G949 Book Review of the marriage of miss Jane Austen by Collins Hemingway
Author: Collins Hemingway
ISBN: 978-1-5049-1102-3
Publisher: Authorhouse
Part of a Series: The Marriage of Jane Austen
Type of book: 1802-1805, marriage, wealth, trade, science, war, Napoleon, Regency England, fashion, hot air balloon, old maid, Bath, travels, letter exchange
Year it was published: 2015
Summary:
Tradition holds that Jane Austen lived a prim and proper life as a single woman. But what if she wed a man as passionate and intelligent as she—and the marriage remained secret for 200 years?
The Marriage of Miss Jane Austen is a trilogy that resolves the biggest mysteries of Austen’s life, the “lost years” of her twenties—a period of which historians know virtually nothing.
- Why the enduring rumors of a lost love or tragic affair?
- Why, afterward, did the vivacious Jane Austen prematurely put on “the cap of middle age” and shut herself away to write her books?
- Why, after her death, did her beloved sister destroy her letters, journals, and diaries from this period?
The Marriage of Miss Jane Austen trilogy presents an original love story, based on actual history, to put forth a believable, compelling, and plausible answer to Austen’s lost years.
Go with Jane Austen as this thinking woman, and sensitive soul, seizes the opportunity for meaningful love with a man who inspires her and understands her independent spirit—the one man worthy of her mind, heart, and soul.
Characters:
Main characters include Jane Austen who is best described as sharp, witty and a challenging woman. She also seems to be resigned to her fate, whatever it may be, and is also daring as well as fearless. Ashton Dennis is Jane's suitor and he is also impulsive and thinks a lot of things can be fixed with money. He is interested in science and exploration and isn't afraid to put his life at risk be it in small or major pursuits. There are other characters such as Jane's sister Cassandra, then Ashton's sister and the various family members of both Dennis and Austen households. Unfortunately Cassandra's character didn't make a big impression on me, but Ashton's sister and mother did. Ashton's sister is talented in finances, while Ashton's mother detests the Austen family and is overly protective of Ashton. My favorite part was the banter between the mother and Jane Austen.
Theme:
Don't give up on love
Plot:
The story is in third person narrative from Jane's point of view, although in the middle are letter exchanges from Jane to Ashton (her suitor) and to Cassandra as well as to Ashton's sister. The love and attraction are not instantaneous and they do take time to build into something more. What is also enjoyable about the story are the characters and how their personalities shine through the 1800s language style. (I've read all of Jane Austen's novels, most twice, and couldn't even understand or sense the characters because the language was too distracting for me.)
Author Information:
(From HFVBT)
About the Author
Whether his subject is literature, history, or science, Collins Hemingway has a passion for the art of creative investigation. For him, the most compelling fiction deeply explores the heart and soul of its characters, while also engaging them in the complex and often dangerous world in which they have a stake. He wants to explore all that goes into people’s lives and everything that makes tThe hem complete though fallible human beings. His fiction is shaped by the language of the heart and an abiding regard for courage in the face of adversity.
As a nonfiction book author, Hemingway has worked alongside some of the world’s thought leaders on topics as diverse as corporate culture and ethics; the Internet and mobile technology; the ins and outs of the retail trade; and the cognitive potential of the brain. Best known for the #1 best-selling book on business and technology, Business @ the Speed of Thought, which he coauthored with Bill Gates, he has earned a reputation for tackling challenging subjects with clarity and insight, writing for the nontechnical but intelligent reader.
Hemingway has published shorter nonfiction on topics including computer technology, medicine, and aviation, and he has written award-winning journalism.
Published books include The Marriage of Miss Jane Austen trilogy, Business @ the Speed of Thought, with Bill Gates, Built for Growth, with Arthur Rubinfeld, What Happy Companies Know, with Dan Baker and Cathy Greenberg, Maximum Brainpower, with Shlomo Breznitz, and The Fifth Wave, with Robert Marcus.
Hemingway lives in Bend, Oregon, with his wife, Wendy. Together they have three adult sons and three granddaughters. He supports the Oregon Community Foundation and other civic organizations engaged in conservation and social services in Central Oregon.
For more information please visit Collins Hemingway’s website and blog. You can also find him on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and Goodreads.
Opinion:
For readers who are seeking a happily ever after ending for the beloved Jane Austen that is written in her familiar style should really check out the book. The writing style is 1800s and the characters feel human and somehow the story transcends the time and becomes accessible to the modern reader. What I did find confusing is whether this is fiction or fact? What I mean, I know that surviving records list Jane Austen as for being single for her whole life, but is this a what-if story, an alternative universe of where she got married, or does the author imagine a happy ending for her by having her get married and she will get back to her old life? Really am hoping I'm making some sense of this. All in all, a delightful tour of a possible happy ending for Jane Austen aficionados.
This is for HFVBT
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Review at Svetlana’s Reads and Views
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Review at Diary of an Eccentric
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4 out of 5
(0: Stay away unless a masochist 1: Good for insomnia 2: Horrible but readable; 3: Readable and quickly forgettable, 4: Good, enjoyable 5: Buy it, keep it and never let it go.)
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