* 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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This is a fun escapist read with a cast of Jane Austen-loving characters who form a Society in order to preserve her legacy. Set in the village of Chawton in 1945ish, it’s a nostalgic story, similar in style and tone to The Guernsea Potato and whatnot Society book. All the Austen references were most enjoyable although in the debate over who one’s favorite Austen character was, I felt there were too many votes for Emma Wodehouse and Elizabeth Bennett, and not enough for my clear first pick, Anne Eliot!
I enjoyed this book. It’s well-written and keeps the reader turning pages. It was a very nice story with some new information about Jane Austen.
I enjoyed the village feel of this book; it reminded me of The Chilbury Ladies Choir. There was good interaction between the characters, even a touch of romance!
If you’re a Jane Austen fan, then you will really enjoy this book. The characters are not that well developed, but you will cheer them on as they work together to save a home in which Jane Austen had lived and written some of her novels. This is a book of fiction, yet is a wonderful tribute to Austen’s amazing ability to deliver a story.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
To be honest, I had no idea what to expect from this book. I literally checked it out because Jane Austen was part of the title. But I’m not sad about it as this book ended up being so lovely and wonderful to read.
The story is set in Chawton, England, which is the most deliciously quaint little village I’ve ever read about. I was effectively thrown into the past, when life was slower and everyone looked out for one another (even if it was a little nosey). A ragtag and highly unlikely group of eight form what they call the Jane Austen Society and watching each of them strengthen their relationships with one another and learn to rely on each other was so beautiful. And of course, the common thread of a love for Jane Austen running through the entire story weaves each diverse person’s life together to form a rich tapestry.
Dr Benjamin Gray is a small town doctor who knows everyone and everything and can’t abide gossip. I really liked his personality, wanting to do what was right for everyone and loving each in his own way.
I adored Adeline Lewis Grover and her wit and quick mind. I loved that she encouraged the boys in her class to study Jane Austen and other female authored literature. I loved how she would call it like she saw it and was so human. I found myself very emotionally connected to her.
Adam Berwick might be my favorite character of the whole story. His kindly, reticent nature, with his shyness but how he tackles things he loves with abandon was so sweet. I just loved him!
Andrew Forester and Frances Knight are both fantastic and I loved watching the two of them grow and develop through the story into the people they always could have been if they hadn’t given themselves up when they were young.
Evie Stone is so precocious and pretty darn smart. Her endeavors in Frances Knight’s library was genius—and possibly the most tedious thing I could imagine doing. But she is nothing if not tenacious and thorough. And her timing was impeccable.
Mimi Harris and Yardley Sinclair were definitely the most unlikely of the group and seeing how it came about that they became members of the group was so fun. I never guessed how it would happen. I liked Mimi more and more as I read and just really wanted her to be a real actress. I was also really glad for how things worked between her and Jack Leonard. Thank heavens for Francis!
Good quote:
“If only people could be brave enough to go after what they really wanted.”
— The Jane Austen Society
Note: a short scene with molestation and attempted rape and a couple of F words. Otherwise quite clean.
AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Read by Richard Armetage. His voice is positively dreamy! The way he voiced Dr Gray was by far my favorite, but each voice was done fantastically. I am sure I loved this book even more because of how exceptionally it was read.
4.5 stars
When you lie in bed not sleeping because you’re thinking about characters and their problems as though they are real people, you know the story has a lot going for it. I enjoyed the premise of TJAS, and the setting and griefs of the main characters – a diverse group of Chawton villagers plus a couple of ring-ins – moved me. References to Jane Austen’s writing and world, and details of her life are woven into this story, and the shared enjoyment of these brings together a group of people, each of whom has lost much, but gains a unique friendship and support network through their shared literary passions.
One thing I didn’t like (a personal dislike, so others perhaps will not mind it) was the head-hopping at times. I prefer to go deeper into a character’s point of view and stay there, at least for that scene. That aside, the writing is fresh, and the creation of post WW2 Chawton drew me in and kept me reading late into the night.
Highly recommended.
This heart warming book gives an interesting view of a sleepy English Village filled with lovely characters who find their purpose is to work together for good.
It was an interesting blend of scholarly commentary on Austen’s writing with a predictable plot and stock characters.
I adored this book. I loved how all these characters who had experienced some kind of trauma, loss, hardships came together and bonded over a love of reading and in particular, a love of Jane Austen. I thought this was very well written and a pure delight to read. I have read of few of Austen’s books and this definitely makes me want to delve into the rest of them.
I picked this up for my monthly book club pick. I love historicals especially during World War eras. And this included Jane Austen. So it sounded pretty perfect!
This book follows the lives of many people that live in the Chawton neighborhood where Jane spent some of her years here. Most of the people have grown up here and their stories are intertwined. They’re experienced loss and disappointments and turn to Austen’s work to uplift them.
The idea to form a society to preserve the cottage where she lived and furnishings so it could be a museum moved the eclectic group (made up of a doctor, teacher, maid, actress, lawyer, farmer, etc) to become friends. Some of the characters were older (late 40s) and some younger but Austen bonded them together.
