Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith begins with the zombies killing all eighteen people who live at Netherfield Park. Mrs. Bennet is thrilled to learn that the house will be let to a wealthy bachelor, Mr. Bingley, and hopes he will marry one of her daughters. Her husband, Mr. Bennet, is more concerned with their training to fight zombies. Bingley invites the Bennet family to a ball. Among the guests is Bingley’s friend, Mr. Darcy, a renowned zombie killer whom the Bennet family finds disagreeable, especially after Elizabeth Bennet overhears him say that she’s not pretty enough for him. A zombie attack is thwarted when the Bennet girls dispatch the ghouls. Darcy, it turns out, was once a happier person, until he was betrayed. Later, the Bennets visit Sir William Lucas. His daughter, Charlotte, is Elizabeth’s friend. They discuss Darcy; everyone agrees he is proud and Elizabeth also finds him vain. Next the Bennets go to visit Netherfield, where it’s obvious that Bingley likes Jane. Mr. Bennet worries about his estate, which only earns two thousand pounds per annum—also, he has no male heir. His daughters often trek to Meryton, and fight zombies along the way. They learn the militia is returning. Jane is invited to dine at Netherfield, and Mrs. Bennet insists she take a horse but not the carriage, so that if it rains she will have to spend the night. Later, a note arrives; Jane has narrowly survived a zombie attack and is injured, and will stay at Netherfield until she is well. Elizabeth goes to visit her. Bingley agrees to host a ball when Jane recovers. Elizabeth tells Darcy he seems to hate everybody, and he replies that she misunderstands everybody. After Jane and Elizabeth return home, Mr. Bennet announces that Mr. Collins, his cousin, will visit. Collins will inherit Longbourn. He is a clergyman for Lady Catherine at Rosings Park. Later, the Bennet girls and Collins walk to Meryton, where they meet officers Denny and Wickham, another officer. Darcy and Bingley go by and leave upon seeing Wickham; Jane and Elizabeth wonder why. Collins brags that Lady Catherine has a host of ninjas to protect her and her daughter from the zombies. Then, Wickham tells Elizabeth that he grew up with Darcy, who denied him his promised living as a clergyman, so he was forced to become a soldier. He tells her that Darcy and his sister are both cruel. Elizabeth later tells this to Jane. At the Netherfield ball, Elizabeth learns Wickham wasn’t invited. Darcy asks her to dance with him. She questions Darcy about Wickham. Zombies attack, and this time it’s Darcy who gets rid of them. Later, Collins asks Elizabeth to marry him, but she declines. Jane gets a letter from Bingley’s sister; he has gone to London and so everyone at Netherfield has left and they don’t expect to return anytime soon. Charlotte and Collins get engaged after she gets the plague, which will turn her into a zombie. Bingley sends a letter to say goodbye and Jane is convinced he wants to marry Darcy’s sister. Elizabeth visits Charlotte with Sir Lucas and his daughter, Maria. They’re attacked en route, but Elizabeth saves them. Charlotte is nearly a zombie, but Elizabeth is the only one who notices. Lady Catherine invites them for tea, and tells them she’s concocting a serum to slow or reverse the plague. Lady Catherine insults Elizabeth’s training. Elizabeth later defeats three of Lady Catherine’s ninjas. Darcy and his cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, come to visit Lady Catherine, their aunt. Darcy and Catherine both compliment Elizabeth’s skills. Darcy often visits Elizabeth, and one day, she runs into Fitzwilliam who tells her that Georgiana, Darcy’s sister, is a wonderful person. He also says that Bingley owes Darcy a debt for talking him out of an unwise marriage; Elizabeth becomes angry that Darcy thinks Jane isn’t good enough for Bingley. She confronts Darcy and they fight; he regrets letting her into his life because she thinks so ill of him. Darcy sends her a letter the next day, explaining that he advised Bingley not to marry Jane because he thought Jane was infected. He also thought the Bennet family’s manners were lacking. He writes that it is Wickham who betrayed his family and tried to elope with Georgiana for her inheritance. Darcy leaves Rosings Park and Elizabeth returns home, where she tells Jane what she’s learned. Lydia is invited to go to Brighton when the militia moves there. Elizabeth, along with her aunt and uncle, visits Pemberley, Darcy’s home. Zombies attack, and Darcy fights them off. Georgiana wants to meet Elizabeth, so they all visit. Bingley and his sister are also there, and it’s obvious that Bingley still likes Jane. Georgiana takes an instant liking to Elizabeth, whom Darcy calls beautiful. Elizabeth learns that Lydia has run away with Wickham, and she makes for Longbourn. Mr. Bennet goes after Lydia, and Mrs. Bennet is sick with worry that he will fight Wickham and die. The Bennets receive a letter stating that Wickham and Lydia will marry, Wickham’s debts have been settled, and he has been permanently crippled. Lydia reveals that Darcy was present at the wedding and Elizabeth is surprised. She also learns that Darcy paid Wickham’s debts, gave him and Lydia one thousand pounds per year, and crippled Wickham. After Wickham and Lydia leave, Bingley and Darcy visit. Bingley and Jane get engaged. Lady Catherine arrives and demands to know if Elizabeth plans to marry Darcy, who has been promised to her own daughter since birth. Elizabeth refuses to promise not to marry him, so Lady Catherine challenges her to a duel, which Elizabeth wins. When she next sees Darcy, she tells him her opinion of him has changed. He tells her that she humbled him, and he’s grateful for it. They’re attacked by zombies, and fight together. They become engaged. Jane marries Bingley and Elizabeth marries Darcy. Lady Catherine comes around.