Yay for home!
Don't get me wrong, I love visiting the family, and Florida was very nice to visit in the dead of New England winter, but I'm so happy to be home again. With my kittens. And my stuff.
I'm also quite glad to be back in school. I'll be teaching Othello this semester--w00t! I'll be devoting one whole class period to Iago and how dreamy Machiavellian he is. Which reminds me of my thesis (since my thesis is all about Machiavellian villains). You remember how excited I was to write my thesis for my class, because it was going to turn into a chapter for my MA Thesis? (I've decided that in all references to my MA Thesis, "Thesis" will be capitalized to show it's importance) Well, that's not going to happen anymore. I finished Charlotte Dacre's novel Zofloya, or The Moor, and, trust me, Ann Radcliffe is SO last semester. This book has a female villain who is highly sexual and ends up murdering three people (one person just to test the efficacy of the poison) and driving a fourth to madness and suicide. All while Satan is there, pulling her strings. I can't wait to review that one.
But this post, in celebration for my return home and resumption of classes, I'll be reviewing Austenland, a Christmas gift from my dear charmed1ofdoom. The last book I reviewed, How to Ditch Your Fairy was given to me by quish and purple_dj. I love how well my friends know me. I see that I have not actually reviewed that one yet. Hmmm...
Anyway, Austenland, Shannon Hale
I like Shannon Hale; she mostly writes YA lit. She has a few fairy tale retellings under her belt (never read, but enjoyed the concept), The Princess Academy, which has one of my favorite tropes (the training montage), and a graphic novel, Repunzel's Revenge, which we gave to our niece for Christmas. I read that through beforehand though, to uhh...make sure it was appropriate. Totally... Austenland is her first adult novel, and it was very good, even if the blurb from Stephanie Meyer on the back gave me pause. But that's not really her fault, and so I didn't hold it against her or her book. :-P
Austenland is a cute and bouncy, (if typical) chick-lit novel. Jane Hayes, a huge Austen fan, is bequeathed a trip to England by an elderly, stupidly-wealthy aunt. Pembrook Park, her destination, is a resort where guests dress, speak, and act like Regency England gentry. People (primarily women), visit this resort for two weeks, are wooed by handsome Regency gentlemen (hired actors), and then return home to their regular lives as pampered, spoiled trophy wives. Really, it's one big LARP, and it sounds like a ton of fun, except Hale goes out of her way to make it seem like everyone who goes there is just living out wish-fulfillment because they're dissatisfied with their daily lives.
Jane has been sent to Pembrook Park by her aunt in order to 'cure' her--she is another in a long line of chick-lit heroines who are madly in love with Darcy/Colin-Firth-in-a-wet-shirt and cannot hold onto a relationship to save their lives. They blame their obsession on Darcy for the demise od their love lives, and then generally go on some kind of Austen-inspired journey (usually involving a plot similar to P&P, where they meet a "Darcy" they initially misjudge and dislike, and a "Wickham" they initially misjudge and crush on) and on this journey they learn that Fantasy Is No Match For Reality. I'm getting a little tired of this trope, honestly. I'd like to see a well-adjusted heroine, one who is just a fan, one who may crush on Darcy, but doesn't consider herself "in love" with him.
Although, my dissatisfaction with this trope has blossomed into 3 interrelated novels in my head.
Moving on, Jane gets to Pembrook Park, where, of course, the story really begins. Her first day there, she meets Martin, an incredibly hot gardener, who, as a servant, she is not supposed to interact with--or even acknowledge--, as per Pembrook's rules. (Regency gentility never spoke to servants unless they had to, after all, and then it was only to give orders). Several days later, she meets Mr. Darcy Nobley, an actor playing a proper, taciturn, prideful Regency gentleman. As I said, the story is cute (bordering on cutesy sometimes), and Jane finds herself attracted to both guys; the normal, down-to-earth Martin, and the fantasy-on-a-stick Nobley.
