J is for The Jane Austen Project #BookReview #AtoZChallenge
Book: The Jane Austen Project by Kathleen A. Flynn
Genre: Science fiction + historical fiction
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Publication date: 2017
Pages: 384
Source: e-book borrowed from the library
Time travel = science fiction + historical fiction (set in 1815 and the world of Jane Austen).
Summary: Rachel and Liam arrive from the future to a field in England in 1815 with plans to meet Jane Austen, recover a completed version of her unfinished novel called The Watsons, and copy the missing letters that Jane Austen wrote to her sister Cassandra. But none of that can happen if they don’t manage to find clothes to wear, a residence, and a place in polite society without giving themselves away as impostors.
Thoughts: Since this is a book blog, I’m glad that I finished a book with a title that worked in my A to Z Challenge while I was writing my posts.
The Jane Austen Project delighted me in the same way that Connie Willis’s books did. I read Doomsday Book during my trip to England in 2014 — so that one’s always going to hold a special place in my heart. I enjoyed To Say Nothing of the Dog and I adored the big World War II story that took two books to tell: Blackout and All Clear.
For some reason, I thought I didn’t like time travel books. Since I’ve enjoyed Connie Wills and, now, The Jane Austen Project, I guess I’ll have to re-evaluate. Perhaps, I like stories that tilt less toward fantasy and more toward science fiction.
Like in Willis’s books, The Jane Austen Project posits a future that will allow humans to travel back to our past. Of course, there are all kinds of concerns about what that could do to their history and their present. But what fascinates me more are how humans in our future interact with the heroes and cope with the events of our past.
In The Jane Austen Project, Rachel and Liam spend time in London and Hampshire in 1815 and 1816. The historical Jane Austen visited the Prince Regent’s library in late 1815 and published Emma which sold well. The first draft of The Elliots, later published as Persuasion, was completed in the summer of 1816. I really enjoyed spending time in these locations at that time period through this novel.
Appeal: The Jane Austen Project will appeal to Jane Austen fans, naturally, but there are also elements for lovers of science fiction and historical fiction. Try it if you love historical romance novels.
Have you read this book? What did you think?
Oh, I have not read this book, but your review makes me want to. It sounds whimsical and fun. And cool theme for the challenge. I NEARLY went with book reviews for my theme.
Visiting from the A to Z Challenge https://lydiahowe.com/2018/04/11/j-is-for-jamming-a-to-z-challenge-2018/
This sounds very interesting. I’ve written it down, thank you much. I’m glad I came by this way today. If you’re a Jane Austen fan, drop by the blog. My ABC theme is Jane Austen, Action Doll.
The View from the Top of the Ladder
I’m going to give this one a go – thanks, Joy
PS could you link this in to Books You Loved: April?
Thank you for introducing me to this book. Love time travel stories and adding this to my list.
Mmmh, this book seems like a challenge to me. I have dislike any time travel book I ever read, I just can’t seem to get around the fact that it’s not possible.
Then, I also don’t like authors picking up other author’s books, sequels written to books of which the writer has passed away a long time ago.
Still, Jane Austen IS one of my favourite authors and I know she left behind ideas on how her stories would go on. So, what do you think, should I try this one?
Anyway, always happy to discuss books, whether I read them or not.
Have a good day,
Marianne
At the start of the book, the main characters have just “landed” so there isn’t any time to think about the impossibility of time travel, we’re immediately immersed into the practical difficulties. Would that help? This didn’t feel like a sequel, more of a fantasy visit to Jane Austen’s time and world. So, I think it’s worth a shot for you, especially if you can get it at the library. Give it 50 pages — you won’t have met Jane Austen by then, but you’ll have a good idea whether the time travel aspect is working for you.
That sounds like a good idea. I will see whether the library has it. Thank you for the advice.
Happy Reading,
Marianne