15 Best Books Like Pride and Prejudice: Modern Novels, Romance, and Classics
Find the best books like Pride and Prejudice with romance, family, societal norms, and love in similar classic novels with unforgettable characters.
If you enjoy books like Pride and Prejudice, there are many similar novels to explore. These books often feature stories of love, character development, and the social expectations of their time.
Pride and Prejudice, first published in 1813, follows Elizabeth Bennet, the protagonist, and her evolving relationship with Mr. Darcy. This classic novel by a famous English author has inspired movies, adaptations, and even versions with zombies! If you liked the mix of romance and manners in this book, you may enjoy reading more stories like it.
There are modern books similar to Pride and Prejudice that follow a similar type of story, with characters that grow and change over time. Some of these books are contemporary, while others remain rooted in classic themes. If you’re a fan of romantic novels with character-driven plots, there are plenty of great books to read next.
Whether you enjoy classic or modern stories, there are many recommendations to choose from. After Pride and Prejudice, these books are some of the best for anyone who loves character development, romance, and insightful portrayals of society.
1. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte
A story of a girl who is quite self-assured and confident, but is still very simple in fact.
Helen's self-confidence when she first entered the social world, half-joking with her aunt, very Austen's style, impressive, a little rebellious girl in adolescence began her life in this way. In the story, there are people who the girl likes and people who don't like. The knight rescues her from trouble.
With funny and humorous chats and laughs, the girl falls. Her feelings are so strong, and the portrait is her secret voice. If there were no of Arthur's little tricks, would she have combined it so quickly? Although anxious and apprehensive. But is it really love? Is love covering the eyes?
The girl is savoring her new life, and the sweetness always comes first, and whether it will last is another story. Life is always realistic, but is it cruel? The other half of the iceberg already exists!
Helen walked step by step, worried, worried, disgusted, rejected, broken! remorse? If I did it all over again, would there be a different choice? Arthur is dead, she's free, and she's happy as the book ends. But why don't I think so?
Just as the comments said, Helen was too much like a missionary. in the later period she (in her diary) was stubborn, righteous, and dignified; religious creeds were tiresome, and she had lost the vivid color of the past. The flowers withered.
What was Hargrave like? gentleman? Although he had been helping Helen, it was always selfish. Does he want to play the love game? Some are not, but why is there always a shadow of evil in him?
If Helen's moral sense is weaker, or her character is less determined, then there will be another story, the bewildering Hargrave, who is only the touchstone of Helen's moral and religious beliefs.
Millicent is such an interesting person; she would marry Arthur's friend Hattersley! It's really surprising, thinking that at the beginning, she was the one who advised Helen to be careful and recognize Arthur!
I thought she would give Hattersley a solid lesson without hesitation! But the result was a confused and flustered marriage. Hattersley's return was her thankful, sudden luck, and perhaps the author's contrasting luck for Arthur's finale. really not easy!
After reading it carefully, I found that Helen's diary is the most interesting, and the stories in the diary are the most exciting!
2. Wuthering Heights
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
When referring to Emily Bronte's "Wuthering Heights", Woolf said that the impulse that prompted Emily Bronte to create was not her own pain and injury. After reading "Wuthering Heights", I can't believe it.
She said so. The kind of heart-wrenching passion in the novel is almost impossible to achieve by one's imagination without personal experience.
A well-meaning gentleman leads back from the street a dark child who grows up in love with the daughter of this gentleman, while his son abuses him in every possible way. Because he felt the low status of the outsider, the person he loved married someone else and wanted to give him a chance to change his fate, but this hurt the outsider's self-esteem even more.
He mysteriously disappeared before his lover married someone else, and a few years later, he made a fortune and launched frantic revenge, he not only got the property of those who had hurt him, but also watched them die one by one, And continued his revenge on their next-generation, fate finally mocked him, his son was a helpless douchebag, crying all day, sick, dying early, and his enemy's The child is just a replica of his youth.
The person he loves and the daughter born by others become her daughter-in-law and later becomes a dead wife. He cannot prevent a new love from happening and finally dies in desolation. That's the story Emily Bronte tells us in her "Wuthering Heights."
