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Why Jane Austen? Blog Tour with Author Rachel M. Brownstein and a Giveaway!

Posted in Austenesque Authors, Austenesque Books, Jane Austen Book Sleuth, tagged , , , , , , , on 28 June 2011 | 53 Comments »

Why Jane Austen, by Rachel M. Brownstein (2011)Please join us today in welcoming Austen scholar Prof. Rachel M. Brownstein for the official launch of her book blog tour of Why Jane Austen?, a new literary and cultural history of our Jane’s rise and continued fame that is being released today by Columbia University Press.

Jane Austen’s eruption into popular culture in the mid-1990s got me wondering: Why Jane Austen, and not another equally long-dead novelist?  What is it about her in particular?  When the vogue spilled over into the twenty-first century, and more and more people were proudly calling themselves Janeites, I knew I was onto something.  And now, finally, here is my book: Why Jane Austen?, published in June, 2011, by Columbia University Press!

The term “Janeite” was coined in the 1890s by the English critic George Saintsbury (he spelled it “Janite”).  Picked up by Rudyard Kipling in the 1920s, it has been used in different tones of voice since then.  As words do, it has gone through changes over time; and Janeites have also changed.  Today they include admirers of Jane Austen’s novels, and of the author because she was a woman or a wit; some are fans of the dressy movies or the romantic fan fiction, while others prefer the sexed-up send-ups and the mysteries.  They include mischief-makers and members of the Jane Austen Society, bloggers and buyers of Jane-related dolls and coffee mugs, note-cards and refrigerator magnets. Writing Why Jane Austen?, I was astonished and fascinated by the range of Austen movies, spin-offs, products, and devotees—and the enormous changes in those over the last twenty years and more.

A Janeite today is sometimes exclusively interested in Austen and her novels, but she (usually) is often also involved in the culture that has grown up around them.  She revels in being a member of a club, exchanging thoughts and feelings about matters more or less related to Jane and pooling thoughts and feelings with those of other Janeites.  Janeites tend to support one another, also to seek converts.

Of course the fantasy of entering a world of Regency dresses and manners, an elegant world where people say “whilst,” begins in solitude, as fantasies do–and reading novels also does.  Ditto the dream of finding your Mr. Darcy, and being carried off by him to a Pemberley of your own.  But private fantasy turns into sociable Janeite practice once you gang up with others to hate Miss Bingley, or to compare the erotic charge of Austen’s Pemberley and Bronte’s Thornfield Hall, or to confess you can’t understand what Elinor Dashwood sees in Edward Ferrars, or to discuss why Jane turned down Harris Bigg-Wither. (The simple dropping of these names makes a Janeite feel cozy all over.)

The Janeite likes to mix it up—characters in the novels and Austen friends and family members, and people who have written about Jane Austen all tend to slide together in a blog post or a story or a conversation.  Slippage is part of the pleasure and the point: when you tell her that the woman you met on the train reminds you of Mrs. Jennings, a sister Janeite will know the kind of person you mean: affinity, complicity is the point and the pleasure.  In Why Jane Austen?, I write about Jane Austen’s family’s neighbors and also a bit about mine.

Blurring the line between actual and imaginary worlds seems to have been fun for Jane Austen herself.  She read her stories aloud to friends, looked for portraits of her characters at art exhibitions, even speculated about their afterlives. The reader who gets her tone feels as if she is in league with a friend.  Reading Jane Austen—still accessible, miraculously, after all these years—you feel invited to agree with the author about the people she reads so well; feeling (as Katherine Mansfield put it) like a secret friend of the author, you seek out her other friends, and join together with them in an Austen club.  It’s an unusually social result of a solitary practice.

Rachel M. Brownstein (2011)Author bio:

Rachel M. Brownstein is professor of English at Brooklyn College and the CUNY Graduate Center.  A graduate of Hunter College High School and Barnard College, she received her Ph.D. from Yale University.  She is the author of two critically acclaimed books, Becoming a Heroine: Reading about Women in Novels and Tragic Muse: Rachel of the Comédie-Française, as well as many articles and reviews.  She lives in New York City and enjoys summers in Vermont.  For many years she has talked and written about Jane Austen’s novels, critics, characters, imitators, adapters, admirers, and wannabes. Visit Rachel at her website Rachel M. Brownstein, at Facebook, or at Columbia University Press.

Giveaway of Why Jane Austen?

Enter a chance to win one of two copies of Why Jane Austen? by leaving a comment answering what intrigues you about this new lit/cultural history of Jane Austen or why you are a Janeite, by midnight PT, Wednesday, July 13, 2011. Winners to be announced on Thursday, July 14, 2010. Shipment to US addresses only. Good luck!

Why Jane Austen, by Rachel M. Brownstein
Columbia University Press (2011)
Hardcover (320) pages
ISBN: 978-0231153904

© 2007 – 2011 Rachel M. Brownstein, Austenprose

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Preview of the Jane Austen’s Regency World Magazine Issue No 52, July/August 2011

Posted in Jane Austen Book Sleuth, Jane Austen Merchandise, tagged , , , on 25 June 2011 | 4 Comments »

Jane Austen's Regency World Magazine issue 52 Jul/Aug 2011The July/August 2011 issue of Jane Austen’s Regency World magazine is now on sale and has been mailed to subscribers.

In the new issue:

• JANE AUSTEN FESTIVAL IN BATH: A preview of the exciting programme lined up for September, 2011

• THEATRICAL PAINTINGS: The amazing set of costumed portraits collected by Somerset Maugham is now in safe hands

• COAST DELIGHTS: How Jane Austen depicts the seaside in her novels

• FORGOTTEN BROTHER: Maggie Lane traces the life of George Austen, Jane’s little-known brother

• LUNAR RIOTS: The day a Georgian society in Birmingham was attacked by a mob

• WHEN WE ARE GONE: How did Cassandra handle Jane’s legacy, and what about ours?

• JANE’S MEN: Our favourite author was not only an expert on women, she had a strong insight into the minds of men

Plus: All the latest news from the world of Jane Austen, as well as letters, book reviews, quiz, competition and news from JAS and JASNA.

Jane Austen’s Regency World will be at the following events, and look forward to meeting many subscribers, old and new:

  • July 9 &10 Jane Austen Festival, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
  • Sept 17 Jane Austen Festival, Bath, UK (country fayre)
  • Oct 13-15 JASNA AGM, Fort Worth, Texas, USA

For further information, and to subscribe, visit Jane Austen’s Regency World Magazine

© 2007 – 2011 Jane Austen’s Regency World Magazine, Austenprose

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Sense and Sensibility at the Book-It Repertory Theatre in Seattle – A Review

Posted in Jane Austen Adaptations, Jane Austen Stage Productions, Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen's Works, tagged , , , , , , on 14 June 2011 | 9 Comments »

Cast of Book-It Reperatory Theatre's adaptation of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility 2011

“Happy, happy Elinor, you cannot have an idea of what I suffer.”

“Do you call me happy, Marianne? Ah; if you knew! And can you believe me to be so while I see you so wretched!”

- Sense and Sensibility, Chapter 29

Happiness and suffering, and the emotional extremes that cause it, is an important theme in Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility that was well served in a new stage adaptation of her novel premiering at the Book-It Repertory Theatre on June 3rd at the Centre House Theatre, Seattle Center. It is the Rep’s fourth Austen novel to stage production after the highly successful Pride and Prejudice in 2004, Persuasion in 2008, and Emma in 2010. Their interpretations of Austen are always brisk, lighthearted and memorable. Jane Austen has been very good to the Rep, and obviously, audiences have felt that the Rep has been likewise to Jane Austen.

Book-It Reperatory Theatre's adaptation of Jane Austen's Sense & Sensibility (2011)Even though Sense and Sensibility is not as light, bright and sparkling as Austen’s beloved Pride and Prejudice, it may be the most adaptable of her works for the stage. At 200 years old it remains a compelling tale touting a favorable list of dramatic attributes: dual heroines with divergent personalities; three red herring heroes who are really anti-heroes in disguise; and an incredible assortment of unscrupulous and humorous minor characters that add levity and balance to a story that is quite seriously entrenched in 19th century British inheritance laws and the plight of women who were ruled by them. Heady stuff for any playwright to embrace and adapt. Even more so for the lucky audience if they get it right.

The two heroines of this cautionary tale are Elinor (Kjerstine Anderson) and Marianne (Jessica Martin) Dashwood – one with too much sense, and the other with not enough. Each of the sisters reacts differently to their life tragedies and budding romances. Jessica Martin’s Marianne was all pure unbridled emotion: extreme, exuberant, exasperating! Never loving by halves, she gushed about dead leaves, poetry and her beaux Willoughby with a passion leaping into Bronteism.  Marianne also dips into the depths of despair after being thrown-over by her suitor, wearing her down and into a serious illness. We had wished this had been given more attention and that Marianne had not rebounded back to herself with such cheerful alacrity.

Kjerstine Anderson as Elinor Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility at the Book-It Rep (2011)Kjerstine Anderson as the solid, staid and correct sister Elinor was surprisingly regal, imposing and privately snarky – a different interpretation than I had experienced in my reading of the novel, or in any of the movie adaptations. Questioning my previous conclusions, was Austen’s Elinor as introspective, subtle and guarded as I had thought? Anderson did a commendable job as Austen’s anchor of reason and rationality, albeit too emotionally at critical moments. I am uncertain if this change in characteristics was artistic license or by direction, but it altered the divergence in the sisters personalities and lessened some of Austen’s critical plot points.

Aaron Blakely as John Willoughby in Sense and Sensibility at the Book-It Rep (2011) x 200The three heroes (or anti-heroes): Edward Ferrars (Jason Marr), Col Brandon (David Quicksall) and John Willoughby (Aaron Blakely) were sensitively cast as the affable nerd, the gallant geezer and the charming cad to extreme satisfaction. Austen gave us an interesting assortment of suitors for our heroines. Often we are uncertain who the hero is because of major character flaws that act like red-herrings. In this interpretation (happily) Edward did not stutter, but he was so innocuous we wonder what Elinor saw in him. Really wonder! Marr was more than a bit of a milquetoast, and so was Quicksall as Col. Brandon who barely uttered a line for several scenes (to disconcerting effect) until he finally finds his voice making it all the more moving and admirable. Well done. When Blakely’s Willoughby gallantly arrives  to rescue the injured Marianne in a billowing greatcoat, our expectation of a Byronic hero was totally fulfilled. *swoon* The fact that he looked like a young Jonny Lee Miller did not hurt either. No wonder Marianne lost all sense. Who wouldn’t?  He was equally convincing in relaying his conflicted loyalties of money vs. love.

Jessica Martin and David Quicksall in Sense and Sensibility at the Book-It Rep (2011) The minor characters in Austen’s tale are so endearingly flawed and humorous, supplying the comedy to offset the tragedy. Of note were the scheming and duplicitous Miss Lucy Steele (Angela DiMarco); selfish and manipulative Mrs. Dashwood (Emily Grogan) and her equally unappealing husband Mr. John Dashwood (Shawn Law); gossipy matchmaker Mrs. Jennings (Karen Nelson); and the jovial and obliging Sir John Middleton (Bill Johns). They brought levity to Jen Taylor’s energetic dramatization which at times had its charms and foibles. The narrative faithfully followed Austen’s own right down to some exact quotes. Huzzah! Gone though were Austen’s cynical underpinnings, subtle puns and measured pacing – all replaced by an emphasis on humor and breakneck speed. Scenes quickly altered with the draw of a curtain across the stage taking us from London to the country within seconds. Actors changed costumes by adding layers as they delivered lines on stage. Spoken dialogue shifted to narrative recited directly from the novel in one breath. It was exhausting and exhilarating. Austen encapsulated and accelerated for the modern stage.

