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A review by stefhyena
Eliza's Daughter by Joan Aiken
5.0
Even though I loved [b:Sense and Sensibility|14935|Sense and Sensibility|Jane Austen|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1397245675s/14935.jpg|2809709], I loved that this book did not romanticize the privileged world portrayed within it or the characters. It is a respectful book (far more than most [a:Jane Austen|1265|Jane Austen|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1380085320p2/1265.jpg] fan fics and sequels) in that it treats Sense and Sensibility as a sensible novel, not as a mere romance. And allows for no happily ever afters even for the protagonists.
But you might be wondering "Eliza's daughter"? Because S and S was about Marianne and Eleanor after all! But Eliza was an off-stage bit part, the ward of Colonel Brandon and seduced by Willoughby. Yes that Eliza, left pregnant by the blackguard. She (also named Eliza) shows us a less privileged side of the Austen world, a world of neglected bastard children in farmhouses, abusive alcoholic clergy and unhappy wives with brutish husbands. A world of servants and trades-people and yes even prostitutes (though tastefully the book allows a lot of things to happen off stage and be inferred or at times simply referred to).
People who like Austen as romance (as I am sure she never meant to be) should avoid this book. It is not romantic. It is in some ways critical and focuses on agency and social mobility. I think in some ways the conclusion ends up being overly optimistic...but I think that is just idealism and the desire to leave the reader feeling there is some reward for following Eliza through bleakness and disrepute (mind you she never allows it to be completely bleak).
This is one of the most strongly feminist books I have read. In many ways I love the ending and I also love the ways that things did NOT fall into place for the characters. It explores the complex nature of love in a way that is realistic albeit at times maybe heavily individualistic (proving it was penned in the 80s). I accept the ways the book troubles me because it is so good to see an Austen sequel that does something more than waffle romantically, and to see the underside of Austen's world. I feel that anything that happened to the people of Aiken's novel would have been things Austen would have been oblivious of, or would not have thought much about but that perhaps if someone had gived her such a novel and allowed her to read it she might have been interested and respectful.
Anyway for once in my life I enjoyed how someone responded to an Austen novel!!
But you might be wondering "Eliza's daughter"? Because S and S was about Marianne and Eleanor after all! But Eliza was an off-stage bit part, the ward of Colonel Brandon and seduced by Willoughby. Yes that Eliza, left pregnant by the blackguard. She (also named Eliza) shows us a less privileged side of the Austen world, a world of neglected bastard children in farmhouses, abusive alcoholic clergy and unhappy wives with brutish husbands. A world of servants and trades-people and yes even prostitutes (though tastefully the book allows a lot of things to happen off stage and be inferred or at times simply referred to).
People who like Austen as romance (as I am sure she never meant to be) should avoid this book. It is not romantic. It is in some ways critical and focuses on agency and social mobility. I think in some ways the conclusion ends up being overly optimistic...but I think that is just idealism and the desire to leave the reader feeling there is some reward for following Eliza through bleakness and disrepute (mind you she never allows it to be completely bleak).
This is one of the most strongly feminist books I have read. In many ways I love the ending and I also love the ways that things did NOT fall into place for the characters. It explores the complex nature of love in a way that is realistic albeit at times maybe heavily individualistic (proving it was penned in the 80s). I accept the ways the book troubles me because it is so good to see an Austen sequel that does something more than waffle romantically, and to see the underside of Austen's world. I feel that anything that happened to the people of Aiken's novel would have been things Austen would have been oblivious of, or would not have thought much about but that perhaps if someone had gived her such a novel and allowed her to read it she might have been interested and respectful.
Anyway for once in my life I enjoyed how someone responded to an Austen novel!!