When comparing "Jane Eyre" and "Wuthering Heights", Woolf said that "Jane Eyre" wanted to say "I love, I hate, I suffer", while "Wuthering Heights" went beyond itself and wanted to say " we, the whole of humanity" and "you, the external forces".
I can't see any difference in the expression of love between the two books. If there is any difference, then "Wuthering Heights" expresses "I love more, I hate more, I suffer more"; this kind of love, hate, and pain has reached its limit and brings nothing but madness and destruction. For two people who are madly in love, "we, the entire human race," and "you, the outer world" are nothing; they are each other's entire universe.
"If everything else is dead and he's alive, I can live; if everything else is and he's dead, the whole universe will be so strange that I don't feel like I'm part of it anymore." As long as it is said in the mouths of people who are madly in love, I can hardly believe that love will last forever, but I believe that these words are from the bottom of my heart, and they are sent out with blood.
Love, when it was still sweet, was sunshine, rain, and syrup. When it is no longer sweet, it is a cold sword; the deeper the love, the more blood drips. For those who have suffered from love, it will be a sobering agent at any time, making them cautious before falling in love again,
but even this will not necessarily prevent love from happening again until it shatters all that person's love about love's dream. I don't know how many people die for love, but I believe most of them survive, and they survive until the years heal all their memories. How scary it is to think that one day we will be lost in the memory of someone we once loved.
"I wish I could hold on to you," she continued bitterly, "until we both die! I shouldn't care what you suffer. I don't care about your pain. Why shouldn't you suffer? What? I'm suffering! Will you forget me? Will you be happy when I'm buried in the dirt?
Twenty years from now, will you say, 'That's Katherine Earnshaw's grave. A long time ago I loved her and was sad to lose her, but it's all over. I've loved many more people since then: my child is more dear to me than she is, and when I die, I won't I'm glad I'm going to her: I'm going to be sad because I have to leave them!' Would you say that, Heathcliff?"
But as long as you live, you have to deal with all kinds of things, until those complicated memories slowly drown out the initial memories, until old age, until life is flat, until there is no desire for this world. It was a luxury to live on memories and revenge like Heathcliff did.
Emily Bronte lived to be only thirty years old. I don't know her background, but I think she was burned by passion and despair, which may be a happy thing for her.
3. Rebecca
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Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
Without further ado, let's talk about Rebecca. In this novel, she has never appeared, but she has always existed in everyone's heart. Outsiders thought this stunner was impeccable: beautiful, noble, intelligent, capable, daring, and powerful;
but in her husband Derwent's eyes a complete devil, bitch! She can pretend that everyone can't see her heart, can't see her wildness, and can mix with anyone and confuse all beings. She would do unethical things, and she's in the process of cleaning up.
This woman is too independent, too bold; she can ride a horse better than a man, and naturally, she can go out to sea alone. She loves no one; she only loves herself. She didn't want to be someone's accessory, and she didn't want to have a man's surname after her name.
How scary to think, why ask your opinion on what to wear? Why do you talk about your color? Why do you have to invite guests and friends to hold a party as you wish? Just because of your surname!
I think this is a women's liberation novel, and the two heroines in the book are from two eras. Rebecca, seems to be a feminist, she pursues her own freedom, enjoys all kinds of men, and enjoys pleasure, maybe she is called a bitch, so what? She has a hut of her own. Anyone can spend the night here without being granted residency. As soon as the sun rises, people will leave.
I think Rebecca may not bring too many people of the opposite sex here. Anyone willing to go to sea has a heart that cannot be tied. She may just hope that she can continue like this, reading a book, being in a daze, and sleeping. Yes, only where will she feel that she is the master, she is Rebecca, not the mistress of Mandali, not Mrs. Derwent.
And the poor other Mrs. Derwent, Mrs. Continued Strings, was so well-behaved. It is no wonder that he is loved by the male protagonist. Men all want to have a wife like Rebecca, and at the same time are afraid of having it. Just because it's hard to tame? No, it is not.
They are afraid that women get more respect and praise than them, and they are timid that their own light will be covered up by her. Let the man, the great sun, hide under the moon's brilliance. They can't stand the trick of controlling women being used on themselves.
