Penguin Books has been slammed for 'TikTokifying' Jane Austen's classic novels after revamping their covers in a bid to appeal to younger readers. The British book publisher is set to release all six of Austen's classic novels with a bold and drastic new look next month under its children's imprint, Puffin. The bright designs each feature a vibrant floral pattern and cartoon-ified versions of the main characters in an attempt to reach the Young Adult (YA) readership.

The series is called First Impressions - the original title of Austen's most famous work, Pride and Prejudice - with the books set to be released on March 13. Each book has been given an introduction by a TikTok-beloved author, such as Tessa Bailey, Ali Hazelwood and Hannah Grace, and retail at £8.99. Describing the books' new look, Penguin said they contain examples of 'meet-cutes, missed connections and drama' - all tropes popular with romance readers on TikTok.

However, promotional pictures of the series have been slammed online, with people accusing Penguin of 'TikTokifying' the beloved British author. Though people appreciated an attempt to increase the readership of Austen among young people, avid readers have dubbed the designs 'patronising' and 'disrespectful'. Penguin Books has been slammed for 'TikTokifying' Jane Austen's classic novels after revamping their covers in a bid to appeal to younger readers.

Readers quickly drew comparisons between the designs and books popular on TikTok, such as Brit Bennett's The Vanishing Half, and Kiley Reid's Such A Fun Age, lamenting that all books have begun to 'look the same'. Describing the books, Penguin says on its website: 'This eye-catching six-book series is an open invitation to escape the brutal nonchalance of modern dating and embrace your inner romantic.

'Fall head over heels for First Impressions, Puffin’s boldly designed new YA Jane Austen collection. 'Like all the best romcoms, Austen’s novels are full of meet-cutes, missed connections and drama; they are masterclasses in the lost arts of stolen glances and breath-taking gestures. 'With a stunning modern design and forewords from leading YA romance authors, this eye-catching six-book series is an open invitation to escape the brutal nonchalance of modern dating and embrace your inner romantic.'.

Taking to social media, furious Austen fans said the designs looked like 'tissue boxes', writing: 'They’re bloody awful. It doesn’t reflect the story and style at all';. 'Great books; horrific covers. Someone needs firing';. 'They belong in hardcover, traditional book binding, and dust jacket. They deserve to be passed down in families and lent to friends. It’s Jane AUSTEN for heavens sake. I guess these are alright for young or careless people that might want to take them to the beach or the cabin…'.

I am OBSESSED with these 😍 #fyp #fypシ #booktoker #booktokfyp #booktok #penguinbooks #penguinrandomhouse #bookpublishing #workinpublishing #publishing #janeausten #prideandprejudice #senseandsensibility #persuasion. The book publisher is set to release all six of Austen's classic novels with a bold and drastic new look next month - but they've received backlash online. Jane Austen fans said that the classic books had been 'TikTokified' with the new covers.

The bright designs each feature a vibrant floral pattern and cartoon-ified versions of the main characters in an attempt to reach the Young Adult (YA) readership. The new edition of Emma features a foreword by Tessa Bailey, author of TikTok sensations It Happened One Summer and Hook, Line and Sinker. Though people appreciated an attempt to increase the readership of Austen among young people, avid readers said the designs were 'patronising' and 'disrespectful'.

Taking to social media, furious Austen fans said the designs looked like 'tissue boxes'. 'I’m sorry but this looks crappy. We want classic designs for classic stories';. Y’all gotta stop giving books the same covers';. 'They look like a modern chic lit series. Awful to slap them on Austen's work';. 'Jane Austen would hate this';. 'When the cover of a jane austen novel can be mistaken for the love hypothesis by ali hazelwood, something has gone terribly, terribly wrong';.

'You're laughing. They TikTokified Jane Austen's books and you're laughing';. 'I would like to report a crime';. 'It feels a little bit patronising. When I was young, back in the stone age, I used to hate it when things were written to be ‘cool’ and ‘let's appeal to the kids’. I always felt I was being talked down to, and it made me cringe.'. People online moaned that all books now 'look the same', drawing comparisons with popular books.

However, others admitted that while the covers wouldn't be their 'first choice', it can still only be a 'good thing' to encourage more people to read the classics. Born in 1775 in Hampshire, Austen began writing poems and short stories at the age of 11, before publishing her first novel, Sense And Sensibility, in 1811. She followed this with Pride And Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Emma, Persuasion and Northanger Abbey – which are still enjoyed by readers all over the world today.