We enjoyed every line and every moment, but we were happy to wind down afterwards with a cup of tea and the novel.

Jessica Martin and Kjerstine Anderson in Sense and Sensibility at the Book-It Rep (2011)

Book-It’s Sense and Sensibility runs at the Center House Theater thru June 26th

Photos © Alan Alabastro 2011

© 2007 – 2011 Laurel Ann Nattress, Austenprose

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The Little Women Letters, by Gabrielle Donnelly – A Review

Posted in Book Reviews, Randomly Not Jane Austen Book Reviews, tagged , , , , , , on 12 June 2011 | 8 Comments »

The Little Women Letters, by Gabrielle Donnelly (2011)Guest review by Kimberly Denny-Ryder of Reflections of a Book Addict

There are many reasons why books published well over a hundred years ago are still relevant and well loved today.  One of these reasons is that as a reader you become so invested in the lives of the characters that you can’t help but want to read their story over and over and over again.  I’m sure that this is the case for Gabrielle Donnelly, author of The Little Women Letters.  Her love for Louisa May Alcott’s beloved March sisters inspired her to continue their story by allowing the stories of Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy to live on via a much younger and contemporary setting.  The result is a great juxtaposition of old and new as Donnelly does an outstanding job at telling their stories and breathing new life into this classic.

The novel begins with sisters Emma, Lulu, and Sophie of the Atwater family, who live in London.  They are “imagined descendents” of Jo March, the second and very opinionated child in the March family from Little Women.  Lulu, the middle sister, is sent up to the attic of their home to find some recipes for her aunt, and inadvertently discovers a trove of letters written by Jo to her sisters.  Feeling a bit lost herself, Lulu takes solace in these letters and begins to discover the lives of the March sisters through their correspondence.  She discovers that she is much like Jo herself, and this empowers her to view her life in a whole new way, weaving the great stories of the March sisters in the past with her own present.

Firstly, I have to give Donnelly a lot of credit for her writing style.  She writes in a way that makes the Atwater sisters seem like your own, and the more you read about them, the more endearing they become.  I truly felt as if I was getting to know them as the book went on, and Donnelly allowed a relationship to grow between myself and the characters that made the book that much more enjoyable.  Secondly, I also really enjoyed that the plot of Little Women had so much influence in the writing of The Little Women Letters.  A lot of contemporary novels that I’ve read that are influenced by classics normally just take the plot of said classic novel and modernize it.  While that was done in this book, Donnelly finds ways to take the original story and infuse it with the new contemporary one, giving the reader an opportunity to hang out with his/her favorite characters from the original.

Finally, it takes a masterful artist to weave the lives of three characters together, let alone the 8+ that Donnelly works with.  She’s definitely something special and is a gem of a writer.  I wouldn’t be surprised if The Little Women Letters is as loved and adored as Little Women in the future.

5 out of 5 Stars

The Little Women Letters, by Gabrielle Donnelly
Touchstone, New York (2011)
Hardcover (386) pages
ISBN: 978-1451617184

© 2007 – 2011 Kimberly Denny-Ryder, Austenprose

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The Annotated Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen, Edited and Annotated by David M. Shapard – A Review

Posted in Blog Events, Book Reviews, Jane Austen's Novels & Letters Book Reviews, Reading Challenges, The Sense and Sensibility Bicentenary Challenge 2011, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 25 May 2011 | 39 Comments »

The Annontated Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen, Annotated & Edited by David M. Shapard (2011)How appropriate that The Annotated Sense and Sensibility is being published during the bicentenary year of Jane Austen’s first published novel.

This new book includes the complete text of Jane Austen’s classic with annotations by Dr. David M. Shapard, an expert in eighteenth-century European History who also brought us similar annotated editions of Pride and Prejudice in 2007 and Persuasion in 2010. I enjoyed both of his previous works. I find annotated editions of classics fascinating, especially if they are written from the perspective of historical and social events and not weighed down with scholarly opinions. Dr. Shapard’s agenda here is obviously to enlighten the reader by opening up Austen’s two hundred-year old text with facts, tidbits, asides, and information that a novice reader or veteran can relate to so they can appreciate the story even more.

This volume weighs in at a hefty one pound and six ounces and contains 784 pages of wow factor for any Jane Austen fan or literature lover. Jane Austen’s complete and unabridged text is included on the left hand page and the enumerated annotations on the right. No stone has been left unturned. Even the illustration on the front cover depicting two fashionably attired Regency-era young ladies walking in the countryside with an umbrella receives its own corresponding page of enlightenment on the history of the umbrella, walking as an amusement, large muffs as a winter accoutrement, and an observation on the picturesque landscape depicted in the illustration. This keen sense of the era in relation to the text continues throughout the over 2,000 annotations including: textural explanations of historical and social details, black and white illustrations of art works, caricatures, cartoons and maps, definitions of archaic words, citations from Jane Austen’s life and letters, a chronology of the novel, extensive bibliography, fifteen page introduction by the editor, and his literary interpretations of plot and characters. It is a monumental achievement that I will spend years coming back to and exploring.

I know that there has been criticism of Dr. Shapard’s unscholarly approach to annotation in his two previous editions. He uses open and accessible language for the layperson, and for the sake of clarity, he repeats definitions so the reader does not have to jump back and forth throughout the book for answers. In my view, this is considerate and not tiresome as some have complained. After all, who is this book’s primary audience? Pleasure readers and students, or scholars?  If you are a scholar you should be seeking primary source material and interpreting it in your own style, as Dr. Shapard has chosen to do in this volume. Amusingly, I find objections to the un-pedantic qualities of his writing an irony that Jane Austen would take delight in.

Overall, this new edition was mesmerizing. My only complaint is that not every inch of the right hand page is packed to the brim with annotation – but I am a greedy Janeite. Retailing at $16.95, this is a bargain resource book that every Jane Austen and Regency-era history enthusiast should own.

5 out of 5 Regency Stars

This is my fifth selection in the Sense and Sensibility Bicentenary Challenge 2011, my year-long homage to Jane Austen’s first published novel, Sense and Sensibility. You can follow the event as I post reviews on the fourth Wednesday of every month and read all of the other participants contributions posted in the challenge review pages here.

A Grand Giveaway

Enter a chance to win one copy of The Annotated Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen, Edited and Annotated by David M. Shapard by leaving a comment by midnight PT Wednesday, June 14, 2011 stating who your favorite character is in Sense and Sensibility and why, or what intrigues you about reading an annotated edition of Sense and Sensibility. Winners will be announced on Thursday, June 15, 2011. Shipment to US or Canadian addresses only.

The Annotated Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen, Edited and Annotated by David M. Shapard
Anchor Books (2011) New York
Trade paperback (784) pages
ISBN: 978-0307390769

© 2007 – 2011 Laurel Ann Nattress, Austenprose

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The Ballad of Gregoire Darcy: Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice Continues, by Marsha Altman – A Review

Posted in Book Reviews, Jane Austen Sequels Book Reviews, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 22 May 2011 | 9 Comments »

The Ballad of Gregoire Darcy: Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice Continues, by Marsha Altman (2011)Guest review by Shelley DeWees – The Uprising

If there was ever an “About the Author” section that seemed to speak to me, directly to me, it is this one:

Marsha Altman exists more as a philosophical concept than an atom-based structure existing within the rules of time and space as we know them.  She is the author of four books set in Jane Austen’s Regency England as well as the editor of an anthology of Pride and Prejudice-related fiction.  When not writing, she studies Talmud and paints Tibetan ritual art, preferably not at the same time.  She lives in New York, New York, and does not own any cats.

Diverse.  Engaging.  Just plain cool.

And somehow, someway, Altman’s distinctive personality (at least the one she’s chosen to portray publicly) has been transposed onto a 432-page doorstop of a book that is just as diverse, engaging, and cool as she is.  The Ballad of Gregoire Darcy is the fourth installment in Altman’s what-happens-after-pride-and-prejudice universe, and it will have you hooked within moments.  Want to travel the world with Darcy and the gang?  Want to say HI to his illegitimate brother Gregoire in Spain before he shows you what crazy apparatus he wears?  How about India?  What would Charles Bingley look like with a monkey on his shoulder?

All this, and more, can be yours.  The story drips with spirit and intrigue while unique characters, characters who still somehow manage to stay in the realm of Jane Austen’s originals, carouse and laugh and pray their way around their various estates.  Gregoire Darcy is forced to leave his lonely monastery on the windswept shores of Spain, abandoning his life in the church and returning to England to live out the rest of his life.  But how shall he cope?  What will he do now?  With the support of Fitzwilliam Darcy and his every-expanding family, Gregoire finds himself free to explore the world and his own inner mysteries, and is quite surprised at what he discovers!

Elizabeth Darcy herself is in the background most of the time, along with all her sisters and a mountain of nieces, nephews, and children from her own loins (4 of them).  Caroline Bingley and her husband, Dr. Maddox, along with all their offspring often frequent the pages, while Georgiana and her husband, Dr. Maddox’s brother and his wife and their cohort Mugin, and even Charlotte Collins and her own brood are all present as well (which will make you very thankful for the family tree Altman has so thoughtfully included).  Gregoire himself, Darcy’s half-brother, is a likeable person, generous and reverent to the end, and although his story is mired in trouble and heartbreak while he attempts to conform to English society.  Problems are many, and finding solutions makes each character bloom all the more.

Yes, it’s a rip roarin’ good time.  Funny, well-written, and projecting the image of one seriously practiced researcher and writer.  The structure is beautiful with frequent page breaks being the only exception…but you’ll get used to it.  The book as a whole flows with a lovely sense of development and prose, which becomes all the more enjoyable when you stumble upon sassy scenes like these:

“What are rich people like?”

He laughed.  She hadn’t meant it seriously—there was no way that she could have.  That didn’t mean he was exempted from providing an answer, so he took a piece of potato floating in the soup and put it in his mouth, chewing on it to give himself time to mull over the question.  “Do you wish to know a secret?”

She squealed, “Aye!”

“They are terribly, terribly bored.”

Neither of them could hold back their laughter at that.  He was glad that he had swallowed his food properly, as he could not have held it in.  “They have their servants do every menial task.  The do not even dress themselves, and are left with nothing to do.  So they read books and go own walks and then sit down for long dinners where they discuss reading books and going on walks.  And then they write people about it, because writing takes time.”

Read this book, take a long walk, then come home for dinner and tell everyone about it.  They’ll want to read it too!

5 out of 5 Regency Stars

The Ballad of Gregoire Darcy: Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice Continues, by Marsha Altman
Ulysses Press (2011)
Trade paperback (432) pages
ISBN: 978-1569759370

© 2007 – 2011 Shelley DeWees, Austenprose

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Giveaway winner announced for Jane and the Genius of the Place

Posted in Austenesque Books, Reading Challenges, tagged , , , , , , on 28 April 2011 | 2 Comments »

Jane and the Genius of the Place, by Stephanie Barron (1999)18 of you left comments qualifying you for a chance to win a signed hardcover copy of Jane and the Genius of the Place, by Stephanie Barron. The winner drawn at random is Penelope who left a comment on April 26th.

Congratulations Penelope! To claim your prize, please contact me with your full name and address by May 4th, 2011. Shipment is to US and Canadian addresses only.

Thanks to all who left comments, and for all those participating in the Being a Jane Austen Mystery Reading Challenge 2011. We are reading all eleven novels in this great Austen inspired mystery series this year. The challenge is open until July 1st, 2011, so please check out the details and sign up today!

