"Dancing with Mr. Darcy" edited by Sarah Waters



Wolvesey Castle in Winchester near where Jane Austen lived at the end of her life

I've got a soft spot for Austen adaptations and fan fiction.  I admit it.  So the short story collection "Dancing with Mr. Darcy" was really interesting to me.  All of the stories have some relationship to Jane Austen and/or her novels.  I loved some of the stories, and I admit that I didn't really enjoy all of them.  Overall, though, it was an interesting way to engage with Austen's literary legacy and be exposed to new authors.

To read my review of "Dancing with Mr. Darcy", click here.

Jane Austen's Winchester

 I feel as though I've gotten to know Jane Austen over the past few months as I've read her novels, fan fiction, some critical essays on her work, and a few biographical bits.  Through Jane Austen I've gotten to know not only the extraordinary author herself, but her time.  One of the reasons that Austen's novels are still so popular is because they open up a doorway for us to experience life in a different time.

For me, it is life in a different time, but not a different place.  Austen was from Hampshire, England.  At the end of her life, Austen lived in Winchester.  She died in Winchester, and is buried in the cathedral there.  Before I was married I lived in Winchester for a year, and could hear the cathedral bells from my flat.  This week I was able to spend a day in Winchester with my children.  It was a spontaneous decision to spend the day there, and we enjoyed wandering around the city exploring together. 

At one point we happened to walk by Jane Austen's house (luckily I had my camera on me, so you can see pictures).  It struck me at that point how much of Winchester is the same as it was when Jane Austen lived there.  We had explored the Wolvesey Castle ruins, walked along the river and by the water meadows, and meandered around the cathedral.  These are all places that Austen would have been familiar with, and probably walked around the same way that we did.

Winchester is a beautiful town that is still very vibrant (there was a bustling market and fashion week events while we were there), but it's also a city deeply seeped in history.  Winchester still lives, but it is also still Jane Austen's Winchester.  If she could somehow visit now she would surely be shocked by many things, but I think she would still recognize and feel at home in Winchester.

"Emma" by Jane Austen

If you've been reading this blog, you already know that I've been reading (or re-reading, as applicable) all of Jane Austen's novels.  I left "Emma" for the last, and just read it.

There are a lot of ways that you could approach this novel.  I read a critical essay about "Emma" discussing it in terms of anthropological significance and the detailed, realistic portrayal of English country life during the period.  It would be easy for me to start analyzing "Emma" from a feminist perspective (especially regarding Mr. Knightley and Emma's relationship and his role as brother/informal tutor to her before being her acknowledged suitor).  Post-colonialists can have a ball with Austen's works.  I'm not going to dive too much into any of these, but you can click here for some good resources for a critical/academic approach to "Emma".

The thing is, Austen wasn't an academic.  She was smart and observant.  She observed not only life around her, but trends in literature and readership.  In fact, finishing the last of her books led me to notice some of the themes that have carried throughout her books.  They all have that classic Austen feel, and there are definite story and character similarities that carry through all of her works.  A less obvious thread, though, is the theme of reading that goes throughout all of the books.  Stuck into her novels are little discussions on reading and what we read.

In "Emma" there are many moments that embrace books: Emma always means to read more; Harriet recommends books to her friend/suitor; letters that are written, read, re-read and shared.  Austen encourages us--as we read--to consider why we read.  What role does reading play to us individually and as a society?  How do our reading choices both reflect and help to shape us?  In a very post-modern way, Austen inserts a gentle play of books within books and questions the nature of reality for her subject and readers.

I have to admit that I've enjoyed reading all of Austen's novels in a relatively short period, and it was a bit bittersweet to finish the last one.  There's still plenty of Austen fan fiction out there to enjoy though... look forward to "Mr. Darcy, Vampyre" soon.  I checked it out from the library too.

"Jane Austen Stole My Boyfriend" by Cora Harrison

I admit that there's been a Jane Austen theme to my reading lately, and I've been reading both Austen's novels and Austen fan fiction.  (It all started back in March when I won a copy of "Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict".)  So although I'd never heard of this book or the author (Cora Harrison), when I saw the title on the shelf at the library, it was enough for me to bring it home.

The title worked to grab my attention, but isn't completely accurate to the book.  It's more catchy than fitting, but it does capture the light-hearted tone of the book.  "Jane Austen Stole My Boyfriend" is a fun romp through a story of teen romances and family dramas, society expectations and friendships, and--of course--it has a spunky teen Jane Austen.  It's not a biography, but the novel does have some basis in historical information.  It may not be the best novel you'll ever read, but it is a fun piece of fan fiction.  I enjoyed it for what it is.

For my full review of "Jane Austen Stole My Boyfriend" by Cora Harrison, click here.

"Mansfield Park" by Jane Austen

If you remember, I set a goal to read (or re-read) all of Jane Austen's novels.  So far I've managed:
"Pride & Prejudice"
"Sense & Sensibility"
"Northanger Abbey"
and now "Mansfield Park".

(In case you're wondering about the order I'm reading them in, it's a simple system.  I just pick up whichever Jane Austen novel happens to be available at the library when I visit.  Next up are "Persuasion" and "Emma".)

 I'll just start out by admitting it.  "Mansfield Park" is my least favorite of Jane Austen's novels.  It is obviously Austen; you could pull out any single page, read it out of context, and just know that it is from one of Austen's books.  Yet it never reaches quite the level of the other books.

