Advent with Austen

Yvann over at Reading, Fuelled by Tea and others have had a brilliant idea of reading and celebrating Jane Austen during Advent. I think any time is a perfect time to celebrate Austen and her work so I am definitely in for this one! This year celebrates a very specific Austen event - the 200th anniversary of the publication  of Sense and Sensibility and so, even though I have to admit it is not one of my favourite of Austen's books, I will be starting my Advent with this. Hopefully this re-reading will bring a new appreciation for Sense and Sensibility...

Death Comes To Pemberley - P.D. James

It was pretty much a given that as soon as I saw this book at the shops over the weekend that it was coming home with me - I was looking for something light and comforting in the reading department and my Jane Austen obsession hadn't been fed in quite a while.
Death Comes To Pemberley is set in 1803, six years after the end of Pride and Prejudice and the double wedding of Darcy and Elizabeth and Jane and Bingley. The two couples live not far from each other in their rambling, magnificent estates and when the book starts preparations are under way for the annual ball at Pemberley. The book scans the main characters that are well know to Austen's readers and introduces a few new ones who will become more prominent in this sequel.
In her author's note at the start of the book P.D. James writes:

I owe an apology to the shade of Jane Austen for involving her beloved Elizabeth in the trauma of a murder investigation....

No doubt she would have replied to my apology by saying that, had she wished to dwell on such odious subjects, she would have written this story herself, and done it better.

After finishing the book there is no doubt in my mind that Austen herself would have done a far better job - but I wonder if she would have wanted to attempt it? I have not read any of P.D.James's non-Austen related crime novels so I admit I have nothing to really compare her work to - as I don't think it is fair to compare her to Austen herself.

The story starts well enough, the scene is set, the tension is built and the crime occurs. For me there was never really any element of mystery to the plot - I had taken a pretty good guess at what was going on in the story very early on and as it turns out I was spot on in my guesses. The development of Austen's original characters was threadbare and one dimensional - I never really thought I was reading about Austen's characters, their names were merely being used. All in all this book was a little disappointing - and a reminder that only Austen can truly pull off an Austen story.

I Couldn't Help Myself...

Ok - I admit that I have bought another two new books - but I needed them, truly! Today was my first day back at work after my Christmas break and it was pretty rough - the only thing getting me through the day was the thought of a trip to my favourite independent bookshop in a local suburb at the end of the day - and it worked - it cheered me up! I think one of my resolutions for the new year should be working out strategies for coping with bad days at work that don't involve buying new books - my bank balance will thank me!

So, the books I did come home with were;

Changing My Mind - Zadie Smith - This is an absolutely stunning book to look at - hard cover with a gorgeous and yet simple cover design. I think a book of essays by a smart, female writer who I admire is just what I will be needing over the next few weeks as I settle back into the working world.

A Truth Universally Acknowledged: 33 Reasons We Can't Stop Reading Jane Austen - Susannah Carson (Ed) - I have been admiring this book for quite a while now and it was a big reason why I went to the particular bookshop I did this afternoon - I was pretty sure they would have a copy waiting for me. I now have to decide whether I jump into it straight away or save it for the possible sequel to the Everything Austen Challenge in 2010??

Pride and Prejudice

Pride and Prejudice was my sixth, and final, item for The Everything Austen Challenge. I was not planning to re-read this book during the challenge but on a recent trip to a favourite Sydney bookshop I came across the Penguin Classics Deluxe edition of the book with these stunning cover drawings by Ruben Toledo - it just had to come home with me and then it just had to be read.

Pride and Prejudice has never been my favourite Austen novel - don't get me wrong, I still love it, I have just never connected with Lizzy Bennet and Mr Darcy the way so many other readers have. Having said that though, I really enjoyed reading the book this time around (not sure if it had anything to do with the gorgeous cover attached to it!). I think it is the case that whenever we re-read our favourite authors work we gain something different from the reading depending upon the time in our life when we are reading it and what is happening in our own world at that particular time - what do others think about this?

I have really enjoyed this challenge - it has given me a chance to re-connect with some Austen favourites as well as discovering some of the new and ever growing Austen spin-offs - thank you so much to Stephanie for organising such a fun challenge.

