Dawn of the Dreadfuls, the prequel to Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, was a book that I kind of got some flack for reading. It really reminded me of why I started this blog and I wondered if I should feel embarrassed to be reading this mash-up, especially since mash-ups have been getting oh so much criticism lately. Once I got past this question, however, I found I was really interested in the story. Here is a quick bit from the back of the book to introduce you to the topic: "Readers will witness the birth of a heroine in Dawn of the Dreadfuls-a thrilling prequel set four years before the horrific events of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. As out story opens, the Bennet sisters are enjoying a peaceful life in the English countryside. They idle away the days reading, gardening, and daydreaming about future husbands-until a funeral at the local parish goes strangely and horribly awry."
The story was engrossing, and I felt like the use of zombies became a bit of a commentary on the colonization happening during the Victorian era. Maybe I'm overreaching with that, but that is how I saw it. It was almost like Frankenstein with the character Dr. Keckilpenny, a love interest of Lizzie's who tries to understand that Zombies and turn them back into gentlemen. Everyone in this story is basically stripped of their desires and given a set of instincts that they feel they must follow. It was truly creepy, and I felt like it was more than just another mash-up of Pride and Prejudice.
Which leads me to my main qualm... why did it have to be? Obviously the author, Steve Hockensmith, used characters from Pride and Prejudice and ideas from Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, but I feel like the book would have been way better if it was just a novel about zombies in Victorian England. I also feel like this would have allowed Hockensmith to explore the politics of this idea more. It's unfortunate that so many people won't read this book because they feel it rips off Pride and Prejudice, because there are some good ideas. In this case, I think the mash-up kind of killed the book.
Still, this novel earned a B.
Watch the book trailer! It gives a really good sense of the novel!
This book counts for the Jane Austen Book Challenge.
I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you make a purchase using one of my links I will earn a small percentage which will then go back into this blog. This novel was provided to me by the publisher.
