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Wednesday, December 31, 2025

You Are Elizabeth Bennet by Emma Campbell Webster

 

You Are Elizabeth Bennet by Emma Campbell Webster.

Published 9th October 2025 by Faber Books.

From the cover of the book:

Is it a truth universally acknowledged that a young Austen heroine must be in want of a husband?

You are in the world of a Jane Austen novel. As the events of Pride and Prejudice - and Austen's other novels - start to unfold around you, you must choose your own path, avoiding social scandal and unsuitable engagements, and write your own destiny, whether it's to marry a single man in possession of a good fortune or to become a famous author yourself.

A witty and irreverent celebration of Jane Austen and her novels, this literary game will test all your powers of propriety and prudence.

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Have you ever wondered how you would have tackled the trials and tribulations Jane Austen threw in the way of Elizabeth Bennet, on her way to matrimonial bliss with Fitzwilliam Darcy? Well, now you can see for yourself where fate might have taken you in her satin-slippered stead, via this hugely enjoyable 'Create your own Jane Austen Adventure' from Emma Campbell Webster!

Your mission, in keeping with all good Austen heroines, is to marry both prudently, and for love - eluding undesirable suitors, and family scandals along the way.

The book launches you into Lizzie Bennet's world, from Austen's original, but at various points in the story you are given options to choose whether you take a familiar path from Pride and Prejudice, or go a different way. 

The first time around, I chose largely as Lizzie did, avoiding the Mr Collins, Wickham, and premature Darcy proposal pitfalls, finding my happy ending in a marriage of minds with Darcy after the Proud and Prejudicial bumps in the road. Hurray!

But then, I decided to check out all the alternatives for Lizzie, which is where the quirky fun lies! By opting to go in different directions, you find yourself straying off the familiar P & P path into previously unknown territory for plucky Miss Bennet. Sometimes this is into dangerous situations in the same story, but mostly it allows you to leap into the pages of Austen's other novels to encounter a surprising array of potential suitors of the eligible and decidedly undesireable sort. Serious plot twists abound!

No spoilers, but I had such a great time running down all the paths in this book to see where Lizzie's mission took her - there is even an unexpected turn more suited to the beloved authoress herself.

Full of wit, humour, and romance, this is an absolute a must-buy for any Janeite, and was the perfect way for me to round off a wonderful year of #JaneAusten250 indulgence! 

You are Elizabeth Bennet is available to buy now in hardcover.

Thank you to Faber Books for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

About the author:

Emma Campbell Webster studied English Literature at the University of Oxford where she specialized in Austen. She later worked as an actress in theatre and television before going on to write her first book, You Are Elizabeth Bennet. Originally from Norwich, England, she now lives in Los Angeles with her two daughters.


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