Jane Austen Stole My Boyfriend - Cora Harrison (#2)

Although this is the second book by Cora Harrison based on the diary of Jenny Cooper, a close cousin to Jane Austen, I think it could be read independently without the first novel, I was Jane Austen's Best Friend (see my review).
I bought and read the first book on a bit of a whim - wanting an easy read. Nothing too tough. But actually really enjoyed it! So I got the second book...and have only just got around to reading it.
Since acquiring this novel, I have also read the first book in Cora Harrison's new series named Debutantes (my review), which I would also recommend!
Cora Harrison has to be one of my favourite historical fiction writers as well as Anna Godbersen and Mary Hooper among MANY so I was quite pleased to be starting this book and finally finding out the ending to Jenny's story.

Synopsis: The effects of Jenny Cooper met, fell in love and was then proposed to by the lovely Captain Thomas Williams are both joyful and threatening to their future happiness with a number of obstacles between their love becoming official in marriage. Meanwhile, Jane Austen - Jenny's cousin and closest friend - has her own ideas to find romance. Jane's wild imagination is looking for a dashing, handsome and brave young man - but the males of Steventon don't particular match that fantasy. Soon, Jenny and Jane go to Bath to visit their aunt and uncle and are shown a world of romance, dancing and elegance as well as a few scandals along the way. Soon Jane has a number of admirers wanting her attention and is at risk of being the talk of the town for the wrong reasons...

Review: I have to admit that I constantly cringe whenever I type/write/say the title of this book - it's jokey, yes, but if I had not sampled Cora Harrison's novels before, this would not be a to-read for me.
This is the perfect book for those that are big Jane Austen fans like myself. Although I've only read Pride and Prejudice, I love the plot, the manners and the elegance of her time and also just Jane Austen herself too. This is also the perfect read for those fans to sit on a rainy afternoon in bed with chocolate and coffee and just enjoy the afternoon. Because of the simplicity of this novel, I loved reading it late at night or very early in the morning - it was easy to engross yourself in and to understand.

The story is told from Jenny's point of view. As Harrison says in the Author's Note at the back (which is so interesting to have a read of what is true or not), Jenny's real name was Jane but changed for the purposes of having another Jane in the story. I've always loved Jenny - she's very lovely, gentle and kind yet quite strong-headed and understands what is happening around her. Unlike sometimes young girls of the time are portrayed, neither Jane nor Jenny I found extremely silly and I felt very attached to their future happiness throughout the novel. Jenny at the beginning of the book is engaged to a naval officer  Thomas - another rather lovely character. However, they are refused permission by her brother due to his wife's jealousy for the match. Thomas is vacant for the majority of the book as he goes on a trip with his crew. I loved seeing the genuine sadness from Jenny at his leaving - it just made it lovely to read.

What I absolutely loved about this book (and the series) is the references to Jane Austen's literature. There are quotes that Jane gives to Jenny to put in her diary that after a quick Google, I realised are from Jane Austen novels. The characters and plot have a certain Jane Austen-esque to them. Jane Austen reminded me so much of Elizabeth Bennet and Thomas as Mr Darcy which for a big Jane Austen fan like myself, it's lovely to see the thought put into the novel through this references.

The plot of the book is never boring, with a number of sub-plots happening that keep you as a reader guessing until the very end. I enjoyed the structure of the novel as a diary written by Jenny that really allowed me to get to know her character once again and sympathise with her. The writing is very informal and not at all like the Regency language we associate with Jane Austen, but I liked this aspect of it - it makes this an easier more enjoyable read.
I loved the simplicity of this novel, the modern language, the understandable plot and the lovely unique characters. This novel may should very modern but the key aspects of the 1700s are still present - the etiquette  the clothes, the manners, the dancing - all written clearly and in a way that made it so easy to imagine.

Despite the isolated moments where I had to cringe (starting with the title), I think this novel is best for those that want an easy read for whatever reason that may be. This was perfect to read late at night and very early in the morning when I didn't want to read anything too heavy. I loved the characters, the plot and the writing that made this an overall great read that has cemented Cora Harrison as one of my favourite authors.

