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lynnleon86's review against another edition
Rape-ish scene at beginning
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape
jess_mango's review against another edition
3.0
I was really hoping that I would enjoy this novel since I am a Jane Austen fan. However, I found it to be a disappointing read. Each chapter is about a different member of the book club and some of them were dull. Only a couple of the characters/book-club members were well developed, the rest, I just didn't really care about.
peytonktracy's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
If you’re a fan of Austen, it’s a sweet conceit - six readers, each mirroring an Austen novel as told in flashbacks and book club meetings. While I loved the idea, and some of the ways the Austen narrative was incorporated into the modern world were clever, it floundered in execution. I ultimately was not particularly invested in any of their stories because they were told in such brevity, so there was no real emotional payoff at the end. It was fine, it was kinda fun, but truly I would just rather read the source material.
bookish_village's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
book_concierge's review against another edition
1.0
The writing is not good, the characters are weak, and the plot even weaker. Our book club really didn't care about any of the characters. We certainly didn't agree with the good reviews the book received.
blondierocket's review against another edition
4.0
I loved the book just as much as I loved the movie, despite its differences, I often thought I was reading something entirely different. It’s an amazing story of a group of women, and one man, who get together once a month to discuss Jane Austen, while also going through their own emotional and life changing journey. Each month is not only dedicated to another Austen book, but also to another character’s life growing up and then in the present. Karen Joy Fowler also goes as far as including brief synopsis of each Austen novel, and many other interesting artifacts at the end of the story to bring the reader in more to the life of Jane Austen (including, Austen’s family responses to the stories, book club questions, and references). I loved the journey as much as I love reading Jane Austen.
kberry513's review against another edition
2.0
So far, I am entirely underwhelmed. My complaints range from the ridiculous (whose name is Grigg?! Seriously!) to the nitpicky. I'm finding a problem with the POV; the author has made it a first person plural. As in, there are all sorts of sentences starting with "we" but all six of the protagonists are discussed in the third person and I find it very distracting. I'm also having difficulty with choppiness. The book group discussions are interleaved with background bric-a-brac on each of the book group members. This, in itself, is a perfectly valid method of story-telling and one which I find enjoyable in other books. The issue I'm having is that there isn't enough substance in the conversations between the flashbacks. It's like two sentences of book discussion and then it's back to character building. I'm also feeling like this author does a lot of telling over showing, which (again) is a perfectly valid way to write, but I'm just not feeling it. I think maybe it's just that I had higher expectations for this book.
Oh also I found myself looking up when the book was written because the author keeps referring to retarded children. Normally, I'm not the PC police, especially if a book was written during an era where a term is widely used, but this one was written in the 2000s. I was willing to let it go when we're in the (kind of) Jocelyn POV portions, because she is supposed to be in her fifties and she is a teenager during the time being described, so I can accept the author referring to her high school boyfriend as having a retarded younger brother. However, Allegra is a woman approximately my age and I find it hard to believe she would find the term to be acceptable, *especially* considering her father is the one Jocelyn referred to earlier.
**Update from page 154**
Okay, at least the author has explained Grigg's name. So far, he's my favorite - or at least maybe just the most sympathetic, because I don't have especially strong feelings towards him. I think all the women are waaaaay too judgmental about him and his opinions of Austen simply because he's a man. I think that the author is too ham-handed about the way they treat each other and feel about each other. Personally, Northanger Abbey is one of my favorites also and, like Grigg, I'm planning to read Udolpho because I think knowing the background will give me even more insight into Austen's novel. Considering how snobby they are about their Austen, at least one of them should have known that Udolpho is a real novel.
As for Prudie's chapter...AGAIN the author uses the word retarded to describe a person. And I was a bit disturbed by the way all teachers are portrayed, at least from the point of view of Prudie. It feels like the author is saying that all high school teachers go through a period of being extremely attracted to their students and that it's normal, which I personally can vouch for being false. That's not to say that *some* teachers aren't like that. I realize this is supposed to be Prudie's POV, but since the book is written from the first person plural for the most part, it comes across as being the group's opinion.