© 2007 – 2011 Laurel Ann Nattress, Austenprose

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Top Ten Reasons Why You Should Stalk Jane Austen

Posted in Jane Austen Humor, Jane Austen Inspired, tagged , , , , , on 8 April 2011 | 23 Comments »

Portrait of Jane Austen, by Rocco Fazzari from The Herald (2008)Gentle Readers: Here is a guest post with some Friday fun to get the weekend rolling early. Alyssa Palazzo is a young college student with a passion/obsession for our dear Jane. I thought her essay charming and very funny. Enjoy!

My friends think I have a problem.

I follow Jane Austen on Twitter.  I watch her house on Google Earth and note her every movement in my journal.  I have friend requested her 307 times on Facebook.  Last night, I checked to see what time she was leaving for the Connecticut Repertory Theater’s rendition of Pride and Prejudice.  Then I followed her there.  I keep my cupboard stocked with her favorite cereal brand in the hopes that one day her car will break down in front of my house and she will want breakfast.

Just kidding.  Jane Austen’s dead.  BUT, if she were alive, I would have absolutely no problem hiding under her bed and tracking her every movement.  After all, I’ve read the books, seen the movies, watched the plays, and enrolled myself in the Jane Austen class offered at UConn.  In order to defend my sanity I have composed a list of the top ten reasons I should stalk Jane Austen (or at least like the books.)

  1. Mr. Darcy, Mr. Knightley, and Edmund Bertram are the sexiest male protagonists of all time.  Enough said.
  2. Happy endings.  Every young lady ends up with exactly the right gentleman despite undergoing several trials and mix-ups.
  3. The heroines aren’t weak creatures who need to be saved.  Elizabeth Bennet treks through three miles of mud to visit her sick sister.  There is no fainting, swooning, or rescuing to be found – although it might be worth it to be saved by the sexiest male protagonist of all time.
  4. The characters suffer the consequences of their actions.  For example, when Charlotte Lucas marries for convenience, she has to spend the rest of her life rotting in the back room of her house while avoiding her idiotic and obsequious husband.  Harsh, but true.
  5. The luxurious settings.  Forget London.  Who wouldn’t want to live in Longbourn or Highbury amidst the ample fields and long country roads?  Especially when you live right down the lane from the sexiest male protagonist of all time.
  6. Best opening line ever:  “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”  Haha.  Get it?
  7. Austen does a fantastic job of mocking society.  The clergymen are foolish, the “accomplished” young ladies are dimwitted, and the main characters can be spoilt and headstrong.  This makes for a great book.
  8. It’s not all about romance.  The books incorporate human shortcomings, character flaws, and moral dilemmas, forcing the readers to think about human nature.
  9. Austen was one of the few female writers of her time, and better yet, she never married.  Way to stick it to the man.
  10. Have I mentioned the sexiest male protagonists of all time?!  I’m a Darcy girl myself, but trust me, there’s a man for every female reader in Austen’s novels.

Now that I’ve defended my sanity I’m off to read Mansfield Park.  Trust me, it never gets old.

Editor’s note: Isn’t it refreshing Janeites, that young people all over the world are reading Austen and getting it? This eloquent and observant analysis just made my day!

Author Bio:

Alyssa Palazzo is a 4th semester English major and Women’s Studies minor at the University of Connecticut.  Her latest work “Leaving the E-Herd for Face-to-Face Dating” was featured in the Hartford Courant.  When she is not stalking Jane Austen, she is working and blogging at UConn’s Long River Review.  You can follow her adventures at www.longriverreview.com

2007 – 2011 Alyssa Palazzo, Austenprose

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Wickham’s Diary, by Amanda Grange – A Review

Posted in Book Reviews, Jane Austen Sequels Book Reviews, tagged , , , , , , , on 6 April 2011 | 5 Comments »

Wickham's Diary, by Amanda Grange (2011)Austen’s bad boy George Wickham gets top billing in this prequel to Pride and Prejudice that will surprise readers for more reasons than one first imagines.

Anyone who has read Jane Austen’s original novel or seen one of the many movie adaptations knows that Wickham is a bad man: a charming rogue, a gamester and an infamous eloper. But what influences molded his character and what forces drove him to his choices? Wickham’s Diary presents some interesting options for us to ponder. Was it nature or nurture that corrupted his soul? After knowing his story, will we be sympathetic, or ready to string him up? Here’s a case study:

Early Childhood:

George is the son of an attorney working as a steward at the grand country estate of Pemberley in Derbyshire. At twelve, he is the companion of the heir Fitzwilliam Darcy. He has everything going for him: good looks, affable manners and a stage mother. On her urgent request, he ingratiates himself to the family and wins the heart of old Mr. Darcy who sends him to Eton to be educated with his son. He is also promised a future living as a clergyman on the estate. He thinks that the only difference between the respect and admiration that his friend Darcy commands is his money. To attain the wealth, power and social position that he craves, his mother advises him to marry an heiress. Casting his eye on the wealthy young women he knows, Georgiana Darcy and her cousin Anne de Bourgh are his first targets. Calculating and contrived, his life is solely driven to find a rich wife.

Young Adulthood:

He is sent to Cambridge at the expense of Mr. Darcy to be educated as a gentleman. Seeing the advantages of social connections, he continues to search for a rich sister within his fellow classmates. He is not a good student, and soon falls in with the wrong people: drinking, carousing and gambling his way into debt. Fitzwilliam attempts to save him. He promises to reform, but soon slides back. His mother dies. He drinks, gambles and carouses some more. His dreams of marrying an heiress are fading away. No proper mother will let their daughters near him. Old Mr. Darcy dies leaving him the promised living. He and Darcy have a falling out over his lifestyle, loosing his friends good opinion forever. He is in serious debt and asks him to pay him a lump sum, accepting £3,000 instead of the church living. Fitzwilliam washes his hands of him while Wickham squanders his inheritance. We wait to see what forces drive him to later stalk Anne de Bourgh and scheme to elope with Georgiana.

Yes, George Wickham is a despicable scoundrel – and so fun to watch charm, scheme and fail in the original novel. We know that it is unkind to take pleasure from other’s misfortunes, but this is a morality tale that Jane Austen set up, so we give ourselves permission to enjoy it! Amanda Grange’s skill at relaying Wickham’s simple plan for a happy life: marry a rich wife, attain her social position, absorb her estate and spend her money, makes it all seem so logical. Being a male equivalent of a gold digger is very seemly. Especially since Regency men had freedoms that women would never aspire to. Wickham is depraved, he is dissipated and he is disgusting.  But we knew that already from Austen’s tale.

We do learn interesting new tidbits that formed his character: a selfish, thoughtless, frivolous mother disappointed in her lot teaches her son to obtain what she wanted out of life by unscrupulous means. This is the root of his evil beginnings. The early childhood scenes with mummy dearest are the most interesting insights in this novella. They were over too quickly. So was the rest of the story. It abruptly ends with the failed elopement at Ramsgate, leaving us dangling mid-air. We felt short sheeted. Just when the story gets rolling it stops. No insights into Wicky’s Meryton escapades: meeting Mr. Darcy again, his flirtation with Elizabeth Bennet, inside dirt on his pursuit of heiress Mary King, what went down in Brighton with Lydia, and why did he really elope with a young, frivolous woman who was as far from an heiress as could be? Why, why, why, kept rolling through my mind. Guess we won’t’ find out.

Being an account of his childhood, his friendship with Fitzwilliam Darcy, and his attempted elopement with Miss Georgian Darcy. Yep, the subtitle pretty much sums it up.  So be prepared gentle reader for the short ride, and not all what one might expect from the great Amanda Grange who has wowed us for years with her amazing Austen hero’s diaries series. I am setting my hopes on her next “real” novel, Henry Tilney’s Diary, to be released in the UK in May and the US in December of this year. That thought alone wipes away any deeply harbored regrets hereto.

3 out of 5 Regency Stars

Wickham’s Diary, by Amanda Grange
Sourcebooks (2011)
Trade paperback (208) pages
ISBN: 978-1402251863

© 2007 – 2011 Laurel Ann Nattress, Austenprose

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Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Graphic Novel, adapted by Tony Lee and Illustrated by Cliff Richards – A Review

Posted in Book Reviews, Jane Austen Sequels Book Reviews, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 16 March 2011 | 8 Comments »

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Graphic Novel, adapted by Tony Lee and Illustrated by Cliff Richards (2010)Guest review by Kimberly Denny-Ryder of Reflections of a Book Addict

Who would have ever thought that adding zombies to a classic novel like Pride and Prejudice would create the literary mash-up phenomenon? It started in 2009 when Seth Grahame-Smith took Jane Austen’s original work and mashed it together with flesh eating zombies. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies has since spawned a graphic novel, a prequel Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls, soon to be released sequel Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dreadfully Ever After, and a movie adaptation is in production.

The storyline in the graphic novel edition has been adapted by Tony Lee from the Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith original. Regency England has become overridden with zombies, or unmentionables, and Elizabeth Bennet and her four sisters have each been trained in the “deadly arts,” a combination of both ninja skills and martial arts training, to fight off the maraudring hordes. Due to their father’s previous training in the “deadly arts”, the Bennet sisters are well known for being the fiercest and bravest zombie warriors in the Meryton area.

Illustrations by Cliff Richards for Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Graphic Novel (2010)

Following the classic plot of Pride and Prejudice, Mr. Bingley, a single man in possession of a good fortune moves into the area sending the Bennet household into an uproar. Mrs. Bennet has five unmarried daughters and has designs upon him marrying one of them. Bingley is introduced along with his sisters and good friend Fitzwilliam Darcy to the Bennet family at a local Assembly ball.  Bingley dances several times with Jane Bennet, encouraging Darcy to enjoy the ball and dance with her younger sister Elizabeth. Darcy, not wanting to mix with the local gentry, tells Bingley that Elizabeth is “not handsome enough to tempt me.” Elizabeth overhears Darcy’s reaction and instantly decides that he is the most arrogant man she’s ever met and that she must kill him to revenge her honor. His life is saved only by the zombie attack that occurs at the ball. Elizabeth and her sisters save the townspeople by forming their pentagram of death and killing all of the attacking unmentionables. As Darcy sees them fighting, he notices Elizabeth’s stellar skills and begins to look at her in a different way.

Illustrations by Cliff Richards for Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Graphic Novel (2010)

Throughout the rest of their acquaintance in Meryton, Darcy continues to look at her more and more in a positive light and begins falling in love with her. This is all unbeknownst to Elizabeth who still looks upon Darcy with contempt. The plot continues to play out similarly to the original with Darcy separating Bingley from Jane due to her inappropriate family, cousin and heir to Longbourn Mr. Collins arriving, Elizabeth rejecting his proposal, Charlotte in turn accepting him, Elizabeth’s trip to Kent, and Darcy’s failed proposal to her, etc. The elements of Austen’s story are all still there, only the added in zombie-killing action sequences have been added.

While the illustrations in the graphic novel are well drawn, it was a bit confusing trying to figure out who was who. The artwork is in black and white, so in scenes with lots of dialogue, it was confusing to figure out who is saying what.  As the novel progresses however, it’s easier to follow since the character list drops to just major characters only. I would have liked to have seen color illustrations in this graphic novel edition. I think it would have brought a different element to the zombie attack scenes. The lack of color made me feel like I was reading a newspaper comic rather than a graphic novel.

Illustrations by Cliff Richards for Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Graphic Novel (2010)

The difficulty in following the character dialogue caused me to dislike the first half of the graphic novel. Once the plot picked up, and it was easier to follow the action, I found that I actually enjoyed it more. The mashed-up plot is an incredibly creative story that is a really interesting juxtaposition between ninjas, zombies, martial arts and Regency England. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: the Graphic Novel is an imaginative way to get more people to read classic novels, albeit not in their original context. Regardless, it is still making people check out the classics, which is very exciting.