Persuasion

As my fifth item (only one to go!) for the Everything Austen Challenge I chose to re-watch one of my favourite movie adaptations of Austen's novel Persuasion (my absolute favourite Austen novel). The version is the 2007 ITV production starring Sally Hawkins as Anne Elliot and Rupert Penry -Jones as Captain Frederick Wentworth (how handsome is this man??!!).

Apart from liking this movie in its own right it also has a special connection for me as when we were in Bath in 2007 I was able to see an exhibition of costumes and other items from the movie at The Jane Austen Centre.

I agree with some other reviewers in various locations around the web that this movie is not without its flaws - it certainly strays from Austen's original novel in many ways but even though this is my favourite book of hers I really don't have a problem with this movie changing some things around a little. I think the movie remains true to the essence of the story and the relationship of Anne and Captain Wentworth. I think Sally Hawkins is a delightful Anne - even if she does sob and gasp a little too much for my liking in places! She is delicate and strong at the same time (I particularly like the scene in Bath towards the end when she stands up to her snobby father!)and she captures and portrays the history of her relationship with Captain Wentworth in her mannerisms and words perfectly for me.

Pride & Prejudice - Marvel Graphic Novel

It was my partner who discovered Pride and Prejudice - Marvel Graphic Novel on a recent trip to one of our favourite bookshops in Sydney - I thought he was pointing it out for me but he actually wanted to buy it for himself. I know I am getting close to him reading an original Jane Austen novel!

I still "borrowed" the book from his collection to make up my fourth selection for the Everything Austen Challenge. I found this version of Pride and Prejudice delightful - if a little slimmed down and cut back to fit into the graphic novel genre. I found the visual representations of the characters pretty close to how I might imagine a slightly more modern version of Austen's creations (although I felt Mrs Bennet got a bit of a bad deal!).

I wouldn't have wanted this to be my introduction to the Pride and Prejudice story - so much has had to be tightened up or left out that even though the essence of the story is still in tact something is lost. All in all though a beautiful, if different, trip down Austen lane.

Miss Austen Regrets

The BBC production of Miss Austen Regrets which showed last night in Australia was my third selection for the Everything Austen Challenge.

This movie focuses on the latter parts of Jane Austen's life - she is approaching the age of 40, is living with her elderly mother and adored sister, Cassandra and is in the process of finishing Emma and searching for a publisher for it when the movie begins. Jane's 20 year old niece, Fanny, is looking for the perfect husband and so enlists the support and assistance of "Aunt Jane" in her endeavours. As Jane and Fanny go over prospective husbands for the younger woman Jane reminisces on the past loves, flirtations and proposals of her own life and meets one or two possible suitors in the present time.

The script writer has said that she based her story on the surviving letters Jane sent to Cassandra and Fanny during this period and I thought she did a wonderful job of interpreting these letters into fiction.

The actress who played Jane, Olivia Williams (where have I seen her before??), was beautiful - she created an edgy, funny, moody and spirited Jane who I really enjoyed watching. I found a lot of her mannerisms and language to probably be a bit too modern for the moment she is meant to be living in but I still enjoyed watching.

The regrets of the title focus on Jane's thoughts about never having married - although I feel she may have had regrets about this at times (isn't it only human to have regrets about our choices in life at times?) I truly feel that her books and writing were her family and her passion and her true regret may only have really lay in having missed an opportunity to make her beloved family more comfortable which may have happened if she had chosen to marry. I thought the movie really captured the difficult situation Jane was forced into because of the time period in which she lived - her only "real" choice was to marry and become a wife and mother - a way of life that would have most probably ended her writing career which she so loved.

I spent a totally enjoyable hour and a half watching this show! Beautiful sets, costumes and photography added to the magic of the script for me. Do I think this is actually how things happened? No, but I enjoyed thinking it might have...

I now have 3 more selections left to read/watch in this challenge - do any of you have any selections that you think I should definitely add to my list?