From beginning to end, the male protagonist never loved Rebecca but was satisfied with the emotion that Rebecca brought prosperity to the manor and brought honor. Men are only afraid of the face. And this Lady Continued String is far less beautiful than Rebecca, and she is dull, but what men see in her is her innocence and her duty of being at the mercy of others.
Mandoli's masquerade was not because Mrs. Sequel dressed up as Rebecca in the past to make him angry, but she went against his will for the first time after marriage - not dressed as Alice, that innocent child.
A man is naive. He wants to marry a wife and hopes that she will always keep the feeling she had when she knew her. Little do they know that a woman can become more perfect herself. This may also be a form of control and escape.
"Your funny and confused expression, like a little girl, the expression I like, has disappeared without a trace. Never again...you've become mature and prudent all of a sudden..."
How could Derwent know how many times this little girl was sad because she couldn't hold herself back because of her immaturity and was afraid that she would not be able to do Mrs. Derwent? In reality, how many men leave because women have been naive and unable to mature?
Men want women like this, women like that, man, what do you want?
Although Rebecca's life ended tragically, she truly lived up to herself.
Woolf once wrote a book called A Room of One's Own, which encouraged women to be independent and have opinions about their own cabins. I think the best quote from the book here is, "A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction."
4. Little Women
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
- The author spends a lot of time developing the characters, making them vivid and lifelike.
- The book provides a glimpse into the era it was written about, though it might not detail it heavily.
- It's a long book, nearly 800 pages, which might seem boring at times until the plot picks up in the last 200 pages.
- The traditional writing style with dense descriptions and moral lessons didn't appeal to me; it felt too serious and straightforward.
- Despite its sweetness and simplicity, it wasn't quite my type of novel due to its serious tone and lack of space for personal thoughts.
5. Jane Eyre
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
- Jane Eyre offers a glimpse into life in 19th-century England, reflecting the author's personal experiences and societal norms of that era.
- The novel features characters like Jane Eyre, who symbolizes strength and independence, facing challenges that resonate even today.
- It explores themes of love, where Jane and Rochester's relationship highlights struggles for spiritual equality amid societal constraints.
- Considered a classic, the novel's enduring appeal lies in its portrayal of resilience and defiance against oppression.
- Beyond its romantic plot, "Jane Eyre" teaches valuable lessons about perseverance and staying true to oneself, making it a timeless read for all ages.
6. Edenbrooke
Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson
Alas, this kind of novel... It's a bit too shallow for modern people to write about the Regency era.
The main storyline is very simple, but the author's brushstrokes and the classical beauty of her era and environment make the characters' love lines stand out. Thinking of the deep affection between men and women, I feel like I can't help but want to get close, and I am afraid of disturbing the tranquility and beauty of the lake.
So I can only put my love in my heart and grind it, but the male protagonist uses a letter to make this overflowing. The emotion is perfectly conveyed to the heroine. So sweet! !!
The story is engaging and pleasing, and the plot and dialogue of the author's first novel are handled without bluntness. There are many repetitions in the use of sentences, but there is also a lot of humor, which only belongs to the spirituality of that living age. I couldn't help but reread a lot of dialogue!
7. The House of Mirth
The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton
"Happy House" is one of Edith Wharton's representative works. Wharton was born in 1862 and died in 1937. Her major works were all produced in the 20th century, and most of her life was spent in Europe.
However, most of the characters in her works are native-born Americans, which is different from the Americans living in Europe, as written by Henry James. Wharton was fettered by an unfortunate marriage in her early years and was depressed and depressed, but her literary practice helped her get rid of the depression. The predicament of widowhood and the pain of being unkind can be seen in Countess Orensga in "The Age of Innocence".
However, Wharton did not hesitate to show only the relationship between women and unhappy marriages. What it has been trying to express is the vain values of American society in the 19th century. The book is filled with the brilliance of women, which is different from "Purple". In Purple", the independent consciousness and self-improvement of women are the novels that are vigorously promoted.