The first week or so, Jane finds it impossible to relax and enjoy herself. She keeps throwing herself out of the pretense, reminding herself that it's foolish for a grown woman to pretend to be someone else for two whole weeks. Also, she can't let go of her "image"--she'll be enjoying herself immensely, then realize that the men she's chatting and flirting with are actors paid only to chat and flirt back. However, as time (and the book) progresses, she learns to chill out and smother that shrill voice in the back of her mind that keeps pointing out how silly this whole thing is. Most importantly, she learns to stop stressing over what the others, particularly the men are thinking of her, and to just have some fun. She had gone to the resort with the intention of "giving up on men" as she'd finally understood that her "two-dates-and-she's-wondering-what-color-their-kids-eyes-will-be" approach to dating is a detriment to having a healthy relationship. At Pembrook, she realizes that swearing off men forever is also stupid, and, as she gets comfortable in her own skin and with her own company, she loses that need for insta-attachment. She even starts painting again, for the first time since college.
In all, the book is fun and witty. There are some jokes integrated into the text for Austen fans to find and giggle over, and Jane-as-narrator shares a lot of the same gentle ironic humor towards the other characters that is so emblematic of P&P. Each chapter starts with a brief explanation of a boyfriend and how/why the relationship fell apart (my favorite is the one word "Juan Innskeep: Gay.") They are listed in numerical order, which is how Jane thinks of them, as numbers, not names. I did mention unhealthy relationships, yes? The evolution of jane's emotional state to one of self-sufficiency and self-liking is organic; though I left a lot of stuff out for spoiler purposes, the circumstances of the book provide a natural progression without feeling railroaded. I really like that Jane leaves the resort feeling contented with her single status--neither agonizing over not having a man, nor being single as some kind of punishment/penance. Three guesses as to whether or not she stays single through till the end of the novel, but the sentiment is till there.
Again, what frustrated me most was the set-up: single, lonely, desperate, in love with a fictional character because she can't deal with real men, and incapable of keeping a mature and adult relationship alive. Once we got past that, the book is great. The best part is Jane's growth, which lacks the "OMG! Look at me--I'm growing up as a person over here!!!" club-over-the-head aspect that so many of these kinds of books have. There weren't any MOMENTS OF EPIPHANY--every change was gradual, and her problems weren't all explained away by various childhood issues. That's always nice. I hate it when the authors think they have to include a Freudian pseudo-psychological reason for everything.
I mean, sometimes a cigar really IS just a cigar, y'know?
The characterization is a little thin for everyone but Jane, but it is a first-person narration and Jane is pretty self-absorbed. Not in a bad way, mind you, but muddling through a change in outlook and emotional state is a bit of a drain on one's attention. Also, since I'd really like to visit Pembrook Park, I wish Holt hadn't made it seem as if every woman who visits the resort is kinda pathetic and in need of some sort of fantasy wish-fulfillment to feel good about themselves. It would have been nice for Jane to see that there are perfectly well-adjusted adults who think a bit of play-acting is just another way to have fun. And male guests. Male guests would have been keen, too. Overall though, fun and funny; a bit tropey, but well-written.
3.5 stars
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HOW MANY ICONS DO YOU HAVE: 59
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IF YOU COULD BUY SPACE FOR MORE, WOULD YOU: Already have.
DO YOUR ICONS MAKE A STATEMENT: Almost always. I try to capture the spirit of my post/comment with whichever icon I'm using. This one, for example, is my creative/thinking/daydreaming icon
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DO YOU MAKE ICONS: A few.
ARE THEY ANY GOOD: Some are.
ANIMATED ICONS ARE: Fun. I'm jealous of people's abilities.
DO THE MEME.
