What I Read Last Week

What I Read Last Week . . .

Writing Jane Austen by Elizabeth Aston -- Austenesque

Victorian scholar turned novelist Georgina Jackson has one critically acclaimed novel under her belt, yet no one has read it! She needs to write a bestseller in order to have enough money to stay in England. Her demanding agent declares that Georgina has been tapped for the biggest project in history. A rare fragment of a manuscript from a nineteenth century author has been uncovered and Georgina's publisher demands she complete the novel. Gina is convinced she can't complete this novel for many reasons: Gina knows nothing about Jane Austen; she's never even read the novels (gasps and faints!) and she's convinced that Jane Austen is not realistic enough for her tastes. As Gina tries to escape her autocratic publisher and agent, she immerses herself in Jane Austen's world and discovers the variety of Janeites who flock to England in search of the world of their favorite author. With encouragement from her wonderful housemate Henry LeFroy and his teenage sister Maud, Gina reluctantly sits down to complete Love and Friendship with surprising results.



This is a cute, light read for die-hard Jane Austen fans. There are many many references to people from Austen's life and times and various Regency figures flit in and out of Gina's life. I laughed out loud at some of the more obvious references. There are also Harry Potter references that make the novel even more amusing. I could really relate to Gina! I'm a procrastinator and a chapter one writer. (Actually, I'm worse; I haven't even gotten that far!) and I could totally feel Gina's panic at trying to copy the style of the incomparable Austen! The secondary characters are great too. I was really interested in Maud's story because she is an interesting and realistic teenage misfit. Henry isn't very well developed, but he is a typical sweet romantic hero. Anna adds another dimension to the plot and together, the housemates form the family that Gina needs.

This novel doesn't follow the conventions of typical chick lit/romance novels which is both good and bad. My complaints are that Gina takes way too long to sit down and write that the ending of this book is rushed. The romance plot comes out of nowhere even though I saw it coming from the first page. There isn't really any dramatic conflict. The conflict comes from Gina's writer's block and procrastination. Some of the Austenesque references are a little too coincidental and may bother some readers. Overall though, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it for all die-hard Janeites who don't take themselves too seriously.

What I've Read This Week

What I've Read This Week . . .

Mr. Darcy's Dream by Elizabeth Aston -- Austenesque
In this latest book in the Mr. Darcy's Daughters series, 20 year old Phoebe Hawkins, daughter of Georgiana Darcy and a Sir Giles Hawkins, has found love in her second season. After a whirlwind night of dancing and falling in love, Mr. Stanhope informs Phoebe he is going to call on her father to ask leave to pay his addresses. Sir Giles is against the match for two reason: one, Mr. Stanhope and his family are Whigs while Sir Giles is a Tory. Whigs are thought to be immoral and they marry their own kind. The other reason Sir Giles objects is because Mr. Stanhope as a lady in keeping and a reputation as a rake. She is crushed by her father's decision but determined to see Mr. Stanhope again because she doesn't believe the gossip. Unfortunately, Phoebe happens to see the dashing Mrs. Vereker leaving Mr. Stanhope's apartments shattering all Phoebe's hopes and dreams. Phoebe knows just enough about unfaithfulness and the unhappiness it causes within families to know she does not want to be married to such a one as Mr. Stanhope. She is packed off to Pemberley where she meets with her cousin Louisa Bingley (daughter of Jane Bennet and Mr. Bingley). Mr. Darcy has hired an up-and-coming young landscape architecht, High Drummond, to modernize the Pemberley grounds and to build a new, large greenhouse for the tropical plans Elizabeth has collected on her travels. Once the renovations are complete, Mr. Darcy is to hold a ball and leaves Phoebe in charge of all the arrangements. Phoebe and Louisa's only other companion is a Miss Verney, a French emigree, forced to work as a governess for Mr. Darcy's grandchildren. Phoebe dislikes and mistrusts Miss Verney, but lkike her parents, Louisa refuses to see bad in anyone. Meanwhile, Mr. Stanhope learns that Phoebe is in the country and dashes off to see his married sister who lives in the neighborhood. He senses unhappiness all around him with his sister, with Phoebe and the mysterious Miss Verney. Phoebe spends a lot of time and energy trying to avoid Mr. Stanhope while Louisa becomes closer to Mr. Drummond. George Warren steps in to try to make trouble but this time everyone is suspicious and determined he will not make trouble for the Darcys again. Everything cultminates at Mr. Darcy's ball where under the moonlight futures will be made and everything changes. This is another rewrite of Pride and Prejudice featuring the next generation. It was a little confusing to keep everyone straight and follow the plot. The mystery and villianry are hinted at and then dropped and then picked up again only to be resolved quickly and easily. The romances are predictable and come off as I hoped but there wasn't much of solid conclusion to Phoebe's story. Though of all Aston's spinoffs, this one comes closest to actually being a story that a 19th century lady could have written. I enjoyed it and am sad that it seems to be the last in the series.

