Austenland by Shannon Hale

Reviewed by Sarah
Start Date: June 20, 2009
Finish Date: June 21, 2009
Star Rating: five stars *****
"Movie" Rating: PG. But I still wouldn't give this to young teens, so maybe pg-13. It is technically an "adult" novel

He handed her a glossy, oversized pamphlet. On the cover was a photograph of a large manor house. A man in jacket, cravat, and breeches, and a woman in an empire-waist dress and bonnet were walking in the foreground. The seemed awfully content. Jane's hands went cold.

I knew I wouldn't like this book. I knew it wasn't my kind of book. I went into it with low expectations... I read it anyway. And it was just about what I expected. So, in a kind of stupid way... at least I wasn't disappointed.

I'm really not a chick flick kind of girl. I do like a good romance, but throw it in with a bunch of nice intrigue and action. Its hard to go wrong with a good sword fight. Mystery is also very good. As a General Rule, romance should spice up the story, not be its driving force.

And, while I do appreciate Mr. Darcy for what awesomeness he DOES posess, he isn't really my favorite kinda guy to read about. (Which is entirely different from the kinda guy I'd want to date, just by the way.) In a word, my favorite kind of man to read about is clever. I'd take a Peaceable, Eugenides, or Sir Percy--even a Vidanric--over Jane's Mr. Nobly. Or whatever the heck his name is. Cute and earnest and oh-so-romantic is all well and good, but just doesn't quite compare if you can't add "clever" to his list of qualities.

This book wasn't ireedemable. I did make it to the end. Laughed in a few places, smiled in a couple others. Rolled my eyes several times. I was kind of curious about how it'd come out, and I was a bit surprised... but I didn't care a bit for any of the characters. Jane was just shallow and insecure and ANNOYING. Coudln't sympathise AT ALL. Maybe if I were 33 and still single, but pretty sure thats not gonna happen for a good while ;-) (I haven't been on a date, or anything resembling one, for about a year or so. This is me, not hating life. Quite the contrary.)


No spoilery review because, well, theres not much else to say. If you're more of a chick-flick Austen-fan than I am, this may be the book for you. It wasn't for me.


Now I shall go steal Peaceable from Deidre. He will make me feel better.