My local Angus and Robertsons has gone out of business, but the space now has one of those $5 book shops, which was where I found this novel. How could I not buy it?

Here’s the blurb …

Full of characters obsessed with Jane Austen and set in Jane Austen locations in England, this lively modern Jane Austen romantic comedy trilogy features two pairs of lonely hearts who find each other and themselves at a Jane Austen Addicts weekend.

Dr. Katherine Roberts is a Jane Austen lecturer at St Bridget’s College, Oxford, who secretly loves the racy Regency novels of Lorna Warwick. But Lorna is really a man who’s slowly been falling in love with Katherine. He’s hoping that the Jane Austen Addicts weekend will be the perfect opportunity to declare his feelings..

This was a light, entertaining and fun novel that didn’t take it self too seriously. I read it on a weekend and thoroughly enjoyed myself – it is escapist fiction, but the writing is good (and Ms Connelly didn’t try to replicate Austen’s style) and the author is obviously familiar with Austen’s novels.

This novel is a good romantic comedy (which is quite rare these days) and I have no hesitation in recommending it to fans of the romantic comedy genre (You don’t even need to be an Austen fan to enjoy this one).

More reviews …

http://austenprose.com/2011/07/06/a-weekend-with-mr-darcy-by-victoria-connelly-–-a-review/ 

http://savvyverseandwit.com/2011/07/a-weekend-with-mr-darcy-by-victoria-connelly.html

http://fansofjane.wordpress.com/2011/10/19/a-weekend-with-mr-darcy-by-victoria-connelly/ 

The Georgian house is a byword for proportion and elegance, but what did it mean to its inhabitants? In this brilliant new work Amanda Vickery unlocks the homes of English men and women, from the Oxfordshire mansion of the unhappy gentlewomen Anne Dormer in the 1680s to the dreary London lodgings of the bachelor clerk and future novelist Anthony Trollope in the 1830s. With her customary wit and verve, she evokes the interiors of a wide range of homes, introducing us to genteel spinsters keeping up appearances in two rooms, professional couples setting up home in rented houses, widowers frantic to keep their households afloat without mistress and servants with only a locking box to call their own.

The book is split into ten chapters; Thresholds and Boundaries at Home, Men Alone, Setting Up Home, His and Hers, Rooms at the Top, Wallpaper and Taste, The Trials of Domestic Dependence, A Nest of Comforts, What Women Made and A Sex in Things. Through exhaustive research (account books, court records, journals and letters, Vickery explores various ‘household’ issues. From the idea of privacy (which seems to be quite a modern concept – imagine having no space of your own beyond what you can fit in your locking box) to the rise of consumerism, to the different purchases made by men and women, the idea of ‘taste’ (what it meant and who had it) and also the division of power and labour in a household.

A few things that have stuck with me, it’s really difficult to determine what married women purchased because it was often done in their husband’s name, being a spinster of limited means was awful, society was patriarchal and although wise men let their wives run their households they didn’t have to and living with a tyrant in an era of no property rights was awful.

If you are interested in history, then this is definitely worth reading. It is accessible and entertaining and provides another glimpse into “Jane Austen’s World”.

Here are more reviews …
http://www.historytoday.com/blog/books-blog/robin-lewis/reader-review-behind-closed-doors

http://www.history.ac.uk/reviews/review/901

As Austen was a bit of an Edgeworth fan, when I saw this in the book shop I decided I had to read it (although Austen died before this novel was published).

Here’s the stuff on the back …

She was the best-selling author of Regency England. Admired by Jane Austen, whose fame she eclipsed. John Ruskin declared her books ‘the most re-readable in existence’.

On the death of her guardian, honest, generous-spirited Helen Stanley is urged to share the home of her childhood friend Lady Cecilia. But this charming socialite is withholding secrets and Helen is drawn into a web of white lies and evasions that threaten not only her hopes for marriage but her very place in society.

A fascinating panorama of Britain’s political and intellectual elite in the early 1800s and a gripping romantic drama, Helen was the inspiration for Elizabeth Gaskell’s Wives and Daughters.

