Pride and Prejudice

I began to read Pride and Prejudice after a recommendation from my mum. I couldn't put it down. I think that while it may have seemed rather slow at the start, I really appreciated the build-up and by the end of the novel you had developed a respect from each and every one of the characters. Although I generally prefer more gripping novels, the romance was very compelling. Feminism is explored very early on and even though, at the end of the novel it did seem as if all the women were married to respectable gentlemen the women were still very prominent and determined. I particularly loved how class and status affected the plot and how it was used to manipulate the characters' personalities.