Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals, and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime
Try Prime and start saving today with fast, free delivery

Kindle
$8.49

Available instantly

Paperback
$9.99

$9.99

Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns

FREE delivery Thursday, May 9 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35

Or fastest delivery Wednesday, May 8. Order within 12 hrs 39 mins

Select delivery location

Only 4 left in stock (more on the way).

$$9.99 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Ships from

Amazon.com

Ships from

Amazon.com

Sold by

Amazon.com

Sold by

Amazon.com

Returns

Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt

Returns

Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt

This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.

Read full return policy

Payment

Secure transaction

Payment

Secure transaction

We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more

Details

Add a gift receipt for easy returns

$6.76

Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns

Nice clean copy with no highlighting or writing. We take pride in our accurate descriptions. Satisfaction Guaranteed. Nice clean copy with no highlighting or writing. We take pride in our accurate descriptions. Satisfaction Guaranteed. See less

FREE delivery Thursday, May 9 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35

Or fastest delivery Wednesday, May 8. Order within 12 hrs 39 mins

Select delivery location

Only 1 left in stock - order soon.

$$9.99 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.

Enhancements you chose aren't available for this seller. Details

${cardName} not available for the seller you chose

${cardName} unavailable for quantities greater than ${maxQuantity}.

Sold by Jenson Books Inc and Fulfilled by Amazon.

Other sellers on Amazon

New & Used (32) from $1.24 + $3.98 shipping

Follow the author

Claire LaZebnik

Follow

Epic Fail Paperback – August 2, 2011

by Claire LaZebnik (Author)

3.9 690 ratings

See all formats and editions

{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$9.99","priceAmount":9.99,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"9","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"99","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"0x7xdaj9fyOxDL976QyuMUlnhv%2FBknTK%2BOjoxIGP2C%2BQSRRoaMsW0yEIejpvY97pgOqn1ZlOMooUiTT1ENJSGvydRmda%2BnFx%2BzQfrfe4e5XcsQbDiAz992ryI0wk6DeFzA8yp0Pki4EAa7mEFoPYQA%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$6.76","priceAmount":6.76,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"6","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"76","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"0x7xdaj9fyOxDL976QyuMUlnhv%2FBknTKbTMlgdXxDjoJpbHwWM1RryltbnopGfmRFTC3q7owsrwUCkfG8QREDTyKP8Q4YoNx9fyyaweuiV0Ee0X%2FaBi8dawQxNzMXzzPI71Ks02DZ9e%2Bx%2FXC6b11p8wsdRIvtQMutC%2FYOj3PY25brmrHfF%2FXsUwGZI61zmJx","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

Pride and Prejudice goes Hollywood in this winning romantic comedy inspired by Jane Austen’s classic. In her teen fiction debut, the author of Knitting Under the Influence goes back to high school for a tale of sisters, misinformation, and star-crossed love.

Will Elise’s love life be an epic win or an epic fail?

At Coral Tree Prep in Los Angeles, who your parents are can make or break you.

Case in point: As the son of Hollywood royalty, Derek Edwards is pretty much prince of the school—not that he deigns to acknowledge many of his loyal subjects.

As the daughter of the new principal, Elise Benton isn’t exactly on everyone’s must-sit-next-to-at-lunch list.

When Elise’s beautiful sister catches the eye of the prince’s best friend, Elise gets to spend a lot of time with Derek, making her the envy of every girl on campus. Except she refuses to fall for any of his rare smiles and instead warms up to his enemy, the surprisingly charming social outcast Webster Grant.

But in this hilarious tale of fitting in and flirting, not all snubs are undeserved, not all celebrity brats are bratty, and pride and prejudice can get in the way of true love for only so long.

Print length

304 pages
Language

English
Publisher

HarperTeen
Publication date

August 2, 2011
Grade level

8 - 9
Reading age

13 - 17 years
Dimensions

0.68 x 5.31 x 8 inches
ISBN-10

0061921262
ISBN-13

978-0061921261
Lexile measure

710L
See all details

Kasie West
572
Paperback
21 offers from $2.25
Kasie West
245
Paperback
67 offers from $4.06

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Jane Austen fans will have fun finding the clever parallels in this contemporary take on PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, while Austen innocents can just sit back and enjoy the romance.” — Polly Shulman, author of ENTHUSIASM

“I thoroughly enjoyed this charming tale about the joys and perils of going to school and navigating relationships with the celebrity set and their complicated offspring. Claire LaZebnik has done anything but fail.” — Jen Calonita, author of Secrets of My Hollywood Life

From the Back Cover

Will Elise’s love life be an epic win or an epic fail?