Austenland - Shannon Hale

Austenland by Shannon Hale was my first read for the Everything Austen Challenge and I have to say that I was very disappointed with this book. I was so looking forward to reading it after hearing and reading such great things about it but I have to say - I don't think there is even one thing I can say that I liked or enjoyed in this book. I feel so awful saying that about a book that clearly so many people have enjoyed but I guess that's the way things go - not everyone is going to like the same things - and the world would be a very boring place if we did!

Austenland is the story of Jane Hayes - an American woman in her early 30's obsessed (as many of us are) with Pride and Prejudice - especially the BBC film version with Colin Firth playing the role of Mr Darcy. Jane has apparently been comparing every man she has ever dated with Darcy - with of course the only result being that every man has come up short. Jane has realised that this really isn't the most sensible way to live her life so in order to get over this compulsion to find her own Mr Darcy she takes a trip to Austenland - an English country estate set up to deliver its guests with an authentic taste of the Jane Austen period - complete with dashing suitors and possible offers of marriage.

I was just never able to get into this book or the storyline it presented. I wasn't ever really convinced of the character of Jane Hayes or what it was she was actually looking for - if anything. Her character, to me, seemed shallow and poorly developed - and I'm not sure how spending time in a Jane Austen theme park was actually going to "cure" her obsession with Darcy! I think this book highlighted my reading style - I like characters with substance and Jane Hayes did not deliver this for me. So, Austenland was not for me - maybe I need to go back to some authentic Austen for the time being...

Everything Austen Challenge

I had promised myself not to commit to any more reading challenges for the rest of the year - but promises are made to be broken - especially where Jane Austen is concerned!

Stephanie at Stephanie's Written Word is hosting the Everything Austen Challenge which is just way too tempting for me - so I'm in!

The challenge runs for 6 months from the 1st July 2009 - 1st January 2010 and involves reading or watching any book, movie, series etc... that relates to Jane Austen.

My 6 items at this stage will be:

1. Prada and Prejudice by Mandy Hubbard

2. Austenland by Shannon Hale

3. Intimations of Austen by Jane Greensmith

4. Jane Austen Ruined My Life by Beth Pattillo

5. Becoming Jane Austen by Jon Spence

6. Not quite sure just yet...

To Read or Not To Read...

I am in a quandary - I purchased a copy of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies last night for my partner - he thinks the whole concept is hilarious and he can't wait to read it. But my problem is - should I read it or not??

There has been so much talk about this book in the blogging world - and the book world in general. Even when I bought the book last night the sales assistant who served me was reading the book himself (and was loving it). Most of what I have heard about the book sounds positive - even staunch Austen addicts like myself seem to be getting on board and taking the book in the spirit in which it was intended - I'm just not sure I can do it! I keep having visions of Jane Austen turning over in her grave at the thought of what Elizabeth and Darcy have been reduced to. I don't want anything to ruin Austen for me!

So, advice gladly accepted - should I go here or not??

Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict - Laurie Viera Rigler

Half way through reading Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict I came to the realisation that I had read it before - and I hadn't really liked it all that much the first time around! The reasons for me not enjoying it the first time all came flooding back - although I did keep reading until the end so there must have been something keeping me hanging in there.

First of all, I love everything even slightly related to Jane Austen and the city of Bath in particular. Even though I know all of Jane Austen's letters etc... clearly state she couldn't stand the place I still feel it is my spiritual home! So, when the blurb for Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict talks about trips to Bath and balls in Assembly Rooms, I'm in.

The book is basically a time travel/body swap tale - a modern day LA woman, Courtney Stone (the Jane Austen addict of the title) wakes to find herself in the body of a nineteenth-century English gentlewoman, Jane Mansfield after spending a night drowning her sorrows in a bottle of vodka and Pride and Prejudice after breaking up with her rat of a fiancee.

The premise to the story (I think) is that Courtney/Jane needs to "stop thinking" and give in to her destiny (whatever that may be) in order to find herself back in her own body and century. Now, I can suspend all belief and give in to the time travel thing - that isn't my problem with this book. The problem I have is that Courtney/Jane is annoying, whining and boring! I simply don't care if she does get stuck in 19th century England for the rest of her miserable life! Her constant reflections and self-talk got in the way of the story for me.