The passion that ebbs and flows with the protagonist's ignorant misfortune to grown-up awakening is both a story and a manifesto. In contrast, the feminism of "Happy House" is mainly manifested in the story's in-depth revealing of patriarchal values in New York society in the 19th century and its impact on society, especially on women, as well as the female protagonist's reflection on women's views.
this reaction. Influenced by her mother since she was a child, Lily Bart understands the rules of the game that women must follow in a patriarchal society, and her so-called "success" is enough to show that she understands the rules.
However, Lily is not in a patriarchal society after all. The doll has her thoughts, her expectations, and the "self-esteem" or "pride" that the author strives to express, and it is because of this that she "fails" repeatedly. But there's more to fiction than that. Other characters in the novel also have their representative.
Characters such as Selton and Rosedale, Goldie and Bertha Dorset, each with their own characteristics, represented various people in New York society at that time, and the feminism embodied in them is also worth studying.
8. Sense and Sensibility
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
There are many long sentences and many sub-meanings in the original text. It is really difficult to understand, but I have always liked Jane Austen, a talented woman. She can always complete a novel with three or four families and the scenery of the British countryside.
In terms of character, there is no doubt that Eleanor is a rational type, and Marianne is an emotional type. But the ending is funny; Eleanor is married to emotion, and Marianne is married to reason. In addition to the beautiful language, this debut novel is lacking in writing power, and many places are debatable regarding the characterization of the characters and the rationality of the plot.
For example, Edward's self-confession, in my opinion, is no different from Willoughby's. They are both shameless and selfish, blaming half-heartedness on love without knowing it, and wantonly demeaning their ex-fiancée or current wife.
And slander and Willoughby wasn't married yet, Edward added, that the only reason I could console myself with my haphazard behavior was that the danger involved only myself; no one but myself would be harmed.
On Marianne's side, her marriage with Brandon was also unclear. She felt that she was married more to the respect of the colonel and the expectations of everyone, while Brandon's love at first sight for Marianne was.
9. The Enchanted April
The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim
Four women of different ages and personalities want to escape from their disappointing lives. They rent a castle in Italy with private money to enjoy a month of liberation. In the charming April scenery of the castle, all four regain their happiness.
Lotty Wilkins: The character is romantic and bold. Her husband is a lawyer. As a housewife, she saves her private money from pocket money given by her husband. The husband is very particular about what he eats (he wants to eat fish), but he is more strict with her clothes.
The image of the husband is very full, a bit snobbish, pays attention to the external image, and has a strong desire to control. So even with her private money, her plans lied to her husband. Among the four, she has the most outgoing personality.
She is very good at expressing her feelings. She was very happy on the first day she arrived at the castle. She felt that she was in heaven, so she immediately wrote an invitation to her husband (who originally wanted to escape).
who will take the initiative to kiss the indifferent old lady later, and the other three are more or less the changes made by her bold comments. Even her husband, who came to the castle later, noticed her change, and the relationship developed for the better.
Two points about her excerpt: She feels that beautiful clothes are bondage and bondage. The instant one has got them (beautiful clothes) they took one in hand and gave one no peace till they had been everywhere and been seen by everybody.
You did not take your clothes to parties; they took you. It was quite a mistake to think that a woman, a really well-dressed woman, wore out her clothes; it was the clothes. That wore out the woman - dragging her about at all hours of day and night.
10. Three Men In A Boat
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Three Men In A Boat by Jerome K. Jerome
This book is really funny, and the keywords at the beginning of each chapter (timeline, Outline summary) are full of fantasy and chaos.
Part of it is because I laughed. After all, I felt empathy. I read pharmacology at the beginning and felt that I was sick all over my body. It was exactly the same as the daily self-diagnosis of the contemporary Google Encyclopedia and the daily life of medical students. I also found that it was too real to rummage through the entire suitcase with the results in the morning; the other part is that the author's often confusing thoughts are unexpectedly cute:
'There are still cords that grace the industry—conscientious, respectable cords—that don't fantasize about being crocheted and wanting to weave themselves into seat covers whenever they can. '
'It was beef for lunch, but we found out we forgot to bring mustard. I haven't craved mustard that much before and since. At this point, I'd rather trade the whole world for mustard.
