My Review of Mr. Darcy's Little Sister

I must admit I had a difficult time getting into Mr. Darcy's Little Sister (Pride & Prejudice Continues). The first 20-30 pages were delightful, and then, suddenly, it seemed like the story slowed to a crawl for nearly the rest of the first 100 pages. I put the book down for weeks at a time and indeed, posted here that I was giving up on Jane Austen books and Jane Austen sequels.

Part of what bothered me about this particular story was the lead character’s (Georgiana) paralyzing shyness and her anxiety about the upcoming Season that it seemed would never come.

Finally, the family left for London and that’s when the story began to get exciting. After surviving a very stressful situation, Georgiana discovers some backbone and that, coupled with her private lessons from Lizzie, brings her poise and allays her anxiety.

Romance begins to edge its way into the story and the remainder of their preparation for her presentation was fun. I loved the rhythm of their days, with teas and music and heart-to-heart talks, and lots of fashion help from their servant staff!

The actual balls were fun, too, especially with Georgiana’s newfound confidence.

The story ended happily for her and for several of the book’s characters and I am so glad I went back to it and hung in there until the excitement began.

Letting Go of Jane Austen ~~ Sort Of!

Well, I have to confess that I find it extremely difficult to make my way through a Jane Austen novel because of how frequently I have to stop to consider meaning and context. And to ponder ramifications and culture, too.

Would that I were smarter! :)

So for now, I think I will stick with knock-offs, novels that have Jane Austen literature as a backdrop or reference but are more modern.

For my first "modern" pick...

Jane Austen Ruined My Life






Emma Grant, the heroine of Pattillo’s first outing, has a major beef to settle with her literary heroine, Jane Austen. Austen’s novels taught Emma, a college professor, to believe in happy endings, but her own happy ending goes up in flames when she discovers her husband, Edward, in the arms of her teaching assistant, after which the two have her professionally discredited by claiming she plagiarized a paper. Disillusioned and disgraced, Emma flees the U.S. for her cousin’s house in England after being contacted by Gwendolyn Parrot, an elderly woman claiming to be in possession of a stash of lost Austen letters. Rather than simply handing over the letters, Mrs. Parrot sends Emma on a succession of tasks that gradually reveal a secret about Austen’s life previously unknown to scholars. Along the way, Emma reconnects with Adam, her former best friend whom she fell out of touch with after marrying Edward. Filled with all the whimsy and romantic literary fun the title promises, Pattillo’s novel is a rewarding read. --Kristine Huntley

I Finished Pride and Prejudice!

Plodding Along

Pride and Prejudice took me a lot longer than I expected!! Because of some of the differences in word usage back then, when it was written, I found I read it much more slowly than I usually do when reading a novel. And I often had to re-read, realizing that I hadn't fully comprehended what I had just read.

I hope I get used to the language and writing style as I read more of her books.

My Favorite Parts

There were four parts of the book that were my favorites! ...

(1) When Charlotte foreshadowed the problem Darcy had with Jane, that she didn't evidence her feelings for Bingley. She predicted that it could be a problem because Jane had a tendency not to reveal her emotions.

"It is sometimes a disadvantage to be so very guarded. If a woman conceals her affection with the same skill from the object of it, she may lose the opportunity of fixing him; and it will then be but poor consolation to believe the world equally in the dark." ~~Pride & Prejudice

(2) When Darcy admitted his feelings for Elizabeth by carefully detailing all the reasons he shouldn't love her and then, confessed that despite his struggle and effort, he'd been unable to avoid falling for her.

"In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you." ~~Pride & Prejudice

(3) When Elizabeth found out that it was Darcy who stepped in to help clean up the mess Wickham created. And I particularly love her aunt's hinting at the end of her letter.

"He wants nothing but a little more liveliness, and that, if he marry prudently, his wife may teach him. I thought him very sly; -- he hardly ever mentioned your name. But slyness seems the fashion." ~~Pride & Prejudice

(4) When Darcy shows up at the end to proclaim his love for Elizabeth. I loved the way you could feel the love between them even when they weren't saying it! And it amused me that her father expressed the shock they all are feeling -- they thought she despised him and now she's saying she loves him and wants to marry him!

"Her father was walking about the room, looking grave and anxious. 'Lizzy,' said he, 'what are you doing? Are you out of your senses, to ve accepting this man? Have not you always hated him?'" ~~Pride & Prejudice

Now Reading: Pride and Prejudice

I decided to go ahead and get the book (Pride and Prejudice) now while the movie is still fresh in my mind. However, it's the first Jane Austen book I have read and I am finding I have to read it slowly. And sometimes, re-read a sentence or two.

I like it, though! I find myself laughing in certain places that weren't as amusing in the movie.

And I love the opening quote...

"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters."

I think my next book will be First Impressions, which asks and answers the question of what would have happened if Darcy had never said such unkind words about Elizabeth and instead, Darcy and Elizabeth had danced together.



Anyone want to read it with me? Sounds interesting, doesn't it? After First Impressions, I think I will read Mr. Darcy's Little Sister , based on Kelly Yanke Deltener's review.



Which one are you reading?

Pride and Prejudice: The Movie

I watched Pride and Prejudice tonight and cannot believe the wonderful ending! Are there other Jane Austen stories that end so well? I confess that I almost held my breath during some of the scenes and hardly moved for the entire two-and-a-half hours.

