The Jane Austen Book Club

I have to admit before I started writing this review I had a peek at the comments about it on Amazon. The reason - despite this book being part of the Richard and Judy bookclub list, and being tipped to be a summer blockbuster, I was left completely underwhelmed by it. Was it just me? Or did other people feel the same way...

The concept of the book is simple - 6 people form a book club and read the works of Jane Austen. The book is split into six sections, each concentrating on a different character hosting the meeting, and a different Austen classic. Throughout the timespan of the book we get to see both the meeting, and a hint of the characters' personal lives.

The book is not a straightforward disaster. It would probably be easier to review if I could just say that there was not a single redeemable feature. The truth is that the plot is a great idea, and the characters all seem to have worth. The major failing of the book is that it just doesn't do enough. The plot is undeveloped as are the characters, by the end of the book you still don't feel like you know much about anyone, and that the surface has only been scratched.

The book is also a little deceptve in its size. The last 30 pages or so don't actually contain the story, instead they contain brief synopses of the books, and discussions. Maybe for the Austen enthusiast this is a good thing, but to me it seems more in keeping with a study copy of a classic text.

This is one of those books that I'd recommend giving a go, but don't expect too much. There are much better books that focus on book clubs, and for Austen... well read Austen. [Jenni Nock]

...oh yeah, and the discerning readers on Amazon felt the same way too.

The Jane Austen Bookclub - Karen Joy Fowler Don't fancy it? Try The Reading Group instead.

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