Pride, Prejudice, and Cheese Grits by Mary Jane Hathaway was recommended to me as a good southern fiction novel. As with most books, I perused the reviews before committing to reading it. I know reviews are clearly subjective, so I try to take that into account, but they still give me a sense the story line. I also know that the particulars I focus on in a book may not be what others feel are important. While most just want a fun read, I tend to look at every book I read as a learning experience.
I was not drawn into this novel with the expectation that it would parallel the original Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I wanted to immerse myself in southern fiction because that is what I am now writing. However, many of the reviews I read were dismissive of Ms. Hathaway’s book because it didn’t meet their Austen-esque expectations. I can understand the disappointment since the back cover copy claims that it’s a “hilarious retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.” It would have been better to claim it as an inspiration rather than a retelling. That it wasn’t, though, didn’t bother me in the least.
There are two main characters—Shelby Roswell and Ransom Fielding. Both are historians teaching at a small southern college. Of course, there are fireworks (and not the good kind) when they first meet. There are also many secondary characters—so many, I got lost trying to keep track of them, because they weren’t elemental to the story.
I like the main characters. Ms. Hathaway does a wonderful job describing them and giving them very unique personalities. Shelby is passionate, loyal, and headstrong. Ransom is mysterious, cold, and in need of a lesson or two on social niceties. I love the college setting, and a peek into the lifestyles of those living in large southern mansions.
This was not one of those books that I couldn’t put down, however. It started off with a bang and then meandered along. I’m a nut about story structure, and it felt as if this book did not have much. Although there were several beautifully written scenes, many of them did nothing to carry the story forward, so I wasn’t sure why they were there. I didn’t get the feeling that Shelby’s “issue” was what should’ve been an escalating physical, emotional, or spiritual “life or death” situation, which is what is required to keep a reader reading. A paper she is trying to complete in order to gain tenure is mentioned early on, but the urgency gets lost among the unnecessary scenes. Then it comes back into play near the end.
Another issue, which goes with the story structure, is the rushed ending. Things go along so slowly, then in a flash everything is easily resolved in a nice, tidy package in the last couple of chapters. It stretched the limits of believability for me. It wasn’t until I was more than halfway through the book that it got interesting. Had I not intended to write a review, I would have put it down long before.
Then there were those pesky issues that had me gritting my teeth. Adverbs. Lots and lots of adverbs. Many could have been eliminated. Such as, she hissed angrily. I don’t think most people would be described as “hissing” if they aren’t angry. Many characters said things thoughtfully, simply, or pointedly. And Shelby did a lot of groaning and sighing inwardly. It’s also not possible for characters to snort dialogue or sigh dialogue, but that happened, too.
It may sound nitpicky. It is nitpicky. I have a difficult time keeping my attention on a story that I feel needs a lot of editing. Ms. Hathaway’s writing is beautiful. Her descriptors are lovely. And there were many lyrical sentences woven throughout the story. Maybe excessive adverbs (which Stephen King calls lazy writing) and lack of structure doesn’t trip you up. If so, you will thoroughly enjoy this book.
