Since it’s a new year I’m trying something new this month. Marry, Date or Dump has been getting a little stale lately so I thought I’d try a book version of the game I’ve seen around on tumblr. It’s called Burn, Read, Rewrite. Burn is the equivalent of dump. Rewrite is kind of the equivalent of date- although you can also list what you would change about the novel. Read equals marry.
My first books are three favorites: Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen, Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott, and Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte. I hate to “burn” any of them but I guess if I had to play the game I would …
- Read Pride and Prejudice, which is practically perfect in every way.
- Rewrite Little Women to make Laurie and Jo end up with each other.
- Burn Jane Eyre even though I love love love that book, it’s the only one left.
What would you do? Let me know in the comments!
Alison Doherty 
But no…so hard…no can’t…
Sigh…I guess
Read Little Women, I do it every year or so anyway
Re-write P&P, to include more of Jane and Bingley’s inner lives. I consider them one of Austen’s most unjustly ignored couple.
Burn Jane Eyre, but only because fire is such a pivotal plot point there.
I love Bingley! I am in full support of your rewrite (and your very clever reason for burning Jane Eyre!). Thank you for playing!
Definitely Read Pride and Prejudice.
Rewrite Jane Eyre-I think I’d probably make his daughter have more opinions about who her father should be with….?
Burn Little Women-it’s the one I never got through. Watched three movie versions, a musical, and the opera, though.
Interesting! I really struggled between burning Little Women and Jane Eyre. As an English major I would definitely say keep Jane, but Little Women was a huge part of my childhood so I just couldn’t let that one go.
I actually agree with your order. Definitely read P&P (over and over), rewrite Little Women for exactly the same reason and burn Jane Eyre although it feels awful to suggest burning a book. Could we just sell it instead?
As with most of you, I would read Pride and Prejudice, but I would rewrite Jane Eyre (although I do like Reenie’s allusion to the importance of fire in that book). It sets the stage for all the gothic romances to come (Victoria Holt, Phyllis Whitney etc).
That leaves Little Women which I would unfortunately burn. Here’s why: Jo and Laurie are never going to be happy with each other – the are best friends but not lovers – and yet I (like many of you) want them to end up together! So, rather than have Little Men turn into the story of Jo and Laurie’s divorce, I would burn it.
I’d go the exact same as you, though, like you, I would be sad about Jane Eyre going.
Burn – Part 2 of Little Women. Part 1 was absolutely wonderful, but Part 2 from Meg’s wedding onwards…!!
Rewrite – Jane Eyre – this is one of my favourites and I love Jane in this. But I would rewrite the whole St John Rivers thing. To me he’s written as a bit too controlling and creepy to act as a real rival to Rochester – plus I feel like he gives missionaries a bad name (I know plenty of missionaries who are kind, compassionate, loving – St John seems really cold and calculating, and a bit inhuman. Yeah I’d rewrite that)
Read – Pride and Prejudice, over and over again!