This ended perfectly and satisfyingly. I can’t think of any complaints. For the characters that Jenner created, they evolved and their stories felt natural. It’s a slower paced novel which mimics country life. It’s predictable. Make sure to listen to the audiobook because Richard Armitage is the narrator!
a must read for Jane Austen fans
#TheJaneAustenSociety #Natalie Jenner # STMARTIN’S PUBLISHING I won this book as an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. Unfortunately I am not a fan of this novel and had a difficult time reading it. It has a very slow beginning and drags at some other parts of the book as well. Although a fan of Jane Austin this book fell short of my expectations and just never really caught my interest. On the positive side, the book is well written and the reference to characters in Austins’ novels was fun. The story itself takes place in a small English village post WWII. It centers around the “Great House” which had been Jane Austins family home and the place that she wrote. A group of characters, both from the town and from outside, converge and pay homage to Austin and her books. They come together to try to preserve her home and legacy. As this occurs you learn a little about each persons trials, traumas and triumphs. Although I it had a decent premise I would have a difficult time recommending this novel. 2/5 stars
The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner is a positively delightful book with a fictional version of how the Jane Austen Society came to be. This was a beautiful and endearing debut novel, and even though I still haven’t read a Jane Austen book, I was still able to appreciate it although I’m sure lovers of the writer will appreciate it even more.
I listened to the audiobook and I was very impressed with the narrator, Richard Armitage. He did a lovely job bringing this book to life and I’m going to have to search out more books that he narrates. I think there is something special about listening to the audio and it was the way to go for me especially having not read Austen before. There is a lot of focus on the characters and a lot of references to Austen’s books, so the audio helped propel me along.
I don’t think you need to be an Austen fan to read this book, but it would definitely help. I know a lot of things went over my head, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it and it has me itching to read (or listen to!) an Austen novel now. I think Jenner did an amazing job with this book and her writing was both engaging and witty. I don’t know if I really learned a whole lot since most of the book is based on fictionalized characters, but I would still recommend reading The Jane Austen Society especially if you love Jane Austen and her books. There were a few moments when I got a little teary, and there is definitely focus on some very serious topics, but it was also fun, and the ending made me smile.
Thank you to Libro.fm and the publisher for both my advance listening copy and advance review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
I always enjoy a good historical fiction book. There were a lot of characters (when I feel overwhelmed with characters I usually make a cheat sheet). Loved the setting. Jenner had a a wonderful way of making me feel like I was right there. Many have compared to the feeling of Guernsey and I couldn’t agree more.
I recommend this book!
I liked reading about these characters and their live for Jane Austin. They had such a drive to preserve and share her world.
A unlikely group of broken individuals. A story about the healing powers of books and friendships. A lovely story
A group of women join together to read and discuss the books of Jane Austen and to have the right number for each of them to guide the discussion on one book, the include a man ….,
The book follows each character’s story, and of course the books each takes the lead on helps that person in her own life. Sounds a bit hokey, but really, really is not.
A feel good, interesting fun book. When you finish it, enjoy the movie too!
I received a copy of this book from the author, I was not required to give a favorable review. This is a wonderful story of community and family. Each of the characters in this story have gone through some kind of pain of loss of either family members, spouses or children. But the one thing that brings each of them together is the love of Jane Austen books. When the loss of the Knight family home and the cottage attached one of the gentlemen in the community felt that they should save the cottage as a museum to everything about Austen. Included in this grouping of people who love to read and talk about these books, the the town doctor, a Knight family member, an American Actress, a gentleman from an auction house, a young woman who had to leave school to financially help her family, the Knight family attorney, and is grew to so much more. I enjoy reading this book, but brings you to think that a well written word can bring people together.
I’ll admit it. The first time I read Jane Austen was in college for British Literature, and we had to read Emma. I didn’t get it. I think it was because I had so many other classes to focus on that I couldn’t just sit and read for enjoyment. Now I love Emma and Pride and Prejudice! I’ve watched the movies too…oh and Sense and Sensibility (the movie…love it!) I’m sure I’d enjoy the other Jane books, but there’s only so much time in a day! I read nonstop as it is! Anyway, I say that to say this, you don’t have to have read every Jane Austen book to be a fan of The Jane Austen Society.
I loved the small village setting as well as the time period in which the book takes place. The characters have so much life, and you will probably find one that you relate to well. Though I’m happy with the ending, I didn’t want to end!
I definitely recommend it to Jane Austen fans.
I won an ARC of The Jane Austen Society in a Goodreads giveaway. I didn’t have to leave a review, but it’s just so good!
I love all things Austen!
As Natalie Jenner quotes in her novel “The Jane Austen Society”, ‘But one can always read Austen’; I can definitely read about her at any time!
I was enamored with the idea of a society being created to preserve Jane Austen’s home and legacy! Even if you don’t know who Jane Austen is, you will feel the pull of this desire to hold on tight to her memories, and more!
We meet each member of the Society along the way, and as they create relationships with one another we feel their bonds growing! I was touched, moved and often inspired!
With an overall message of hope, I found this book to be truly delightful!
One that often had me smiling, because it simply radiated warmth! I am so happy I had the chance to read this story!
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for fair and honest review.