At Coral Tree Prep in Los Angeles, who your parents are can make or break you. Case in point:

As the son of Hollywood royalty, Derek Edwards is pretty much prince of the school—not that he deigns to acknowledge many of his loyal subjects.

As the daughter of the new principal, Elise Benton isn’t exactly on everyone’s must-sit-next-to-at-lunch list.

When Elise’s beautiful sister catches the eye of the prince’s best friend, Elise gets to spend a lot of time with Derek, making her the envy of every girl on campus. Except she refuses to fall for any of his rare smiles and instead warms up to his enemy, the surprisingly charming social outcast Webster Grant. But in this hilarious tale of fitting in and flirting, not all snubs are undeserved, not all celebrity brats are bratty, and pride and prejudice can get in the way of true love for only so long.

About the Author

Claire LaZebnik is the author of ten published novels and, with Dr. Lynn Kern Koegel, two works of nonfiction about autism (Overcoming Autism and Growing Up on the Spectrum). She wrote a Modern Love column for the New York Times about having an adolescent son with autism entering the dating scene. Her writing has appeared in numerous magazines and periodicals, including Vogue, the Wall Street Journal, and Redbook.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Epic Fail

By Claire LaZebnik

HarperTeen

Copyright © 2011 Claire LaZebnik
All right reserved.
ISBN: 9780061921261

Chapter One

The front office wasn?t as crazy as you?d expect on
the first day of school, which seemed to confirm
Coral Tree Prep?s reputation as ?a well oiled machine.?
That was a direct quote from the Private School
Confidential website I had stumbled across when I first
Googled Coral Tree?right after my parents told me
and my three sisters we?d be transferring there in the
fall. Since it was on the other side of the country from
where we?d been living?from where I?d lived my entire
life?I couldn?t exactly check it myself, and I was
desperate for more information.
A well-oiled machine didn?t sound too bad. But I
was less thrilled to read that Coral Tree was ?basically
a country club masquerading as a school.? The same
anonymous writer added, ?I?ve yet to see a student
drive a car onto campus that?s not a Porsche or a BMW.
And even an AP math student would lose count of the
Louboutins on the girls here.? Yuck.
But while I was clicking around that site, I learned
about another private school in L.A. that had a
?condom tree??kids allegedly tossed their used condoms
up into its branches?so I guess my parents could have
done worse than, you know, Coral Tree.
True to the school?s reputation, the administrator
in the office was brisk and efficient and had quickly
printed up and handed me and Juliana each a class list
and a map of the school.
?You okay?? I asked Juliana, as she stared at the map
like it was written in some foreign language. She started
and looked up at me, slightly panicked. Juliana?s a year
older than me, but she sometimes seems younger,
mostly because she?s the opposite of cynical and I?m the
opposite of the opposite of cynical.
Because we?re so close in age, people frequently ask
if the two of us are twins. It?s lucky for me we?re not,
because if we were, Juliana would be The Pretty One.
She and I do look a lot alike, but there are infinitesimal
differences?her eyes are just a touch wider apart,
her hair a bit silkier, her lips fuller?and all these little
changes add up to her being truly beautiful and my
being reasonably cute. On a good day. When the light
hits me right.
I put my head closer to hers and lowered my voice.
?Did you see the girls in the hallway? How much
makeup they?re all wearing? And their hair is perfect,
like they spent hours on it. How is that possible?? Mine
was in a ponytail. It wasn?t even all that clean because
our fourteen-year-old sister, Layla, had hogged the bathroom
that morning and I?d barely had time to brush my
teeth, let alone take a shower.
?It?ll all be fine,? Juliana said faintly.
?Yeah,? I said, with no more conviction. ?Anyway,
I?d better run. My first class is on the other side of the
building.? I squinted at the map. ?I think.?
She squeezed my arm. ?Good luck.?
?Find me at lunch, okay? I?ll be the one sitting by
herself.?
?You?ll make friends, Elise,? she said. ?I know you
will.?
?Just find me.? I took a deep breath and plunged
out of the office and into the hallway?and instantly hit
someone with the door. ?Sorry!? I said, cringing.
The girl I?d hit turned, rubbing her hip. She wore an
incredibly short miniskirt, tight black boots that came
up almost to her knees, and a spaghetti-strap tank top.