I don't know how many words there are in the universe, but if someone gave me a spoonful of mustard at that moment, I would give him all the world. When I want something and can't get it, I become very unreasonable. Harris said he would also trade many worlds for mustard. If someone walks by with a big jar of mustard at this time, that person is lucky: he can spend the rest of his life in many worlds. '
The author's daily complaints are very 'British gentlemen', about the dress of fellow ladies, their boating skills, and their mood when encountering emergencies. I felt that I was also thrown into a fantasy, drifting in a panic, which is an interesting experience that can temporarily escape from reality.
11. Arabella
Arabella by Georgette Heyer
Georgette Heyer had a handful of unforgettable heroines, of which Arabella is one of the most engaging. Daughter of a modest country clergyman, Arabella Tallant is on her way to London when her carriage breaks down outside the hunting lodge of the wealthy Mr. Robert Beaumaris.
Her pride is stung when she overhears a remark of her host's. Arabella pretends to be an heiress, a pretense that deeply amuses the jaded Beau. To counter her white lie, Beaumaris launches her into high society and thereby subjects her to all kinds of fortune hunters and other embarrassments.
When compassionate Arabella rescues such unfortunate creatures as a mistreated chimney sweep and a mixed-breed mongrel, she foists them upon Beaumaris, who finds he rather enjoys the role of rescuer and is soon given the opportunity to prove his worth in the person of Arabella's impetuous young brother...
PRAISE FOR GEORGETTE HEYER: "Our Georgette Heyer display of the Sourcebooks reprints has been a huge success, not only to those early fans like myself but to many new readers who appreciate her style and wit." Nancy Olson, Quail Ridge Books, Raleigh, NC "Reading Georgette Heyer is the next best thing to reading Jane Austen."
Publishers Weekly "Wonderful characters, elegant, witty writing, perfect period detail, and rapturously romantic. Georgette Heyer achieves what the rest of us only aspire to." Katie Fforde.
12. To The Lighthouse
To The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
"To the Lighthouse" is the representative work of Virginia Woolf's stream of consciousness. This novel has always been controversial, and its fans can regard it as a classic, while another group of readers may not read it at all.
This phenomenon is not only specific to Woolf, but the same controversy can be found in many novelists of the twentieth century, perhaps reflecting a fundamental change in the pattern of twentieth-century novels and those of the four hundred years that preceded them.
Caused a general phenomenon, for example, Tolstoy, who was the highest achievement of the previous novels, whether he was a rich professor or an ordinary reader, could devote himself to his full storyline and lively rhythm, no one would be misunderstood; but twentieth-century novelists may well be regarded as "genius" among a small group of readers, and inexplicably boring idiots among others, even the well-known Kafka Joyce and others are by no means writers in the public sense, and even if no one dares to criticize them, no one may dare to claim to have read them.
Of course, this involves changes in the idea of fiction, as well as various experiments by novelists trying to break through the constraints of the old model to open up the infinite possibilities of fiction, but they sometimes go too far, so that they don't consider the reader's feelings at all.
Woolf once asked her readers: "Don't give orders to your writer, try to become one with him. You want to be his partner and assistant in his creative activities."
13. Middlemarch
Middlemarch by George Eliot
The book begins in 1829, the year following the death of King George IV, who had served as regent. The political changes brought about by the change of thrones also affected the small town of Middlemarch, and the huge influence of the dual revolution made women unwilling to be subordinate to men.
Dorothea and Rosamund's marriages are all "disillusioned", married to a man they don't know at all, the expected married life is shattered one by one, and there is no choice to stay with the inescapable marriage of the two only pain.
Casaubon's death at least gave Doro a chance to change, but what about Rosa? She left her parents and Lid and went south, gaining money and losing love. Elliott still couldn't be ruthless, and the ending gave everyone a relatively happy ending.
After experiencing a series of grievances in Middlemarch, they will live in the Victorian era ruled by women. Eliot has a very keen insight, and there is no dissonance in her description of the character's psychology.
