'Austenland' had been gathering virtual dust in my TBR pile since 2014. I rescued it as part of 2024 TBR Challenge, half expecting to set it aside fairly quickly. To my surprise, it was an amusing, energetic read that went in directions that I didn't expect. It was more subtle and more engaging than the movie version, which went for laughs without being too concerned about Jane's interior turmoil.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbHr8YyjSlg

The humour in the book worked for me because it didn't try to hard too be funny. The humour felt natural, not forced.

Interspersing the Austenland narrative with a chronological reprise of Jane's (depressingly unsuccessful) relationships with men gave the story more depth and helped me to understand why she had retreated into an obsession with finding a man who could be her Colin Firth / Mr Darcy as opposed to the various incarnations of Mr Collins or Captain Wickham that she'd encountered along the way.

What made the book come alive for me was Jane's inability to immerse herself fully in the Austen roleplay. It wasn't that she lacked the background knowledge to play her part. It was the 'playing' that she couldn't reconcile herself to. She could see the appeal of giving herself up to the fantasy and letting one of the faux Regency gentlemen woo her and tell her how wonderful she was but she slowly came to realise that doing not only wouldn't kill off her Darcy obsession but it wouldn't feed it either. The more opportunity she had to immerse herself in Austenland, the more she understood that what she was really hungry for was something real.

The ending was clever. It managed to keep the tension high, tighten up the humour and develop Jane as a person.

I listened to the audiobook version of 'Austenland', perfectly narrated by the inimitable and much missed Katherine Kellgren. ( )

My audiobook version of this was damaged and tended to skip at important parts. Blast! But I still had a fun time listening to this (despite the ridiculous premise). ( )

Like many people, I came across Austenland after watching the exceptionally beautiful, funny, and romantic film of the same name with Kerri Russell and J.J. Field. I know! It's a cardinal sin to watch the movie before reading the book, but I couldn't help it! Even if you're like me, and you already know how it ends when you pick up this book, there's still plenty to explore and love with this little story.

The biggest difference between the film and the book is with Jane herself. In the film, Jane Hayes doesn't just worship Mr. Darcy. She is obsessed with everything Austen: she knows all of the social rules, the plots, the characters, the historical milieu. Everything. And she throws herself into Austenland with wild abandon. Meanwhile, book Jane Hayes only cares about Colin Firth's interpretation of Mr. Darcy, and she knows next to nothing about the world he inhabits. As a result, her growth looked different, but it was no less sweet or rewarding.

Jane starts out as incredibly insecure in her own skin. Even when she arrives at Austenland, she's very uncomfortable, but over the course of this short novel, she grows into herself. Sure, she's not completely cured of her minor jealousies (who really can say they're never jealous or insecure anyway?), but she visibly grows. That's very gratifying.

The supporting cast is very similar to how they are in the film: Mrs. Wattlesbrook is a joyless stickler for rules. Lizzy Charming is hilarious and warm. Amelia is the perfect foil to Jane; Captain East is heroic; Colonel Andrews is entertaining; Mr. Nobly starts out cold but then melts deliciously, and Martin is still as much of a dickwad as ever. Everyone adds something to the story, and I can't imagine it without them.

My biggest issue with the book is with the romance between Mr. Nobly and Jane. First of all, unlike in the film, Mr. Nobly is an actor at Austenland. This isn't a spoiler since readers aren't led to believe otherwise, but it certainly ruins the dichotomy. He's not surly because he's out of place. He just is a jerk. Also, any of his changing feelings for Jane feel out of left field. Why is he falling for Jane? The reason he gives is that she's completely different from every other woman who's visited Austenland. That's right, readers. We have a very strong case here of "not like other girls" syndrome. It's not like Jane and Nobly didn't have chemistry. They absolutely did! I swooned every time she caught him looking at her. But the romance was cheapened because Nobly's feelings didn't go any deeper than she just wasn't the usual customer at his place of work. She was poor and didn't pay for the vacation herself! And she didn't molest him! And she wasn't married! What a noble character! If Nobly just left the park on occasion, he'd meet plenty of women who fit his ideal woman. Instead, he thinks it's a miracle there's a woman in the world who would rather talk about potential baby names on the first date instead of having sex (not that there's anything wrong with that, but they don't have to be so high and mighty about it).

If you loved the movie, then you'll enjoy this book. If you like this book, then you'll be enchanted by the film. Both have their merits. However, if I had to choose, I would say the film is better. As much fun as I had reading this, the film is just funnier, and I prefer the dynamic between Jane and Nobly in that one. Please don't sue me! ( )

A fun easy read for Jane Austen fans. ( )

This was a really good book, I'm looking forward to reading the second one. I love reading Jane Austen's work and stories based upon her work. This was one of my favorites, it is witty and historical and believable. ( )