The Jane Austen Society

Extremely enjoyable and not just for fans of Jane Austen! A fictional account of the Jane Austen's hometown in the 1940s and the fight to make a memorial and preserve the village's world famous authoress' home before all of her belongings and buildings associated with her were sold. An outspoken young teacher, the village doctor, a poor farmer, a wealthy Hollywood star, and a maid come together to make a society aimed at preserving the legacy of an author they all know in love. In the process friendships are formed and romance may be on the verge of blooming for the romantics at heart. All the characters are flawed, yet take solace in Jane Austen's words, never realizing that in instances - their actions mirror those of their favorite characters. They all delight in living in the very place that she too wrote the books which they so love. Wonderful, fun, and chock full of history and romance.

Mount Hope

So good and I'm so sad this series is over. I mean I get it, there are only so many Jane Austen novels you can adapt, but I really enjoyed this. I like Sarah Price's writing style and these books are just nice fluffy reads that you know will wrap up nicely. Per usual I won't summarize this one because I assume that anyone reading this adaptation will have read the original, Mansfield Park. Remarkably similar, I like the few tweaks they made to make it finish in a modern day Amish community. Instead of getting caught by their father putting on plays, they get caught singing hymns in English! The scandal!! Fantastic as always!

Sense and Sensibility

Sense and Sensibility has always been my favorite Jane Austen story and I was so happy that this modern day adaptation did it justice! Set in a modern day Amish community - many things are still similar. Modesty, patriarchal societies, gossip, etc. Some minor differences include youth singings instead of balls, shunning instead indecency, and a spotlight on religion. A fantastic adaptation of my favorite and one that I will definitely read again!

Second Chances

Perfect!! Honestly - this series is money in the bank! Hands down my favorite Jane Austen adaptations. They just go so perfectly together! A very faithful adaptation of Persuasion set in modern Pennsylvania in an Amish community. I won't summarize it because I will assume if you're reading this, you've already read Persuasion. What more could you want? The writing is good and everything. This is a series I will definitely read again!

The Matchmker

These are all so stupidly good. Why has no one ever thought of putting an Amish spin on Jane Austen before?!? This spin off of Emma is wonderfully done and so faithful to the book. I really enjoyed this and I can't wait to get the rest in this series. It's a light fluffy read and is such a uniquely satisfying spin on a classic that is truly closer and more faithful than any other adaptation I've read! The summary is Emma. It's just like Emma. There is still bonnets, matchmaking, picnics, weekly visits, and handsome men. All the essentials!

The Other Bennet Sister

I'm glad to see Mary Bennet finally get her due! And not any meager scraps; this impressive tome is nearly 500 pages! Broken into 4 parts, the first part to me was the most dull as it dealt with the story that Janeites already know so well; Pride and Prejudice. It tells the story through Mary's eyes and we see how willing she is to take on Mr. Collins, befriend Charlotte Lucas and impress her parents. Once we get past that, we're in all new territory. As the only unmarried daughter, once her father dies she has no permanent address. She must look to her sisters for charity. It's a low point in Mary's life. She is penniless, unmarried, and the ugliest and dullest of her sisters. But finally, her situation changes, and she meets not just one man, but two! They both find her witty, they love her booksmarts, and they don't compare her to her sisters! A little wordy and slow, but very engaging. A must for any Janeite!!

Jane's Fame

Not for the faint of heart, this literary chronicle of Jane's ascent into the world verges on the point of being a heavy read. From Jane's earliest writing, the publication of four of her novels in her lifetime, to all of her books being out of print, to her popularity resurgence with the release of her biography, up to the twentieth century; this book covers her meteoric rise as one of the greatest female writers ever born. I'm not a true Janite, just a casual admirer so I didn't know a lot of what was in this book. I do know that she wasn't very popular in her lifetime (her books were all published anonymously) but I didn't know all the circumstances surrounding that. Claire does a good job bringing readers along through the decades as the cult of the "Divine Jane" grew and spread across the globe. Not a light read, but very enlightening!

The Jane Austen Diet

I'm not gonna lie - this book was witty as shit. Did I think a lot of it was a stretch? Yes. However, there are still a lot of takeaways you can get from this book. Eat with friends, go on walks, appreciate nature, wait to eat in the morning, slice your bread thin, sugar in moderation, etc. Between Jane Austen's novels and personal life; the author tied together healthy lifestyle habits that are still relevant today. Amusing and intriguing, but it won't exactly spur you to go out and lose 30 pounds the Jane Austen way.