This book is definitely not for the Austen purists out there. The story is liberally changed to make Lizzy an intense warrior, Lady Catherine the foremost zombie killer in all of England, and Charlotte Lucas into an unmentionable, just to name a few. For those willing to see a creative change in Jane Austen’s classic work, check it out, but do prepared for some gory, bloody bits!

3 out of 5 Regency Stars

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Graphic Novel, by Jane Austen, Seth Grahame-Smith, adapted by Tony Lee and illustrated by Cliff Richards
Random House Publishing Group (2010)
Paperback (176) pages
ISBN: 978-0345520685

2007 – 2011 Kimberly Denny-Ryder, Austenprose

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Exclusive Preview and Excerpt from Wickham’s Diary, by Amanda Grange

Posted in Austenesque Authors, Austenesque Books, tagged , , , , , , , on 14 March 2011 | 10 Comments »

Wickham's Diary, by Amanda Grange (2011)Launching on April 1st, Wickham’s Diary, Amanda Grange’s new novella inspired by Jane Austen’s bad boy enters this world on April Fools Day. We promise it is no joke, but indeed a treat. Renowned for her retellings of Austen’s classic stories from the heroes perspective: Mr. Darcy’s Diary (2007), Mr. Knightley’s Diary (2007), Captain Wentworth’s Diary (2008), Edmund Bertram’s Diary (2008), Colonel Brandon’s Diary (2009) and the soon to be released Henry Tilney’s Diary (31 May in the UK & 6 Dec in US), this is Grange’s first novel based on an Austen villain. It promises to be wickedly intriguing!

Jane Austen did not suffer fools gladly. We know by the end of Pride and Prejudice that her rakish cad George Wickham and the selfish, impetuous Lydia Bennet are married and shipped off to a Northumberland exile. Their eventual fate is quickly revealed in the concluding chapter of the novel.

Their manner of living, even when the restoration of peace dismissed them to a home, was unsettled in the extreme. They were always moving from place to place in quest of a cheap situation, and always spending more than they ought. His affection for her soon sunk into indifference: her’s lasted a little longer; and in spite of her youth and her manners, she retained all the claims to reputation which her marriage had given her.

Indeed a grim reward for such scandalous behavior. But how did Wickham, who was raised with the honorable Mr. Darcy, become so dissipated? Ms. Grange shares her insights into how she envisioned the events.

This prequel to Pride and Prejudice begins with George Wickham at age 12, handsome and charming but also acutely aware that his friend, Fitzwilliam Darcy, is rich, whilst he is poor. His mother encourages him to exercise his charm on the young Georgiana Darcy and Anne de Bourgh in the hopes of establishing a stable of wealthy social connections.

At university, Darcy and Wickham grow apart. Wickham is always drinking and wenching, whilst Darcy, who apparently has everything, is looking for something he cannot find. Wickham runs through the money Darcy gives him and then takes up with the scandalous Belle, a woman after Wickham’s own greedy, black heart.

Here is an exclusive excerpt from Wickham’s Diary selected by the author. Enjoy!

3rd July 1799

Whilst walking through the park today, who should I see but Belle! She was as delighted to see me as I was to see her and we went to an inn together. The day was so hot that we both ordered an ice.

‘And have you married your merchant?’ I asked her, as we began to eat. ‘You were going to find some rich husband and settle down the last time we met.’

‘No, I changed my mind. I couldn’t find any­one to suit me and in the end I decided that, anyway, it would not do. I am not cut out to be a wife. I have taken a salaried position instead.’

‘Ah, so you are some man’s mistress then. He is very lucky. I only wish I had more money, my dear, and I would snap you up myself.’

She laughed at me.

‘Pockets to let as usual, George?’

‘You know me too well,’ I said, turning them out so that she could see how empty they were.

She raised her eyebrows and went back to her ice, but after a minute or two she said seriously, ‘We’re both getting older, George, even you are not as young as you were. You ought to be thinking of settling down. Marriage is easier for a man, not as restraining. With your silver tongue you ought to be looking for an heiress to marry.’

‘I have been thinking in just the same way.’

She turned and looked at me appraisingly.

‘What is it?’ I asked.

‘Only this. That I am engaged to be a companion—’

‘A companion! I had no idea your salaried position would be so respectable,’ I said. ‘You will never keep it, Belle. You will not be able to hold your tongue when some old harridan starts telling you what to do.’

‘I’m not engaged to be a companion to an old harridan, but to a young girl—’

‘A young girl!’ I exclaimed. ‘You, Belle! Why, who would employ a woman like you to be a companion to a young girl—begging your par­don, but you know what I mean.’

‘Don’t worry, George, I know exactly what you mean. But you see my employer doesn’t know about my history, and who is going to tell him? You?’

‘No, of course not, but how did you come by such a post in the first place?’ I asked curi­ously, for I could not imagine any way in which it could happen.

She took another spoonful of ice and let it melt slowly on her tongue, then said, ‘I met an old school friend by chance in the circulating library. I went to an elegant seminary, you know, one of the best, a very respectable establishment it was, and frequented by some very good families. My family were respectable, God bless them, when they were alive. But when my parents died, shortly after I left the seminary, I had to fend for myself and—well, you know the rest. Well, I met this friend again, Amelia Campbell, and we exclaimed over the chance and then caught up on all the news, only my version of my history was, as you may well guess, a slightly altered one.’

‘Did she not suspect anything? Had she not heard anything of you in the meantime?’

‘No, not she. She had married a man in the diplomatic corps and so had spent many years abroad, and she and her husband had only just returned to this country. So she had heard nothing of my years in the demimonde. She saw what she expected to see: an old school friend, somewhat shabbily dressed but as respectable as ever. I quickly saw she could be of use to me, and so I spun her a tale about how I had mar­ried a wonderful man, how happy we had been until his tragic death in a carriage accident, my brave struggle to manage since his death, and my poor but respectable life. She, bless her, was full of sympathy and said she knew of an excellent position that might suit me, and before the week was out I was employed. So tomorrow I am to take up my new appointment and in a few weeks we are to go to Ramsgate, where my young lady is to spend the summer; her brother thinks it is too hot for her in London and he wants her to have the benefit of sea air.’

‘And you have a plan in mind?’ I asked her.

‘Yes, I have, George. This young woman is an heiress.’

I saw where her thoughts were tending and I began to take more interest in her story.

‘An heiress, under your influence,’ I said thoughtfully. ‘And she is to spend the sum­mer at a seaside resort, where she will not be watched very closely. She will be away from her family?’

‘She will. She will be there alone with me. She is an orphan,’ she said by way of explanation.

‘Better and better. If she is all alone in the world—’

‘Now, George, don’t be mean, I would rather have two.’

‘I will be the one running all the risks,’ I reminded her.

‘What risks?’ she said in derision. ‘There aren’t any risks.’

I pushed the ice away from me and leant forward.

‘Yes there are,’ I said. ‘If her brother finds out what I’m doing and calls me out, then it will be me looking down the wrong end of a pistol, not you, and if he is a good shot then it will be me taking the bullet.’

‘He will have to catch you first.’ She laughed and finished off her ice with one last lick of the spoon. ‘And how will he find out? By the time he learns that anything is amiss you will be half­way to Scotland.’

‘Scotland?’ The word brought me up short. ‘She is under age then?’

‘Yes. She is fifteen.’

‘That is very young,’ I said with a frown.

‘In England, yes, though in Scotland it is thought plenty old enough to be married and no parents’ or guardian’s consent needed, just two people who say they want to be wed. Then it’s a quick ceremony over the anvil and you’re legally man and wife—or perhaps I should say man and fortune!’ she added, laughing.

I joined in her laughter.

‘Man and fortune. I like that,’ I said. Then I became serious. ‘Now, how is the thing to be done?’

She thought. ‘You must meet us casually,’ she said at last. ‘A chance meeting, in the circulating library…’

‘No, not the library; there will be too many people there and too many curious glances. We should meet somewhere less crowded, whilst walking by the sea perhaps, somewhere well away from the main promenade, so that there will be very few people there. Then I can scrape an acquaintance—perhaps we have friends in common, or anyway I can at least pretend we have. What is her name?’

‘Darcy,’ she said.

© Amanda Grange, Wickham’s Diary, Sourcebooks (2011)

About the Author

Amanda Grange was born in Yorkshire, in the north of England. She spent her teenage years reading Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer whilst also finding time to study music at Nottingham University. She went on to be a teacher and then managed to fulfill her ambition to become a published writer. Amanda has had eighteen novels published including five (soon to be six!) Jane Austen retellings, which look at events from the heroes’ points of view. Amanda Grange now lives in Cheshire, where she spends half her life in the twenty-first century and the other half in the early nineteenth century.

© 2007 – 2011 Laurel Ann Nattress, Austenprose

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The Jane Austen Handbook: Proper Life Skills from Regency England, by Margaret C. Sullivan – A Review

Posted in Book Reviews, Jane Austen Help & Advice Book Reviews, tagged , , , , , , , on 13 March 2011 | 14 Comments »

The Jane Austen Handbook: Proper Life Skills from Regency England, by Margaret C. Sullivan (2011)Everyone loves a new frock to brighten their day, and authors are as equally excitable when it comes to re-issues of their works. We were very happy for Margaret C. Sullivan of AustenBlog fame when we learned that her excellent The Jane Austen Handbook (2007) hardcover edition was getting a second go round from its publisher Quirk Books in a new and more accessible paperback format. Not only does the pretty new cover catch the eye, the price leaves a bit more pewter in ones pocket without any changes to the original text and illustrations.

Filled with pertinent facts that every Regency Miss should be aware of to become truly accomplished, it is easy for us to recommend this great little how-to book to our readers because we have used it personally over the past four years whenever we had a question regarding deportment, dancing, playing an instrument, frock shopping and making love (in the Regency context mind you) – the top five most critical social aspects to any young Regency ladies life. One can also throw in letter writing, entertaining house guests and managing a household and just about anything else our dear Austen heroines Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, Elizabeth Bennet, Emma Woodhouse or Anne Elliot already know that might qualify them as a truly accomplished young lady in Mr. Darcy’s eyes. We shall not add Catherine Morland and Fanny Price into the mix. They are exceptions to the rule and shall be forgiven their lack of education, and might well benefit from this slim volume.

Illustration by Kathryn Rathke from The Jane Austen Handbook: Proper Life Skills from Regency England, by Margaret C. Sullivan (2011) pg 17

Besides being wise, this volume is also very witty, and that is where we take full enjoyment of its tongue-in-cheek manner. Who would not want to know how to choose a prospective husband (What? They do not choose us? Is that not the unspoken belief among all beaux?), how to decline an unwanted marriage proposal (Lizzy Bennet might offer some advice to Fanny Price on this too!), carry off a secret engagement (Lucy Steele and Jane Fairfax would benefit from modern Prozac no doubt), or elope to Gretna Green (Lydia Bennet FAIL). There are also other tidbits that really made us laugh too. Each page turn brought more delightful and humorous illustrations by Kathryn Rathke and informative vignettes of examples from Jane Austen’s novels like: Who Died and Made Mr. Collins the Heir of Longbourn? or the  Worst (and Funniest) Proposals in Jane Austen’s Novels. *snort*

Illustration by Kathryn Rathke from The Jane Austen Handbook: Proper Life Skills from Regency England, by Margaret C. Sullivan (2011) pg 165

Informative, impertinent and indispensable, The Jane Austen Handbook is a must have for anyone eager to understand anything from the obvious to the nuanced differences of society in Regency England. Lest we think this frivolous fare, it also contains a brief, but well-written bio of Jane Austen, summaries of the major novels and minor works, a glossary, a list of modern film adaptions through 2007, resources online: websites and blogs (we are forgotten, *sniff*), Austen societies, Austen places to visit, libraries and archives, and a select bibliography. Lastly, we know that Mary Bennet would happily offer her pedantic stamp of approval of this volume because it contains a full index for ease of access to Janeites on the fast track to becoming truly accomplished.