Edgeworth lacks the wit and light touch of Austen. I found this novel heavy going and I suspect it won’t appeal to a modern audience. It is about lying and liars. General Clarenden, Cecilia’s husband, declares he would not marry a woman who had been in love previously. Cecilia lied to him about a previous infatuation. Some letters, that Cecilia wrote to this man, come to light and Cecilia encourages Helen to say that the writing on the letters isn’t Cecilia’s (the implication being that it is Helen’s). Things then get worse – the letters might get published, Helen becomes the scandal of the moment.

I’ve picked a few bits out that remind me of Austen …

[...] and secondly, because every woman is willing to believe what she wishes.

and this is a bit like the part in Emma when the narrator talks about English verdure.

The road led them into the next village, one of the prettiest of that sort of scattered English villages, where each habitation seems to have been suited to the fancy as well as to the convenience of each proprietor; giving an idea at once of comfort and liberty, such as can be seen only in England. Happy England, how blest, would she but no her bliss!

It is beautifully written, romantic and full of suspense – will Cecilia ever confess to the General and what will happen to Helen? If you are a Jane Austen fan or enjoy regency romances, then you should try to read this one if only for the authentic period detail.

Here are some other reviews …

http://vulpeslibris.wordpress.com/2008/03/02/maria-edgeworth-helen/

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/jul/03/maria-edgeworth-helen-john-mullan

]]> http://janeaustenreviews.com/2010/12/14/helen-maria-edgeworth/feed/ 0 http://janeaustenreviews.com/2010/08/17/dont-tempt-me-loretta-chase/ http://janeaustenreviews.com/2010/08/17/dont-tempt-me-loretta-chase/#comments Tue, 17 Aug 2010 10:36:45 +0000 admin http://janeaustenreviews.com/?p=257 I’m continuing my regency romance reading marathon. I selected this one because I read Loretta Chase’s blog – Two Nerdy History Girl and I find their history posts fascinating.

Here’s the blurb …

Spunky English girl overcomes impossible odds and outsmarts heathen villains.

That’s the headline when Zoe Lexham returns to England. After twelve years in the exotic east, she’s shockingly adept in the sensual arts. She knows everything a young lady shouldn’t and nothing she ought to know. She’s a walking scandal, with no hope of a future . . . unless someone can civilize her.

Lucien de Grey, the Duke of Marchmont, is no knight in shining armor. He’s cynical, easily bored, and dangerous to women. He charms, seduces, and leaves them—with parting gifts of expensive jewelry to dry their tears. But good looks, combined with money and rank, makes him welcome everywhere. The most popular bachelor in the Beau Monde can easily save Zoe’s risqué reputation . . . if the wayward beauty doesn’t lead him into temptation, and a passion that could ruin them both.

This book was too explicit for me – I enjoyed the setting, the research and I thought the characters were fabulous. However, I found the sex scenes cringe-worthy; euphemisms like ‘his limb of pleasure’, ‘palace of pleasure’, ‘your golden flower’, etc. However, that might just be me. The woman at my local book store tell me that Georgette Heyer is old fashioned.

Here are some other reviews …

http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/2009/06/30/review-dont-tempt-me-by-loretta-chase/

http://medievalbookworm.com/reviews/review-dont-tempt-me-loretta-chase/

I love reading regency romances, which isn’t to say I think Jane Austen writes regency romances or I think any of the romance authors are her equivalent. Georgette Heyer would be my favourite, but I’m always on the look out for another author. I’ve discovered through trial and error that I prefer ‘traditional’ regencies. The euphemisms for various body parts in the other more ‘sensual’ regencies just make me cringe – am I the only one? ‘Palace of Pleasure” ugh!

Anyway, I live very close to this store so I stopped by and picked up this novel.

Here is the blurb …

She was unquestionably a lady. Still, that had never stopped him before. He could see that she was not, he thought, that young. Even better. Another twinge of pain from behind his eyes lent a harshness to his voice. “Who the devil are you?” In no way discomposed, she answered, “My name is Caroline Twinning. And if you really are the Duke of Twyford, then I’m very much afraid I’m your ward . . . “

Max Rotherbridge couldn’t believe it. Along with the dukedom of Twyford, he – London’s most notorious rogue – had inherited wardship of four devilishly attractive sisters! Including the irresistible Caroline Twinning. The eldest Twinning was everything he had ever wanted in a woman, but even Max couldn’t seduce his own ward . . . or could he? After all, he did have a substantial reputation to protect. And what better challenge than the one woman capable of stealing his heart?