It was an outfit more suited for a nightclub than a day
of classes, but I had to admit she had the right body
for it. Her blond hair was beautifully cut, highlighted,
and styled, and the makeup she wore really played up
her pretty blue eyes and perfect little nose. Which was
scrunched up now in disdain as she surveyed me and
bleated out a loud and annoyed ?FAIL!?
The girl standing with her said, ?Oh my God, are
you okay?? in pretty much the tone you?d use if
someone you cared about had just been hit by a speeding
pickup truck right in front of you.
It hadn?t been that hard a bump, but I held my hands
up apologetically. ?Epic fail. I know. Sorry.?
The girl I?d hit raised an eyebrow. ?At least you?re
honest.?
?At least,? I agreed. ?Hey, do you happen to know
where room twenty-three is? I have English there in,
like, two minutes and I don?t know my way around. I?m
new here.?
The other girl said, ?I?m in that class, too.? Her hair
was brown instead of blond and her eyes hazel instead of
blue, but the two girls? long, choppy manes and skinny
bodies had been cast from the same basic mold. She was
wearing a narrow, silky turquoise tank top over snug
boot-cut jeans and a bunch of multicolored bangles on
her slender wrist. ?You can follow me. See you later,
Chels.?
?Yeah,wait, hold on a sec.? Chels, or whatever her name was?pulled her friend toward her and whispered something in her ear. Her friend?s eyes darted
toward me briefly, but long enough to make me glance
down at my old straight leg jeans and my THIS IS
WHAT A FEMINIST LOOKS LIKE T-shirt and feel like I
shouldn?t have worn either.
The two girls giggled and broke apart.
?I know, right?? the friend said. ?See you,? she said
to Chels and immediately headed down the hallway,
calling brusquely over her shoulder, ?Hurry up. It?s on
the other side of the building and you don?t want to be
late for Ms. Phillips?s class.?
?She scary?? I asked, scuttling to keep up.
?She just gets off on handing out EMDs.?
?EMDs?? I repeated.
?Early morning detentions. You have to come in at,
like, seven in the morning and help clean up and stuff
like that. Sucks. Most of the teachers here are pretty
mellow if you?re a couple of minutes late, but not Phillips.
She?s got major control issues.?
?What?s your name?? I asked, dodging a group of
girls in cheerleader outfits.
?Gifford.? Really? Gifford? ?And that was Chelsea
you hit with the door. You really should be more
careful.?
Too late for that advice?in my efforts to avoid bumping
into a cheerleader, I had just whammed my shoulder
on the edge of a locker. I yelped in pain. Gifford rolled
her eyes and kept moving.
I caught up again. ?I?m Elise,? I said, even though
she hadn?t asked. ?You guys in eleventh grade, too??
?Yeah. So you?re new, huh? Where?re you from??
?Amherst, Mass.?
She actually showed some interest. ?That near
Harvard??
?No. But Amherst College is there. And UMass.?
She dismissed that with an uninterested wave. ?You
get snow there??
?It?s Massachusetts,? I said. ?Of course we do. Did.?
?So do you ski??
?Not much.? My parents didn?t, and the one time
they tried to take us it was so expensive that they never
repeated the experiment.
?We go to Park City every Christmas break,?
Gifford said. ?But this year my mother thought maybe
we should try Vail. Or maybe Austria. Just for a change,
you know??
I didn?t know. But I nodded like I did.
?You see the same people at Park City every year,?
she said. ?I get sick of it. It?s like Maui at Christmas,
you know??
I wished she?d stop saying ?You know??
Fortunately, we had reached room 23. ?In here,?
said Gifford. She opened the door and went in,
successfully communicating that her mentoring ended
at the room?s threshold.

Over the course of the next four hours, I discovered
that:
1. Classes at Coral Tree Prep were really small.
When we got to English, I was worried that half
the class would get EMDs or whatever they were
called because there were fewer than a dozen kids
in the room. But when Ms. Phillips came in, she
said, ?Good?everyone?s here, let?s get started,?
and I realized that was the class.
2. The campus grounds were unbelievably green and
seemed to stretch on for acres. I kept gazing out
the window, wishing I could escape and go rolling
down the grassy hills that lined the fields.
3. Teachers at Coral Tree Prep didn?t like you to
stare out the window and would tell you so in
front of the entire class who would then all turn
and stare at The New Girl Who Wasn?t Paying
Attention.
4. Everyone at Coral Tree Prep was good looking.
Really. Everyone. I didn?t see a single fat or ugly
kid all morning. Maybe they just locked them up
at registration and didn?t let them out again until
graduation.