Illustration by Kathryn Rathke from The Jane Austen Handbook: Proper Life Skills from Regency England, by Margaret C. Sullivan (2011) pg 120

5 out of 5 Regency Stars

The Jane Austen Handbook: Proper Life Skills from Regency England, by Margaret C. Sullivan
Quirk Publishing (2011)
Trade paperback (224) pages
ISBN: 978-1594745058

© 2007 – 2011 Laurel Ann Nattress, Austenprose

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Only Mr. Darcy Will Do, by Kara Louise – A Review

Posted in Book Reviews, Jane Austen Sequels Book Reviews, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 6 March 2011 | 13 Comments »

Only Mr. Darcy Will Do, by Kara Louise (2011)Guest review by Kimberly Denny-Ryder of Reflections of a Book Addict

Many Pride and Prejudice fans often have “what if” moments.  What if Elizabeth accepted Darcy the first time?  What if they had met previously and were kind to each other?  What if Elizabeth was forced to accept Darcy, knowing he was still very proud?  Author Kara Louise has answered some of these questions and more in her six Pride and Prejudice variation novels.  Only Mr. Darcy Will Do, originally tiled Something Like Regret, is the second of author Kara Louise’s self-published novels to be re-issued by Sourcebooks.  Her first novel Darcy’s Voyage quickly gained her notoriety in the Austen fan fiction world as an incredibly creative variation author.

A year after his disastrous proposal to Elizabeth Bennet, Fitzwilliam Darcy is returning to Rosings Park for his annual sojourn to his aunt’s grand estate.  During his journey he reflects upon his last visit and wonders what Elizabeth Bennet is doing now.   He has no idea that she is now working as a governess in London for the Willstone Family.  Mrs. Bennet’s worst fears about the entail have come true. Mr. Bennet has died the previous spring and the Collins’ have taken possession of Longbourn, displacing the Bennet ladies and forcing Elizabeth to find work.  Her sister Jane now lives with their Aunt and Uncle Gardiner in London, and Lydia, Mary, Kitty and Mrs. Bennet are residing on the good graces of the Phillips’ in Meryton.

In London Elizabeth often reflects on how different her life would have been had she accepted the proposals of Mr. Collins or Mr. Darcy, acknowledging in her heart that she did the right thing in rejecting them.  She does recall the proposal from Mr. Darcy with sadness, recognizing he might not have been as horrible of a man as she thought.  Her feelings for him soften as she re-reads the “Be not alarmed, Madame,” letter he wrote to her following the proposal.  One evening the Willstones throw a dinner party at which Mr. Bingley and Georgiana Darcy are guests.  Mr. Bingley is shocked to see Elizabeth there as a governess and comes to learn the of Mr. Bennet’s death.  When the party is over Mrs. Willstone’s sister Rosalyn comes to Elizabeth’s room because she is surprised that Elizabeth is acquainted with the Darcy family.  Rosalyn opens up to Elizabeth, telling her that she has been in love with Mr. Darcy her entire life, that from their first meeting she knew he was the man she wanted to marry.  Elizabeth must curb her jealousy and hide her previous dealings with Darcy from Rosalyn for fear that she might lose her job.

Elizabeth soon finds herself thrown into Darcy’s social circle due to his acquaintance with the Willstone’s, which soon results in an invitation for all to Pemberley.  Elizabeth, thinking that Darcy is falling for Rosalyn, tries to tell the family that the invitation is not meant to include her.  They tell her that he specifically invited her as well, thus beginning their journey to Pemberley.  The more time that Elizabeth spends in Darcy’s acquaintance the harder she beings to fall for him.  Her behavior however is checked by Mrs. Willstone as she tells Elizabeth that she is not to join them after dinner, she is after all just a governess.   Will Darcy save her from her dreary life as a governess or is it too late for there to ever be a future between them?

I have to start out first by giving those of you who want to read this novel a quick warning.  You WILL read this book from start to finish in one sitting, so don’t be like me and start it as you’re going to bed.  I didn’t go to sleep until 3:15am, I was that hooked.

I was introduced to Kara Louise with her first novel Darcy’s Voyage and have been anxiously awaiting her next novel.  It couldn’t have come any sooner.  Her writing style is completely captivating.  You become so engrossed in the novel that it’s impossible to put down.  The storyline is so original and so creative.  It’s amazing how asking “what if” to one small section of the story changes the plot entirely.

Even though the plot line is changed, Kara stays true to the characterizations that Austen created. Elizabeth is still strong willed and quick witted while Darcy has checked his pride at the door and just wants to win Elizabeth’s heart.  Bingley and Jane are just as generous and kind as ever, while Lydia is still throwing her virtue all over the place.  Kara introduces many strong and multi-layered new characters that could have been straight from the pages of Austen’s original works, only enhancing the story further.

Creative, engaging and reverent to Austen’s characters, I cannot recommend Only Mr. Darcy Will Do enough.  If you’ve never read anything by this author, then I highly suggest you jump on the bandwagon and read everything she’s written.  There is a rumor going around that Sourcebooks might pick up another of her self-published books, and let me tell you, it would be an incredibly smart move on their part if they did.

5 out of 5 Regency Stars

Only Mr. Darcy Will Do, by Kara Louise
Sourcebooks (2011)
Trade paperback (368) pages
ISBN: 9781402241031

2007 – 2010 Kimberly Denny-Ryder, Austenprose

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Friday Mornings at Nine, by Marilyn Brant – A Review

Posted in Book Reviews, Randomly Not Jane Austen Book Reviews, tagged , , , , , , on 3 March 2011 | 3 Comments »

Friday Mornings at Nine, by Marilyn Brant (2010)Guest review by Shelley DeWees – The Uprising

“Relationships are so complicated, and the path strewn with thorns, that everybody struggled somewhere down the line.  Early in the dating process. Those rough first years of marriage.  Later, when midlife crises and doubts rushed in.  Passion waxed and waned across the board, didn’t it?  And so many times, people who had dealt with hardships in the relationship at first, grew into mature adults who retained a warm appreciation for each other and their memories—even the challenges—they had shared.  Perhaps their initial fiery ardor evaporated over the years, but a tender respect was forged in its place.  Though both parties would have to want that.  To be willing to work to reinvent their couplehood.”

Welcome to the world of Friday Mornings at Nine, the most cunningly disguised self-help book on planet Earth.  But before you run screaming from the bookstore, desperately afraid that someone might actually catch you reading a self-help book, take a moment to soak this in: this novel will drag you in, whether you’re open and willing, kicking and screaming, politely interested, or coolly unmotivated.  Read it.

The story circles around three standard chicks that are, unfortunately, irksome in their level of predictability.  Calling them “archetypes” might actually be an understatement, and any person who’s ever seen Oprah or watched a few minutes of The View will know exactly who these women are.  First up is Bridget, the undervalued, under-appreciated, self-deprecating Mom of three who desperately wants someone to pay attention to her.  Bridget needs to hear, “I thinking you’re amazing and value every moment we spend together,” and the person who finally speaks those words is her boss, Dr. Luke.  Instantly she is attracted, realizing with unsettling clarity just how bad her marriage has become, how little she gains from being her husband’s wife.  Will she leave him?  Second is Tamara, the under-worked lawyer’s wife who spends her time fawning over her extensive gardens, fancy home, and sexy neighbor Aaron with whom she enjoys real, stimulating…conversation.  Will she cheat on her workaholic husband?  Will he even notice?  Finally, we meet Jennifer.  She is the quintessential ex-career woman who gave up her life at work to become a Mom, work that she used to love, work that she was undeniably talented at doing.  Jennifer is tempted by her old flame, the one who always supported her ambition but still managed to be a crushingly toxic presence in her life.  Her husband isn’t anything like her ex, and yet she wonders if she’s made the wrong choice.  What will she do?  Will she be unfaithful?  (Here’s a tantalizing hint: Only one of the three women takes the plunge into infidelity…who will it be?)

I have to admit to you all, you fabulous readers you, that I was immediately turned off by these women.  So banal, so unsurprising, so 90’s in the seemingly inevitable decision all three have made to leave the full time workforce.  But with each page turn, with each brief glimpse into the lives of these lonely females, I found myself more and more captivated by their predicaments.  Each marital problem is different than the others but still circles around the same key issue: the lack of solid a relationship with the self.  Marilyn Brant, author of According to Jane, spins an engaging story around the concept Polonius described so simply, “To thine own self, be true.”  And so, despite my skepticism, I flew through the book and let my annoyance chill out for a while.  In fact, I only shrieked in protest during the occasional portrayal of the dieting-binging-dieting-binging cycle of one of the ladies, most especially when she proclaims that she “didn’t have as much willpower as she thought” and proceeds to eat a huge chocolate chip muffin with a side of defeat.  Okay, that was aggravating.  But beyond those moments, and the few others that smacked of self-imposed victimization, the novel was wonderful.  Ms. Brant’s style is charming, full of wit and humor, and she positively brims with quotable advice for couples.  Even if your relationship is all sunshine and lollipops, a trip through the lives of these women and their subsequent spouses is an education, and will bring you nothing but good things.

4 out of 5 Stars

Friday Mornings at Nine, by Marilyn Brandt
Kensington Publishing (2010)
Trade paperback (352) pages
ISBN: 978-0758234629

© 2007 – 2011 Shelley DeWees, Austenprose

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Mr. Darcy’s Secret Blog Tour with Author Jane Odiwe – and, a Glorious Giveaway

Posted in Austenesque Authors, Austenesque Books, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 28 February 2011 | 30 Comments »

Mr. Darcy's Secret, by Jane Odiwe (2011)Please join us today in celebration of Mr. Darcy’s Secret, a new Pride and Prejudice continuation by author Jane Odiwe. Known for her historical accuracy and witty humor, Jane is the author of two previous Austen-inspired novels, Lydia Bennet’s Story and Willoughby’s Return. This is her first Pride and Prejudice-inspired novel.

Welcome Jane…

Thank you, Laurel Ann, for inviting me as a guest onto your blog today to talk about Mr. Darcy’s Secret. I am thrilled to be here!

When I started writing my novel, although I knew that I wanted to write about Elizabeth and Darcy’s relationship, I also knew that I wanted very much to tell Georgiana’s story. If you remember from Pride and Prejudice, poor Georgiana almost suffered the same fate as Lydia did with Mr. Wickham. Georgiana fell for the latter’s charms, and even consented to an elopement. Fortunately for her, Mr. Darcy arrived on the scene to forestall Wickham’s plans to gain Georgiana’s money, as well as her heart. Georgiana is seen very much as the victim, especially when we learn that she is quiet, accomplished, and shy. In Mr. Darcy’s Secret, I wanted to see if Georgiana might be brought out of herself. I’d wondered if her shyness resulted from her experience with Wickham. After all, if she’d suffered a painful experience like that, learning that men outside her close circle were not to be trusted, perhaps that might account for some of her timidity.  Once bitten, twice shy, is the saying that comes to mind.

As with all my books, I like to take the heroines on a journey, so I’m afraid it’s not plain sailing for Georgiana all the way. However, I wanted to find happiness for this amiable heroine even if she is torn for a while between duty and desire. Here’s a little extract; I hope you enjoy it.

