Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding

Meet Bridget Jones -- a 30-something Singleton who is certain she would have all the answers is she could:

a) lose 7 pounds
b) stop smoking
c) develop Inner Poise



This was a reread for me for the Everything Austen Challenge. It was just as much fun the second time around. Having seen the movie, I had the characters firmly in place as Renee Zellweger, Colin Firth, and Hugh Grant. I liked the book better because I liked her self-recriminatiosn as she logged her weight gained and cigarettes smoked - that didn't come across real well in the movie. On the flip side, I have to admit I really missed the line they added to the movie about Hugh Grant loving her granny panties!

Because this was the Everything Austen Challenge, I read the book this time knowing that it referenced Pride and Prejudice, and looking for the parallels. Obviously there was Colin Firth THE Mr. Darcy playing the new Mr. Darcy. There was the story theme of prejudging others - Bridget dismisses Mark Darcy wearing his Christmas sweater handknitted by his mother as arrogant and rude, just as Jane dismissed Mr. Darcy at the dance. And the storyline of the two male leads having a past together that leaves them as enemies with Mr. Darcy actually being the noble gentleman who comes to the aid of the heroine.


Just for the heck of it, let's finish with eye candy....