Austenland by Shannon Hale

reviewed by Gabrielle Pantera

HHH

Austenland is a theme park for romantics, where visitors step back into a more gallant and charming age of Jane Austen. Modern woman and men shed their 22nd Century sensibilities and live as though it’s Regency England. Austenland is the perfect place for the Jane Austen obsessed, especially women enthralled by Mr. Darcy.

     “A real turning point was when I thought of telling all her ex-boyfriend stories and using those to build up to the ending,” says author Shannon Hale. “Her different economic and social condition served so much better. Her relationships with the two men changed, and she changed. And, that was the real goal.”

     Upon arriving at Austenland, Jane Hayes becomes Miss Jane Erstwhile, the American niece of Aunt Saffronia, owner of Pembrook Park. Jane suffers the role of the poor relation, or Fanny Price from Jane Asuten’s Mansfield Park. Jane tries to leave all modern things behind, but has difficulty letting go, especially of her cell phone.

     Dressing in empire waist dresses and learning to dance is fun, but where are the men to chooses from? Three women, the broken-hearted Miss Heartwright, the desperate for a man Miss Charming, and Jane are all vying for the men’s attention. Colonel Andrews, Mr. Nobley and a late arrival, the recently promoted Captain East, are the men.

     Shannon Hale captures the obsession that a number of women have with all things Jane Austen, and especially Dr. Darcy. Austenland, is a great concept, but it isn’t clear how Austenland is run. Who are the people who work there? Why do people holiday there? I never quite believe in Austenland. The dialog is Austen-like at times, but not enough. At the beginning of each chapter, Hale introduces each of Jane’s former boyfriends, which I found distracting.

     The research and Jane Austen novel details are well done, but character development is weak. Better execution in this first book could have set it up to be a series. More guests and more activities would have livened the story.

     Shannon Hale wrote Goose Girl, then Enna Burning and River Secrets as companion books. Book of a Thousand Days is a CYBILS award winner. Princess Academy is a Newbery Honor Book and New York Times bestseller. Austenland is her first book for adults. She and her husband are co-writing a series of graphic novels for kids.

Austenland, Trade Paperback 208 pages Publisher: Bloomsbury USA; (May 27, 2008) Language: English. ISBN- 978-1596912861 $12.95

Gabrielle Pantera is the book reviewer for the British Weekly and a screenwriter.