Mr. Thomas Butler, the son of Mrs. Gardiner’s friend is one of the new landscape gardeners. When he is invited to draw up some plans at Pemberley for a new feature in the grounds, Georgiana is keen to take a peep at him from a distance, but feels far too shy to be introduced again.

Georgiana knew that Tom Butler had arrived, for she had been watching for him after breakfast from the safety of her sitting room, which afforded a splendid view of the drive and the little bridge crossing the stream, over which all visitors must come. She was thinking about how she might start another drawing on a completely new subject and considering how unnecessary it was to go and introduce herself to Mr Butler again. After all, he was here to do some work for her brother and he would be completely taken up with that. Georgiana positioned two vases of varying heights with a Chinese bowl into a suitable arrangement and was just sharpening her pencil with the knife she used specially for the purpose when there came a rapid knock upon her door.

It was Lizzy looking most harried. “Oh, Georgiana, I am in a panic. Will you help me? I had completely forgotten that I promised Mrs Gardiner that I would take her to see the market and shops in Matlock whilst she is here. It is market day today and there will not be an opportunity to go again before the Christmas festivities begin. She was so looking forward to going with the idea of looking for small gifts for the children.”

“Oh, Lizzy, I know what you are about to say. Please do not ask me!”

“Please, Georgiana, you have only to take Mr Butler to the upper slopes where we walked and then you may leave him. I beg you; no one else will do. I feel it looks bad enough that I am not going to be here to do the honours, but at least with you, the other mistress of the house, I shall not feel quite as if I have neglected my duties so much. Please say you will help me.”

Mrs Darcy’s expression was such that it was quite beyond Georgiana’s power to refuse her; indeed, she felt she could never refuse anything Elizabeth asked of her. Lizzy was so kind, always behaving like the sister she had never had. How could she decline such an appeal to be of assistance?

“Very well, Lizzy, I do it because I love you, my dearest sister, but I have to tell you that every inclination in my body is against it.”

“Thank you, my dearest girl,” said Lizzy, not stopping to assuage Georgiana’s feelings further with any more platitudes. “Come, make haste, there is not a moment to lose. I’ve left the poor man in the library looking at a stack of your sketches. I told him I would be back in seconds.”

“Oh, Lizzy, how could you show him my poor sketches?” cried Georgiana.

“Listen, not only are they remarkable drawings, but also you will have something to talk about, so you need not feel so shy,” added Lizzy, taking her sister’s hand and almost pulling her out of the room.

Mrs Darcy left Georgiana at the library door, running away before the latter had a chance to change her mind. With her heart hammering, Georgiana observed Mr Butler through the open door. He was sitting at a table by the window and so engrossed with the drawings before him that he was unconscious of her presence. Dressed very smartly in a dark blue coat, and with his hair falling in fair tendrils against his collar, he made a pleasing picture. His long fingers seemed almost to caress the paper, so gently did he turn the pages. Georgiana watched his hands and noted not only his movements, but also his quiet strength. “He does have an expression of kindness,” she thought…

© Jane Odiwe, Mr. Darcy’s Secret, Sourcebooks, February 2011

Author Jane OdiweJane Odiwe is the author of Effusions of Fancy, Lydia Bennet’s Story, Willoughby’s Return and Mr Darcy’s Secret – all Austen-inspired books. She a member of the Jane Austen Society, the Society of Authors and the Romantic Novelist’s Association. In addition to her many writing talents, Jane is an accomplished artist. She lives with her family in North London and Bath, England. You can visit her on her website Austen Effusions and her blog Jane Austen Sequels.

Grand Giveaway of Mr. Darcy’s Secret

Thanks Jane for sharing this excerpt from Mr. Darcy’s Secret. It is a glorious, romantic and humorous ride to the Lake District with the Darcys. Please check out my review and enter a chance to win one of five copies available by leaving a comment by midnight March 9, 2010 PT sharing what intrigues you about this new novel or what you enjoy most about Jane Odiwe’s writing. Winners to be announced on Thursday, March 10, 2010. Shipment to US and Canadian addresses only.

Further reading

© 2007 – 2011 Laurel Ann Nattress, Austenprose

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Preview of Any Human Heart on Masterpiece Classic PBS

Posted in Masterpiece Classic, tagged , , , , , on 12 February 2011 | 2 Comments »

Gillian Anderson as the Duchess of Windsor in Any Human Heart (2010)The 40th anniversary season of Masterpiece Classic continues tomorrow night with a new three-part contemporary drama Any Human Heart at 9:00 pm (check local listings) on PBS. Based on William Boyd’s acclaimed 2002 novel, he also adapted it for the screen. Following the life of writer Logan Mountstuart, three actors portray him during different stages of his life: younger years by Sam Claflin, middle years by Matthew MacFadyen (Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice 2005) and older years by Jim Broadbent.

As Mountstuart travels to 1920s Paris to 1950s New York and 1980s London, we witness some compelling history and meet dazzling personalities: Ernest Hemingway (Julian Ovenden), Ian Fleming (Tobias Menzies) and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor (Gillian Anderson and Tom Hollander) to name a few. The many women in his life include: first fling Tess Scabius (Holliday Grainger), first girlfriend Land Fothergill (Charity Wakefield, Marianne Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility 2008), first wife Lottie (Emerald Fennell), second wife Freya Deverell (Hayley Atwell, Mary Crawford in Mansfield Park 2007) third wife Allanah (Natasha Little), later fling Gloria Scabius (Kim Cattrall), and guy friends Peter Scabious (Samuel West) and Ben Leeping (Ed Stoppard). As you can see, the cast is as amazing as the story itself.

Matthew Macfadyen and Hayley Atwell in Any Human Heart (2010)

Any Human Heart aired in the UK last Fall. Its North American premiere is the second new production in the 2011 Masterpiece Classic season following the universally popular four-part historical drama Downton Abbey. It is filled with incredible events and amazing characters from real life that the fictional Logan Mountstuart encounters. It reminded me of a British version of Forrest Gump (I thought this before I read the reviews, so I am obviously not alone) whereby an average person’s life is shaped by extraordinary events and real-life personalities. Besides a griping performance by Matthew Macfayden, Gilliam Anderson offers a wicked Duchess of Windsor and Hayley Atwell continues to awe and enchant.

Further reading

Images courtesy © MASTERPIECE

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Jane Goes Batty: A Novel, by Michael Thomas Ford – A Review

Posted in Book Reviews, Jane Austen Contemporary Inspired Book Reviews, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 8 February 2011 | 24 Comments »

Jane Goes Batty: A Novel, by Michael Thomas Ford (2011)Our Janeite sensibilities tell us that the notion of Jane Austen as a vampire is pretty wacky. It’s just so hard to visualize “our” Jane as one of the undead, still here after two hundred years, and struggling with life challenges and her condition. Author Michael Thomas Ford understands this too. He has created a trilogy based on our uncertainty, curiosity and proclivity for the burlesque that Austen herself was so fond of. Book one, Jane Bites Back, sold us on the concept that anything can happen in a Jane Austen inspired novel – even Jane as a vampire. It was “light, campy and a bit Buffyish” and we were truly “glamored.” But as any vampire aficionado knows, to be “glamored” means to be under the vampire’s mind spell which does not last forever. After over a year shouldn’t it have worn off, returning us to our cynical, defensive Janeite self? Book two, Jane Goes Batty, would have to be pretty darn good to dispel our doubts and resurrect our confidence. Our fingers were crossed, along with our corset strings.

Our twenty-first century Jane is still undead and living in Brakeston, a small university town in upper-state New York. The success of her novel Constance has changed her life considerably. In 1796 she may have wished to “write for Fame, and without any view for pecuniary emolument,” but now she has both as Jane Fairfax bestselling author. Her fans are arriving by the bus load and camping on her door step, a Hollywood movie crew has descended upon her hometown to film a glitzy star-studded version of her latest novel, and the hope of her next books success has garnered a fat advance. Life sounds pretty good, but not if you are a 235 old vampire who has thrived on anonymity and resisted advancing your powers in the undeadly arts.

Attempting to manage her life sensibly, she has promoted her friend and assistant Lucy to run her bookstore, Flyleaf Books, and welcomed her former lover George Byron (who also turned her) back into her life as a mentor. He is helping Jane to “develop her powers instead of run from them” in case “Our Gloomy Friend,” that pesky Bronte woman should make good on her threats. Her love-life is just where she wants it keeping patient boyfriend Walter in a holding pattern, and the town folk are none-the-wiser of her undead condition. With money, fame, friends and love in ones life, what’s to worry? Plenty. Walters Jewish mother Miriam arrives from Florida expecting her to convert, Jessica, her new demanding editor thinks she is an untalented plagiarist who should be writing a novel as good as Valley of the Dolls, and a vampire attack on one of the movie actors has Jane and Byron pointing fingers at one another. The challenges of keeping her true identity a secret, mastering her vampire skills, and the looming threat of another throw-down with an adversary from the past have her as distracted as Mrs. Bennet on her last nerve.

After the third chapter we remembered why we enjoyed the first novel in this series so much. Michael Thomas Ford is a wicked wit with a scoop of irony on top; a devilish combination that Austen whipped up and has been wowing us with for centuries. The premise of Jane Austen as a vampire is wacky – totally – but after we had been swept up in the frenetic pace, hilarious characters and outrageous parody, we were laughing out loud and startling our cats. Spirited, diverting and impertinent the “conceited independence” of this author knows no bounds. Watch out for a vicious three-legged Chihuahua, Ted and Ned the gay and straight, vampire and mortal, identical twins that we could never tell apart (nor could anyone else), eye rolling one liners by Lord Byron, a deranged vampire turned book reviewer (gulp), a surprise vampire hunter that is too close to home, and a poke at you gentle reader, if you are as inclined as we are to visit Jane Austen blogs and go to conventions in period costume! Our only quibble, and it is more of disapprobation, is that on more than one occasion we wanted to yell at this twenty-first century Jane Austen to find her inner Elizabeth Bennet or channel her Mary Crawford and get past the rag-doll syndrome that she was trapped in. It was almost all happily resolved by the end – like any Jane Austen novel should be – but we won’t tell. Of course Ford has left some plot points dangling that will, we hope, be addressed in book three, Jane Vows Revenge.

5 out of 5 Regency Stars

Jane Goes Batty: A Novel, by Michael Thomas Ford
Ballantine Books (2011)
Trade paperback (304) pages
ISBN: 978-0345513663

© 2007 – 2011 Laurel Ann Nattress, Austenprose

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Jane Austen @ the Super Bowl with Rosanne Cash

Posted in Jane Austen Humor, Jane Austen Inspired, tagged , , , , , , , on 7 February 2011 | 10 Comments »

Rosanne Cash

Not only is signer-songwritter-author Rosanne Cash best friends with actress Jennifer Ehle (Lizzy Bennet in another life), but she is a wicked Jane Austen channeler on Twitter. Here are some of her tweets in Austenesque fashion during the Super Bowl yesterday.

@RosanneCash

  • Regarding the Legume Chorale, it grieves me to note that the spectacle exceeds the musicality.
  • Some ladies are determined to sport bonnets made of cheese. I must take to my bed.
  • The manly vigor is indeed impressive, but I don’t have the pleasure of understanding the purpose.
  • One hopes the unfortunate incident involving the lady’s corset is not repeated on this occasion.
  • The gentleman in the stripes? A known blackguard! I send no compliments to his mother.
  • There is a uniformity of ill-favor in the appearance of the spectators. Who are their families? Tradesmen, surely.
  • Word arrives that there will be a longish pause midway through the event. One hopes to be excessively diverted.
  • Such lust for possession of an inanimate object so entirely lacking in aesthetic merit does not bode well.
  • Are they to be murdered on the field?! Such an ill-advised display of manhood is indeed alarming.
  • The proscribed repast is an abomination! Could we not conceive of a tea more pleasing and refined?

