The Epic Adventures of Lydia Bennet

This book concludes Lydia’s story from The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, a web series I adored when it was first airing.

Lydia is trying to rebuild her life after George Wickham, preparing to study psychology, and making friends who don’t know her from The Internet. It’s not an entirely smooth ride, and it speaks to the strength of this character that I was still upset when things fell apart – even after all this time. But she does get a happy ending, and the start of a no doubt weird-but-wonderful life to follow.

It’s written in the first person, and it feels like Lydia. Not just the tone, but the inward emotions – she wants to stand on her own two feet, and she struggles when people around her are trying to be helpful. Perhaps unsurprising given the authors wrote for LBD, but pleasant nonetheless. (Apparently this is also based on some unshot episodes of the Lydia mini-series.)

I liked the use of her psychology classes as a frame; the juxtaposition of what she’s learning in class and what she’s feeling worked well for me.

I finally read it after it was mentioned in Ashley Clements’ Patreon Discord, and I’m glad I did. I found it easy to read and I finished it quickly. I didn’t love it, but it’s nice to get closure for Lydia.

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