(Continues...)

Excerpted from Epic Failby Claire LaZebnik Copyright © 2011 by Claire LaZebnik. Excerpted by permission of HarperTeen. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperTeen (August 2, 2011)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0061921262
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0061921261
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 13 - 17 years
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 710L
Grade level ‏ : ‎ 8 - 9
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.3 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 0.68 x 5.31 x 8 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #2,329,934 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #491 in Teen & Young Adult Loners & Outcasts Fiction
- #1,127 in Teen & Young Adult Parents Fiction
- #1,165 in Teen & Young Adult Fiction on Prejudice & Racism

Customer Reviews:
3.9 690 ratings

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Videos

Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video!

Upload your video

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Claire LaZebnik

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

THE TROUBLE WITH FLIRTING is now available! It's my second YA novel, and if you liked EPIC FAIL, you'll like THE TROUBLE WITH FLIRTING. It's a lighthearted romance loosely based on Jane Austen's MANSFIELD PARK (but with one big twist). Please check it out!

Meanwhile, come visit me on my Facebook page Claire LaZebnik Writes--we have book giveaway contests and silly conversations about anything and everything--and read my blog at www.clairelazebnik.com. You can contact me easily through either. I love to hear from my fans!

Happy reading!

Customer reviews

3.9 out of 5

690 global ratings

How customer reviews and ratings work

Sort reviews by

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

naomi

Epic Fail

Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2012

Verified Purchase

I wasn't expecting much out of this book but it was a pleasant surprise for me and it turned out to be AMAZING! I loved the whole Pride and Prejudice direction. Jane Austen was a genius and i'm happy to see that people reinvent her brilliance:)
This book was beautifully and flawlessly written. The boy that played Darcy's character sounded extremely dreamy but a bit unrealistic, i mean, what kind of an actor's child goes to a completely normal school? But still; dreamy:) And the girl that played Jane's character was really down-to-earth and a bit stubborn, which was frustrating at times because that Wilber guy actually made her fall into his trap for a while. But anyway, her little list sister was funny but annoying, and then the second youngest was just so stupid and such a fake and just a horrible person. While her older sister seemed so sweet and friendly and miss-perfect. Her parents were hilariously realistic but quite odd and embarrassing. Almost everything about this book was so realistic. It brought humor, romance, friendship, school, enemies, family, and parental issues to another level that we as people actually stand on. No, life is not perfect. No, you will not always impress guys. No, you cannot go without making yourself look like an idiot at least once a week. You've got to face it and deal with it. And this book brought that realization so flawlessly that you realized that no, you are not ever going to be perfect, but, no, you're not a complete failure. Which is completely reassuring.
The cover art was pretty nice but i think they could have done better considering the book was so AMAZING:)
Nonetheless, I thought this book was very cute and just made me smile the whole time. Great read. Enjoy!

Helpful

Jaclyn Canada

Fun, Cute, Full of Substance

Reviewed in the United States on June 17, 2016

Verified Purchase

The Good

So my first foray into a Contemporary read began because I got this one for a deal on Amazon, and I read that it's loosely based on Pride & Prejudice. I really loved the little aspects that were parallel to that story that I love so much. It really was like a modern day version. This was such a fun and cute read. It seemed like I read it very quickly even though it's over 300 pages. It was just what I needed at the time.

Elise moves to a new school that is populated by the mega rich. She completely doesn't fit in. So why is she there? Her mom is the new principal. Amazing, right? She definitely didn't think so. Her dad is also a teacher there. Her family plays a large part in the story which is very refreshing. Her sister Juliana is her best friend and she is the 'gorgeous' one that everyone loves. She has two more sisters, one of which has a knack for being in trouble. Of course the other characters, especially the guys, play a key part in bringing the story to fruition. There was also a good dose of humor sprinkled throughout the banter.

Epic Fail moves along in a similar fashion to P&P. I really enjoyed reading as the story progressed through this high school girl's life and the many changes she experienced. Each and every character had flaws, and they felt realistic and varied.

The Bad

There really wasn't much bad about it. It's not an epic book. It's cute and fun and has that familiar feeling since it parallels to Pride & Prejudice.

The Romance

The romance was a big part of the story. Elise isn't an easy girl to make swoon so it was entertaining watching the dynamics between her and the guys in the story. Her sister, Juliana, on the other hand falls pretty early in the book. I enjoyed the love interests and how everything ended up working out.

