Scan barcode
alanahighbury's review against another edition
5.0
This is one of the top 3 books that inspired me to start writing over a decade ago! I loved it.
lamom77's review against another edition
3.0
I listened to this audiobook with my daughters on our spring break road trip. They liked this story a lot. I thought it was cute, but could have been better. There were a lot of stories and potential stories in this book, but the main storyline dragged and dragged, leaving me wishing for more on the other storylines.
lmfm's review against another edition
3.0
Maybe my expectations were low because I picked this up for $1.99 in the checkout line of the grocery store, but I thought it wasn't too terrible in the genre of Austen one-offs. It is the modern day story of a writer, and although Austen's writing figures prominently in the story, this is not a strict modernization of one of Austen's novels nor one of the many, many dreadful "sequels" out there. The main character in this book has never read Austen and is commissioned to write a book in her style. I enjoyed being along for the ride as someone discovers Austen for the first time! There were some points in the book that I thought needed serious editing--I had the feeling that this book was maybe once longer and that a lot of the potentially interesting side stories (e.g. Sophie) got cut out rather clumsily. Overall, though, I zipped through it and enjoyed the story. Recommended for a light read for fans of Austen (or other popular novels of Austen's time, as several are referenced-Charles Grandison, anyone?).
bkread2's review against another edition
2.0
The book has the longest start ever! Doesn't even start to get decent till two-thirds the way through. It was like pulling teeth the old fashioned way until then. Main character was Whiney until the character Charles was introduced, not that he was key just when the main character Georgiana stopped being nothing but a complaining whiner.
felisa's review against another edition
2.0
I haven't read any of Aston's other novels, picked this up on a whim. In this book Aston describes, unfavorably, the movement to create sequels of Austen's novels. She was foreshadowing the feelings of her own books I bet. Unfortunately a lot of the book was about Georgina, the main character, being simply unreasonable and insufferable. I kept wanting the storyline to go somewhere else, anywhere else. I should have known this wasn't the case, with two chapters left there were many issues unresolved and undeveloped– all of them cleared up in all of three paragraphs at the end. Meh. I have no desire to read her other Jane Austen inspired stories.
liralen's review against another edition
2.0
Hmm.
I liked that this was not a sequel to an Austen book. That isn't a criticism of the author's other books, which are Austen "sequels" - I haven't read any of her other books - but, as much as I love Austen, people who try to copy her style usually... fail. Badly.
Which brings us to Georgina.
It took her half the book to even get around to trying to read Pride and Prejudice. Half the book. She spends most of the rest of the book moping around and making excuses not to write.
Honestly? I get having trouble motivating oneself to write, but I wish she hadn't been so whiny about it. The sheer amount of Austen coincidences - Austen tour bus! Regency-themed party! Everyone she's ever met has read and loved Austen's books! Her former roommate runs an Austen-themed shop! - is faintly ridiculous.
Basically... I think I would have enjoyed this more if the first half of the book had been cut by - yes - half and Georgina had whined less, which would have given the author more room to play with some of the more interesting characters (Maud, for example).
I liked that this was not a sequel to an Austen book. That isn't a criticism of the author's other books, which are Austen "sequels" - I haven't read any of her other books - but, as much as I love Austen, people who try to copy her style usually... fail. Badly.
Which brings us to Georgina.
It took her half the book to even get around to trying to read Pride and Prejudice. Half the book. She spends most of the rest of the book moping around and making excuses not to write.
Honestly? I get having trouble motivating oneself to write, but I wish she hadn't been so whiny about it. The sheer amount of Austen coincidences - Austen tour bus! Regency-themed party! Everyone she's ever met has read and loved Austen's books! Her former roommate runs an Austen-themed shop! - is faintly ridiculous.
Basically... I think I would have enjoyed this more if the first half of the book had been cut by - yes - half and Georgina had whined less, which would have given the author more room to play with some of the more interesting characters (Maud, for example).
alysona's review against another edition
3.0
Dragged for a bit but once Georgina got into the Austen books it got better. Great characters except Georgina who I just didn't like much.
sarahfett's review against another edition
4.0
I tend to like Jane Austen inspired novels (though I've never been interested in the many sequels to her books that others have written). The main character bothered me a bit for part of the book where she was procrastinating a lot (If something needs to be done, I want to do it right now!), but other than that, I enjoyed the book. It was interesting to read a Jane Austen inspired novel where the main character not only wasn't a huge JA fan, but had never read and of her books and never wanted to... at least at first.
pkrawr's review against another edition
1.0
Hated it, and just wanted to record it here so I don't make the mistake of picking it up again. I checked this one out in audio CD format. It wasn't un-listen-able, but Gina the protagonist consistently irritated me. I've outgrown the Bridget-Jones-era singleton in Britain genre, but this particular singleton only cares about the book she wants to write (and has written a couple dozen first chapters, but no further) that she is told time and again that no one wants to read. Stubbornly refusing to acknowledge the reality of her situation, she proceeds to spend money she doesn't have (like overdrafting your bank account is a legitimate way to make ends meet), counting on a fellowship that then gets yanked out from under her. Her stubborn refusal to face the reality of her situation, constantly leaning on the tolerance of others, and the sheer immaturity of her personality make her the least likeable heroine I've come across in recent memory. I gave up after about five chapters.
heather_freshparchment's review against another edition
3.0
Aston's descriptions of Bath and Georgina's reasons for loving England made me truly homesick, in the best way. I did object to her portrayal of Janeites as being overcommercialized and ridiculously obsessive; many of us (myself) have very balanced lives. :) I respect her decision at the end to have Georgina not succeed in completing a Jane Austen fragment, as there can only be one Jane Austen, but it did feel like a slight letdown, and the romantic plot between Georgina and Henry was resolved far too quickly in my opinion. Still, a fun, light read during finals week.