I give it a 4.5 out of 5

Author's Website: http://www.coraharrison.com/
Pages: 346
Publisher: Macmillan
Challenges: BBC, Historical Fiction

Cora Harrison's other books:
I was Jane Austen's Best Friend
Debutantes

If you like this, you'll also like....
Cassandra's Sister by Veronica Bennett
Me and Mr Darcy by Alexandra Potter
Love, Lies and Lizzie by Rosie Rushton

Film Review: Pride and Prejudice (2005)

Starring: Keira Knightley (The Duchess), Rosamund Pike (Die Another Day), Donald Sutherland (Going to be in the new Hunger Games), Matthew McFadyen (Spooks), Rupert Friend (The Young Victoria), Brenda Blethyn (Atonement), Talulah Riley (St. Trinians), Carey Mulligan (An Education), Jena Malone (Sucker Punch), Simon Woods (Cranford), Kelly Reily (Sherlock Holmes), Tom Hollander (Pirates of the Caribbean)
Made in 2005 by Focus Features (US)
Filmed in various places in England
Directed by Joe Wright
Based on novel by Jane Austen published in 1813

L-R: Jena Malone (Lydia), Carey Mulligan (Kitty), Keira Knightley (Elizabeth),
Rosamund Pike (Jane), Talulah Riley (Mary)

It is universally acknowledged that Matthew McFadyen (who plays the one and only Mr Darcy) doesn't quite match the Darcy from the 1995 mini-series version of this book: Colin Firth. This maybe because of my particular likeness for Colin Firth since seeing him in The King's Speech but you know...he's well liked mostly because of the Mr Darcy role. Having seen some of the episodes of the 1995 version (and admittingly, I have the DVD of it - HEY. Don't judge. It was a joke birthday present), this version, ten years on, focuses much more on the cinematography of the film rather than the raw emotions like in the 1995 series.   

There are some beautiful images from the start that both represent feelings and events that happened in the book, but also to just make it a really nice movie to watch. It is slow, I admit, especially for non-Pride and Prejudice fans or non-Keira Knightley ones too as she is featured heavily in this lovely movie. 

I, however, like her, especially as she was born and bred around my area (as well as Bend It Like Beckham, which she featured in, being filmed around my town). So obviously, she is a personal favourite movie star of mine. 

This movie shows clearly the events in Pride and Prejudice as well as adding a slight modern look to the film although keeping with the traditional manners, dress and formalities of 18th Century England. There is some lovely scenes where the characters do not have to tell you how they're feeling, you just kind of know. In short, this movie's best strength is the way in which it has been filmed - it is utterly beautiful. 

The acting is also not too bad. Keira Knightley shows both the attractive and clever sides to Elizabeth Bennet although when she is angry, it isn't Knightley's best moments beauty wise. I also found her take on Elizabeth rather moody at points, a tad like Darcy is known to be. 

Matthew McFadyen was a great Darcy and clearly showed that change from maintaining pride to loving Elizabeth, it was like a truly completely different Darcy. The other actors also reflected their characters personalities in the novel well with the amusement we find between Mr and Mrs Bennet and Lydia's innocence and stupidity of being a giddy young teenager. Carey Mulligan as Kitty was a very different role from perhaps we see her doing now, being a big Hollywood actress. 

For me, the perfect choice for character was Rosamund Pike as Jane. Jane is supposed to be absolutely beautiful, in and out. Comforting. Everyone's favourite character and elegant. In the 1995 version, Jane is hardly any of these. Pike was a good choice for Jane. She became the Jane I see in my head when I read anything to do with Pride and Prejudice.

Overall, this film was full of amazing actors and actresses. It was shot beautifully and captured the essence of the 1700's and the world of Jane Austen. It was like stepping back in time...even though there are a few movie mistakes. 

Cassandra's Sister - Veronica Bennett

Because we were rushed off our feet on my holiday and doing lots of different things which meant I was SO tired in the evening, I didn't actually read that much as I normally do so only got through this book while in America.

I have read this book before and from what I could remember I found it interesting and was one of the first books I read about Jane Austen herself and her family. This book is a lot like the movie starring Anne Hathaway, Becoming Jane as it is set around that time, although not in so much detail as the movie. 


Synopsis: Young Jane — or Jenny, as she is called — is a girl with a head full of questions. Surrounded by her busy parents and brothers, Jenny finds a place for her thoughts in the companionship of her older sister, Cassandra. Theirs is a country life full of balls and visits, at which conversation inevitably evolves on one topic: marriage. But the arrival of their worldly-wise cousin disrupts Jenny’s world, bringing answers to some of her questions and providing a gem of an idea. 


