Helpful Score: 3
There are some books to which the only reaction after a first read is "How can I never have read this before?!" I read this book after seeing the excellent BBC dramatization of it, and couldn't believe that I'd never heard of it before. It was truly great, just the right amount of romantic entanglements, just the right amount of social commentary. The lead couple were splendid, and the supporting cast was full of funny, memorable characters. It was the perfect blend between Dickens and Austen.