You can find more tweeps tweeting our Jane during the game by using the hashtag #JaneAustenAtTheSuperBowl

We love Roanne Cash and wish she would write a short story for our Jane Austen anthology Jane Austen Made Me Do It.

She is the very talented American singer-song writer, author and eldest daughter of of the late country music singer Johnny Cash and his first wife, Vivian Liberto Cash Distin. Passionate Twitterer, she occasionally channels our Jane to much hilarity and acclaim. Bravo Rosanne. Janeites everywhere salute you for your conceited independence and unruly impertinence. Her new biography Composed: A Memoir was released last August to rave reviews.

Further reading and tweeting

© 2007 – 2011 Laurel Ann Nattress, Austenprose

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Follow Friday: Mr. Darcy Valentine by MellyMo

Posted in Jane Austen Inspired, Jane Austen Merchandise, tagged , , , , , , , on 4 February 2011 | 7 Comments »

Mr. Darcy Valentine paper doll by MellyMo

All alone for Valentine’s Day? I think not! Celebrate with the only man you need, Mr. Darcy! He’s all ready for a date with you…he’s got the clothes, champagne, and presents! Great gift for yourself or any Austen fan…He’ll be a perfect companion on your fridge, locker, or office filing cabinet!

Make haste and visit MellyMo’s Etsy Shop to purchase this clever Mr. Darcy paper doll Valentine ’s Day treat for yourself, family or your fav Janeite! If you need it by V-day, please use the Priority Mail shipping upgrade. Be sure to check out the Elizabeth Bennet paper doll too!

Everyone deserves their very own Mr. Darcy, right?

© 2011 MellyMo, Austenprose

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It’s Not Too Late to Enter The Jane Austen Made Me Do It Short Story Contest

Posted in Austenesque Books, Jane Austen Inspired, Jane Austen Made Me Do It, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 3 February 2011 | 1 Comment »

Jane Austen Made Me Do It Short Story Contest 2011 graphicAspiring Jane Austen fan fiction writers take heed.

The Jane Austen Short Story Contest is accepting manuscripts until February 13th, 2011. You can read the full details of the contest, including the rules for submission, at the official contest website hosted at The Republic of Pemberley. We have ten stories entered so far that can be read online. Voting for the top ten stories begins on February 14th, 2011. The lucky winner will have their story included in the new Jane Austen inspired short story anthology, Jane Austen Made Me Do It, to be published by Ballantine Books on October 11, 2011. Good luck to all!

© 2007 – 2011 Laurel Ann Nattress, Austenprose

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Winners Announced in the Three Weissmanns of Westport Giveaway

Posted in Austenesque Books, Jane Austen Inspired, tagged , , , , , , , on 3 February 2011 |

The Three Weissmanns of Westport, by Cathleen Schine (2011)15 of you left comments qualifying you for a chance to win one of two copies of The Three Weissmanns of Westport, by Cathleen Schine. The winners drawn at random are LaurelO who left a comment on January 27th and Wallace who left a comment on January 26th. Congratulations ladies! To claim your prize, please contact me with your full name and address by February 9th, 2011. Shipment is to US and Canadian addresses only.

Thanks to all who left comments, and for all those participating in The Sense and Sensibility Bicentenary Challenge 2011. We are reading and viewing S&S inspired books and movies this year in honor of the novel’s 200th anniversary. Sign-up’s for the challenge are open until March 1st, 2011, so please check out the details and sign up today!

© 2007 – 2011 Laurel Ann Nattress, Austenprose

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Moorland Cottage Group Read @ Gaskell Blog starts today!

Posted in Reading Challenges, Victorian Authors, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 1 February 2011 | 2 Comments »

Moorland Cottage Group Read 2011 at Gaskell BlogThe amiable and talented Katherine of the Gaskell Blog is leading a group read of Mrs. Gaskell’s novella  Moorland Cottage. It starts today and runs through February 15, 2011. You can check out the full group read schedule.

Published in 1850, Moorland Cottage is a delightful story of a widow, her two children and her neighbors the Buxton’s. It was the inspiration for screenwriter Heidi Thomas’ plot line and characters featured in the mini-series Return to Cranford.

Katherine has posted the welcome and introduction to the event including this list to get you started. Please join us.

This is my first selection for the Gaskell Reading Challenge and will also fulfill one of my selections for the Classics Challenge by Stiletto Storytime.

© 2007 – 2011 Laurel Ann Nattress, Austenprose

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Downton Abbey: Episode Four on Masterpiece Classic PBS – A Recap & Review

Posted in Downton Abbey, Masterpiece Classic, tagged , , , , , , , , on 31 January 2011 | 48 Comments »

Image from Downton Abbey Season One: Hugh Bonneville as Lord Grantham © Carnival Film & Television Limited 2010 for MASTERPIECE

The curtain fell with a heavy silence on the final episode of season one of Downton Abbey on Masterpiece Classic last night. What a cliffhanger. Screenwriter Julian Fellowes is such a tease. Luckily, there will be a season two. I cannot imagine being left dangling with (oh I will not spoil it for those who have not seen it yet) the international events that have been announced in the final scene. The summer of 1914 is such a pivotal point in European history. From this moment on, the life as the Crawley’s have known it at Downton Abbey will never be the same.

There were many, many plot points churning in this episode. We barely had a chance to take in one shocking event and another was thrust upon us. Here is a brief synopsis from the good folks at Masterpiece Classic.

Recap of Episode 4 (spoilers):

Change is in the air as the politically awakened Lady Sybil (Jessica Brown-Findlay) rallies for the women’s vote, in direct violation of her father’s rules. But when Sybil is swept up in the violence surrounding the reading of the election results, Matthew Crawley (Dan Stevens) wins a heart by defending the girl and bringing her to safety. Meanwhile, back at Downton Abbey, persistent rumors about a family member cause a rift between Cora, Countess of Grantham (Elizabeth McGovern) and Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham (Maggie Smith). And, a surprise announcement from Cora complicates the larger issue of Downton’s fate.

In London, Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) gains a shocking insight, and her Aunt Rosamund (Samantha Bond) – displaying a more than passing resemblance to her mother, Violet — freely dispenses dubious advice to Mary. Meanwhile, the footman Thomas (Rob James-Collier) and the ladies maid O’Brien (Siobhan Finneranen) list the reluctant, smitten kitchen maid Daisy (Sophie McShera) to bring about the valet Mr. Bates’ (Brendan Coyle) downfall, but Bates seems determined to do it himself, much to the distress of parlor maid Anna (Joanne Froggatt), who finds an opportunity to delve into Bates’ past. Concerned about the security of her position, O’Brien sets her spite on a new target, and a misunderstanding provokes a dangerous act of sabotage. Again, Downton is to be hobbled by the entail.

At a resplendent garden party, actions and betrayals come home to roost, and important news arrives that dwarfs the issue of inheritance.

My Review:

Whoosh. What fun. I will spoil the rush and mention a few quibbles. There were many gripping moments in this episode. Too many in fact. I felt overwhelmed at times. We were not given a time to recover from one to the next.

The plot made big leaps in time too. When the Crawley family returned to Downton from London in the summer of 1914, we are only told in passing that Lady Sybil had a coming out party! What? We missed a ball. No way. Big oversight. Everyone knows that all the best stuff happens at balls! Jane Austen knew that and used it to her advantage. Julian Fellowes must have forgotten, or the budget did not allow. Anyway, even if I felt slighted for not being invited to her big party, we did get all sorts of other eye popping personal events. Sisterly feuds, bickering, scheming, murder, fights and more fights. I had a friend tell me he felt that Downton was really the new Dynasty of prime time TV. Remember the wildly popular 1980’s American drama with glitzy clothes, big stars and melodramatic plots? It was an American drama mind you, but I can see the similarities. Big house, family money, family squabbles over power and money. If anyone recalls Dynasty’s most famous scene, will we have a cat fight in the Downton pond with Violet, the Dowager Countes and Mrs. Crawley to look forward too?

Cast of 1980's TV drama Dynasty

There were many great performances, but I will focus on my two favorites: Lady Sybil and the kitchen maid Daisy. Two young ladies on opposite floors of Downton Abbey who could easily be in each others shoes, but for their side of the blanket.

Lady Sybil is developing into a little firebrand! Her political activism is a total puzzlement to her family who think her charitable causes are extreme and her politics even more so. She is a Liberal. Her father is a Tory. He believes that the radical Irish chauffeur Branson (Allen Leech), who claims to be a socialist, has fueled her notions. After she attends a political rally against her father’s wishes, the family dinner conversation becomes very heated – in front of the servants no less. Oh, of course the Dowager Countess must have her share of the conversation and rhetorically questions her granddaughter’s being there at all.

“Does this mean you won’t be presented next month?” – Violet, Dowager Countess Grantham

“Certainly not. Why should it?” – Lady Sybil

“Well I doubt I could be curtsying to his Majesties in June when I had been arrested at a riot in May.” – Violet, Dowager Countess Grantham

*Snort* We witness Lady Sybil’s further wrangling (by dishonorable means) a trip to the election rally which turns violent. Poor Branson, who drove her to the rally, knows better and that her father will be furious, but Sybil feels no fear of anyone it seems. She is passionate about politics and women’s rights and determined to exert hers. Matthew Crawley appears at a critical moment when the rally is crashed by the opposition party ruffians and throws a few punches. Yeah. Go Matthew. He saves the day and whooshes Sybil to safety while poor Branson, who is sweet on her, must watch and take orders.

There is just something so appealing about Sybil’s character. She does not care about her two older sister’s petty squabbles, nor the “great matter” of breaking the entail. She is looking outside her family for her future, while her sisters are dependent upon it. She represents the future for women, even aristocratic ones. The contrast between women being dependent on their family or their husbands, and her ideals of wanting the vote and working in a career to better themselves are a great divergence. I see future story lines including her, much more interesting than her sister’s romantic plights or petty fights.

Daisy. You gotta love her. As kitchen maid she is low man on the totem pole in the servant’s hierarchy. She looks like she is about fifteen and acts about twelve. We know that she is from a large family and probably had little formal education. Mrs. Patmore the cook browbeats her, Thomas taunts her, and William is sweet on her. The plot featured her quite prominently in this episode. Thomas the sleazy footman has her wrapped around his little finger. She openly admits she will do anything for him and later we see this in action when she fibs to Mr. Carson (Jim Carter) the butler about seeing Mr. Bates coming from the wine cellar. Later riddled with guilt, she comes clean, and admits to him that she lied for a friend. Again she is influenced by pressure when in the cook Mrs. Patmore’s (Lesley Nicol) absence, she follows her wishes and spikes the food with soap so the Crawley’s will not like the new substitute cook Mrs. Bird’s (Christine Lohr) fare better. More yelling. I am not exaggerating when I say that half the conversation to Daisy is in a decibel above common polite conversation. Everyone is always reprimanding her in stern and angry tones. She looks as frightened as a rabbit and beyond hope half the time. Kudos to actress Sophie McShera, who portrays this terrified, impressionable girl. Her looks and facial expressions are just brilliant.