I quite liked it – there was probably slightly too much seduction for my liking or at least too much described seduction (We all know Willoughby seduces Eliza in Sense and Sensibility, but we don’t hear about her rosy nipples) - but I think it was well researched I didn’t get jolted back to reality by something anachronistic or simply impossible.

This novel is based on Sense and Sensibility. I have been disappointed in the past with sequels, prequels, etc, but being eternally hopeful (or just wanting more Austen) I’m always prepared to try another one.

Here’s a synopsis

Jane Austen’s beloved Sense and Sensibilityhas moved to Westport, Connecticut, in this enchanting modern-day homage to the classic novelWhen Joseph Weissmann divorced his wife, he was seventy eight years old and she was seventy-five . . . He said the words “Irreconcilable differences,” and saw real confusion in his wife’s eyes.“Irreconcilable differences?” she said. “Of course there are irreconcilable differences. What on earth does that have to do with divorce?”Thus begins The Three Weissmanns of Westport, a sparkling contemporary adaptation of Sense and Sensibility from the always winning Cathleen Schine, who has already been crowned “a modern-day Jewish Jane Austen” by People’s Leah Rozen.In Schine’s story, sisters Miranda, an impulsive but successful literary agent, and Annie, a pragmatic library director, quite unexpectedly find themselves the middle-aged products of a broken home. Dumped by her husband of nearly fifty years and then exiled from their elegant New York apartment by his mistress, Betty is forced to move to a small, run-down Westport, Connecticut, beach cottage. Joining her are Miranda and Annie, who dutifully comes along to keep an eye on her capricious mother and sister. As the sisters mingle with the suburban aristocracy, love starts to blossom for both of them, and they find themselves struggling with the dueling demands of reason and romance.

I enjoyed reading this novel. The author didn’t try to emulate Austen’s style but took the situation (mother and two sisters in reduced circumstances) and made a whole new (modern) story from it.

It is one of the better re-interpretations that I have read.

Here are some reviews …

http://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/2010/05/19/the-three-weissmanns-of-westport-by-cathleen-schine-a-review/

http://mrsodellreads.com/2010/06/23/the-three-weissmanns-of-westport-by-cathleen-schine-review/

http://austenblog.com/2010/06/07/review-the-three-weissmanns-of-westport-by-cathleen-schine/

In Episode 3 Amanda is forced to leave Longbourn and she turns to Mr Wickham for help; he prepares her for society (essentially teaching her how to bluff her way) and tells her to visit Jane Collins. At Rosings she is reunited with Mr Darcy and they argue about Bingley’s and Jane’s unhappiness. Meanwhile Mrs Bennet leaves Longbourn to visit Jane taking Lydia with her. Darcy invites Amanda to visit Pemberley, which Mrs Bennet overhears and thinks was meant for her, thus Amanda, Lydia, Mrs Bennet, Jane and Mr Collins all travel to Pemberley. At Pemberley we meet Georgiana (who turns out to be a bit of a minx) and we see Mr Wickham in a whole new light. Bingley has taken to drinking and Jane tells him it is his moral duty to be happy for both of them. Darcy and Amanda fall in love but because of Caroline’s meddling he discovers that she is ‘not a maid’ and so, of course, cannot marry her. Amanda rips the pages out of her copy of Pride and Prejudice and flings it away. Darcy finds it and can’t believe her perfidy (to use their names in a novel!).

There is a fabulous scene in this episode where Mr Darcy re-enacts the famous Colin Firth diving into the lake scene.

]]> http://janeaustenreviews.com/2010/05/10/lost-in-austen-episode-3/feed/ 0 http://janeaustenreviews.com/2009/12/12/emma-the-dvd-the-new-bbc-adaptation/ http://janeaustenreviews.com/2009/12/12/emma-the-dvd-the-new-bbc-adaptation/#comments Sat, 12 Dec 2009 04:48:51 +0000 admin http://janeaustenreviews.com/?p=169

I saw the first episode of this adaptation and thought ‘oh dear!’ and wasn’t sure if I would continue. However, the second episode was better and by the end I was hooked.

