A review by beebeewin
Jane Austen, the Secret Radical by Helena Kelly

4.0

I learned so much from this book. That is a fact that I had to state because going into this book you have to be prepared not for a light read but an actual educational experience. This book and the very detailed research that Helena Kelly did adds a whole new depth to the classic books that Jane Austen wrote. As someone who has read some but not all of the novels by Jane Austen and enjoyed them, this book final confirmed to me that there was something deeper to these stories. Austen like many an author was making a commentary on her surroundings and as a woman there was a lot to say. Without giving too much away this book dived into the context of the novels Austen wrote, the references to other literature, political figures, and events of the early 19th century, and the deeper themes the novels contained. Of course, Kelly does acknowledge the romances, but as with any novel there is always more. Please if you like Austen but want to see beyond the surface of sweeping romances and twisting plots give this book a read!