What is it that's lacking in "Mansfield Park"?  Or what is perhaps there that's not in the other five novels?

First of all, Fanny Price just isn't as good of a main character as Austen's other heroines are.  She doesn't have the wit or warmth of most of her counterparts.  When we think of Jane Austen, we normally think of strong women leads.  Fanny Price, however, is mostly characterized as being weak and sickly.  Yes, she has moral integrity, but she's also known for being "persuadable".

Also, the love story just lets the book down.  I know that in Austen's time it was acceptable for cousins to marry each other.  Even as a modern reader I could have probably handled that they were somehow related.  What makes the relationship between Fanny and Edmund disturbing is that they have grown up together like siblings.  They refer to each other in family terms, like "brother" and "sister".  Perhaps most disturbing to me is how completely malleable Fanny is to Edmund. 

Their relationship is not one of equals.  Although Edmund confides in Fanny, he is not actually influenced by her.  Proof of this is offered again and again (for example, when he takes part in the play after her confirming counsel that he should not; his continued high opinion of the Crawfords despite Fanny's better judgement).  Fanny, on the other hand, has formed most of her life and opinions around Edmund's advice, approval, and love.  Even when they are approaching marriage, this is how their relationship is described:
"a regard [Edmund's feelings for Fanny] founded on the most endearing claims of innocence and helplessness, and completed by every recommendation of growing worth, what could be more natural than the change? [from "warm and sisterly regard" to "wedded love"]  Loving, guiding, protecting her, as he had been doing ever since her being ten years old, her mind in so great a degree formed by his care, and her comfort depending on his kindness...what was there now to add, but that he should learn to prefer soft light eyes to sparkling dark ones..." -"Mansfield Park", Vol. III Chap. xxii

In the other novels, you really want them to get together.  Who doesn't savor every moment of misunderstanding in "Pride & Prejudice", for example, yet long for Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy to have their happily ever after?  In "Mansfield Park", conversely, you just don't really care.  Or, if you do, it's because you don't actually want them together.

"Mansfield Park" is also the most moralizing of Austen's novels.  Many of them show the consequences of certain actions or personality traits, and even have almost fable type elements to them.  "Mansfield Park" is the only one that feels moralizing rather than just moral though.  In accordance with this, the novel is much less ironic than many of her others.  Yes, there are moments of irony in the novel (like Mrs. Norris constantly contradicting her words by her actions), but the tone is different.

I'm glad that I read "Mansfield Park", but it's not one I'll keep revisiting for pleasure reading.

Jane Austen Manuscript

I've been reading a lot of Jane Austen lately, so when I saw her name in the headlines, I was intrigued.  Jane Austen is a literary legend and often used in Hollywood, but an author who's been dead for almost 200 years doesn't normally make the headlines of today's news.

Apparently one of Jane Austen's original manuscripts was just sold at auction for almost a million pounds!  It had been given an estimate value of only about £200,000, but in the end it sold for over £990,000.  (Click here for the BBC News story.)

The manuscript is in Jane Austen's handwriting and is apparently full of her notes. 

Wouldn't it be great to be able to have a leaf through these pages and see Austen's own handwriting and editing notes?  As a writer myself, I'd love to see Austen's writing process and how the novel evolved.  The manuscript is of "The Watsons", which Austen never finished.  To read "The Watsons" on-line, click here.

"Sense and Sensibility" by Jane Austen

I decided to continue my Jane Austen kick and read (or reread) all of Austen's novels.  I've recently read and blogged about "Pride and Prejudice" and "Northanger Abbey".

I tackled "Sense and Sensibility" next.  I had read it before, but not for probably a decade.  I've also seen several adaptations of "Sense and Sensibility" (my favorite is this one: Sense & Sensibility (Special Edition) ). Right now is a particularly good time to enjoy "Sense and Sensibility" as it's the novel's birthday.  The Jane Austen House Museum is currently celebrating the 200th anniversary of the publication of "Sense and Sensibility".

With Jane Austen novels, I know what to expect and I'm never disappointed.  I really enjoyed revisiting "Sense and Sensibility".  The novel is a story of parallels and we see how two very different sisters (Elinor and Marianne) cope with very similar circumstances.  There are many other parallels that are created in the novel, so that the story almost becomes a complicated set of mirrors with each event and character reflecting or echoing something else.  Because of this construction, the reader is constantly making comparisons and drawing conclusions.  No one exists as a stand-alone entity and no judgements are made on their own.  Instead we are invited to compare characters and events, and everything is judged in context or compared in reference to each other.  Indeed, sometimes we are shown how different things are, and sometimes this system shows surprising similarities.

If you're not familiar with the story line of "Sense and Sensibility", it's pretty standard Jane Austen stuff.  Two sisters fall in love (obviously not with each other), complications arise, and eventually they're both happily married (much to the delight of their mother). 

For me, "Sense and Sensibility" is not the most romantic of Austen's love stories.  I find far more satisfaction, for example, in the eventual union of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy in "Pride and Prejudice".  However, the novel itself is a great literary creation.  It is subtle, carefully and beautifully crafted, clever, historically informative, and ultimately entertaining to read.

Austen's other novels are "Emma", "Mansfield Park", and "Persuasion".  In addition she wrote some shorter works (many of them pre-date her novels and are collectively known as her "Juvenelia"), some unfinished fiction, and many letters.  I'll read and write about more of Austen's works soon.