Prehistoric Pride and Prejudice?

While I haven't been writing up many book reviews ... I have been reading. A lot! I carry a book with me wherever I go on my Kindle app, and I always have an audiobook going, listening when I drive, clean the house or even watch the boy's basketball games. This duology was one I experienced as audio. Published in 2016 and 2018, I read (listened to) both early in 2018.

 It almost didn't happen.

As book one began, I was completely confused ...

That first sentence. YOU. Me? Is the character in the book talking to ME? Okay, now he (Kol, we find out later) says the name "Mya", so that is who he is talking to. Am I supposed to be Mya? He keeps thinking/saying "you" and "your" ... aaarrgg! Personally, I prefer 3rd person, I can deal with 1st person, but 2nd person, to another character? Me no likey!

At the end of this prologue, Mya asks Kol to tell her a story, so I guess that could explain this odd presentation, except that it existed before this request, and once the story catches up to this prologue point, it continues on until the end. So that never made sense to me. It drove me CrAZy! In my mind, I kept quickly substituting all the "you" and "your" with "Mya" and "Mya's" or "her"  which was a little mentally exhausting.  When I finished the book and went to write my review on GoodReads, I scanned the other reviews ... and some people LIKED this unique presentation, something that stands out as different from the norm.  Personally, I hope it stays very "unique" and I never have to read it again. Book two was from Mya's POV and presented non-uniquely, I'm happy to say.

Beyond the odd point-of-view presentation, this story is set in prehistoric times. These are humans, not cavemen, but they are living simply, hunting mammoths, living in distinct clans (the Manu, Olen and Bosha). I couldn't help but note similaries to another prehistoric series, Earth's Children, most well known for it's first book "Clan of the Cave Bear."  However, this book claims a connection to a different well known work, "Pride and Prejudice" ... which is one of my all time favorites.

Now if I hadn't read about the P&P connection, I never would have made it on my own. I suppose if I really, really look for resemblances, some can be found. The main motivation as this book begins is to find wives for Kol, Peck and their brothers. A gender swap, but this is comparable to P&P. As an attraction develops between Kol's brother Peck and Seeri, sister to Mya, Peck goes to visit their clan and doesn't return as expected. Kol (having to walk because the family's only canoe is needed) also goes to the neighboring clan to check on his brother ... and meets up with Mya again. Their initial introduction hadn't gone well, but a relationship reluctantly develops. There is another storyline concerning a younger brother falling for a girl and running off with her and Mya and Kol needing to come to their rescue. Some P&P similarities if you search...

On Goodreads, I gave three stars to book 1, and four stars to book 2. Originally, I think this was intended as a trilogy, but it really wrapped up there at the end of the second book, and I guess the author was happy with that as well and left it alone.  I enjoyed the overall story and setting in this two book series, and for better or worse, I'll always remember the POV presentation of the first book. 

I DID watch the Pride and Prejudice and Zombies movie. I loved it! Totally connected to the book, well ...more the miniseries starring Collin Firth. Austinland was another Pride&Prejudice based book that I enjoyed (and the movie version of it was cute too, reading the author's notes on who she would like to play certain parts was hilarious, as she hinted that Collin Firth would be perfect to play the Mr. Darcy type roll, except that Collin Firth playing Mr. Darcy in the miniseries is part of the plot itself). There are definitely P&P based books and movies out there, but I didn't consider this one of them.