Pretty Polly by Marion Chesney -- Regency Romance

Beautiful, spoiled Mrs. Charlotte Manners, a wealthy widow, wants to ensnare the Duke of Denbeigh. Years ago, when he was a mere younger son, he proposed and she refused because she believed fortune was better than a title. Now she has fortune, Mrs. Manners wants a title and she is determined to be a Duchess and believes once the Duke sees her, he will be instantly smitten. The Duke has no plans to come to London for the Season, but Mrs. Manners thinks she can make him come by writing him wonderfully witty letters. Unfortunately, Mrs. Manners is neither witty nor clever, having always gotten by on her looks. She decides to bring an old schoolmate, Verity, daughter of a country lawyer, to town to write to the Duke. Verity quickly realizes she's being used by her old friend but Charlotte knows how to play on Verity's kindness and sensitivity to convince her to stay. Charity takes charge of Charlotte's pets, a dog, a cat and an unusual parrot and becomes noted in London for her kindness. Verity writes to the Duke of her visit to London and he is quite taken with the charming letter writer, whom he believes is Charlotte Manners. When the Duke shows no signs of appearing in London, Charlotte decides to settle for any gentleman with a fortune and title but every time a suitor comes to propose, he runs out the door never to be seen again. Unbeknownst to the ladies, the parrot can mimic their voices and repeats entire private conversations, revealing distasteful honest truths about Charlotte Manners and Verity. Verity falls in love with the Duke through his letters and when he finally does come to London, he quickly suspects the author of the letters is not Charlotte and the path to romance seems clear enough. However, jealousy rears it's ugly head and Charlotte destroys Verity's chance for happiness. It's up to Pretty Polly to save the day! I really liked this story because it was about an older, intelligent heroine and not some silly debutante. I also like the idea of courtship through letters and actually getting to know a person before marrying them. The parrot provided some comedic moments and served as an unusual plot device. This is one of Chesney's best.

My Lords, My Ladies and Marjorie by Marion Chesney -- Edwardian Romance c. 1907
A different time period, similar story. Seventeen year old Marjorie Montmorency-James lives in a backwater country village with her middle-class grandmother. There are no men at all in their village and Marjorie dreams of a nameless, faceless man to fall in love with. When she sees a picture of Lord Philip Cavendish in a picture in the newspaper, she falls madly in love with him and is determined her grandmother should give her a London Season so she may have a chance to see him in thr flesh. Marjorie's dreams come true when her grandmother asks an old friend for help launching Marjorie and that friend happens to be an old friend of Lord Philip's mother! At first Marjorie can't believe her good luck, but she is very young and nervous among her betters and tries desperately to mimic the behavior of the aristocratic young ladies. Lord Philip's childhood friend Hermione is intensely jealous of Marjorie and angry as Marjorie's too-acurate mimicry of Hermione's biting wit, so she sets out to destroy Marjorie's chances with Lord Philip and invites the other young aristocrats to have some fun at Marjorie's expense. Hermione's practical jokes go too far and the joke turns out to be nearly deadly for Marjorie. Marjorie manages to find true love and happiness in the end from a very unexpected person. I really didn't like this book. The only character I found likeable is the Marquess and he is such a paragon of virtue he is as cliched as that statement. I felt bad for Marjorie in the beginning but her naivity and stupidity brought on the rest. I would only recommend this if you're looking for something different from all the typical Regency romances.

The Princess and the Bear by Mette Ivie Harrison -- YA fantasy

This wonderful fairy tale is a companion to The Princess and the Hound. After Prince George uses his magic to switch back the princess and the hound to their rightful bodies, Prince George and Marit go on their way to happily ever after, but what about the hound? The hound that was a princess forms an odd pack of two with the bear who was a man and a king, despite the lac of ability to communicate. The hound feels that only the bear understands how it feels to be two things at once and will do anything to keep her bear and their home safe. The hound discovers a strange wild cat man who spreads his evil unmagic, destroying the forest and all that lives in it. He will destroy the world and every living thing if there is no one to stop him. Prince George is unable to help, so the bear decides to take it upon himself to confront the wild man who is said to be the only one who can stop the umagic; the same wild man who turned him into a bear. The hound refuses to be left behind even after the bear takes measures to ensure her safety. Together, the two go on an incredibly dangerous journey up a mountain to the wild man and back in time to the moment when King Richon was made a bear. It's up to Richon and the hound to right the wrongs of the past and prevent the wild cat man from destorying the world. This is a beautifully written story filled with rich details, exciting adventure and a budding romance. I enjoyed it even more than the first book. I think the story flows more smoothly and the adventure is more coherent and exciting. I really liked the emotional turmoil of the bear and the hound who both knew what it was like to have been human and animal and only they could understand each other which made their relationship deeper and more meaningful. I want to know what happens to Prince George and Marit now!

