prejudice". I think that the parallels between the two stories could have been drawn a little better, or alternatively, this should have been a below stairs novel without any reference to Austen's work. I think that it has been well researched, but I think that many writers "piggyback" the love many of us have for Austen's works so they become a guarenteed sale. Oftentimes they can feel a little strained for the effort. I was disappointed in the story-line between Mrs Hill and Mr Bennet, but my least favourite depiction was of Elizabeth, I thought Elizabeth came across in this novel as rather spoilt and a little uncaring. I think that her sparkle was not glimpsed in "Longbourn". Throughout the original work Elizabeth is light and bright, but she never swerves in her understanding of the importance of showing her subordinates a respect which is due to those in her employ. She seemed in "Longborne" to be careless of Sarahs duties especially sending for the shoe roses "by proxy". This happens in Austen's novel, of course (and at this point we are hearing the wry tones of Austen the narrator) but in "Longborne" it is ordered by Jane and Lizzy and struck me as being out of character. I imagine that Mrs Bennet would have been a more likely candidate for this sort of thing wanting her girls to appear to best advantage!!. Elizabeth is much more aware of sociey's responsibility to persons who are there to serve, as she is aware of the unrespectability shown by her own mother on occasion, and how the Bennet family are viewed by their social superiors. The depiction of Lydia was more in keeping I think and Jane...I suppose there really can only be one Elizabeth Bennet...!!!

Charliepud, I totally agree, that I imagine Humankind would react like this in reality! Sad isn't it?! I'm sure there would be powerful people trying to hole up in bunkers with tinned goods!. Great that negative reactions to books are discussed too. Dtr...let me join your club. I have started "The Hobbit" on numerous occasions and couldn't get into it! Normally I'm not averse to fantasy/sci-fi. In fact I had the same problem with "Dune" recently! I try and give a book a fair number of pages though, I remember the strange first section of "Captain Corelli" and glad I kept with that one.

thank you for nominating this book. I read the blurb on the back cover and was not relishing the read at all but found it to be one of the most moving and (yes I will say it...) hopeful of interpretations of a post apocalyptic world. The calm, the spareness of the writing, seemed to highlight and bring out the true pinnacle of humanity. Works of this genre often show Mankind striving to kick against the inevitable, Humans basest traits are uncovered as they claw for survival, but I never felt that we were going to get a happy ever after in this story. Tom Cruise was not going to save the day! It made me think of what I have heard about those moments before death, people who have no hope of survival (who later do survive!!!) talk of a peace and acceptance which comes over them. I think many of the characters were able to appreciate their place as parts of the nature and cycle of life, they talk of the future still when other lifeforms develop and take their place on Earth. Their lives have not been in vain, but as part of the grand scheme. It was interesting to see a flip side. I had great admiration for the characters, who upheld their values and went "not with a bang but a whimper". (interestingly the last line of Eliots "The Hollow Men") This is the way the world ends This is the way the world ends This is the way the world ends Not with a bang but a whimper.Philosophically interesting and, as many have mentioned, how would we react if our world was in this situation?