Review: "Pride & Prejudice & Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls"

Pride & Prejudice & Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls by Steve Hockensmith
3 out of 5 stars

I actually read this book back in July (I know, I am so freaking far behind it's not even funny!) but I thought October would be a good time to review it. If you are a die-hard Jane Austen fan, I probably wouldn't recommend this one, because it is very much NOT Pride & Prejudice as you know it. I had actually looked for the original P&P&Zombies but couldn't find it anywhere, then I saw this one at HPB one day and decided to try it instead. I am excited though because I found the graphic novel version at the library the other day, so I'm going to read it instead! :)

Okay, so DOTD (not Day of the Dead) is set 4 years before P&P, so unfortunately, there is no Mr Darcy. We do have the Bennet sisters though and then there are some new characters that are fun and interesting. Master Hawksworth is a handsome young man who arrives to help Mr Bennet train his girls to fight the "Unmentionables" that have begun popping up. He seems like the perfect gentleman and Elizabeth and the other girls are immediately infatuated with him, but he does have a secret that comes out towards the end of the book. Also infatuated with Elizabeth is Dr Keckilpenny, who arrives with the soldiers in town and is intent on solving the Zombie Unmentionables problem. The Doctor is a good mine although a little scattered, as evidenced when Elizabeth ends up saving him several times from Z attacks.

Captain Cannon is another new character and is absolutely hilarious. He is sent to town with a group of soldiers to help combat the Z problem, which he does a pretty good job of, despite having no arms or legs. And as this is the Victorian era, wheelchairs are limited (non-existent?) so the good Captain is wheeled around in a wheelbarrow by his 4 "Limbs". And when he wants to do something, such as scratch his nose? He commands his left upper Limb to do so. Lol...I loved Captain Cannon. And....someone else in the book loved/loves the Captain too. Oooohhh....I won't spoil it for you though! :) I must say, I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed this as much as I did. The zombies were suitably disgusting and decaying, the fight scenes were energetic, and there was enough romance and swooning to appease a semi-Austen fan such as myself.

“A battle cry" Mr. Bennet said "is a warrior's calling card. Only it does not say 'Good afternoon. I have come for tea and crumpets.' It says 'Death has come for you! Flee or be killed where you stand!”