The Pride and Prejudice genre

OK, so, yes, I bought Pride and Prejudice and Zombies instead of waiting for the Contra Costa library to get it, and then putting it on hold, et cetera, et cetera, which I should have done, given that there's a high likelihood that Elizabeth Bennett still ends up with Mr. Darcy, although some people get their brains eaten, which doesn't happen in the original, as far as I can recall.

But that's not what I want to write about.

The thing I wanted to point out is that there's Pride and Prejudice-based novels EVERYWHERE! I couldn't believe it. I was just wandering aimlessly through the fiction section and there were sequels to P&P; mystery novels solved by Mr. & Mrs. Darcy; novels explaining what happened to Lydia Bennett. And, of course, zombies. Everywhere I turned it seemed there was another version of Pride and Prejudice and, to tell you the truth, I'm not sure why. What is it about Pride and Prejudice that makes it the mother of all chick lit, Bridget Jones and all? I shall ponder this. And now...Regency-period zombies!