One last observation – no two. Dan Stevens as Matthew Crawley has not been given much to work with up until this episode. Besides having blue eyes that you could drown in, he is really a fine actor. I loved him as honorable but confused Edward Ferrars in Sense and Sensibility 2008, and he proves to be a wicked wit on Twitter. I think Hugh Bonneville’s influence as an actor and tweeter bring out a positive rivalry that inspires him. His scenes when Lady Mary is waffling over the decision to marry him and later says yes, but he knows that it is no good, are really brilliant. He gives Matthew enough angst with empathy that we are compelled to watch and wonder what he will do next. Season two might see him in uniform and away from the wretched wench Lady Mary. I hope he meets a nice nurse in a trench, or someone more worthy.

Final observation. The lifestyle at Downton Abbey revolves around one very important ritual. Formal dinners every night. Think about it. If they all sat down to a causal family dinner and passed their own potatoes, the whole aristocratic hierarchy thing would be out of business. No need to dress for dinner in frocks created by seamstresses and maintained by ladies maids. No need for valets to dress earls and starch their collars. No need for maids to dress daughters hair. Dowager Countess’ wouldn’t need to advertise for new ladies maids. Chauffeurs wouldn’t need to drive guests home in an expensive automobiles. Cooks and kitchen staff would be at a minimum. No footmen to serve. No butlers to butle. Oh, I could go on, but all those servants would be out of work. The whole system is predicated on fancy food, fancy frocks and fancy service! Take formal dinners away, and there would be no more Downton Abbey. Interesting to think that the British social hierarchy was created because of hunger.

Downton Abbey continues next year. We will just have to wait to see who dies in the Great War, and you know that is coming. If the heir is killed, one wonders if there is a fourth cousin in the wings? Oh, they might be an American! It could then be Dynasty Abbey.

Images courtesy © Carnival Film & Television Limited 2010 for MASTERPIECE

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The Countess and the King, by Susan Holloway Scott – A Review

Posted in Book Reviews, Randomly Not Jane Austen Book Reviews, tagged , , , , , , on 30 January 2011 | 6 Comments »

The Countess and the King, by Susan Holloway Scott (2010)Guest review by Shelley DeWees – The Uprising

“I deftly slipped free as soon as I could with a pretty, breathless show of resistance, enough to make him smile as he let me return to the ball. Seduction was better played in several acts, and we both knew it.  But that single kiss had excited me mightily. I’d tasted the power of royalty in it, and of a man who was accustomed to having whatever he wanted. Yet I’d power, too, because what he wanted was me, exactly as I was and without any regard for my fortune.  Was there any more heady realization than that?”

Thus, the big question of Catherine Sedley’s life begins to rage inside her. How can a woman be in love and still keep a hold of what’s hers? Raised to be willful and sharp-tongued by a father who participated in endless royal frivolity, a marriage contract for Catherine would mean a huge loss of wealth and freedom. So, despite the wishes of her father and the questionable morality of mistresshood, she decides to forsake that silly marriage idea in favor of becoming a professional bedfellow…a lowly station indeed in most situations. However, her situation is different.

Born in 1657 to an 18-year-old fledgling playwright, Catherine Sedley was never a pretty girl.  Too thin, too small-chested, too pale, she learned quickly to distinguish herself from the sea of bedecked beauties with her clever humor and outspoken manner. Her mother had lost her mind and her father, being highly favored by King Charles II, was involved in a constant cycle of partying, recovering, and preparing to party again. Left to her own devices and without much direction from schooling, it was only a matter of time before Catherine joined in the royal debauchery. She learned the ropes, met the important figures, and began to impress the highest ranks of people with her unguarded intellect.  So it was that she attracted the gaze of the king’s brother, the Duke of York, and eventually became his most favored coital co-hort.

Huzzah! What an exalted position!  It was better than being some rich guy’s wife, and way better than living a life of spinsterhood. Each day was a veritable fountain of finery for Catherine, and she lived a life removed from the bonds of royal matrimony…no pressure to produce an heir, no need to be presented as a paradigm of good principles, no reason to uphold the honor and integrity that the bonds of marriage were supposed to represent.  She lived like this for several years, standing by her man as he ascends to become King of England himself. He put her up in her own place, gave her a large allowance by which to support herself and their daughter, and continued to care for her even as his own circumstances were in question. It wasn’t so bad.

This is the story of Catherine Sedley, Countess of Dorchester as told by Susan Holloway Scott in The Countess and the King. It’s a wonderful book, impeccably researched and extremely well written. The vocabulary is delicious, the imagery beautifully detailed, and the characters are full of depth and intrigue, all of which combine to successfully breathe life into this dusty ‘ol narrative that, if it hadn’t been so skillfully crafted, could’ve been as sleepy as a little kid in the back of a car. Ms. Scott weaves a fantastic example of historical fiction and romance, intertwined with life in 17th-century England and its constant trouble with religion. Should the kingdom be Catholic?  How about Anglican? What about our allies…what religion are they? Round and round it goes, bouncing back and forth between the two royal brothers, King Charles and the Duke of York, who each have a foot in a different pool. This battle of spirituality is explored exhaustively, so much that I found the last half of the book to drag a bit. But in the larger sense, The Countess and the King was an enjoyable romp through the palaces of English royalty, a naughty little glimpse behind the bedroom doors of those who made history, and most definitely an educational look at the plight of women. I think you’ll like it.

4 out of 5 Stars

The Countess and the King: A Novel of the Countess of Dorchester and King James II, by Susan Holloway Scott
Penguin Group (2010)
Trade paperback (400) pages
ISBN: 978-0451231154

© 2007 – 2010 Shelley Dewees, Austenprose

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Downton Abbey’s Stunning Film Locations

Posted in Downton Abbey, Masterpiece Classic, tagged , , , , , on 28 January 2011 | 19 Comments »

Image of Highclere Castle, Hampshire, England

Season one of Downton Abbey on Masterpiece Classic PBS concludes this Sunday, January 30th. This new Edwardian-era period drama was incredibly popular when it first aired in the UK last Fall, and now is also a huge hit with North American audiences. Many viewers will be happy to know that a second season and Christmas special are in the works for Fall and December in the UK, and will probably air in the US in 2012.

Not only has screenwriter Julian Fellowes given us a brilliant script, the costumes and film locations are stunning. Please welcome guest blogger Abby Stambach, whose lovely blog Nooks, Towers and Turrets features information and commentary on historic homes and stately architectural highlights. She has graciously offered a tour of film locations used in Downton Abbey.

As someone who loves historic places, I am always curious about the locations used in historic films or mini-series. I always want to believe that the homes used in my favorite films are real and not some creation on a studio’s back lot. I had high hopes for the locations used in Downton Abbey when I first saw the trailer. I was not disappointed when I found that the series was filmed at the historic Highclere Castle and the village of Bampton.

Highclere Castle circa Georgian-era

The Crawley estate was brought to life at Highclere Castle in the county of Hampshire. It sits on 1,000 acres of parkland and it has been the country seat of the Earls of Carnarvon since 1679. During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Henry Herbert, the 1st Earl of Carnarvon made many improvements to the building transforming it to a Georgian mansion. I was surprised to find that Highclere Castle is only about 30 miles from Jane Austen’s childhood home in Steventon. It appears as if the Austen and Carnarvon families’ social circles crossed paths since Jane mentioned the Carnarvon family in a letter she wrote to her sister, Cassandra between October 25 and 27, 1800. Jane wrote:

This morning we called at the Harwood’s & in their dining room found Heathcote & Chute forever – Mrs. Wm. Heathcote & Mrs. Chute – the first of whom took a long ride in to LordCarnarvons Park and fainted away in the evening…

In the mid-nineteenth century, Highclere Castle was remodeled again into the Elizabethan Castle that is seen in Downton Abbey. Sir Charles Barry is responsible for the design and it was completed in 1878.

Design for Highclere Castle, study of Elizabethan style by Sir Charles Barry (1842)Design for Highclere Castle, study of Elizabethan style
by Sir Charles Barry (1842) from Christie’s

The re-modeled home is in the Elizabethan style. This style was dominant in England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. It takes many elements from the Dutch and Italian Renaissance styles and is known for its symmetrical layouts, curved gables and long galleries. When Highclere was remodeled in the 19th-century, there was a Renaissance revival and Elizabethan architecture became fashionable once again.

The grounds and several rooms of Highclere Castle are featured throughout Downton Abbey. The salon, library, dining room and entrance hall are seen frequently. The scenes taking place in the servants’ living quarters were not filmed at Highclere but rather at Ealing Studios. It was necessary to build the servants quarters from scratch because the quarters used by servants in the early 20th-century are either gone, or greatly changed. The production crew took great care in making the transitions from the rooms of Highclere to the servants’ quarters look real.

The Secret Garden at Highclere Castle

The castle sits on 1,000 acres of parkland designed in the 18th-century by the famous landscape gardener, Lancelot Brown. The gardens closest to the castle are called the Monks’ Garden. This name comes from the Bishops of Winchester who owned the land for 800 years before the Carnarvon family. There is even a Secret Garden with an arboretum within the Monks’ Garden.

The scenes taking place in Downton village were filmed in the town of Bampton in the county of Oxfordshire. Bampton was chosen because it “provided an authentic backdrop close to London.” Producer Nigel Marchant also said that “Bampton is perfect because it is so well preserved, and you hardly need to do anything in terms of alterations.” It is one of the oldest villages in England and its history can be traced to the Iron Age. The village also appears in the Domesday Book of 1086.

Aerial view of Brampton, Oxfordshire

During the 18th-century, Bampton flourished and many buildings throughout the village were built during the course of the century. There were also a many shops by the middle of the 18th-century making the village self-sufficient even though roads and bridges were built in order to connect it to the surrounding towns and villages. Bampton continued to flourish and by the early 19th-century, Bampton was a village of contrasts with wealthy landowners, middle class farmers, shopkeepers and people living in poverty.

Brampton Library used for the hospital in Downton Abbey (2010)

Several buildings in Bampton were used for filming. Lord Grantham patrons the hospital in Downton and the series has many scenes taking place in the hospital. The exterior of the Bampton Library became the entrance of the hospital and the interior scenes were filmed elsewhere.

Brampton house used as the Crawley's home in Downton Abbey (2010)

Another building served as the exterior of Matthew Crawley and his mother’s Downton home. Once again, the interior scenes were filmed on another location in Buckinghamshire.

Brampton residence used as the Dower House in Downton Abbey (2010)

This is the Dower House, residence of Violet, the Dowager Countess of Grantham. It is in the Georgian style and could easily be used in a Jane Austen adaptation.

In episode two, we see Matthew Crawley and Lady Edith tour a local church. These scenes were filmed at St. Mary’s Church in Bampton. This church was a part of an ancient parish within an Anglo-Saxon royal estate and there is archeological evidence that suggests a church was on the site before the Norman Conquest. However, the earliest surviving document records the gift of the church to Leofric, Bishop of Exeter and the Church of Peter by William the Conqueror. It is likely that the original church was destroyed by fire in 1142 and the present day building was built beginning in 1153.  The church was remodeled in 1270 when the spire and aisles were added.

St. Mary's Church in Brampton, Oxfordshire used in the filming of Downton Abbey (2010)

The production crew did a magnificent job in choosing sites that make Downton Abbey and the village of Downton come to life. They are simply gorgeous and help create the perfect atmosphere for the story.

Abby is the creator/editor of Nooks, Towers and Turrets, a blog honoring historic architecture. She fell in love with old houses when she was a little girl going to house museums with her family. She then worked as a tour guide at Schuyler Mansion State Historic Site for many summers. When she isn’t blogging or visiting house museums, she working to finish her masters degree.

Downton Abbey continues on Sunday, January 30th at 9:00 pm ET (check local listings). Don’t miss the final episode.

Links/sources/further reading

Text © 2011 Abby Stambach, image of Highclere Castle © 2012 PBS

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