Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict
by Laurie Viera Rigler
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
A light fluffy quick read about a modern woman who “wakes up” in “Jane Austen’s” England in someone else’s life. Wasn’t super substantial (either time, or content) but I enjoyed myself (for the most part).
I did appreciate the fact that the author/main character could quote from Austen’s “smaller” novels like “Northanger Abbey” and “Persuasion”. Austen is NOT only about Pride & Prejudiced people! [<– This is my mini-rant about Austen-inspired novels]
The references get a little heavy in some areas, particularly the end, which unfortunately concludes like a school research paper.
When an Austen fan (me) is reading a story about an Austen fan living in Austen’s world it’s difficult not to be hyper-aware of the wild inaccuracies. I won’t explain them here, because I don’t want to turn my book review into an Austen biography, and because you can have the pleasure of pointing them out yourself.
The story had potential, but I don’t believe was successfully realized. There was a “paralleling” between the heroine’s old life in Modern L.A. and her new life which didn’t seem to have weight – which is probably why the totally expected ending was so unsatisfying. I’m hoping reading the sequel will rectify this issue (or at least soften it a bit) for me.
Overall. I’d recommend this to someone who’s read enough Austen to get the references in the book but wants to spend sometime not thinking too hard.
manga hoarder 