Jane Austen: Her Heart Did Whisper

Interesting take at Jane Austen's love life told in comic format. Personally, I loved that there was no color and really enjoyed the inking and the story line. Because so many of Jane Austen's letters were burned after her death we'll never know the full story of her first and probably only true love, but Manuela Santoni did a wonderful job re-imagining what that romance may have looked at. Fun graphic novel that Austenites will love!

Dangerous Alliance

If you're a fan of regency novels, Jane Austen, and teenage romance you will eat this book up! Set early in the nineteenth century; this novel follows Vicky, a young well off lady who is disheartened that her life isn't more like a Jane Austen novel. She wants the romance and intrigue; instead she gets herself in laughably dangerous situations and her former childhood friend (now sworn enemy) seems to keep showing up at the right moment to rescue her. She can take care of herself, thank you very much! To make matters more complicated, her older sister is seeking a separation from her husband and in order to protect the family estate from her bully husband, Vicky must get married and do so quickly. Witty, charming, over the top, and so much fun. I hope the author writes more just like this.

Sansei and Sensibility

I liked the scope and uniqueness found in these short stories; from powerful grandmothers, to bathtubs, to dental hygienists who know too much, to interment camps this book has a bit of everything in it. The first half of the short stories aren't related to Jane Austen but are still profound and enjoyable. The second half of this collection turns each classic Jane Austen novel on it's head and gives it a Japanese American twist. I don't want to give anything away, but I will say they were very clever and were the most unique takes on Jane Austen that I've read in ages! Filled with beautiful prose; these unique short stories are worth a read!

Ayesha At Last

One of my favorite Jane Austen spin offs yet, a Muslim Pride and Prejudice set in modern day Canada. Ayesha has set aside her dreams of being a poet so she can focus on teaching and paying back her uncle for the college loan he gave her. When her younger cousin has her dreams set on being an event planner she enlists Ayesha to help her... only to abandon her at the meetings, leaving Ayesha to pretend being her cousin, Hafsa. Khalid is a conservative Muslim and is willing to do whatever it takes to keep his mother happy. When she insists on an arranged marriage; his heart isn't in it until he realizes that Hafsa, the event planner, might be the one his mother is trying to set him up with. What ensues is a comedy of errors and heartbreak. A thoroughly enjoyable take on a classic storyline. Unique, playful, and romantic; Uzma Jalaluddin is an author to look out for!

Northanger Abbey

Not nearly as strong as Jane Austen's other novels, this one is a little lacking but makes up for it with beautiful prose and well developed characters. This novel attempts to be gothic in points and I don't believe that is Austen's strong suit; I'm more about deception, societal roles, and romance. This story centers on Catherine, a smart sensible girl of 18 who gets to spend several weeks in Bath with her childless neighbors. While there she becomes best friends with Isabelle and finds herself always going on double dates with Isabelle, her older brother, John, and James, Catherine's older brother. John quite fancies Catherine but she has her eye on Mr. Tinley and she's determined to make his and his younger sister's acquaintance. What's a girl to do (hint, get a husband... but which man to choose?!?!?) Good ol' fashioned regency era romance.

Sense and Sensibility

Re-reading this book just solidified my opinion that it is the best of the Jane Austen novels. I know everyone has their hearts set on Pride and Prejudice and Mr. Darcy, but I believe that her first novel is raw and real and much more relatable. It truly remains as fresh a cautionary tale today as it ever was. The Dashwood sisters learn that the path to love isn't always straight and narrow and sometimes you're heart has to be broken for you to appreciate how whole a heart can be. Filled with memorable characters, witty dialogue, and unforgettable romance, this is a book readers won't soon forget.

I really enjoyed discussing the book with my library Jane Austen Book and Film Club, we talked about how societal obligations have changed but the heart has remained the same and then we watched the Masterpiece Theater version. Overall, a must read. And if you haven't watch the 1995 movie version. It's amazing and you won't regret it.

Eligible

When I think of modern re-tellings of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, the Bollywood classic, Bride and Prejudice is my gold standard. This satirical re-telling was definitely more raunchy and more current than I was anticipating. Liz works for a feminist magazine, Jane is a yoga instructor trying to get pregnant before she turns 41, Mary is an anti-social weirdo, and Kitty and Lydia are lazy unemployed bums. All the characters are here but there is more modern drama: mixed race couples, transgender dating, hate sex, and more. I tolerated the novel until I got to the relity tc stuff at the end and I would have given it a 3 if it had stopped there, but out of nowhere the last chapter changes characters and is told from Mary's perspective and is so weird and awful that I had to change my rating to a 2. The writing was OK but I did not care for any of the characters in this re-telling and the ending made me hate life.

