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Whether it鈥檚 multiple movie adaptations or new works that imagine what happened to Elizabeth Bennet and her Mr. Darcy, it seems readers can never get enough of Jane Austen鈥檚 classic novel 鈥淧ride and Prejudice.鈥�

And a new book based on 鈥淧ride鈥� has arrived, with 鈥淟ongbourn,鈥� which was released Oct. 8, looking at the well-known story from the point of view of the Bennet family鈥檚 servants. (Longbourn is the name of the Bennets鈥� home.)

One of the main characters is Sarah, a scullery maid who at one point provides a tart commentary on the famous scene where Elizabeth arrives at a neighbor鈥檚 house with her petticoats covered in mud. 鈥淚f Elizabeth Bennet had the washing of her own petticoats, Sarah often thought, she鈥檇 most likely be a sight more careful with them,鈥� Baker writes.

The book鈥檚 tagline: "'Pride and Prejudice鈥� was only half the story.鈥�

So what are reviewers saying? The Monitor selected the book for our list of the 10 best October releases.

reviewer Diane Johnson called the book 鈥渄elightfully audacious鈥� and said that 鈥淟ongbourn鈥� is 鈥渙riginal and charming, even gripping, in its own right.鈥�

Meanwhile, writer Carmela Ciuraru gave the book four stars out of four.

鈥淚t isn't necessary to have read 'Pride and Prejudice' to savor the rich drama of 'Longbourn,' which stands on its own as a fine work of fiction, exposing the troubling and often painful aspects of the class divide in Regency England,鈥� Ciuraru writes.

Ciuraru notes that the book is 鈥渕uch more than a frothy, 'Downtown Abbey'-like twist on Austen. This novel is moving, filled with suspense, and impressive for the sympathy with which it explores the drudgery of the servants' lives, as well as their heartaches.聽

writer Hannah Rosefield was similarly impressed, predicting that 鈥淟ongbourn鈥� will 鈥減lease Austen fans and novices alike.鈥�

鈥淏aker favours excess over subtlety in her descriptions as well as her plotting, and sometimes 'Longbourn' feels oversaturated,鈥� Rosefield notes. 鈥淵et there are lovely moments, where she inhabits the mind of a girl whose entire experience is domestic.鈥�

reporter Holly Kyte discussed how difficult an Austen homage is to do successfully. 鈥淲hat a relief, then, that Jo Baker鈥檚 confidence is justified,鈥� Kyte writes. 鈥淭o twist something so familiar into something quite fresh is impressive. Notwithstanding the odd cheekily lifted phrase, Baker takes ownership of this world without mimicking Austen鈥檚 style, asserting instead her own distinctive, authentic voice.鈥