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tinkeringcheck's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
TLDR: Character-driven, multiple POVs, large cast with a lotta heart, slow pace, great audiobook narration, heartfelt exploration of grief, bit of an underwhelming ending.
To be upfront, I've... never actually read a Jane Austen book. However! I do have a lot of fondness for Austen screen adaptations. Was I a fool for diving into a book like this based solely off a recent rewatch of P&P 2005? Perhaps!
But despite all that, what I'd absorbed through cultural osmosis was enough to easily follow along. There were a few times when the characters got into discussions that made me feel like I'd shown up to an English Lit seminar without doing the reading, but these parts were still written in a pretty accessible way for newbies while digging deep into the themes of Austen's stories.
There are a lot of character storylines here and I admittedly had my favourites, but overall I found each brought something unique to the story and how we see the other characters. However, some POVs tended to slow down the story more than others. And because of the large cast and limited time with each, you don't get a completely deep exploration of any one character. This can be a relief if there are POVs you don't click with, but left me a little wanting for my faves (like Adeline and Dr. Grey).
At the heart of the story, though, is a very poignant and relatable exploration of many different kinds of grief. While the WW2 setting has been overdone to death, it truly makes sense for this story for the unfathomable amount of grief it inflicted on society. Even so, this story is rooted firmly on the home front so it feels less a typical WW2 historical and more a story that just happens to be set during WW2.
However, I do wish the ending had gone out on more of a bang plot-wise. It felt a bit underwhelming with some characters making regressive choices after seeing them grow so much over the course of the story.
Overall, I really loved this story and these characters, and it made me interested in reading more of Austen's works! It has a slow pace though (the audiobook even moreso than the print book despite the excellent narration) and the characters - not the Austen plot - are definitely the focus.
To be upfront, I've... never actually read a Jane Austen book. However! I do have a lot of fondness for Austen screen adaptations. Was I a fool for diving into a book like this based solely off a recent rewatch of P&P 2005? Perhaps!
But despite all that, what I'd absorbed through cultural osmosis was enough to easily follow along. There were a few times when the characters got into discussions that made me feel like I'd shown up to an English Lit seminar without doing the reading, but these parts were still written in a pretty accessible way for newbies while digging deep into the themes of Austen's stories.
There are a lot of character storylines here and I admittedly had my favourites, but overall I found each brought something unique to the story and how we see the other characters. However, some POVs tended to slow down the story more than others. And because of the large cast and limited time with each, you don't get a completely deep exploration of any one character. This can be a relief if there are POVs you don't click with, but left me a little wanting for my faves (like Adeline and Dr. Grey).
At the heart of the story, though, is a very poignant and relatable exploration of many different kinds of grief. While the WW2 setting has been overdone to death, it truly makes sense for this story for the unfathomable amount of grief it inflicted on society. Even so, this story is rooted firmly on the home front so it feels less a typical WW2 historical and more a story that just happens to be set during WW2.
However, I do wish the ending had gone out on more of a bang plot-wise. It felt a bit underwhelming with some characters making regressive choices after seeing them grow so much over the course of the story.
Overall, I really loved this story and these characters, and it made me interested in reading more of Austen's works! It has a slow pace though (the audiobook even moreso than the print book despite the excellent narration) and the characters - not the Austen plot - are definitely the focus.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage, Sexual assault, and Grief
Moderate: Addiction, Mental illness, and War
Minor: Emotional abuse, Sexism, and Suicide
Graphic sexual assault: Happens inGrief: It's a major part of the story, so if background deaths of parents/children/siblings or miscarriage will affect you it's probably best to skip this one.
Addiction: One of the characters starts struggling with a prescription drug addiction about halfway through the story. It's only lightly touched on and briefly described. They eventually take steps to help curb it, but they don't really get help for it (especially in terms of modern support).
Mental illness: One of the characters struggles with symptoms very strongly like depression and agoraphobia, and heavily isolates themselves because of it.
Suicide: Very brief mention of a character's relative sadly committing suicide in the past.
Emotional abuse: Nothing explicit, more one of the characters having a shitty parent.
kelly_e's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Title: The Jane Austen Society
Author: Natalie Jenner
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 4.25
Pub Date: May 26, 2020
T H R E E • W O R D S
Delightful • Uplifting • Bittersweet
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Set in post WWII Chawton, the final place famed author Jane Austen lived, The Jane Austen Society centers around Austen's former home, now occupied by a few distant relatives. With Austen's legacy threatened, an unlikely group of villagers, united by their love for her work, band together to preserve what is left by creating The Jane Austen Society. A story of love and loss, deep personal struggles, and the power of books.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I'll admit I have never read Jane Austen, and I may never read her work. However, I was instantly drawn to The Jane Austen Society for it's bookish basis - any book relating to the universal language of literature and the power of books is a book for me!
