Austenesque Book Reviews from 2013

Austenesque Book Reviews

I admit it—I am an avid Austen fan. I read her books, watch the movie adaptations, follow some Austen bloggers, and even dream of going to the Jane Austen Society of North America Annual General Meeting someday. (Oh, and did I mention I wrote a Jane Austen-inspired novel? Yeah, I did—it’s called Persuasion. Imagine that.)

Thus, much of my 2013 reading list is made up of Austen-inspired spin-offs and Regency-era romances. I will give a brief review of each, in case there are other readers out there who’d like to know what good reads are ahead. The starred reviews are the best of the year, in my opinion.

⃰ For Darkness Shows the Stars –Diana Peterfreund

I went to a book signing for a wonderful YA author, Cynthia Hand, and in talking with her she recommended this book. I went home and downloaded it to my Nook, and I’m so glad I did! (By the way, read her series, Unearthly—great YA books about angels and set in East Idaho and Jackson Hole. Cool!)

This is another version of Persuasion, but set in a dystopian future England. Seeing as Persuasion is my favorite Austen book, how could I not like it? But this one really had some intriguing concepts that drew me in.

First, the whole setting of a future England that has rejected modern technology and genetic tampering was well thought out. I struggled at the beginning, trying to make sense of her terminology, but as I read on more background was explained and I was sympathetic to the plight of Elliot, the strong, determined heroine.

Then her childhood sweetheart, Kai, returns—with a group of technology-loving sailors. Kai, of course, rejects Elliot now in favor of another girl, and Elliot is forced to watch what seems to be a growing attraction between them. Yet she knows Kai a little too well—and knows that something is not quite right in these returning heroes.

I really enjoyed Peterfreund’s writing style. It was not overly heavy yet not sappy or weak, either. I thought the story was a beautiful retelling, with just enough twists to make it a new story, too. I especially liked the subplot with Ro, a “reduced servant” (someone whom the genetic crisis left in a lower intellectual state). She and Kai had befriended her in their youth, and now she is in need of their protection—and is instrumental in bringing them back together.

I would have to say this is my top Austenesque book that I read last year. I hope you’ll give it a try!

Mansfield Ranch—Jenni James

I was introduced to Jenni James when I read her first teen Austen book, Pride and Popularity. Then I actually met Jenni James (and talked to her several times—what an awesome lady!) at Salt Lake Comic Con in September. I’ve also read a few of her Faerie Tale collection. I went home and started following her on Wattpad.com and was eagerly reading each chapter of Mansfield Ranch as she posted it.

What I like about Jenni James is that she takes the essence of an Austen story, but not only brings it into a modern world, but teenager-izes it, too. I’m all for making Austen’s stories appealing to today’s young audiences, in hopes that they’ll go read the originals as well.

In Mansfield Ranch, the sweet and spunky Lilly Price is struggling with her foster family and her relationship with them. She loves her horse and her older “brother,” Sean. But when she realizes what she feels for Sean is more romantic—and he feels that way, too—it’s just awkward. More awkward is when some rich, stuck up guy, Harrison, moves next door and torments Lilly, seeing as she’s the only girl who seems immune to his charms. Sean is dating Harrison’s sister… Lilly’s foster sister is dating Harrison… it’s a messy, messy triangle. When Lilly is with Sean, you can really feel the tension, sense the romantic undercurrent. She writes some good kissing scenes!

I admit, I wondered where Jenni James was taking this story. How would she resolve it happily? (In Jane Austen’s time, marrying your cousin was quite okay for Fanny Price… in our day, marrying your foster brother still might be too weird.) But when Lilly is asked to come back and live with her biological Grandma, the distance between the two makes the relationship feel more… normal. And Harrison turns out to be a jerk. Good riddance!

There were some parts of Austen’s original that I missed, but all in all, it’s a good Mansfield Park alternative that is a quick and romantic read.

A Darcy Christmas—Amanda Grange, Carolyn Eberhardt, Sharon Lathan

I read this because I could download it for free. It contains three short pieces of fiction, all about Austen’s original characters in a Christmas setting. The first two were great—quick, fun, full of Darcy and Lizzie and “what if” Christmas scenarios—one was a Christmas Carol with Darcy as Scrooge! The third portion, however, I quit reading. Sharon Lathan gets way too involved with bedroom scenes. So if you want a fun Austen Christmas book, I can recommend two-thirds of this one. J

Georgiana Darcy’s Diary—Anna Elliot

With a name like Anna Elliot, how can you NOT be an Austenesque writer? I enjoyed this book a great deal. It was written with language and mannerisms that are true to Austen’s originals. It depicts Georgiana Darcy just coming of age, being trailed by suitors—but her heart was taken years ago, by none other than her cousin and co-guardian, Colonel Fitzwilliam. True, there’s about 15 years of age difference, but she’s been praying for his safety while he’s away fighting old Nappy, and he’s been dreaming of her while on the battlefield. It’s a sweet romance and it ends beautifully—and there’s a sequel I haven’t got around to, yet.

