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There are currently 23 member reviews
for Miss Austen
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Katie V. (Madison, WI)
Miss Austen by Gill Hornby: Cassandra Austen's Story
Miss Austen begins in the springtime, and the novel is infused with the positive energy of spring's possibility. An unflinching look at the constraints around women's lives in the 1700s and 1800s, the novel shows how bright, creative women like Jane Austen and her sister Cassandra navigated within those gender limitations and ultimately created space for themselves to live lives of their choosing. Told from Cassandra Austen's perspective, the book moves back and forth in time, bringing to life Cassandra's rich memories of her creative, boisterous family, especially her beloved sister Jane, and then returning to Cassandra's present, after Jane has passed away and Cassandra has embarked on a mission to protect Jane's legacy. This delightful book offers historical detail, glimpses into Austen's characters and novels, immersive depictions of the landscapes in which the Austens lived, star-crossed romance, and ultimately the satisfaction of women's lives well lived. I enjoyed it immensely, and looked forward to picking it up every evening.
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Mary L. (Greeley, CO)
More of the story
This book will appeal to admirers of Jane Austen's writing and also readers who love exploring both history and family relationships. The book alternates between Jane and her sister Cassandra's adult years and 1840, 23 years after Jane has passed, as Cassy seeks to protect Jane's reputation by destroying some letters Jane wrote. The novel also shines a light on the plight of women, married and, especially, single in England at the time. The wit and subtle humor are reminiscent of Jane Austen, herself.
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Deborah W. (Boynton Beach, FL)
Meet "Miss Austen" and Her Sister, Jane
In this delightful novel about Jane Austen's sister Cassandra the author deftly weaves in familiar Austen plot elements: sisters and their immediate and extended relatives; seaside visits; a public dance and a picnic; visits with friends; domestic issues and long walks; off-stage marriage proposals and their consequences; mistakes about love, some fixable and some not; and the necessity of finding one's place in the world, particularly for unmarried women. The author's tone and details are spot-on throughout, and key biographical facts and dates are followed. In addition to playing a central role Cassandra also showcases her sister's wit and insights. The book is a treat for Jane Austen's many fans, a charming return to her world; and I, for one, was glad to spend time there.
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Dorothy M. (Maynard, MA)
An Austen you can enjoy
If, like me, you are disappointed in the interpretation that PBS has made of the unfinished novel by Jane Austen, I have a book for you. Miss Austen by Gill Hornby focuses on Cassandra, Jane's older sister, constant companion and the literary executor of her estate. Written with the subtle wit of Jane Austen, Hornby introduces us to Cassandra in her later years, several years after Jane's death. Always concerned about the legacy that Jane will leave, when Cassandra learns that the parsonage where the Fowles - extended family and great friends of the Austen's - lived is being claimed by the replacement clergyman, she invites herself to stay. She is determined to find and censor any letters that might cast a shadow on Jane's life. And as is often the case when you dig in the past, she learns some things she might prefer not to know. As Jane Austen did, Hornby shows us the options open to women during the period, always limited, and the dismal opportunities for single women or women whose husbands are no longer around. I thoroughly enjoyed this chance to explore a different aspect of Jane Austen's life. While this is fiction, the author has been careful to stay within the historical data (and speculation) around the Austen family. The echoes of Mrs Bennett in Mrs. Austen and the depiction of Mary Austen, James' wife who has never met an issue she can't criticize, are another bit of the charm.
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Barbara C. (Riverside, CA)
For me, Isabella was the true protagonist!
I am a Jane Austin Fan, but I found Cassandra to be a little tedious. She exhibited great love and affection for her family members. My emotion went to Isabella.. She was so depressed for much of the book and was barely able to function. Jane's books revived her.I was overjoyed that she finally married her love.The details and mores of life of that period were very engaging. Daily living for the middle class and above had so many rules and habits. Hornby is an excellent writer and there were memorable lines.
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Rebecca H. (Bolton, CT)
Miss Austen
The Miss Austen of Gill Hornby's beautifully-imagined novel is not Jane, but her sister Cassandra, whose life was intricately bound up in her family, especially her famous sibling. Those familiar with Jane's novels will enjoy the prose style, reminiscent of Austen's own, which transports the reader into the life of the early nineteenth century spinsters. The story has parallels to Austen's novels, perhaps especially Persuasion. The lives of Jane and Cassandra and their niece, unmarried women of limited means, are depicted through their correspondence and through the narrative, which alternates between their present (1840) and their past (1813-1817). Cassandra has the gift of finding joy in her changing circumstances and her choices, narrow though these were. The novel explores the plight of women who could not or chose not to marry in such a society. Family members and acquaintances are portrayed with compassion and a sly wit which brings to mind many of the characters in Jane Austen's own novels. Highly recommended for Austen lovers!
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Susie J. (Fort Wayne, IN)
Honorable Mention for Gil Hornby and Miss Austen
I came to this novel knowing that I would like it - for it is about an era and a famous English author - both of which I I am dearly fond. As Miss Cassandra Austen arrived at and settled into the vicarage in Kintbury in 1840, I, too, very happily settled into a novel about that famous author's older sister. Hornby moves back and forth in time, using letters written by Cassy and Jane to develop his plot, and while I found these charming, it was here that I also found the plot mechanism to be a bit weak. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed Hornby's take on family life of this era, his picture of the relationship between the two siblings, and as a bonus, his clever inclusion of a bit of mystery - all to be enjoyed with a good cup of tea!
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