Mansfield Park

Austen, Jane. Mansfield Park. 15 CDs. unabridged. 18.75 hrs. Dreamscape Audio. ISBN 9781520002811.

While Mansfield Park may be one of the lesser read and appreciated Austen novels, this unabridged audio gives it new life and Austenites and other readers may find themselves drawn to the shy, level-headed Fanny Price.  As the eldest daughter of many in a poor household, she was whisked away at age ten to live at her rich aunt's house as a ward. Always made to feel inferior, Fanny passes the time being timid, meek, but always ready to lend a hand. The four cousins she lives with pay her no mind, save Edmund, who takes her under his wing. In her eighteenth year she is introduced to her cousin's friends and is reluctantly allowed to be a part of their society, which definitely tries her patience and fortitude as they get up to no good. Can she keep her moral bearing and good spirits? Narrated beautifully by the talented Anna Bentinck who brings the Georgian Society to life with her accent. Recommended for fans of classic literature and Jane Austen, a wonderful rendering.  - Erin Cataldi, Johnson Co. Public Library, Franklin, IN

Persuasion

Definitely one of my favorite Jane Austen novels! The heroine, Anne, is 28 and single. Persuaded by her close friend, Lady Russell, Anne breaks off an engagement to a charming man because it isn't proper or a good match. Eight years later their paths cross again, but this time he is a man of fortune and more than a respectable match. No one knows of their previous engagement except for Lady Russell, so Anne must suffer in silence at every dinner party and outing that he is at. Her heart is aching for him, but he seems to have no more regard for her after she broke his heart and in turn focuses his attention on one of her brother in law's sisters. Filled with classic Austen characters, this book is enjoyable from beginning to end and moves rather quickly compared to some of her other novels. I can't wait to check out one of the movie adaptations!

Mansfield Park

Decidedly my least favorite of Jane Austen's novels. Fanny Price may be level-headed, but her weak, shy, awkward attitude failed to win me over. As the eldest daughter of many in a poor household, she was whisked away at age ten to live at her rich aunt's house as a ward. Always made to feel inferior, Fanny passes the time being timid, meek, and always ready to lend a hand. The four cousins she lives with pay her no mind, save Edmund, who takes her under his wing. When she reaches her eighteenth year she is introduced to all of her cousin's friends and is reluctantly allowed to be a part of their society. Fanny decides to become an excellent wallflower and never really pursues friendship with anyone. When Maria is married and Julia off in London, one of the neighbors and friends of her cousins, Mary, begrudgingly takes her in as a confident, beings as there is no other ladies to socialize with. At this time, Mary's brother becomes obsessed with Fanny and tries too woo her. But Fanny rejects all his advances because, while being a perfect wallflower, she saw his actions and manner towards her cousins and thought it very un-gentlemanly. At this time, dear Edmund decides that he might be in love with Maria, but he is disappointed that she looks down on the clergy, a career path that he will soon be undertaking. What are Fanny and Edmund to do? Is love obvious?

Not a bad read, but it definitely starts off slow and I wasn't in love with any of the characters. I wish Fanny had been a little stronger.

Emma

Third Jane Austen book down this year! Sadly, this one falls short of Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility for me. Emma had a much slower plot and I thought it was insanely predictable. Don't get me wrong, it's still a good read and I enjoyed all the banter and classic "mishaps" that Jane Austen's characters got themselves into, it's just not my favorite. Emma is an independent, fanciful young woman. She lives with her father and loves to play matchmaker amongst her friends. As new residents come into their English country village, Emma finds that she may have taken things a little too far. Minding one's own business seems to be the best course of action. Although not my favorite, still worth a read.

Pride & Prejudice

What a classic. No matter how many times you read it, it never gets old. Though not quite as good as Sense & Sensibility (in my humble opinion), I still "greatly esteem" this book. Mr. Darcy is and always will be my favorite fictional character. Thank you Mr. Darcy for setting the bar so high that I know without a doubt I will die a lonely cat lady surrounded by empty boxes of wine. Pride & Prejudice can be summed up in one sentence, "Two people who strongly dislike each other end up falling madly in love despite their initial prejudices." Even though I spoiled the entire plot for you, you should still read it. Ladies, you will have new standards for men and gentlemen... you will hopefully learn how to properly woo a lady. Also... the only movie Mr. Darcy to nail it is Colin Firth, don't even try to argue with me on that one!