Book Review: Austenland by Shannon Hale

Pages: 208

Genre: Adult Fiction

Pub. Date: May 27, 2008

Source: Personal Copy

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "Jane is a young New York woman who can never seem to find the right man—perhaps because of her secret obsession with Mr. Darcy, as played by Colin Firth in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. When a wealthy relative bequeaths her a trip to an English resort catering to Austen-obsessed women, however, Jane’s fantasies of meeting the perfect Regency-era gentleman suddenly become more real than she ever could have imagined. Is this total immersion in a fake Austenland enough to make Jane kick the Austen obsession for good, or could all her dreams actually culminate in a Mr. Darcy of her own?"

 Jane finds something wrong with all the guys she dates because they aren't as perfect as fictional Mr. Darcy from Jane Austen's classic, Pride and Prejudice.  She is obsessed with the character of Mr. Darcy, especially the BBC version played by Colin Firth.  Her Great-Aunt Carolyn recognizes this obsession and how it's holding her back from finding happiness in her own life.  In turn, she leaves Jane something in her will: a three week vacation to Pembrook Park, a resort where vacationers live like it's Jane Austen's England.  This means she must wear clothing approrpiate to the time period, she must act appropriately and on top of it, no cell phones, computers, etc!  When Jane first arrives, she is given her new Regency England name, Mrs. Jane Erstwhile.  As the days go on, she realizes that not only is she "living" in Regency England, but many an Austen novel is unfolding before her eyes.  Jane recognizes that this is harmless fun as all the people present, except for the other guests, are merely actors, paid to act a certain way towards her.  This irritates Jane and in turn, she falls into the hands of Martin, the gardner, which is downright scandalous.  She likes that things are real with him as they spend most of their time watching basketball and drinking root beer as opposed to discussing the weather and playing card games with the other house guests.  However, one gentleman catches her eye, Mr. Nobley.  In the back of her mind though, she can't help but feel confused as he is just an actor.  Or is he?  Shannon Hale's Austenland is pure mind candy for fans of Jane Austen.

Jane is such a fun character in Austenland.  I liked her obsession with all things Austen and reading about her daily adventures at Pembrook Park.  Although I didn't always agree with her choices, she was definitely a character that had me laughing out loud and shaking my head in disbelief.  Right there along with her I could feel her confusion with the gentlemen. I would find it embarrassing as well to take part in such a farce, but at the same time, wouldn't it be fun to interact with Mr. Darcy?

There are many twists and turns in Austenland and I didn't see one of the big twists coming, which took me by surprise.  Even though this novel seems like mindless fun, there are a few twists and turns that keep the reader entertained.  

What I like about Austenland is the fact that it has cross over appeal to young adults.  Hale, originally a young adult author, won the Newbery Honor for her novel, Princess Academy. I think many teen girls interested in Jane Austen would like this modern twist.

If you are an Austen fan and are looking for a modern adaptation, I recommend Austenland; however, be forewarned that this is campy, chick-lit fun at its finest.  It's a light read that would be perfect for reading poolside or at the beach this summer. Plus, Austenland is coming to the big screen and Keri Russell will be playing Jane, which I think is perfect!