And sometimes the right books falls into your lap at the right time, which was the case for me with this one. My own grief was strong at the point I picked it up without knowing one of the main themes would be grief. I had absolutely no idea how much I would connect with the narrative (Adeline and her grief, in particular), and there are several quotes below that I have been thinking about ever since. The grief aspect was so appreciated.
The Jane Austen Society mixes historical fiction, personal tragedy, the English countryside, and Austen fandom beautifully. And while I could have done without all the legal details relating to charitable societies and estate management, on the whole the writing is great. Of course, there is also bookish aspect that I always adore. Turning to books for solace is something I have done time and time again, so it just felt validating. Additionally, I adored how a love of books brought this distinctly different cast of characters together. Each character had their place, and thought I personally connected with Adeline most, I had a soft spot for Adam.
I definitely think my appreciation of this book would have been enhanced if I'd have read some of Austen work, nonetheless Natalie Jenner's debut was such an enjoyable read and I look forward to more from her in the future.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• Austen devotees
• historical fiction lovers
• fans of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"The unnatural loss of youth not only hits us harder, it seems to insist on invading our days, as if the memory of the person lost too soon has a hidden, persistent source of energy."
"From all of his years of practice, Dr. Gray knew only one thing for sure: that some of us are given too much to bear, and this burden is made worse by the hidden nature of that toll, a toll that other cannot even begin to guess at."
"But the thing that no one warns you about, when the pain is too great - when the pain is so great that you'd rather die than face another day of it - is that the pain becomes bigger, and more real, than anything else. It's like the circle of grief which is not supposed to shrink, even with time, but also not to grow - it's as if it is still expanding with the pain, feeding on it, infecting everything else around you. A calculating, inextinguishable darkness that covers everything, even the few things that you were promised would remain outside the grief, by all those well-meaning people who simply had not yet experienced a grief as bad as yours."
"For the world that existed demanded the pain, and the living with it, and would never let you go even when everything else fell away."
"'All I know is that I really loved him. I really did, deeply. And now I have no one. And everyone wants me to just go on. It's been a year, they'll say, it's time to get out. Take walks. Long walks. Go to the movies. Just get out there again and live.'
Mimi shook her head sadly at the young widow. 'Adeline, my father killed himself when I was very young, and it impacts me even as we sit here. It is a part of me, that awful, irrevocable act. And I am never going to be quite whole again because of it. You are not the problem: the loss is.'
Adeline looked up at Mimi with tears streaming down her cheeks. It was the first time she had let herself cry since that awful night outside in the garden with Dr. Gray.
'And, yes, sadly, no one can ever understand your loss. It belongs to you. It impacts only you. And guess what? They don't need to understand.'
Author: Natalie Jenner
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 4.25
Pub Date: May 26, 2020
T H R E E • W O R D S
Delightful • Uplifting • Bittersweet
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Set in post WWII Chawton, the final place famed author Jane Austen lived, The Jane Austen Society centers around Austen's former home, now occupied by a few distant relatives. With Austen's legacy threatened, an unlikely group of villagers, united by their love for her work, band together to preserve what is left by creating The Jane Austen Society. A story of love and loss, deep personal struggles, and the power of books.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I'll admit I have never read Jane Austen, and I may never read her work. However, I was instantly drawn to The Jane Austen Society for it's bookish basis - any book relating to the universal language of literature and the power of books is a book for me!
And sometimes the right books falls into your lap at the right time, which was the case for me with this one. My own grief was strong at the point I picked it up without knowing one of the main themes would be grief. I had absolutely no idea how much I would connect with the narrative (Adeline and her grief, in particular), and there are several quotes below that I have been thinking about ever since. The grief aspect was so appreciated.
The Jane Austen Society mixes historical fiction, personal tragedy, the English countryside, and Austen fandom beautifully. And while I could have done without all the legal details relating to charitable societies and estate management, on the whole the writing is great. Of course, there is also bookish aspect that I always adore. Turning to books for solace is something I have done time and time again, so it just felt validating. Additionally, I adored how a love of books brought this distinctly different cast of characters together. Each character had their place, and thought I personally connected with Adeline most, I had a soft spot for Adam.
I definitely think my appreciation of this book would have been enhanced if I'd have read some of Austen work, nonetheless Natalie Jenner's debut was such an enjoyable read and I look forward to more from her in the future.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• Austen devotees
• historical fiction lovers
• fans of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"The unnatural loss of youth not only hits us harder, it seems to insist on invading our days, as if the memory of the person lost too soon has a hidden, persistent source of energy."
"From all of his years of practice, Dr. Gray knew only one thing for sure: that some of us are given too much to bear, and this burden is made worse by the hidden nature of that toll, a toll that other cannot even begin to guess at."