Review: This book follows Jane Austen inventing and writing two of her most popular novels, Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility as well as some events that we know happens to her in her life, like the idea of falling in love. Sadly and perhaps unexpectedly, Jane Austen never married. She was offered one proposal by the brother of one of her friends who she accepted and then changing her mind the next day. As portrayed in Becoming Jane and mentioned in numerous novels about Jane Austen's life, Jane fell in love with the Irish, Tom Lefroy, the nephew of a family known to the Austen's. If anything ever happened between them, we shall never know, but I like to think they did, mostly for Jane's sake. They could never marry, and they knew that, as he had no money, training to be a lawyer and Jane Austen had to marry for money as her family were quite poor. Jane Austen lived her life with her parents and her also unmarried sister, Cassandra who's fiancée died on a trip to the West Indies. She lived off the money from her books that were published in her lifetime and from money from four of her five brothers. Jane Austen didn't live an extravagant lifestyle and  was never truly rich, she may have been unhappy to write about all her heroines falling deeply in love and marrying, yet she never did. However, maybe this made her loveless life bearable...again, it is something we shall never know for real.


This book follows the relationship with Cassandra and Jane Austen and of how their love lives affect both their relationship and themselves, which is a very different way to other novels like this that I have read which I liked. Other normally go for the romance. 
The only problem with this is that for me there wasn't enough romance, and I don't say this often. I know it's about Cassandra mostly in Jane's life but reading the blurb, you wouldn't think this, you'd think it's the novel that Becoming Jane was made from. The beginning is very slow with Jane starting and stopping many novels like Lady Susan. This is fine, but it did get a bit tedious and boring after a while with this pace. Then, when Tom Lefroy did come into it which is about half way through, we see him once for a chapter and then anything that happened between him and Jane was told after it happened and in not much detail. I have no idea what happened the second time they met, they never say! They just talk about it without giving any information. This annoyed me.


The characters were all likeable and behaved like they were from the 1700's, although there were times when sentences sounded more at home in my living room than at a ball, although this wasn't too often. I liked the friendship and sisterly love between Cassandra and Jane, it seemed like they were confidants in each other but still had that sisterly understanding, which is nice to see. Cassandra seems to be the one to calm Jane down and Jane brings out a rebellious side to Cassandra, this, to me, is the best relationship to have with one another. You both get things out of it.
My favourite scenes were the balls with the amount of detail of who was dancing with who, the dresses, the dances, the small things. These are the things that make me want to be transported now to England 1790 and join in, they were admittedly done very well. 
Mrs Austen, as always, reminded me SO much of Mrs Bennet and Jane of Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice. This part made me laugh of Jane's cynicism and her quick wit: 


'"Mrs Fowle, seems very pleased that Charles is going to be a lawyer," said Mama (Mrs Austen). She consulted the letter again, then laid it in her lap. "Now, Jenny, what profession would you have predicted he would follow? I must confess that when he was a boy I always rather saw him as a soldier."
"I remember that he used to march around with a stick over his shoulder for a rifle," said Jenny (Jane). "But then, if you recall, my own favourite pastime at that age was playing with model animals, yet now I have no inclination even to own a pet cat."'


As you can see in that extract, Jane is referred to, until about 75% of the way through, as Jenny instead of Jane. I have never heard of this before for Jane Austen being nicknamed, and it got really annoying after a while. To me, she is Jane. Jenny is not even a shortening of the name Jane. Stick with Jane! I think I know why it was done, but it didn't add anything really.
The other thing that confused me was the passing of time. The book would suddenly jump to three years later without much warning or ending to whatever had happened before. The book was trying to cover a huge period of time, instead of just a small amount in great detail.


I did enjoy this book eventually nearer the end and this book does give information about the only proposal known for her to receive which most Jane Austen-esque books leave out. There are faults in this book but I think it is a good book for those that don't know much about the writer and just want to find out a bit more about her life. It would be the ideal accomplice to writing a essay on one of her books, to reference it to events in her writing. However if, like me, you know a lot about Austen, I would read this knowing you may not enjoy it. It's a lovely little book, but could be better.
Verdict: Recommend to anyone who knows nothing about Jane Austen. 


I give it a 3.5 out of 5


Author's Website: http://www.veronica-bennett.com/
Pages: 231
Publisher: Walker Books
Challenges: BBC, Historical Fiction


If you want are interested in finding out more about Jane Austen herself, have a look at these reviews for other books I have read about her:
I was Jane Austen's Best Friend - Cora Harrison
Love, Lies and Lizzie - Rosie Rushton

A-Z Authors - A

I found out about this through Phanee from funny wool and is hosted by Heather at Proud Book Nerd. I thought it looked quite fun so this month, I shall be doing a post every day (except Sundays) where I shall tell you about amazing authors that have surnames beginning with that letter. I hope you enjoy and tell me if you know any more with that letter and I'll add it to the post! Thanks.

NOTE: As I am doing my exams at the moment, I may miss days so shall combine letter together, I'll say if I do in the title - Thanks.

Here we go....

