A general though unequal mixture of good and bad
These days, the AustenBlog staff is often asked for our opinion of The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler, which is currently enjoying bestseller status, understandably piquing the curiosity of Janeites. We enjoyed the book very much, but many of our acquaintance, equally enthusiastic about the work of Jane Austen, were not as well pleased by it. For the still curious, we therefore present a positive (though short) review of the novel:
There is great social comedy in these stories.
…and a not-so-positive review of the novel:
The title alone — “The Jane Austen Book Club” — is enough for a winner, right? Ultimately, though, that’s all it is — a clever concept…The only thing this book does do is make the reader want to read Austen again.
Gracious. Scorch marks are so hard to get out of the chintz upholstery here at AustenBlog World Headquarters.