Coding can be found here
I'm also quite glad to be back in school. I'll be teaching Othello this semester--w00t! I'll be devoting one whole class period to Iago and how dreamy Machiavellian he is. Which reminds me of my thesis (since my thesis is all about Machiavellian villains). You remember how excited I was to write my thesis for my class, because it was going to turn into a chapter for my MA Thesis? (I've decided that in all references to my MA Thesis, "Thesis" will be capitalized to show it's importance) Well, that's not going to happen anymore. I finished Charlotte Dacre's novel Zofloya, or The Moor, and, trust me, Ann Radcliffe is SO last semester. This book has a female villain who is highly sexual and ends up murdering three people (one person just to test the efficacy of the poison) and driving a fourth to madness and suicide. All while Satan is there, pulling her strings. I can't wait to review that one.
But this post, in celebration for my return home and resumption of classes, I'll be reviewing Austenland, a Christmas gift from my dear charmed1ofdoom. The last book I reviewed, How to Ditch Your Fairy was given to me by quish and purple_dj. I love how well my friends know me. I see that I have not actually reviewed that one yet. Hmmm...
Anyway, Austenland, Shannon Hale
I like Shannon Hale; she mostly writes YA lit. She has a few fairy tale retellings under her belt (never read, but enjoyed the concept), The Princess Academy, which has one of my favorite tropes (the training montage), and a graphic novel, Repunzel's Revenge, which we gave to our niece for Christmas. I read that through beforehand though, to uhh...make sure it was appropriate. Totally... Austenland is her first adult novel, and it was very good, even if the blurb from Stephanie Meyer on the back gave me pause. But that's not really her fault, and so I didn't hold it against her or her book. :-P
Austenland is a cute and bouncy, (if typical) chick-lit novel. Jane Hayes, a huge Austen fan, is bequeathed a trip to England by an elderly, stupidly-wealthy aunt. Pembrook Park, her destination, is a resort where guests dress, speak, and act like Regency England gentry. People (primarily women), visit this resort for two weeks, are wooed by handsome Regency gentlemen (hired actors), and then return home to their regular lives as pampered, spoiled trophy wives. Really, it's one big LARP, and it sounds like a ton of fun, except Hale goes out of her way to make it seem like everyone who goes there is just living out wish-fulfillment because they're dissatisfied with their daily lives.
Jane has been sent to Pembrook Park by her aunt in order to 'cure' her--she is another in a long line of chick-lit heroines who are madly in love with Darcy/Colin-Firth-in-a-wet-shirt and cannot hold onto a relationship to save their lives. They blame their obsession on Darcy for the demise od their love lives, and then generally go on some kind of Austen-inspired journey (usually involving a plot similar to P&P, where they meet a "Darcy" they initially misjudge and dislike, and a "Wickham" they initially misjudge and crush on) and on this journey they learn that Fantasy Is No Match For Reality. I'm getting a little tired of this trope, honestly. I'd like to see a well-adjusted heroine, one who is just a fan, one who may crush on Darcy, but doesn't consider herself "in love" with him.
Although, my dissatisfaction with this trope has blossomed into 3 interrelated novels in my head.
Moving on, Jane gets to Pembrook Park, where, of course, the story really begins. Her first day there, she meets Martin, an incredibly hot gardener, who, as a servant, she is not supposed to interact with--or even acknowledge--, as per Pembrook's rules. (Regency gentility never spoke to servants unless they had to, after all, and then it was only to give orders). Several days later, she meets Mr. Darcy Nobley, an actor playing a proper, taciturn, prideful Regency gentleman. As I said, the story is cute (bordering on cutesy sometimes), and Jane finds herself attracted to both guys; the normal, down-to-earth Martin, and the fantasy-on-a-stick Nobley.