When it was over, just like a really good book, I was loathe to let it go! In fact, perhaps, now, I should read the book, now that I know it is safe.

Having seen Sense and Sensibility, but not read any of the books or seen any other movies, except Becoming Jane, I must admit, I was prepared for nothing to go well for the any of the primary characters in the Bennett family.

I half expected the movie to end with nearly all their hearts broken!

When Darcy redeemed himself and began to make such grand kind gestures on Elizabeth’s behalf, I was happy that things were working out for those Bennett sisters, but still suspected that somehow, Darcy and Lizzie would be kept apart.

So what a delight at the end to see that they would get to be together!

Did anyone else watch it? What did you think?

I am about to go order the book now, I think, and will start reading it next week. I hadn't intended to start with that book but it makes sense now that I've watched the movie.

A Solitary Year with Jane Austen

Well...

I found several people who thought a Jane Austen book club was a wonderful idea and wished or longed for the time to participate in one. But I did not actually find anyone who wanted to join one. Or, more specifically, mine.

So no Jane Austen book club! (this is me whining just a little)

BUT ... I have decided to go ahead and read and watch and Jane all by myself. So there! :). And hey, perhaps, I will be able to engage people here and there in conversation about the books and movies even if they don't read and watch them along with me.

Okay, then, it's settled...

Part Two: Seven Steps to Starting Your Own Jane Austen Book Club

Once you have considered those issues and you feel pretty clear about what you want for your book club, you can begin to find your group members.

(5) First, try to think of people you already know who might be interested, and ask them. It will be more fun for you if some of the people in your group are people you know. You might mention it even to friends who aren't likely to be interested in case they know people who would be.

If asking around doesn't yield much in the way of new group members, you might consider placing ads. You can advertise in the newspaper, you could place fliers in libraries and bookstores, and anywhere else you think of that will let you.

(6) Once you have your group members, you might want to have an introductory meeting just to set the ground rules and give them a chance to voice their own concerns. One ground rule I recommend is confidentiality.

If group members are to feel comfortable sharing how they relate to what they've read, they need to know that what is spoken in the group stays there. Although there isn't really a way to enforce this rule, it is still important to voice it and make sure everyone has agreed to it.

You also may want ground rules about attendance, about how to handle conflict, about whether or not to give advice or whether criticism is allowed.

(7) Once the ground rules have been agreed upon and established, you will be ready to schedule your first book club meeting.

"A story is always better if you have someone to share it with. What could be better than sharing it with a group of friends who have read it, too?"-Oprah.com

Jane Austen Book Club Resources: A Year of Jane Austen

Seven Steps for Starting Your Own Jane Austen Book Club

(1) First, decide what kind of group you want. Would you prefer a group that meets online or in person? What about group size? Decide whether you would like a small group or a larger one. One thing about larger groups is that even if some group members miss a meeting, others will show up.

(2) Other things you might want to consider include how fast you want to read. Are you planning to read a book every month? And if so, when will you meet? Decide if you want a set time, like the first Sunday afternoon of the month, or if you are comfortable with scheduling the next meeting at the end of each one.

(3) Also, if the book you are reading has been made into a movie, and most of the Jane Austen books are available on DVD, do you want to watch the movie with the group, too?

(4) What about food, if you are planning a group that will meet in person? Will your Jane Austen book club meet for afternoon tea?

Will you ask others to share the responsibility of bringing refreshments?

More in part two ... stay tuned!

Tea with Jane Austen

I have just spent a delightful hour pouring over Tea with Jane Austen! I have learned, so far, that Jane was the one who made breakfast for her family and it usually included tea and breads with good-quality butter. It sounds yummy!

During that time, apparently, people got up before breakfast to get things done, and then gathered together around 9am or 10am to eat breakfast. It was a very casual gathering. People might bring letters and read while eating.

I just got the book today, thanks to Amazon! And couldn't wait to read it. I also got my kit from Tealightful Treasures, so I have lots of new teas to try. I would like to incorporate this romantic-sounding breakfast into my planned tea lifestyle. That would certainly make it easier to get in three cups a day!

That's the amount recommended for preventing cancer and heart disease and high blood pressure and all those other evils!!

Still planning my year with Jane...

My Plan: A Year of Jane

It started when I was bored out of my mind at a retreat center in Wisconsin one winter Sunday night. It was freezing cold, I had finished my book, the retreat was over but I wouldn't be leaving until the next morning and I wasn't sure what to do with myself. I had gone to the TV room and watched Brothers and Sisters, but it was only 10pm and I had nothing to dooooo...

Until I happened on Sense and Sensibility on PBS. Suddenly, I was spellbound!!

And then, a few weeks later, The Jane Austen Book Club was on and once again, I was fascinated. That was when I first got the idea of creating my own Jane Austen book club. But I wondered if that much Jane Austen would be too much. So I let the idea float into the background.

What happened next was that I feel in love with tea! I began drinking chamomile tea and it changed me. I was calmer, more peaceful, happier.

I started reading everything I could find about tea and I kept coming across Jane Austen's name. Suddenly, tea began to seem downright romantic!

And I was reminded of my desire to start reading Jane's books.

So I think I'm going to do it! But I would like to have some company. So if you're reading this and you want to come along for the ride, let me know...

See that house? That's my fantasy of where I'd read the books and meet with all of you for the book club meetings :)

Jeanine