Conclusion

Epic Fail was just what I needed when I was looking for an easy read that was fun, cute, but still full of substance. It is a modern day Pride & Prejudice, but not every tidbit can be guessed if you've read that one. The dialogue is fun, and the characters are varied and interesting. Recommended.

*Originally given 3 1/2 stars at JC's Book Haven

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Melissa

Cute Story

Reviewed in the United States on September 9, 2013

Verified Purchase

Super, super cute story. This is a modern day re-telling of Pride and Prejudice, with a fairly humble family relocating to an uber-wealthy part of California and enrolling in a private school where their mother is now the head principal. Elise is the first person narrator of this story, taking the part of the witty, intelligent, and unaffected-by-glamour sister who finds herself in a battle of wills with Derek, the super handsome son of Hollywood royalty. Like P&P, Elise and Derek don't hit it off at first, but after clarification of a few misunderstanding, feelings change, hearts are softened, and romance ensues.

Like I say, this is a super cute story with a nice romance in it. Many will enjoy reading it. I did. I really enjoyed Claire LaZebnik's book "The Trouble with Flirting," and this book has a very similar level of sweetness and cuteness to it. I do think that it is obvious that this book was written before that one because I think that Claire's writing has gotten stronger with her later book. She is definitely a writer I will always check out.

In this story, while I found lots of sweet things to like, I ultimately could not completely give my heart to the story. I think I can lay the blame for this fully because of my super love for THE Pride and Prejudice. I adore that story, and unfortunately I couldn't escape those feelings as I read this story. I kept thinking that I preferred the way that the original story was presented so much more. I thought that Elise did not come across nearly as witty as her counterpart, Elizabeth Bennett. She did have some great moments, but not enough. I would have loved to see even more banter between Derek and Elise. I did appreciate the eventual happily ever after ending. It was super sweet.

So I can't give this one more than three stars, but I still think that it is a sweet little story that might appeal to many readers, especially younger YA fans. I did enjoy it. Three stars.

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English

Teresa Pumar

Epic fail

Reviewed in Spain on September 22, 2015

Verified Purchase

Jin jkjo jkjkj kjk mkjkjk kjkjkj hj jkn jkn kn k k knbf f d d d d dnfr f

Liz80

Love it!

Reviewed in Canada on October 30, 2013

Verified Purchase

I'm an international Student from Germany (female, 15) and I'm in Canada for half a year. I ordered this book because I wanted to read English books while I'm here and I read a lot of positive comments about it. It came right on the next day even tough I didn't pay for express shipping. Once I started reading I couldn't stop. I'm so in love with this book and the only thing I can say: Guys just order it! It's worth it. ;)

sweethib

remake de pride and prejudice des temps modernes

Reviewed in France on July 3, 2012

Verified Purchase

Pour les fans de jane austen et de son pride and prejudice, vous serez ravis par ce remake des temps modernes. Ecriture fluide. Personnages attachants. Je recommande.

Translate review to English

Rachel Brand

An incredibly cute, fun and touching read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 5, 2012

Verified Purchase

GENRE: YOUNG ADULT/ROMANCE
PUBLISHER: HARPERTEEN
PUBLICATION DATE: AUGUST 1, 2011
RATING: 4.5 OUT OF 5 - EXCELLENT

When Elise Benton's mother gets a job offer from a prestigious private school in Los Angeles, the entire family gets uprooted. Elise and her sisters couldn't be more out of place at Coral Tree Prep where they're surrounded by the children of famous celebrities, and the green minivan that their mother makes them drive doesn't make fitting in much easier. Juliana is fortunate enough to snag the attention of the attractive, yet surprisingly down-to-earth, Chase. Elise finds herself being dragged along to social events in order to make Chase's buddy, Derek Edwards, feel like less of a third wheel, but Elise and Derek don't exactly hit it off. Derek is the son of one of Hollywood's most famous acting couples, and he's constantly paranoid that people are only interested in him because of his fame. Elise couldn't care less, but his attitude puts her off, particularly when he kicks up a fuss over her friendship with Webster Grant. She just wants Derek to leave her alone so that she can choose her own friends at Coral Tree, but this guy just won't let up. To make matters worse, her mother, the principal, keeps disciplining Chase's annoying younger sister, and Elise's own sister, Layla, is meddling in affairs that a fourteen year old should know nothing about. Is Elise's time at Coral Prep going to be an epic fail?