I did stick it out to the (predictable) conclusion though - not really sure why! I so wanted to enjoy this book and be taken away to the world of Jane Austen - unfortunately I got stuck in the mental meanderings of Courtney/Jane and I couldn't seem to find my way out.

Weekend Book Buying

To celebrate my Birthday my partner took me away for a beautiful weekend in Sydney - staying in gorgeous accommodation in the city, partaking in High Tea and a fancy dinner, a trip to the art gallery and of course - book shopping!

I actually didn't spend up too big but did come away with some purchases;

The Annotated Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - ever since I knew this book was available I having been looking forward to reading it. Pride and Prejudice isn't even my favourite Jane Austen but I think it will be interesting to read this version.

I Was Told There'd Be Cake By Sloane Crosley - this is a book I've heard about in the blogging world a bit and it sounds like my type of humour so thought I might appreciate it.

How To Live Like An Italian by Annalisa Coppolaro - in keeping with my love of all things Italian I had to pick this book up. A bit of a cheesy cover but I'm hoping the content will be better!

Northanger Abbey - Jane Austen

I absolutely love Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey - love, love, love it! I will admit that a fair bit of my affection comes from the fact that quite a lot of the novel is set in Bath, one of my favourite places in the world.

So, when AustenProse started the Go Gothic reading month of Northanger Abbey I was in! Any excuse to re-read a Jane Austen novel and to travel to Bath through fiction, particularly as I was actually in Bath a little over 12 months ago myself and I have been mourning the anniversary of my time there - wishing I was there again right now.

I do love Northanger Abbey for other reasons apart from the setting. I really like the heroine, Catherine Morland. For a start I can truly relate to a young girl obsessed by the world of books - particularly novels - I love reading about her immersion in the world of her reading and how sometimes this carries over (a little too far!) into her reality. I probably do exactly the same thing a lot of the time and I'm not 17 anymore!

I also love that there are characters to strongly dislike in Northanger Abbey too, John and Isabella Sharpe and Captain Tilney (although my strongest dislike is reserved for Isabella - what a horrid, horrid girl!).

My favourite Jane Austen novel after Persuasion (also set partly in Bath....).

Go Gothic!

I've decided to join in the Go Gothic - Northanger Abbey reading month being hosted by Austenprose. Even though I have read Northanger Abbey a few times it is definitely one of my favourite Jane Austen novels - maybe even my second favourite after Persuasion. The reading month was originally going to involve reading The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe (the book that Catherine Moorland is reading in Northanger Abbey) as well but it was apparently taken off the agenda due to a month not really being enough time to take in both books. I have The Mysteries of Udolpho down for one of my reading challenges so I will try and start it soon anyway - might be the perfect time being inspired by Northanger Abbey and Catherine!

The Independence of Miss Mary Bennet - Colleen McCullough

I finished The Independence of Miss Mary Bennet last night and I'm still not really sure what to make of it.

Definitely a page turner - I have not read any of Colleen McCullough's books before (probably not something a book loving Australian should admit to) so I have nothing of hers to compare the writing or style of this book to. I did have to stop comparing the book to a Jane Austen novel though because that comparison was getting me nowhere!

The premise of the book is that we now get to follow the story of Miss Mary Bennet, 20 years after the end of Pride and Prejudice. The book still however follows the stories of the other Bennet sisters and their illustrious parents and associates. I'm not even completely convinced that Mary Bennet was the focus of the story - and definitely not the Mary Bennet of Jane Austen's story!

The book follows what I thought was a really strange storyline for a "traditional" Austen sequel - kidnappings by religious sects and murder just to name a couple of examples. But maybe that is just the point - McCullough was trying to take the story beyond the traditional.

As I said before - I was completely hooked into this book and finished it quickly - but I had to suspend my belief about this being an Austen story with her traditional characters in order to do so. I would think that Jane Austen purists might have a real problem with this one!

More to Pride and Prejudice?

I have a confession to make... I love to read anything even slightly related to Jane Austen and her novels.

I have a secret dream (maybe not so secret now) that someday a dramatic discovery of a large number of her lost novels will be found and I will not have to read and re-read her only published works over and over again - not that this is really a problem for me!

