Editorial Content for Meet the Benedettos

Even a cursory Google search for Jane Austen results in a plethora of works inspired by her, in addition to the six classic Regency-era novels that she penned. Her second book, PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, is perhaps one of the most known and loved. It has been the basis for retellings, including a television miniseries, a Bollywood film, a parody novel, and a hit movie with Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen.

Wading into the Austen waters is risky, and a good hook is needed. Katie Cotugno’s contribution to Austen-inspired fiction is MEET THE BENEDETTOS, and the hook is social media and reality television from an insider perspective.

"[F]or those happy with a 'novel of manners' that pokes at modern consumer and celebrity culture while refusing to shy away from tough topics, MEET THE BENEDETTOS is the mid-winter equivalent of a solid beach read."

Instead of Elizabeth Bennet and her four sisters navigating social life, romance and economic realities at Longbourn, readers meet Lilly Benedetto, second eldest of the five daughters of the infamous Benedetto family. Lilly’s father gained fame with a series of goofy commercials for his Italian restaurant that eventually led to franchise riches. This, in turn, led to a reality show, “Meet the Benedettos,” highlighting the nouveau riche lives of Lilly; her parents, Dominic and Cinta; and sisters June, Olivia, Kit and Mari. All adults during the novel’s actions, the sisters are distinct in their personalities and motivations. But to the viewing audience who watched them for years prior to the program’s cancellation, they are a gaggle of spoiled, frivolous, materialistic idiots.

This perception is particularly painful to Lilly. She has eschewed the influencer lifestyle embraced by a few of her siblings and dreams of a serious career as a novelist and playwright. Still, she is torn between the diverse aspects of her life --- the girlfriend mourning her boyfriend’s tragic death; the party girl, who loves dressing up and going out; and the favorite daughter, who is concerned as she watches her family losing their fortune and their credibility. It is into this tense emotional landscape that a new neighbor arrives in the McMansion-filled development where all seven Benedettos still live together.

Will Darcy, a seasoned New York stage actor, has scored a role in a Hollywood movie and has temporarily decamped to Los Angeles with his best friend, budding superhero action star Charlie Bingley. Like Lilly, Will is trying to outrun recent trauma, but neither of them know it when they meet. They hook up at a party before a misunderstanding sets off months of reluctant flirtation, rejection and simmering desire.

Like Austen, Cotugno looks at issues of class and status, human foibles, the joys and pitfalls of courtship, and the obligations of family. After a rapid rise to fame and wealth, the Benedettos are on a downslide and coming to terms with their choices and professed values. While Dominic and Cinta are emotionally checked out, the sisters can rely on each other for comfort, laughter and unconditional love. Will, meanwhile, reckons with his past as he looks to create the future he wants.

Make no mistake, Cotugno has very much written a PRIDE AND PREJUDICE updated for the contemporary world. Many names are the same or very similar, plot points in the two novels line up, and Cotugno’s text refers continuously to Austen’s brilliant original. This may irk some readers. But for those happy with a “novel of manners” that pokes at modern consumer and celebrity culture while refusing to shy away from tough topics, MEET THE BENEDETTOS is the mid-winter equivalent of a solid beach read.