* NATIONAL BESTSELLER * “This novel delivers sweet, smart escapism.” –People “Fans of The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society will adore The Jane Austen Society… A charming and memorable debut, which reminds us of the universal language of literature and the power of books to unite and heal.” –Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost … heal.” –Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Girls of Paris
Just after the Second World War, in the small English village of Chawton, an unusual but like-minded group of people band together to attempt something remarkable.
One hundred and fifty years ago, Chawton was the final home of Jane Austen, one of England’s finest novelists. Now it’s home to a few distant relatives and their diminishing estate. With the last bit of Austen’s legacy threatened, a group of disparate individuals come together to preserve both Jane Austen’s home and her legacy. These people–a laborer, a young widow, the local doctor, and a movie star, among others–could not be more different and yet they are united in their love for the works and words of Austen. As each of them endures their own quiet struggle with loss and trauma, some from the recent war, others from more distant tragedies, they rally together to create the Jane Austen Society.
A powerful and moving novel that explores the tragedies and triumphs of life, both large and small, and the universal humanity in us all, Natalie Jenner’s The Jane Austen Society is destined to resonate with readers for years to come.
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A charmingly, captivating debut. A diverse group of people come together because of their love for Austen. In the process, they find friendship, freedom and healing. The characters are well developed, and the depth of their brokenness is beautifully, and realistically, portrayed. The focus on all things Austen was pure delight, but you do not have to be an Austen fan to enjoy this book. The setting is captivating, the relationships are endearing, and the writing is well done.
I received a complimentary of this book from the publisher and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.
Thanks to NetGalley & publisher St. Martin’s Press for a digital advance reader’s copy. All comments and opinions are my own.
I loved this book! I was afraid it wouldn’t live up to all I was expecting, but I would happily give it 10 stars! The novel starts out slowly, which is a perfect pace for telling this lovely story that takes place during the 1940’s in the small English village of Chawton, where author Jane Austen spent the last eight years of her life. Each of the main characters has experienced sadness and heartbreak, and all are brought together by their love of Jane Austen’s novels. I was impressed with this debut effort, which was so well-written – the characters were distinct and vibrant, the architecture vividly described, the emotions realistic, and the plot evolved smoothly with all the pieces fitting perfectly. Don’t be put off if you aren’t familiar with these novels, the story works just as well whether you are an Austen fan or just love novels with a happy ending in a country village.
Any lover of Jane Austen or small towns will enjoy this book. Through a mutual love of Jane Austen, eight very different people are drawn together to save Jane’s legacy. The book starts out a little slow, but I was soon drawn in. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through Netgallery. This is my honest and voluntarily given review. I really liked this book. It is well written and like a Jane Austen novel took me away from my every day troubles. I love how the characters in the book discussed various characters from her book and quoted many lines. It gave me even a deeper appreciation for her works. I also love how the characters’ interactions with each increased their growth. I really like this book.
A must read for all Austen fans! The book market has a lot of Austen re-tellings, but this is different. It is about a wonderful eclectic group of people who want to preserve Austen’s heritage. While Austen fans will find many references to their favorite stories and characters, Ms. Jenner has penned an original story set in 1940’s England. Her prose is wonderfully reminiscent of post-war rural England, hoping to regain the peace and hope that had been missing during the war. The founding of the Jane Austen Society in the tiny village of Chawton, England was the pivotal shift in the lives of its members, urging each to reach for more in their lives. With beautiful insights to her characters’ flaws, Ms. Jenner mirrors Austen’s wit and message that others can hone us into our better selves.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author/publisher. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.
A group of people get together by design in their pursuit of preserving and honouring Austen’s legacy. The life observations are keenly felt.
Some conventional Austenesque pairings are cleverly done, an unconventional one is my favourite however this by no means make it a historical romance. I really enjoyed the discussions of Austen characters by the protagonists, their different takes added perspective to my understanding of the beloved ones, whether main or secondary.
This is Austen nirvana.
Welcome to Chawton, the quaint little town where Jane Austen spent several years of her life writing and home to a quixotic group of Austen’s fans. An engaging and moving story of this group of eight disparate, wounded individuals who band together to honor their favorite author and her works unfolds beginning in 1945.
The Jane Austen Society is a result of eight people initially deciding they need to preserve her local legacy in the village of Chawton. Adam Berwick, local farmer; Andrew Forrester, local solicitor; Dr. Gray, town’s medical doctor, Frances Knight, currently residing on the Knight estate where Austen’s artifacts are located; Evie, Frances’s housemaid extraordinaire; Adeline Grover, local schoolteacher; Mimi Harrison, actress from the States; and Yardley Sinclair, estate sales with Sotheby’s of London form the core group of trustees and advisors. This mismatched group of Austen lovers band together to save the collection of works and items held at the Knight estate and the cottage where Jane resided and wrote. They started with a minimal donation, a great deal of knowledge of Austen, and willingness to work hard.