Again, I find the "we" POV distracting - and it definitely detracts from the novel. On the one hand, it sounds as though the group is telling the story together, but if that's the case, then why do they as a group complain about how irritating it is when Prudie speaks in French or how none of them had heard the story of how Jocelyn and Grigg met? It whittles down who could be talking, but all six of them are treated that way.
And I am still struggling with the choppiness. In Prudie's chapter, there isn't very much choppiness because the group never meets. She's called to her mother's deathbed too soon. And in Grigg's chapter, it's less choppy because it seems like there is even less discussion of the book.
Now I want to finish fast not because I care about the characters, but because I want to be done with them all and move on.
**Final update**
This had such promise. I really wanted to like it. I think that's why I'm giving it two stars instead of one. But honestly, it just disappointed on all fronts. I'm hoping maybe the movie version can do the premise justice, but I'm not going to hold my breath.
Oh also I found myself looking up when the book was written because the author keeps referring to retarded children. Normally, I'm not the PC police, especially if a book was written during an era where a term is widely used, but this one was written in the 2000s. I was willing to let it go when we're in the (kind of) Jocelyn POV portions, because she is supposed to be in her fifties and she is a teenager during the time being described, so I can accept the author referring to her high school boyfriend as having a retarded younger brother. However, Allegra is a woman approximately my age and I find it hard to believe she would find the term to be acceptable, *especially* considering her father is the one Jocelyn referred to earlier.
**Update from page 154**
Okay, at least the author has explained Grigg's name. So far, he's my favorite - or at least maybe just the most sympathetic, because I don't have especially strong feelings towards him. I think all the women are waaaaay too judgmental about him and his opinions of Austen simply because he's a man. I think that the author is too ham-handed about the way they treat each other and feel about each other. Personally, Northanger Abbey is one of my favorites also and, like Grigg, I'm planning to read Udolpho because I think knowing the background will give me even more insight into Austen's novel. Considering how snobby they are about their Austen, at least one of them should have known that Udolpho is a real novel.
As for Prudie's chapter...AGAIN the author uses the word retarded to describe a person. And I was a bit disturbed by the way all teachers are portrayed, at least from the point of view of Prudie. It feels like the author is saying that all high school teachers go through a period of being extremely attracted to their students and that it's normal, which I personally can vouch for being false. That's not to say that *some* teachers aren't like that. I realize this is supposed to be Prudie's POV, but since the book is written from the first person plural for the most part, it comes across as being the group's opinion.
Again, I find the "we" POV distracting - and it definitely detracts from the novel. On the one hand, it sounds as though the group is telling the story together, but if that's the case, then why do they as a group complain about how irritating it is when Prudie speaks in French or how none of them had heard the story of how Jocelyn and Grigg met? It whittles down who could be talking, but all six of them are treated that way.
And I am still struggling with the choppiness. In Prudie's chapter, there isn't very much choppiness because the group never meets. She's called to her mother's deathbed too soon. And in Grigg's chapter, it's less choppy because it seems like there is even less discussion of the book.
Now I want to finish fast not because I care about the characters, but because I want to be done with them all and move on.
**Final update**
This had such promise. I really wanted to like it. I think that's why I'm giving it two stars instead of one. But honestly, it just disappointed on all fronts. I'm hoping maybe the movie version can do the premise justice, but I'm not going to hold my breath.
pbraue13's review against another edition
3.0
This book offers an enjoyable contemporary take on the themes and characters of Jane Austen's novels. The novel follows the lives of six individuals in California who form a book club dedicated to reading and discussing Austen's works. As they delve into Austen's timeless stories, they find parallels to their own lives, leading to personal revelations and transformations. The plot revolves around the six members of the book club: Jocelyn, Sylvia, Allegra, Bernadette, Prudie, and Grigg. Each character is dealing with their own challenges and insecurities, from failed relationships to dissatisfaction with their current situations. Through their discussions of Austen's novels, they confront their own romantic entanglements, familial conflicts, and personal struggles. As they meet to discuss books like "Pride and Prejudice," "Emma," and "Sense and Sensibility," the members also navigate their own journeys of self-discovery and growth. Themes of love, friendship, marriage, and identity are explored throughout the novel, echoing Austen's timeless insights into the human condition.
