Jane Hayes is a seemingly normal young New Yorker, but she has a secret. Her obsession with Mr. Darcy, as played by Colin Firth in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, is ruining her love life: no real man can compare. But when a wealthy relative bequeaths her a trip to an English resort catering to Austen-crazed women, Jane’s fantasies of meeting the perfect Regency-era gentleman suddenly become realer than she ever could have imagined.
Decked out in empire-waist gowns, Jane struggles to master Regency etiquette and flirts with gardeners and gentlemen;or maybe even, she suspects, with the actors who are playing them. It’s all a game, Jane knows. And yet the longer she stays, the more her insecurities seem to fall away, and the more she wonders: Is she about to kick the Austen obsession for good, or could all her dreams actually culminate in a Mr. Darcy of her own? (Goodreads summary)
I’m a sucker for all things Austen. It’s like comfort food or your favorite pair of jeans. Something that just feels right. So, when I saw the trailer for Austenland, I knew it was something that I wanted to look into…then I found out it was book first (like most movies ;)) so I knew I had to read it, and I’m so glad I did!
Let me just tell you, Shannon Hale is hilarious. The wittiness, the banter, the snark…it was all I wanted in a novel. I loved the way the novel poked fun at the “ideal man” being Colin Firth’s Mr. Darcy. Don’t get me wrong, I love me some Mr. Darcy…and Colin Firth…but to be fair, I don’t think it’s realistic to wait forever to find Mr. Darcy. I mean, he is a fictional character after all, and let’s face it, the man had moments of great douchery. That said, I adored Jane and her quest for freedom from her obsession with Mr. Darcy. I loved her romantic ideals and her revelations about herself. I adored her humor in analyzing her previous relationships. And most of all, I LOVED the end. I got a little worried toward the end that things were not going to turn out the way I had hoped, and then they turned out way better.
So, overall, I love it and would recommend it to anyone who loves a good romantic comedy with a touch of Austen. I’m definitely looking forward to the movie.
Title: Austenland
Series: Austenland (Book #1)
Published: May 29, 2007 by Bloomsbury USA (first)
Format: 197 pages; paperback; ebook
Website: www.squeetus.com
Source: Library
My rating: 