Austenesque: Jane Austen spin-offs and sequels

Austenesque: Jane Austen spin-offs and sequels

Everyone who loves Jane Austen seems to want to attempt to recreate her world with sequels and spin offs. Some work well and others don't. Here is a rundown and review of Austenesque books I have read.

Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman by Pamela Aidan  

Aidan retells Pride and Prejudice through Mr. Darcy's eyes in a three volume novel. Beginning with An Assembly Such as This, we follow Mr. Darcy from the time he meets Elizabeth to the events following the disastrous Netherfield Ball. Part II: Duty and Desire fills in the gap where Jane Austen sends Mr. Darcy away. Darcy wrestles with his feelings for Elizabeth versus doing what is right for his station in life. Part III: These Three Remain concludes the story from Elizabeth and Darcy's meeting at Rosings and reacquaintance at Pemberly to their wedding day! In between we learn about Darcy's feelings, his activities, friendships, family relationships and get advice from his Shakespeare quoting valet. I adore this series and can read them again and again. Aidan really rounds out Darcy by giving him a voice and emersing the reader in his world. These books are full of details about the social and political scene of the time and it helps if you know something about the time period. I really liked getting to know Mr. Darcy personally through these books. The second one is a little gothic but stick with it because important things happen that will affect Darcy's life in the final volume. By far my favorite Austen spin off!

Mr. Darcy's Daughters : A Novel by Elizabeth Aston

Fun and frivilous this story follows the 5 (yes five!) marriageble age daughters of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth as they make their way in London Society while their parents are away. The Darcy ladies fall in and out of love, get into scrapes and generally turn London Society on its' ear during the Season. This isn't the best written book but a good read if you are a casual fan of Austen. Also good are all of Aston's other Darcy novels though they're all retellings of Pride and Prejudice.

A Visit To Highbury
Later Days at Highbury by Joan Austen-Leigh

Written by a descendant of Jane Austen, these two books retell the story of Emma through the letters between Mrs. Goddard, owner of a school for young ladies, and her sister. This is a different, fresh look at Emma through the eyes of someone not of her class. The reader also learns about the trials and tribulations of Mrs. Goddward and her sister.

Novels by Joan Aiken:
Joan Aiken wrote several Austen spin off novels such as

Eliza's Daughter: A Sequel to Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility. I did not like Eliza's Daughter because I felt the characterization of Marianne and Elinor wasn't true to the spirit of Austen and the plot was far too complicated to keep track of who Eliza is and what happens to her. The ending was rather coy and annoyed me because I didn't understand it.

I did enjoy Jane Fairfax, the story of the character of Jane Fairfax from Emma which tells the story of Miss Fairfax and describes the events of Emma through her eyes.

None But You

For You Alone by Susan Kaye 

Persuasion told from Captain Wentworth's point of view. Though not as detailed or descriptive as the Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman series, this is worth a read. It's well-written and insightful. Capitain Wentworth isn't a god, he's a man and he has faults but none too major. I especially liked his relationship with his brother. 

Mr. Knightly's Diary by Amanda Grange
retelling of Emma from Knightly's point of view. This one is rather boring and the "eureka" moment is kind of silly. I also started Edmund Bertram's Diary but also found it boring.

Vanity and Vexation: A Novel of Pride and Prejudice by Kate Fenton

A modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice. In the novel, BBC is remaking Pride and Prejudice and the locals and actors get mixed up in situations that parallel a novel. A twist halfway through really confused me. I could not like this book as much as I tried. I felt it was too contrived and that Pride and Prejudice just didn't work in that type of modern setting.

Persuading Annie by Melissa Nathan  

A modern retelling of my favorite Austen novel, Persuasion featuring a wealthy, clueless business owner and his daughters. Years ago Annie had a relationship in college with Jake until her godmother interfered. Now her family is on the verge of bankruptcy and Jake is a successful consultant who is hired to save their company. The rest is pretty much a direct retelling of Persuasion which is why it didn't work. Do people really think and act that way anymore? I didn't care about any of the characters. Even Annie didn't have any redeeming qualities and was nothing like Anne Elliot.

Pride, Prejudice and Jasmin Field : A Novel by Melissa Nathan

Another modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice where life imitates art. Jasmin Field lands the role of Lizzie Bennet in a one night only charity staged event of P&P. If you've read Pride and Prejudice, you know what happens next. The author seems to have taken each scene, tossed in modern people and rewrote the dialogue to reflect the modern situation. It didn't work. I don't think Austen can be directly adapted for the modern world. I enjoyed Bridget Jones and Meg Cabot's Boy series which don't rewrite the original word for word!