Pudge and Prejudice

Review
In this retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, set in 1984, Elyse Nebbit has recently moved with her family to Northfield, Texas, where she must navigate a new school dominated by sports and social status. Her beautiful and skinny sister, Jayne, begins dating a rich football player, Charley Bingley, while Elyse, who struggles with body issues, becomes enamored with Charley’s brooding best friend, Billy Fitz. However, Elyse isn’t quite ready to pursue popularity or Billy, and it’s up to her, with the help of her sister and a few friends, to find the self-confidence and acceptance she needs. Pittman wonderfully reimagines Austen’s classic with a modern twist that features many issues facing adolescents today: body image, social status, romance. Pride and Prejudice fans will find Pittman’s characters, redesigned into 1980s high-school teenagers, easily identifiable (e.g., Billy Fitz equals Mr. Darcy), and the uplifting message around body image makes this a relatable retelling, all while keeping the familiarity of Austen’s inspiring work. Booklist
It’s 1984 and after moving to Northenfield, Texas, with her family, Elyse Nebbit faces the challenge of finding her place in a new school, one dominated by social status and Friday night football. When Elyse’s effortlessly beautiful older sister Jayne starts dating golden boy Charlie Bingley, Elyse finds herself curious about Charlie’s popular and brooding best friend, Billy Fitz. Elyse’s body insecurities eventually complicate her relationship with Billy, leaving Jayne and Elyse’s exceedingly blunt friend, Lottie, to step in and help Elyse accept herself for who she is, pant size and all.