"But the thing that no one warns you about, when the pain is too great - when the pain is so great that you'd rather die than face another day of it - is that the pain becomes bigger, and more real, than anything else. It's like the circle of grief which is not supposed to shrink, even with time, but also not to grow - it's as if it is still expanding with the pain, feeding on it, infecting everything else around you. A calculating, inextinguishable darkness that covers everything, even the few things that you were promised would remain outside the grief, by all those well-meaning people who simply had not yet experienced a grief as bad as yours."
"For the world that existed demanded the pain, and the living with it, and would never let you go even when everything else fell away."
"'All I know is that I really loved him. I really did, deeply. And now I have no one. And everyone wants me to just go on. It's been a year, they'll say, it's time to get out. Take walks. Long walks. Go to the movies. Just get out there again and live.'
Mimi shook her head sadly at the young widow. 'Adeline, my father killed himself when I was very young, and it impacts me even as we sit here. It is a part of me, that awful, irrevocable act. And I am never going to be quite whole again because of it. You are not the problem: the loss is.'
Adeline looked up at Mimi with tears streaming down her cheeks. It was the first time she had let herself cry since that awful night outside in the garden with Dr. Gray.
'And, yes, sadly, no one can ever understand your loss. It belongs to you. It impacts only you. And guess what? They don't need to understand.'
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Miscarriage, and Grief
Moderate: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, and Pregnancy
Minor: Suicide, Death of parent, and War
death of partnermisse3's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Miscarriage, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Misogyny, and Rape
Minor: Homophobia, Suicide, and Pregnancy
madelinepaul99's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Miscarriage
diyashasen's review against another edition
hopeful
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
If you love: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (the book! not the Netflix adaptation), Cranford (the second season of the mini-series! not the book), the first few verses of ‘Belle’ in Beauty and the Beast, and well the one and only… Jane Austen, then this is a great cozy read for you.
The exposition is genuinely fantastic—Jenner does a great job capturing the idyllic charm (and incessant gossip) of a small village. On top of that, there’s something about this book that reads as a little Taylor Jenkins Reid-adjacent with the glamorous lifestyles of celebrity culture and the serious dedication to character building.
With that being said, the three-quarters of the book felt like a wonderful ride on the lazy river. Frankly, nothing happened, and the society didn’t form until halfway through. But, I was still on board! But then, the drama of it all, just suddenly unfolded in the last 75 pages. It felt like Jenner ran out of time and it was all rushed. Considering she had me hooked for all of it until the end, I can only imagine what her next book will be like (with some proper editing and a larger page count!)
The exposition is genuinely fantastic—Jenner does a great job capturing the idyllic charm (and incessant gossip) of a small village. On top of that, there’s something about this book that reads as a little Taylor Jenkins Reid-adjacent with the glamorous lifestyles of celebrity culture and the serious dedication to character building.
With that being said, the three-quarters of the book felt like a wonderful ride on the lazy river. Frankly, nothing happened, and the society didn’t form until halfway through. But, I was still on board! But then, the drama of it all, just suddenly unfolded in the last 75 pages. It felt like Jenner ran out of time and it was all rushed. Considering she had me hooked for all of it until the end, I can only imagine what her next book will be like (with some proper editing and a larger page count!)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage
rebeccarudisill's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
A gentle and sweet book with a healthy dose of Austen discussion and lore
Content Warnings
Moderate: Miscarriage
galena417's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug abuse and Miscarriage
Minor: Suicide
margaretahall's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Addiction, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Death of parent, and War
mariakureads's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I bought this because of Richard Armitage's narration and stayed for the story.
It was well written an beautifully inspired by Jane Austen. It's a cozy read that if it hadn't been for work, I would have completely devoted more attention to it because it's worth it. Jenner has a beautiful way of writing that depicted different characterizations that reminded me, in some instances of Austen's work, but not to copy or be in comparison of, but just like a nod to them, while creating great depth and characterization to each one that I just couldn't help but find loveable - Except for Jack. I didn't like Jack but he gets his comeuppance at the end so all's good there.
Definitely a book worth reading or listening to in a single read due to the story's flow so if you can, try because otherwise, you'll be like me wondering where I last left off 😂
It was well written an beautifully inspired by Jane Austen. It's a cozy read that if it hadn't been for work, I would have completely devoted more attention to it because it's worth it. Jenner has a beautiful way of writing that depicted different characterizations that reminded me, in some instances of Austen's work, but not to copy or be in comparison of, but just like a nod to them, while creating great depth and characterization to each one that I just couldn't help but find loveable - Except for Jack. I didn't like Jack but he gets his comeuppance at the end so all's good there.
Definitely a book worth reading or listening to in a single read due to the story's flow so if you can, try because otherwise, you'll be like me wondering where I last left off 😂
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage and Grief
Moderate: Death and Sexual assault
Minor: Addiction
ok7a's review against another edition
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, and Death of parent
Moderate: Mental illness and Toxic relationship
Minor: War