The novel's strengths lie in its witty dialogue, insightful characterizations, and clever references to Austen's works. Fowler adeptly weaves together multiple storylines, creating a compelling narrative that keeps readers engaged from beginning to end. However, while the novel is enjoyable, some readers may find it lacking in depth compared to Austen's original works. The characters, while engaging, may not be as fully developed as those in Austen's novels, and the plot occasionally feels contrived or predictable. I, myself, am sorry to say (in no disrespect to Karen Joy Fowler whose work I have enjoyed in the past) that I prefer the film version. The film condenses the plot and simplifies some of the character arcs, but it retains the charm and wit of the original novel. It… just does the book better. It swaps characters and the books their linked to (Prudie is definitely more an Anne Elliot from “Persuasion” and not a Fanny Price from “Mansfield Park”) and subdues the character’s more unbearable traits in the book to make them more likable in the film (the director and screenwriter clearly loved the book as most of its best dialogue is taken directly from its pages, verbatim). Once more, the book has a very intense and almost dated gender dynamic between Grigg (the lone man in the book club) and the ladies. I also took a little offense to how Allegra is portrayed as this promiscuous lesbian who it seems will never find love. It felt like the book was judging her so much. Additionally, the film benefits from strong performances by its cast, including Emily Blunt, Maria Bello, and Hugh Dancy, which bring the characters to life in a compelling way (I mean come on Emily Blunt can do no wrong). Also (random thought) I will also say I love that in the novel Emily Blunt’s character, Prudie, and her husband Dean met due to their mutual love of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and they cast Marc Blucas (Riley from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) as her husband in the film. There is even a nod to “Buffy” in the film when Hugh Dancy’s character, Grigg, says he is in town for a “Buffy Convention”. In the end, did I get lost in Austen with these ladies? Yes, but I just yearned to be reading Austen rather than reading this book.
2.5/5 stars
The novel's strengths lie in its witty dialogue, insightful characterizations, and clever references to Austen's works. Fowler adeptly weaves together multiple storylines, creating a compelling narrative that keeps readers engaged from beginning to end. However, while the novel is enjoyable, some readers may find it lacking in depth compared to Austen's original works. The characters, while engaging, may not be as fully developed as those in Austen's novels, and the plot occasionally feels contrived or predictable. I, myself, am sorry to say (in no disrespect to Karen Joy Fowler whose work I have enjoyed in the past) that I prefer the film version. The film condenses the plot and simplifies some of the character arcs, but it retains the charm and wit of the original novel. It… just does the book better. It swaps characters and the books their linked to (Prudie is definitely more an Anne Elliot from “Persuasion” and not a Fanny Price from “Mansfield Park”) and subdues the character’s more unbearable traits in the book to make them more likable in the film (the director and screenwriter clearly loved the book as most of its best dialogue is taken directly from its pages, verbatim). Once more, the book has a very intense and almost dated gender dynamic between Grigg (the lone man in the book club) and the ladies. I also took a little offense to how Allegra is portrayed as this promiscuous lesbian who it seems will never find love. It felt like the book was judging her so much. Additionally, the film benefits from strong performances by its cast, including Emily Blunt, Maria Bello, and Hugh Dancy, which bring the characters to life in a compelling way (I mean come on Emily Blunt can do no wrong). Also (random thought) I will also say I love that in the novel Emily Blunt’s character, Prudie, and her husband Dean met due to their mutual love of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and they cast Marc Blucas (Riley from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) as her husband in the film. There is even a nod to “Buffy” in the film when Hugh Dancy’s character, Grigg, says he is in town for a “Buffy Convention”. In the end, did I get lost in Austen with these ladies? Yes, but I just yearned to be reading Austen rather than reading this book.
2.5/5 stars
jamiehandy's review against another edition
1.0
I'm not sure why I keep checking out Jane Austen genre books, (especially considering I have only read 2 of her real books), but here is another. And this one is not worth reading. Skip it. Trust me. 5 or 6 people in a book club to read Jane Austen's books -- and the club members are not at all interesting. The writing was lousy, the stories were not great . . . just skip it.
thebrainlair's review against another edition
5.0
The Jane Austen Book Club: A Novel by Karen Joy Fowler (2005)