Here's a rather amusing anecdote: Claire LaZebnik was the first "grown up" author that I read as a teenager. I read Same As It Never Was (or Olivia's Sister, as it's titled in the UK) when I was thirteen and had exhausted my library's supply of Sweet Valley University and Point Horror novels. I recall really enjoying her novel, but my library sadly never got any more of her books. I've now finally made it out of my teen years (I turned twenty in September) and apparently, Claire has started to write Young Adult fiction! It seemed appropriate that I do a reversal of my initial experience with Claire's work and take a dip into her foray into teenage fiction. Plus, this book was incredibly cheap on Kindle and it was advertised as being a modern adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice - how could a penny-pinching English Literature student resist a deal like that?

As shocking as it may sound coming from an English major and a romance reader, I actually only read Pride and Prejudice for the first time last year. The story wasn't entirely fresh in my mind, however, so I had to occasionally keep looking up the character names on Wikipedia, as I was curious to see who Webster Grant and Chelsea were modelled after. Epic Fail didn't exactly follow Austen's original to the letter, and missed out the character of Mr Collins almost altogether, but I don't think it could have made a compelling high school novel while accurately mimicking Pride and Prejudice. I'm not a massive Austen fan, but I have enjoyed most of her novels, and I would consider Epic Fail to be an original and successful adaptation. But I'd also say that one of Epic Fail's best characteristics is that it can be read without any prior knowledge of Austen. It isn't riddled with links to Pride and Prejudice that would alienate a potential reader, so jump right in if that's what's been holding you back.

As I came close to finishing this novel, I was very tempted to give it full marks. The only thing that holds me back marks is that Layla's storyline felt very unfinished, and I couldn't help but wonder what was going to happen to her, Weston and Campbell. It stopped me from completely enjoying the incredibly sweet concluding scene with Elise and Derek. I'm holding out for the hope that this means there will be a sequel about Layla. I'm particularly interested to see whether Claire follows up some of the secondary characters in this novel, especially Derek's sister Georgia, who was introduced towards the end of the book. Even if Elise and Derek weren't to feature in a later novel, I'd still be interested in reading it as I think some of the tertiary characters had real potential.

However, I do have to complain about the title. It has no relation to the story whatsoever, other than that Elise herself makes two or three mentions to something being an "epic fail". I get the feeling that the publisher wanted to use what they thought was typical teen lingo in order to get the attention of their target market. But from what I've see of reviews, many teen readers have also bemoaned the fact that this phrase has very little to do with the story.

Epic Fail was an incredibly cute, fun, touching read. I was cautious about reading a teenage romance as I never had much of a love life as a teen. I devoured many Meg Cabot novels and books about the Sweet Valley Twins, which set me up for a bit of a disappointment when I got older, when I realised that it was very unlikely I'd meet a guy in high school who remotely resembled any of my fictional heroes. But I felt that the relationships in Epic Fail, both those between Derek and Elise as well as Chase and Juliana, were very well written. The characters acted their age, unlike some teen protagonists who either seem younger or older than they're meant to be, and it was encouraging to see the mistakes that occur through the inevitable teenage miscommunications. Despite all the wonders of texting, emailing and vid-chatting (which even I'd never heard of), these characters still managed many a misunderstanding, which echoed my own teen years all too well. I'd like to think that Epic Fail accurately reflected the behaviour of teenagers, which should be appreciated by teens and adults alike. I really hope that there's a sequel in the works, or maybe even another modern Austen adaptation.

Disclaimer: There are a few instances of bad language. While there are brief instances of smoking and use of alcohol and drugs, all of the principal characters are disapproving of such behaviour. There are some vague hints at how far one character's relationship is going physically, but nothing descriptive and what is considered "far" is up to the reader's interpretation. A secondary character is revealed to have been taking photographs of girls in various states of undress, but this topic is dealt with very sensitively.

One person found this helpful

tom

3 stars - reasonable Austen adaptation

Reviewed in Australia on March 6, 2016

Verified Purchase

A reasonable, if uninspired, adaptation of 'Pride and Prejudice'. The story feels a little rushed and takes place in a much tighter time frame than the original (making the character's mind changes feel less realistic). The characters are fun and the modern take on Lydia is good. Some important characters (Mr Collins, Lady Catherine and others are cut).

A quick read, and worth it for fans of Austen adaptations.

See more reviews

Return this item for free

Return this item for free

Image Unavailable

Follow the author