Dorothea fell in love with Casaubon because of his courage beyond the world; why not choose Will later? Lid and Rosa did not have enough financial capacity to marry. When he was single, he spent money without knowing what to do. After marriage, he was even more indebted.
Leaving Middlemarch was the result of offending his peers for many years. He has an honest heart but has no flexibility. ability. Of course, Middlemarch didn't deserve him either.
Mary and Fred are the third couple who appear in the epilogue, and Elliott gives them a lot of space. An independent girl and a reformed youth, the same party has a big victory. I like the chapters on Featherstone's death and funeral. Human feelings are both warm and cold at home and abroad.
The dead lie in coffins, and the living just want to share money. This year, I have read Love in the Time of Cholera, Fine Snow," and The Siege" three novels about marriage, and this week, "Middlemarch only felt terrifying and tiring. Doro's fantasy about Kasubun and Lider and Rosa's fantasy about each other.
They fell in love with the person in their imagination and combined with him or her in reality. After marriage, they found that the person, in reality, was not as perfect as they imagined... Casaubon doesn't trust Doro, and he doesn't know his wife at all. It has been nearly two hundred years since this story has passed.
Women can no longer depend on men to live, but marriage has not changed. I like the ending of "Barry Lyndon", and it is also appropriate to change one word to be used in this book: "The joys and sorrows of the above-mentioned characters happened in the time of George IV. Whether good or bad, beautiful or ugly, rich or poor, they have now returned to the earth as equals."
14. Emma
Emma by Jane Austen
- "Emma" by Jane Austen offers plots filled with walks, conversations, dances, and letters.
- Love, marriage, and family are central themes in Austen's novels.
- Austen excels in portraying these everyday scenes with subtle suspense and clever misunderstandings.
- Despite focusing on ordinary life, Austen's writing can evoke smiles and transport readers to a unique world.
- Austen's ability to masterfully control her subjects ensures a captivating and well-crafted reading experience.
15. Bridget Jones's Diary
Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding
This is a book I've wanted to read for a long time. Now I hold it in my hand, halfway through reading it, but I no longer dare to continue reading.
What a neurotic woman. And it's just nothing.
Dramatic exaggeration is used to a certain extent, and it is no longer humorous. - Besides, this is a very long novel.
It's like a 15-year-old British half-curly fat girl with freckles on her face, giggling and giggling in front of you, and can't stop. - At first, you find it refreshing to see this happy girl so alive, but after five minutes you want her to be quiet and do something else.
Yes. It would be nice if it was a short story. In short stories, it can be called "extreme humor". But. The reality is that my patience has apparently been destroyed by "her" laughing with all her recklessness. Even I felt for her that the air in her lungs was being evacuated, and there was some invisible pressure to laugh. What a serious sufferer of rowdy British neurotic humor. It even reminds me of Mr. Bean.
Another condolence to the mood I've been looking forward to for two months. It doesn't appear to be a dish to my liking. - But I really liked that wonderful opening. Even if you read those pages dozens of times, it will still be as refreshing as sitting in the spring breeze. - A little restraint will do.
Although the author has written the heroine's inner activities more realistically, this book is still written like a running account, mother-in-law, trivial. Although it claims to be a modern version of Pride and Prejudice, it simply doesn't compare to it. The story is also not as interesting as Pride and Prejudice. Contemporary British people are more open and seem to be very casual about sex.
The heroine in the book treats sex too casually, and I don’t know what she has that can her outstanding. Darcy fell in love with her. The film of the same name is very famous, and I watched it too, but it's a pity that the two handsome male protagonists and the female protagonists are too general. Overall, the book and its film work are ordinary and lack any depth.
You May Also Read:
- Daniel Deronda by George Eliot
- Persuasion by Jane Austen
- Death Comes to Pemberley by P. D. James
- Miss Darcy Falls in Love by Sharon Lathan
- North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
- Longbourn by Jo Baker
- Austenland: A Novel by Shannon Hale
- My Fair Gentleman by Nancy Campbell Allen
- Lizzy and Jane by Katherine Reay
- The Convenient Marriage by Georgette Heyer
- Ayesha at Last by Uzma Jalaluddin
