First Impressions

Alice's teacher gave her a "C" for her book report on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, a story Alice thoroughly disliked. The teacher believes Alice has misjudged the story and offers her an opportunity to reread the book and submit another report. While she is rereading Pride and Prejudice, magical shifts occur in Alice's relationships with her family and friends. Alice is a strong protagonist -- intelligent, observant and refreshingly assertive. What I really like about Alice is that her self-reflection is so brutally honest. Alice does not hedge. Though I have a grandson the same age as Alice (thus telling my own age), I never felt frustrated by the youth and inexperience of the young characters in this story. The pacing of the plotlines held my interest in the story and I was a little sorry when the book ended, as I liked the young people and the few adults in this story.

Alice, the middle child in a family of 5, understands what it's like to be forgotten. When reading Pride and Prejudice, she immediately connects with Mary, the forgotten sister and bases her opinion of the novel on her character's impact on the story. When she receives a C on her book report, she is given the chance to reread the novel and write a new report for a better grade. As she reads Pride and Prejudice again, she sees things in a different light. First, she begins by trying to rewrite the story by changing Mary's personality. Then, her life begins to change. She gets her first boyfriend, she learns about true friendship, and her relationship with her parents and siblings change. Slowly, she learns about her purpose in life, as well as the importance of leaving Mary's character the way she is. I thought that First Impressions was a cute book. It was clever how the author incorporated Pride and Prejudice into this story. I have not read Pride and Prejudice before, and reading this made me want to read the classic. I would recommend this for younger teens, as the main character is younger, but anyone can relate to Alice's problems. This is definitely a book that should not be overlooked. Reviewed by Flamingnet Book Reviews. www.flamingnet.com Preteen, teen, and young adult book reviews and recommendations.