Austenland (Austenland #1) By: Shannon Hale

Plot:

Jane Hayes is a seemingly normal young New Yorker, but she has a secret. Her obsession with Mr. Darcy, as played by Colin Firth in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, is ruining her love life: no real man can compare. But when a wealthy relative bequeaths her a trip to an English resort catering to Austen-crazed women, Jane’s fantasies of meeting the perfect Regency-era gentleman suddenly become realer than she ever could have imagined. Decked out in empire-waist gowns, Jane struggles to master Regency etiquette and flirts with gardeners and gentlemen—or maybe even, she suspects, with the actors who are playing them. It’s all a game, Jane knows. And yet the longer she stays, the more her insecurities seem to fall away, and the more she wonders: Is she about to kick the Austen obsession for good, or could all her dreams actually culminate in a Mr. Darcy of her own?

Review:

I really liked this movie and I enjoy reading books movies are based on, so reading this was a no brainer.

Anyway, there were parts of the book I enjoyed more than the movie and there were parts of the movie that I enjoyed more. The book added more character information and you got to see what Jane was thinking better than the book. She also didn’t come off as a Pride and Prejudice obsessed loser like in the movie. I thought the ending was much better in the book as well.

Movie wise I thought the pacing was better. Parts of the book kind of dragged and I could easily see the boredom Jane was experiencing.

I can completely understand her infatuation with Pride and Prejudice and all things Austen. I haven’t read all of Austen’s work, but easily one of my favorite books is P&P. The Colin Firth movie has also imprinted on my mind, but I just can’t see myself going native like Jane does. Of course I haven’t had the horrible relationships that she has.

If you liked the movie or Jane Austen I would definitely recommend this book.

4/5