If you have to ask...
At one point in this novel, the protagonist, Lily, turns to a friend and asks, "Am I needy?" He responds that "if you have to ask..." Well this book made me feel like I was that friend, uncomfortable in answering a question that is obvious to everyone else. Lily has plenty of reasons to be needy. She has just lost her mother, her boyfriend and her confidence in her father. She believes that living in a Jane Austen Novel and imagining Jane as her mentor, friend and confidant will help her come to grips with her life. It should have been a fun read, but I just got tired of dealing with her. The book has a plot full of exciting happenings and kept me reading despite my disdain for our heroine. But if you are a Jane Austen fan, I think there are better books for your book club to find.
Rated of 5
by Rita H. (Centennial, CO)
My Jane Austen Summer
One feels a bit sorry for Lily who never seems to get it right in the romance department. Her love affair with Jane Austen is also slightly askew. But, she has great hopes for her summer in England with a cast re-living Mansfield Park. This book is a relaxing read and perfect for the beach or a snow day. I would recommend it to the reader who wants an escape book or a sweet story.
Rated of 5
by Skye (St Louis, MO)
Mixed Reaction
I just recently started reading Jane Austen and Jane Austen-related books and was excited to get this one. The main plot line seemed interesting, but I found there were too many departures to side/background stories that were not value-added to convince me to really like the book. Would I recommend it? Probably would, but only as a light, quick read for easy entertainment.
Rated of 5
by Yehudi F. (Brooklyn, NY)
My Jane Austen Summer by Cindy Jones
If you have read all of Jane Austen's six completed novels, including Mansfield Park, the title 'My Jane Austen Summer' will tempt you, Resist temptation here, as Jones adds nothing to understanding of Jane. This book is poorly written and its plot line is fourth-rate. If you have not read Austen's novels don't even think of wasting your time and money on My Jane Austen Summer.
Rated of 5
by JDW (Long Beach, NY)
A dissapointing read
A women whose life is out of control flees to an Austen literary festival in England to find herself.
I'm a big Austen fan so I'm always interested in new takes on Austen, her works and her readers. I usually give these books some leeway as I don't expect them to approach the greatness of the the original works, but this one was a disappointment. The characters and plot were weak and inconsistent. I found myself being more annoyed with protagonist than sympathetic and her journey to find herself was not compelling. The descriptions of the literary festival were interesting, but not enough to make the book work reading. Skip it.
Rated of 5
by Karen B. (Pittsburgh, PA)
Falls Short
Have enjoyed much of the Austen fan fiction published over the last decade but could not find much to recommend "My Jane Austen Summer." The plot twist at the end was interesting and unexpected. Maybe the book will improve greatly during the editing process. It would need much improvement to get my endorsement. I suggest picking up a copy of "Dancing with Mr. Darcy", an anthology of short stories published this month and selected by the Austen committee instead.
Rated of 5
by Selene M. (West Chicago, IL)
No Mansfield Park!
If you are looking for something reminiscent of Mansfield Park. This isn't it. Although the book was fairly fast reading, I was not engaged by any of the characters especially Lily Berry, the protagonist. Equally parts whiny and self-pitying, her gradual transformation into a somewhat interesting individual is not enough for me to recommend this book.
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