The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet

A Novel

By: Bernie Su, Kate Rorick

Narrated by: Ashley Clements

Length: 9 hrs and 52 mins

Publisher's summary

A modern adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice based on the Emmy Award-winning phenomenon, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries.

There is a great deal that goes into making a video blog. Lizzie Bennet should know, having become a YouTube sensation over the course of her year-long video diary project. The Lizzie Bennet Diaries chronicled Lizzie’s life as a 24-year-old grad student, struggling under a mountain of student loans and living at home with her two sisters - beautiful Jane and reckless Lydia. What may have started as her grad student thesis grew into so much more, as the videos came to inform and reflect her life and that of her sisters. When rich, handsome Bing Lee comes to town, along with his stuck-up friend William Darcy, things really start to get interesting for the Bennets - and for Lizzie’s viewers. Suddenly Lizzie - who always considered herself a fairly normal young woman - was a public figure. But not everything happened on-screen. Luckily for us, Lizzie kept a secret diary.

The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet provides more character introspection as only a book can, with revelatory details about the Bennet household, including Lizzie’s special relationship with her father, untold stories from Netherfield, Lizzie’s thoughts and fears about life after grad school and becoming an instant web celebrity.

Written by Bernie Su, the series’ executive producer, co-creator, head writer, and director, along with Kate Rorick, the novelist, TV writer, and consulting producer on the series, the novel features a journal-entry format, complementing the existing web series, while including plenty of fresh twists to delight fans and new listeners alike. The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet expands on the phenomenon that captivated a generation and reimagines the Pride and Prejudice story like it’s never been done before.

©2014 Bernie Su and Kate Rorick (P)2014 Simon & Schuster Audio

Everything about this...

As soon as I found out about this book, I bought it, as well as The Epic Adventures of Lydia Bennet, and then provided to not read them for a year, to the day, when I got this audio book. When I found out Ashley Clements narrated this book, I knew that I wanted her reading to be my first experience with it. And I’m so glad I did. It brought me back to last year when I discovered LBD and binging every single episode, instead of getting some much needed sleep before work. Ashley does such a wonderful job as Lizzie Bennet, both in the series, and reading the book. It had me completely on the edge of my seat when Lizzie went home from Pemberly, and reminded me of my absolute love of all the Bennet girls. (And, of course, I won’t forget cousin Mary. Somebody has to remember her.) This book provides such depths into their lives, that we didn’t get to see in just the videos. I feel that it’s a must read for fans of the series. (And it gave me SUCH feels when the Darcy’s took Lizzie out for the day.) I can’t wait to see what happens next when I get to experience M.K. Wiles’s narrative of The Epic Adventures of Lydia Bennet.

A great addition.

At first I was wary of this book being a repeat of the videos I love so much, but it really does add an extra level to the story.

I loved Ashley Clements as the narrator and just got sucked right back into the universe. Hearing "Lizzie" reading her own diary aloud was a roller coaster of emotions.

If you loved the web-series I truly recommend you read this book.

I just LOVE LOVE LOVE!

My new favorite Pride & Prejudice

I am a late comer to the Lizzie Bennet Diaries. I didn't realize it was a youtube series until I we recommended this book by Audible. It's true to the "original" Austen story, but there was enough originality that I was vested in the characters and truly interested in what happened to the Bennet sisters.

I really liked the narrator (whom I now know was the actress in the web series)

Great narration!

Ashley Clements did an amazing job voicing Jane, Charlotte, Lydia, and especially Darcy pre-letter and post-letter. You hear the difference

A perfect supplement to the YouTube series

The only reason to read/listen to this is as a companion to the FANTASTIC web series The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. Watch that first or along with this.

Witty Modernization of a Classic

I greatly enjoyed this audio book. Its modernization of Pride and Prejudice is very clever and believable while keeping close to the original plot. While listening to the audio book, I usually had a smile on my face enjoying the story and often laughed out load. The narrator, Ashley Clements, was terrific and was able to portray all of the characters in ways that made each a distinct personality while being recognizable from the Jane Austen classic.The idea of having a complementary web video of the same name on YouTube greatly enhanced the experience (I do not know which came first, the book or the video). Ms. Clements played Lizzie Bennet in the web video and her dual roles linked each short web video and its corresponding explanatory diary chapter in a way that provided greater depth, continuity, and understanding to both. I highly recommend this audio book.

Must Read for Lizzie Bennet fans.

What does Ashley Clements bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

It is definitely worth while to listen to Ashley Clements because it makes it that much more real to hearing the in-depth story of Lizzie's life throughout her video diaries. Being based off of a video series, hearing the voice of the character brought a whole other dimension to the book, almost like watching new content. I cannot imagine if they would have chosen anyone other than Ashley to narrate the story. Ashley Clements did a great job at impersonating the many characters in the diaries. She is fantastic.

Any additional comments?

If you think it's just the videos in book form, you'd be surprised. It retells the story while putting a fresh spin on it with different insights to what did happen off screen. The book managed to keep the essence of all of the characters and the story itself. It is really unique to have a book based on a video series and not the other way around, and the writing and narration made it come to life.

This Proves It-Jane Austen is Timeless

As much as I love the historical period romances, especially those that were actually written in the period, the Lizzie Bennet Diaries are a wonderful modern day adaptation on this fabulous story. The author updated the characters and placed them seamlessly in the 21st Century to tell the Pride and Prejudice story in a contemporary setting that completely works.

From the ditzy Mrs. Bennet to the supercilious Mr. Collins, and even Catherine DeBerg and Lydia and Mr. Wickham, the modern-day characters are completey faithful to their 19th Century originals, and like the original Jane Austen work, I was actually bereft when the story ended--what would I do without the total immersion in this delightful tale?

surprisingly great!

Any additional comments?

i was fully expecting to listen to a couple of chapters before returning this audiobook. the narrator isn't my favourite, but the story is so great! any fan of pride & prejudice will thoroughly enjoy this book!

love the series, love the book

it was such a good webseries and relistening to the book has been such a joy 10/10 would recommend