What happens when one woman’s obsession with Jane Austen’s books becomes a reality? Meet Shannon Hale’s 2007 book, Austenland.
We’ve had Austenland by Shannon Hale on our TBR for several years; admittedly, it’s not a book we’d consider. However, since we love Keri Russell, yet haven’t seen the movie, we thought we’d have a go reading it. Also, we needed a quick read as we are behind on our reading challenge.
So, let’s meet Jane Hayes. She’s in her early 30s and has been obsessed with Jane Austen’s books since she read Pride and Prejudice as a teenager. However, the BBC adaptation starring Colin Firth made her a diehard Austen fan.
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Meet Jane Hayes – Austenphile
She has also read Austen’s work multiple times, except Northanger Abbey. Jane’s gossipy mother, Shirley thinks she’s throwing away her life. However, her great-aunt Carolyn (whom she hasn’t seen since childhood), sees straight through her obsession. She encourages it.
6 months later, Carolyn dies and Jane ends up in her will, which was the hope of Shirley. However, Jane doesn’t inherit money. It turns out, her great aunt had arranged for her to go on a vacation to a Manor house in Kent, England.
As it turns out, it was Carolyn’s desire for Jane to live out her fantasy in a Jane Austen-esque environment, even if it was just three weeks.
Jane’s best friend, Molly, attempts to talk her out of the trip. However, Jane feels if she goes, she can get Mr Darcy and the Austen obsession (as Molly refers to it) out of her system.
This Ain’t No Book – Entering Austenland
Jane is thrown into the year 1816 upon her arrival at the self-titled Austenland in Kent, England. She meets an array of “actors” including Mrs. Wattlebrook, Aunt Saffronia, Sir John Templeton and Miss Elizabeth Charming, Mr Nobley and Colonel Andrews.
I only gave this three stars because it’s not a book I would read. The concept is a good one as it blends 1800s society with the early 2000s. It also breaks down the gender roles of the period by showing how different men and women were. For example, men were not permitted to drink and smoke in front of women.
Women had to dress in different gowns depending on the time of day. One of the funnier aspects of the Austenland book was when Jane found a power socket with a fake kerosene lamp plugged in, a flushing toilet and a bathroom with running water.
Touch And Go
For the first few days, Jane is at a crossroads as to whether she can maintain the facade of “living” in 1816. She also hooks up with the gardener. As time goes on, she fully immerses herself into the experience of living like a Jane Austen book character.
She is almost kicked out of the experience when her phone is discovered and one of the other guests claims it is theirs to protect Jane.
After the experience she had with the gardener, Jane turns her attention to the men. She almost gets assaulted by a drunk Sir John Templeton who she knees in the groin.
We won’t spoil the ending. What makes this book so great, even though we didn’t give it a high star rating, is it that it explores the prejudices that existed in the 1800s.
Our star rating for Shannon Hale’s book, Austenland is:
