★ 01/10/2022

An almost scene-for-scene reimagining of Pride and Prejudice, DasGupta’s (Force of Fire) YA debut centers two Desi protagonists in the high-stakes world of high school forensics. After encountering Netherfield Academy’s debater Firoze Darcy, a senior of Pakistani descent, public school speech phenom and theater nerd Leela Bose finds herself reeling from his dismissal. Standing in for the source material’s Bennet family, Leela’s multiethnic speech team tackles competitions instead of balls. Leela soon feels an easy kinship with Wickham analog Jishnu Waddedar—a debater and fellow Bengali from military academy Regimental, with whom she shares a cultural upbringing. But when Jishnu betrays Leela, first lying about his relationship to Firoze and then sexually harassing Leela’s teammate Lidia, the latter incident provides an opening for the teens to publicly address the misogyny that young women face on the circuit. Studded with references to U.S. and South Asian pop culture as well as Jane Austen–related Easter eggs, DasGupta’s astute, buoyant comedy of manners employs witty, rat-a-tat dialogue alongside social commentary about subjects including classism, colorism, and sexism. Ages 12–up. Agent: Brent Taylor, Triada US. (Mar.)

Fiercely feminist and utterly delightful. Jane Austen would be proud.” — Samira Ahmed, New York Times bestselling author of Internment

“A charming and witty retelling, unlike any other!” — Adiba Jaigirdar, author of The Henna Wars and Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating

“One thing isn’t up for debate: readers will swoon for Debating Darcy!” — Tiffany Schmidt, author of the Bookish Boyfriends series and I’m Dreaming of a Wyatt Christmas

“Debating Darcy delivers a brilliantly diverse cast of characters who make up the Bennet sibling world and DasGupta superbly explores what class and social mobility mean in America today as well as sexuality and the #MeToo movement.” — Soniah Kamal, award-winning author of Unmarriageable: Pride and Prejudice in Pakistan

06/01/2022

Gr 8 Up—The world of high school competitive speech and debate is rife with passion, dedication, and complexity. Fortunately, so is Leela Bose, a Bengali American feminist who is a devoted friend, a loyal daughter, and far more insecure than those who know her might guess. Unfortunately, the incorrigible competitor Firoze Darcy, also Bengali American, pushes all of her buttons. In this comedy of manners, a series of miscommunications (and very intentionally hurtful communications) drives a wedge between Leela and her speech friends and ongoing perceptions of classism continue to put Leela and Firoze into each other's chaotic orbit. This reimagining of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice centers a diverse cast of characters navigating through experiences of racism, sexism, classism, and homophobia and gives voice to Austen characters who had been voiceless. But make no mistake, Leela and crew are not Austen's characters, they're DasGupta's own. VERDICT Perfect for fans of young adult realism, comedic romances, and feminist themes.—Sarah Voels

With just the right mix of sassiness, awkwardness, pop culture, and high school drama, this contemporary retelling of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE with a Desi twist is a fun listen. Narrator Deepa Samuel portrays Leela Bose and Firoze Darcy. Both are part of the high school forensics teams at their respective schools. Leela is a passionate speech competitor attending public school, and Firoze is a fierce debater from a snobby private school. Samuel infuses them both with believability while also helping listeners visualize the story’s settings and conflicts. The tone and pacing of the narration keep listeners invested in a large cast of multifaceted characters, particularly Leela and Firoze—individually and as potentially romantic rivals. K.S.M. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine

2022-03-16
Pride and Prejudice is transported into the cutthroat world of high school speech competitions in this humorous and timely retelling.

When Firoze Darcy first meets Leela Bose, she is singing her heart out while standing on a cafeteria table. The wealthy, very proper, and extremely attractive Firoze is horrified, especially after she makes a light joke at his expense. Leela, one of the stars of her high school’s debate team, is intrigued when she hears from her coaches—the husband-and-wife team of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet—that exclusive Netherfield Academy, where Darcy is forensics team president, will be among those competing against them. When Darcy’s snobbishness becomes apparent, however, Leela declares him a rival. DasGupta’s Austen retelling both closely follows the original classic and updates it in refreshing ways. Darcy is the biracial son of a Pakistani Muslim mother and White British father. Indian American Leela, who is from a Bengali Hindu family, is taken aback when she learns that his mother is the president of Pemberley, the prestigious (and costly) university she has long dreamed of attending. Nods to Austen’s original dialogue are present throughout, requiring readers to occasionally suspend disbelief given the cast of contemporary teens. Class, colorism, and the complicated nature of South Asian American identity are explored, while the scandal at the heart of the book has been updated in a realistic way that gives young women space to speak up and fight back.

A delight. (author's note) (Fiction. 13-18)