A

Jane Austen

    Jane Austen was an English writer born in 1775 and wrote stories, mostly love, until her death in 1817. She had four brothers and a sister, Cassandra and lived in Steventon, Hampshire mostly with her parents at a parish as her father was a clergyman (priest). She based many of her characters from her stories on her family and the people around her in the small village. Her debut novel was Pride and Prejudice (published 1813) which is also probably her most famous. It took her years to get it published as in those days, women were seen to not publish books about love, like Austen wrote about. 

I personally love her after falling in love with Pride and Prejudice when studying it in English Literature. She has a real sense of how people behave and how they interact with one another. All her characters seem original yet relatable. A lot of her books have been made into films which makes them so much more enjoyable without having to tackle her writing style which is quite complicated.

Other books include Emma, Sense and Sensibility, Northanger Abbey, Mansfield Park and Persuasion. 

Books that follow her life or spin-offs of her novels:

- I was Jane Austen's Best Friend by Cora Harrison

- Cassandra's Sister by Veronica Bennett

- Love, Lies and Lizzie by Rosie Rushton (and others by Rosie Rushton)

Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen

Currently, I am writing an essay as part of my English GCSE coursework (though it's been put on hold for the moment as it's the MOCKS). Anyway, it's made me get in the Pride and Prejudice mood now and I bought the novel and the film with Keira Knightley in...all for under £5 on Amazon. Oh I love them.
So yeah, I thought I'd read it.

So. For those who have been living in a cave in Antartica for the last 3 centuries, this is what it's about.
   The story evolves around the Bennet family, particularly Elizabeth and Jane, the two older sisters out of five. The fabulous Mr Bingley has moved into Netherfield, the big house just a few miles away, bringing his pompous, moody, although handsome, Mr Darcy.
When him and Elizabeth meet, she immediately judges him and vows never to dance or talk to him again. However, when Jane and Bingley meet, sparks fly and soon, their mother, Mrs Bennet whose aim in life is to see all five daughters married, expects a marriage on the cards.
Though as events unfold and Elizabeth finds out secrets and lies about these two men and the mysterious Mr Wickham and of course, the ridiculous Mr Collins...

I left it open as I could describe the whole novel but it must ruin it for those who have been living in an igloo for the last few centries. This was first written in the 1700's and named originially the very apt title, First Impressions.
The characters are written really well so that we have an opinion of all of them without it being too many. Mr Darcy. I have to say this. Why does all girls like him (including me)? Even though he is so moody, conceited and in truth, a teenager (not literally. He's like 25 in the novel). I think it's because he doesn't show his emotion because he's afraid to and also, he does all this lovely, nice stuff because of his love for Elizabeth. Okay I gave it away but really? Is it not that obvious from the front cover?
One of my favourites is Mr Collins, who I have to write about for the essay. He is just so...funny, but a complete pompous idiot at the same time and I can say...I'm so glad I'm not Charlotte!

My only problem really was that for me, I had to make sure I wasn't tired, otherwise I wouldn't be able to digest Jane Austen's writing. Which is completely different to novels today.
This book is a great classic story which still entertains us, centries later as Austen really understands what it is like to be in a family; in love and meeting and judging the people around us.

I would give it a 4 out of 5.

For more info about Jane Austen: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Austen

Love, Lies and Lizzie - Rosie Rushton

Well...normal story. I was in the library, saw this and was like 'Ooooo Pride and Prejudice re-make!', whipped out my library card and rushed towards to the desk in a hurry, getting it and rushing into the sunset, happy. Well, yes, not quite but you get the picture...if anyone is reading this apart from myself.

First Sentence:  "So you dumped him? Just like that? In the middle of the school trip? ARE YOU CRAZY?"

The story follows 'Lizzie' Bennet and her family of Jane, Meredith (whose that in P&P?), Lydia, Katie (??) and Mr and Mrs Bennet who of course meet the Bingleys and Mr Pompous Darcy who is named James (But middle name is Fitzwilliam who anyone that cares) and if you know the story of Pride and Prejudice then, it is that but in a modern version with mobiles, boys, gap years and singing. Suddenly, Elizabeth is amazing at singing and wants to do Music therapy.

Well, when I first started reading it, I was thinking 'God, Jane Austen would be turning in her grave' and at the beginning, the word 'muttered' is repeated a number of times on the same page. Not the only word you could use, Rushton.
Anyway, I actually really enjoyed this book in the end. It was just a nice and modern way to get to grips with Austen and the fact that Rosie Rushton has written other successful novels like this of the other Austen novels, I am actually going to go looking for them. It's very witty and I found myself smiling many a time.
So....it is a truth universally acknowledged that you shouldn't judge a book by the first couple of pages and I shall read more of her books in the future...

Author's Website: www.rosierushton.com/