The first week or so, Jane finds it impossible to relax and enjoy herself. She keeps throwing herself out of the pretense, reminding herself that it's foolish for a grown woman to pretend to be someone else for two whole weeks. Also, she can't let go of her "image"--she'll be enjoying herself immensely, then realize that the men she's chatting and flirting with are actors paid only to chat and flirt back. However, as time (and the book) progresses, she learns to chill out and smother that shrill voice in the back of her mind that keeps pointing out how silly this whole thing is. Most importantly, she learns to stop stressing over what the others, particularly the men are thinking of her, and to just have some fun. She had gone to the resort with the intention of "giving up on men" as she'd finally understood that her "two-dates-and-she's-wondering-what-color-their-kids-eyes-will-be" approach to dating is a detriment to having a healthy relationship. At Pembrook, she realizes that swearing off men forever is also stupid, and, as she gets comfortable in her own skin and with her own company, she loses that need for insta-attachment. She even starts painting again, for the first time since college.
In all, the book is fun and witty. There are some jokes integrated into the text for Austen fans to find and giggle over, and Jane-as-narrator shares a lot of the same gentle ironic humor towards the other characters that is so emblematic of P&P. Each chapter starts with a brief explanation of a boyfriend and how/why the relationship fell apart (my favorite is the one word "Juan Innskeep: Gay.") They are listed in numerical order, which is how Jane thinks of them, as numbers, not names. I did mention unhealthy relationships, yes? The evolution of jane's emotional state to one of self-sufficiency and self-liking is organic; though I left a lot of stuff out for spoiler purposes, the circumstances of the book provide a natural progression without feeling railroaded. I really like that Jane leaves the resort feeling contented with her single status--neither agonizing over not having a man, nor being single as some kind of punishment/penance. Three guesses as to whether or not she stays single through till the end of the novel, but the sentiment is till there.
Again, what frustrated me most was the set-up: single, lonely, desperate, in love with a fictional character because she can't deal with real men, and incapable of keeping a mature and adult relationship alive. Once we got past that, the book is great. The best part is Jane's growth, which lacks the "OMG! Look at me--I'm growing up as a person over here!!!" club-over-the-head aspect that so many of these kinds of books have. There weren't any MOMENTS OF EPIPHANY--every change was gradual, and her problems weren't all explained away by various childhood issues. That's always nice. I hate it when the authors think they have to include a Freudian pseudo-psychological reason for everything.
I mean, sometimes a cigar really IS just a cigar, y'know?
The characterization is a little thin for everyone but Jane, but it is a first-person narration and Jane is pretty self-absorbed. Not in a bad way, mind you, but muddling through a change in outlook and emotional state is a bit of a drain on one's attention. Also, since I'd really like to visit Pembrook Park, I wish Holt hadn't made it seem as if every woman who visits the resort is kinda pathetic and in need of some sort of fantasy wish-fulfillment to feel good about themselves. It would have been nice for Jane to see that there are perfectly well-adjusted adults who think a bit of play-acting is just another way to have fun. And male guests. Male guests would have been keen, too. Overall though, fun and funny; a bit tropey, but well-written.
3.5 stars
MAH ICONS.
default oldest newest
saddest happiest angriest
cutest sexiest funniest
fave ship fave fandom fave animated
best quote best textless best stolen idea
use the most favorite
HOW MANY ICONS DO YOU HAVE: 59
OUT OF HOW MANY AVAILABLE ICONS SPACES: 113
IF YOU COULD BUY SPACE FOR MORE, WOULD YOU: Already have.
DO YOUR ICONS MAKE A STATEMENT: Almost always. I try to capture the spirit of my post/comment with whichever icon I'm using. This one, for example, is my creative/thinking/daydreaming icon
WHAT FANDOM DO YOU HAVE THE MOST ICONS OF: Sailor Moon, 7.
AND THE SECOND MOST: Doctore Wgo 5.5
WHAT SHIP DO YOU HAVE THE MOST ICONS OF: Usagi/Mamoru, 2
ARE YOUR ICONS MADE MOSTLY BY OTHER PEOPLE: Yes.
DO YOU MAKE ICONS: A few.
ARE THEY ANY GOOD: Some are.
ANIMATED ICONS ARE: Fun. I'm jealous of people's abilities.
DO THE MEME.
Coding can be found here