So, until that dream becomes a reality I grab onto any "sequel" or alternative Jane Austen story that comes along - and today I found a new offering.

The latest novel from a significant Australian author, Colleen McCullough - The Independence of Miss Mary Bennet. The information on the book from the publisher says:

Everyone knows the story of Elizabeth and Jane Bennet in Pride and Prejudice. But what about their sister Mary, she of the atrocious singing voice and the staidly religious bent of mind?
Master storyteller Colleen McCullough paints a life for Mary Bennet twenty years after Jane Austen's novel closes.
So far on in time, each of Mary's sisters is settled in her own way. Happily married Jane is the mother of many children; Elizabeth has to cope with an unwelcome social pre–eminence she had not envisioned; Lydia is still entranced by military officers; and Kitty is one of the stars of London's fashionable salons.
Events transpire that free Mary from her family obligations and dangle the allurements of independence before her hungry gaze. Fired with zeal by the newspaper letters of the mystery man Argus, she resolves to publish a book about the plight of England's poor. Plunging from one predicament into another, Mary embarks upon a mission of investigation that eventually leads her into mortal danger and reveals the surprising identity of Argus.
The Independence of Miss Mary Bennet is both a page–turning look at the ongoing lives of the Bennet sisters, and a sparkling romance that shows it is never too late to find love. Abounding with beloved characters in new guises as well as people we have not met before, it is funny, tragic, and eminently satisfying. This is a novel for every woman who has yearned to leave her mark upon the world – Colleen McCullough at her lively best.

I must admit I have not read anything of Colleen McCullough's before but I just couldn't say no to this story.

Spring is Here!

At last! I am so over our winter. The first two days of spring have been glorious - we are now meant to have a week or so of not so nice weather so I am hoping these two gorgeous days will keep me going past that.

So, even though I'm feeling a little overwhelmed with work and life in general at the moment the weather is (at least temporarily) on my side.

Another bonus today was the delivery of my latest order from Amazon - always exciting!

I purchased Nice to Come Home To by Rebecca Flowers which I first read about over at Stephanie's Written Word. This book sounds just the thing for holiday reading so I am going to try and resist temptation (I think the cover is so gorgeous and girly!) and not read this one until my weeks holiday in October (only 5 weeks to go!!).

My other purchase was a CD - the soundtrack to the movie Becoming Jane. I am under no illusion that this movie actually accurately represents the life of Jane Austen but I love the movie anyway and I always try to buy the soundtracks to movies I love - to try and re-capture the magic at home!

The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen - Syrie James

The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen by Syrie James was just what I needed in my reading life at the moment!

I relish reading and re-reading my Jane Austen novels and I constantly mourn the fact that there are no others ever to be so although The Lost Memoirs is not up to the standards of an authentic Jane Austen novel - it still took me to all the right places.

The fictional premise of the book is, as the title suggests, that the long lost memoirs of Jane Austen have been discovered and published and that they primarily tell the story of a romance between Jane and a Mr Ashford - a character who is written as a composite of several of Jane Austen's literary heros. The fictional memoir also follows the story of Jane's life following the death of her father and her pursuit of publication and a writing career.

The description of the book from the author's website:

What if, hidden in an old attic chest, Jane Austen's memoirs were discovered after hundreds of years? What if those pages revealed the untold story of a life-changing love affair? That's the premise behind this spellbinding novel, which delves into the secrets of Jane Austen's life, giving us untold insights into her mind and heart. Jane Austen has given up writing when, on a fateful trip to Lyme, she meets the well-read and charming Mr. Ashford, a man who is her equal in intellect and temperament. Inspired by the people and places around her, and encouraged by his faith in her, Jane begins revising Sense and Sensibility, a book she began years earlier, hoping to be published at last. Deft and witty, written in a style that echoes Austen's own, The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen offers a delightfully possible scenario for the inspiration behind this beloved author's romantic tales. It's a remarkable book, irresistible to anyone who loves Jane Austen—and to anyone who loves a great story. From the moment you open the pages of The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen, you won't be able to put it down.

For once I agree with the hype - I was unable to put it down and only wish there was more! Apparently the author is now writing a similar novel based on the life of Charlotte Bronte.