Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen

Talking of snobbery, Jane Austen’s deceptively comedic tale of Georgian manners is a masterclass in social commentary. At its heart is a good old-fashioned love story – or a few of them, to be precise. The most striking one is between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy, whose relationship is established along the now-standard lines of initial coldness, mutual attraction, large-misunderstanding-that-leads-to-more-coldness, and eventual happily-ever-after-union. Too trope-filled to be the winner, Pride and Prejudice nevertheless deserves a place in our top five.