The Kiss of a Stranger—Sarah M. Eden

This falls under the Regency romance heading, so it’s not technically Austen fan fiction—but it’s set in the same era and has the same societal structure that I love reading about.

I read this in a day and a half, so it’s a quick read. It was lent to me by a friend, and I can’t remember the main characters’ names… sorry! But in a nutshell: A young woman, berated and much abused by a greedy uncle, is accosted and kissed by a kind, rich stranger. Well, kissing in those days means marriage, so the greedy uncle forces the marriage to occur. Now the rich, young man has a wife and while debating whether to get it annulled, well, she’s so charming and perfectly suited to him, they fall in love.

The one thing I disliked about this book is that the main characters are so obviously falling for each other, but will either of them say something? Will they even just hint at, “I might be falling for you?” No. But there are a few tender conversations and even more tender embraces that should make them stop and say, hey, I think he/she loves me. But then some ill-phrased comment or misconstrued glance separates them for weeks.

Aside from the frustration of dragging out the will-he-won’t-he tension behind the annulment decision, this was a romance I just devoured. I went on to read two more of her Regency books, Seeking Persephone and An Unlikely Match. I read them both in two days. This author really likes throwing her main characters into impossible love matches, so it’s all very frustrating romantic tension. But for a quick, romantic read, go ahead and indulge.

Edenbrooke—Julianne Donaldson

I got this book for Christmas, and I read it in the couple of days following the holiday. Then I read her next book, Blackmoore. These are books I’ve been wanting to read ever since I’d seen them adverstised, so I anxiously devoured them (as I do most books).

Anyway, Edenbrooke did not disappoint. My very, very favorite part is when the heroine, Marianne, is sitting in an inn, having just carried her shot-up, bleeding carriage driver away from the scene of a highway robbery, and she’s being bothered by a not-so-gentlemanly gentleman. So she pretends to be a dairymaid, and sings this song: “Big cows, lumps of meat, give me milk, warm and sweet!” I laughed so hard at that! Because I know that cows are rather frustrating “lumps of meat” and that little ditty is just genius.

Overall, this story had some hilarious moments, some romantic tension, and a lot of a beautiful manor and a gorgeous gentleman. Plus some really odd but page-turning twists. I think it’s an excellent Regency story, especially since this is her first novel.

*Blackmoore—Julianne Donaldson

Having said that about Edenbrooke, I must say this: Blackmoore is three times better. The book has beautiful allegories woven throughout it, comparing our loving lady to a bird trapped in a cage. The birds and birdsongs of England are described throughout the book. The setting of a windy, rainy moor abutting the sea makes a much more somber mood. And it should be—because instead of giggling like I did during scenes in Edenbrooke, I cried for the last third of this book. It was a heart-wrenching situation where two people who love each other can’t declare it—their families would throw them apart if they did. And in the end, they are apart, anyway. (Don’t worry, it does end well.)

I felt this was a triumphant follow up, and the author really found her strengths in storytelling. It was a different style of story, with many flashbacks used to unfold the reasons behind our leading lady’s refusal to accept her feelings for her guy—or any guy, for that matter. But as the story eventually fell into place, you could really feel how appropriate the bird-in-cage analogy was. I loved it.

One final review:

Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte

Yes, I read the original Wuthering Heights. It’s not Austenesque but written in the same era. And it was sad. The poor, tortured people who had to live with mean old Heathcliff and his bad temper—I feel for them. To not ever have love turn out like it should, whether love in a family or love between spouses, makes a truly disheartening world.

(Edit: After I first posted this, I remembered two other books I read last year.)
Midnight in Austenland-Shannon Hale -- Good, but not as good as Austenland. And the movie Austenland was great! I'm buying it when it comes out on dvd Feb. 11.
Persuasion-Rebecca H. Jamison -- It's very similar to the book I wrote myself.... and my jealousy that she got published and I didn't prevents me from saying any more.