The screen play was written by Sandy Welch, who also adapted North and South. As I loved North and South and Emmais my favourite Austen novel, I had high hopes for this adaptation. First, it is beautiful – the locations and costumes are magnificent. It has a very modern feel to it despite the period costumes and I think this is what I didn’t like at first. Also, Romola Garai (who I think is a fabulous actor) doesn’t seem to play Emma with enough dignity – she seems a bit too school girl giggly. I thought Jonny Lee Miller as Mr Knightley was fabulous (possibly the best out of the later Adaptations, i.e Emma 2 (Jeremy Northam) and Emma 3 (Mark Strong)). In fact I thought all of the other actors were excellent.

The dancing at the ball wa a bit too like barn dancing for my liking …

Some more screen shots …

 

Mrs Elton and Mr Weston picking strawberries.

Emma and Mr Knightley.

Emma and Frank Churchill at Box Hill.

Emma and Mr Knightley …

 If you start watching it and you don’t like it, I recommend persevering because by the end I really liked it and I think it’s now my favourite Emma.

Also, if you live in Australia you can buy it from the BBC store because it is region 2 and 4.

Here is the link to the Internet Movie Database.

When I set myself the task of reading two chapters a week of Jane’s Fame, I thought it would be easy. However, I have found myself at the end of a chapter without any real idea what I was reading. I haven’t been able to focus. This is in part because the book is such an easy read, but mostly because I’m just lazy. Anyway, here are my thoughts on Chapter Two.

Chapter Two is about the business of publishing and writing. James Edward Austen Leigh (in his memoir) believed Austen wasn’t distressed about her lack of early success.

I do not think that she herself was much mortified by the want of early success. She wrote for her own amusement. Money, though acceptable, was not necessary for the moderate expenses of her quite home.

She was, however, mortified she did want to make money and she wasn’t writing for her own amusement.

Tho’ I like praise as well as anybody, I like what Edward calls pewter too.

There is a prevailing idea that Austen had two creative phases separated by a period of silence (while living in Bath). Harman disagrees she just thinks there isn’t any documentation. She thinks Austen might still have been trying to get her work published and being rejected.

The move to Bath bought the family into closer contact with the book world – easier access to book sellers and printers. It was through a book seller she came into contact with Crosby who bought Susan for £10. This sale came at a good time in Austen’s life to justify her aspirations as a writer. She had just rejected Harris Bigg-Wither (a very eligible young man). However, the novel appeared. In 1809 a novel called Susan was published anonymously. Austen must have thought it was hers. Alas, like First Impressions her title was pre-empted. She wrote to Crosby to try to speed the publication. His son replied that they had never guaranteed publication and she could purchase it back for £10. This was a huge sum to Austen – her yearly allowance was £10. Of course to her brothers, Henry and Edward, this was a paltry amount, but her pride both personal and professional would not let her borrow money.

Harman also writes about the method of publication of each novel:

Sense and Sensibility by commission (Egerton paying all of the costs and receiving 10% Austen liable for all of the costs)

Pride and Prejudice she sold the copyright (for £110)

Mansfield Park by commission

She then swapped from Egerton to John Murrary (the publisher of Lord Byron).

Emma by commission.

I was fascintated to discover that Mansfield Park was the most successful finacially for Austen.

There is also information in this chapter on the reviews that appeared immediately after the novels were published. For example, about Pride and Prejudice

this performance … rises very superior to any novel we have lately meet with in the delineation of domestic scenes.

And also opinions Austen collected from family and friend. For example,

Mrs Austen thought the heroine [Fanny Price] insipid

Austen wrote The Plan of a Novel, according to hints from various quarters as a private (and satirical) response to all of the advice and opinions. Particularly from James Stanier Clarke the Prince Regent’s Librarian (who had many story ideas).

There is also a bit of information about the reworking of the resolution of the love story in Persuasion.

Next chapter: Mouldering in the Ground

I had 500 spam comments! – must remember not to leave such a big gap between posts. I did discover a new plug-in that got rid of them.

My local Jane Austen group had a very interesting discussion about Fanny Burney – when we discussed Evelina - so I decided to find out more about her. This biography by Claire Harman was the one recommended by my group.

It was a really easy read – Ms Harman has a lovely almost conversational style. And what a life Fanny Burney had! She was at court when King George 111 went mad (the first time) and in Paris when Napoleon escaped from Elba. She knew Garrick and Dr Johnson.

If you’re at all interested in Fanny Burney (or Jane Austen), then I recommend reading this biography. I’m almost motivated to read some of Fanny Burney’s novels.