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A review by diyashasen
The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner
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