The first half of the story has a slow, lazy feel allowing the reader to slowly journey the path through the many references to Austen and her works and the introduction of the society members. I couldn’t put it down the last half of the book. The story was engaging and moving as the members struggled with their own personal issues as well as getting the society off the ground and trying to achieve their goals. This book is a work of fiction. A delightful read! I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend for any fans of Jane Austen or historical bibliophiles.
This copy was received from St. Martin’s Press. The above thoughts and opinions are wholly my own.
#TheJaneAustenSociety #NetGalley
What a delightful read this was and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The story begins in Chawton, Hampshire in 1932 and go to 1947. Chawton is the home of author Jane Austen and the locals fuss because tourists come to try and get a look at where she lived and wrote her novels. The characters in this book all have had tragedies and problems in their lives but they are all drawn together because they all love reading and especially reading Jane Austen books. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of this wonderful story that I had a hard time putting down. I have never read Jane Austen’s books but I have several on my list now.
I started this last night and finished tonight. It’s a cozy historical fiction novel. You won’t learn much history wise, as it focuses on the fictionalized characters.
As I started this book, I wondered what I was actually going to be reading about. There is an attorney, a farmer, a teacher, doctor, movie star, auctioneer, house girl and a distance relative of Jane Austen. I wondered what they all had in common. It’s their love of Jane Austin and from that love they form the Jane Austin Society.
An entertaining read that will thrill you. If you are like me you won’t want to leave the characters behind.
I received this from a Goodreads Giveaway.
A wonderful story of how books can draw people together and how an author’s impact can be felt for generations.
Wonderful story, I loved it! This reminded me very much of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. The characters are complex. The writing flows and is wonderful. I have never read a Jane Austen book but still found this interesting.
4 stars
Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this story. All opinions expressed are my own.
Jane Austen inspires romance, friendship, and self-discovery in this lovely story
I love books. It is as simple as that. The thing I love most is their ability to transport me in time and space, and Jane Austen Society was an especially lovely trip. Fiction and reality intertwine to take the reader to the village of Chawton, Hampshire, where author Jane Austen lived, and where her brother’s estate, Chawton Park, is still located.
Most of the story takes place in 1945 when eight very different individuals end up establishing a society in an attempt to preserve as much as possible of Jane Austen’s legacy. In their quest, they not only dive into Jane Austen’s world, but they also connect to one another in a very meaningful way.
I was impressed by the depth of the characters: A lonely village worker dominated by his mother; a Hollywood star unhappy with the superficiality of fame; a widower doctor trying to start living again; a young and smart girl in a man’s world; an old lady facing the consequences of her life choices; a young teacher devastated by loss; a lawyer unable to disclose disturbing information to those he cares most about; and a Sotheby’s specialist, who dreams of being a farmer.
A well-written and engaging story. There is romance, friendship, kindness, a villain here and there, a wonderful tour through Chawton, several references to Jane Austen’s fabulous work, and a heartwarming end. Overall a great read!
Disclosure: I have received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
An amazing twist on a classic author. I loved how the book was centered around Jane Austen but focused on the main characters in the 1940s. It added such a wonderful bit of newness and life to stories I’ve read before. I was super excited to read this book because Jane Austen is one of my favorite 19th-century authors, and I love reading books on different perspectives and connections with my favorite things. The characters were adorable and the story was easy to follow even as they switched between them all!
The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner is a stunning historical fiction that mainly in placed in the tinny village of Chawton, England. It spans from 1932-1947 and encompasses many points of view from several different delightful characters that live in the area as well as a few others that are all drawn together by more then just fate by one person alone: Miss Jane Austen.
I have to say I am a huge Austen fan ( my personal favorite is Sense and Sensibility) and that fact paired with the unbelievably wonderful story that we have been gifted, makes this truly the best book that I have read this year.
This book has everything going for it:
Multi-layered and complex characters that are relatable, likable (excluding Jack, Monte, and Colin) intelligent, imperfect, and unforgettable.
I absolutely loved the stories of Adeline, Evie, Frances, Mimi, Andrew, Dr Gray, Yardley, and Adam. I loved their trials, their fortitude, and their compassion. I loved everything about them!
I loved how the author slowly weaved together this band of “misfits” into each other’s lives (sometimes for the second time) and how it was paced appropriately so that one could savor the complexity of the plot and root for them along the way.
I also loved that each one of the characters brought to the table something different in regards to troubles in the past and present-day and also strengths that complimented each other well.
I loved all of the facts and information concerning one of my favorite writers (ever!!!!) and all of the quotes and discussions in reference to her books and characters. Beyond ingenious!
Lastly, I loved, LOVED the ending. It was heartwarming, stunning, and perfect in every way. No other ending could possibly do justice to this breathtaking novel. It was just as it should be.
Beyond enthusiastically recommend. I have just pre-ordered a physical copy before writing this review (I rarely, rarely ever do this).
5/5 stars!!!!!