A late SBD
I promised myself I would never, ever read another Jane Austen based book. No. Way. Anything by Austen, yeah, you betcha I'd read her books again (Maybe not Mansfield Park, but no one reads that book more than once, unless they're writing a paper.)
I liked Austenland by Shannon Hale as a bit of escapist fun but many of them? Ugh. I haven't finished any of them, except a Joan Aiken or two (and she had too much gothick action.) I've read better Potter fan fiction on the webs. Speaking of which, here's WTF fanfiction which should be examined when you're in the mood to laugh at pitiable writing.
At best the Austen-based books feel like a shellacking of a legend, as in applying a glossy surface to something that should remain lively and able to breathe. The worst ones are just. . . .no.Not my cup of tea.
But then I had to grab a book fast at the library, and the only one I could find was the Jane Austen Book Club. I'm only part way through it and I love it. I hope it can live up to this early promise but so far it's nearly as pleasurable as something by Jane herself. I don't even mind the voice of plural first person which usually feels forced and arty. It uses Austen perfectly as a jumping off point.
So okay, this will be the last one. No more fiction featuring Austen or her characters. I mean it, you'll have to pay me big bucks (five figures would do it) to read a book with "Mr. Darcy" in the title.
I liked Austenland by Shannon Hale as a bit of escapist fun but many of them? Ugh. I haven't finished any of them, except a Joan Aiken or two (and she had too much gothick action.) I've read better Potter fan fiction on the webs. Speaking of which, here's WTF fanfiction which should be examined when you're in the mood to laugh at pitiable writing.
At best the Austen-based books feel like a shellacking of a legend, as in applying a glossy surface to something that should remain lively and able to breathe. The worst ones are just. . . .no.Not my cup of tea.
But then I had to grab a book fast at the library, and the only one I could find was the Jane Austen Book Club. I'm only part way through it and I love it. I hope it can live up to this early promise but so far it's nearly as pleasurable as something by Jane herself. I don't even mind the voice of plural first person which usually feels forced and arty. It uses Austen perfectly as a jumping off point.
So okay, this will be the last one. No more fiction featuring Austen or her characters. I mean it, you'll have to pay me big bucks (five figures would do it) to read a book with "Mr. Darcy" in the title.
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