First, I am not a huge Jane Austin fan. It’s simply due to me not really being interested, not something being specifically off putting about her writings. However, this book was captivating from beginning to end. I could relate to the characters wanting to cherish, treasure and preserve something that is so impactful to our lives. We all have that thing or person we are so enamored with. There was such a diverse blend of characters from the people in town to mimi the movie star. The end even had me guessing. I would highly recommend this to anyone!!!

As a big Austen fan I wanted to love this book but didn't. It was pleasant enough but boring, This is the kind of book I forget everything about after a few months.

The Jane Austen Society is a charming fictionalized account of the founding of the Jane Austen Memorial Trust and the Jane Austen Society, both of which were actually founded in the 1940s, the time period of the novel. While it seems a little strange to fictionalize this history which is both well-known and not terribly distant, the novel provides a pleasant story of a post-war English village and its residents and weaves plenty of Austen discussions, parallels, and quotations throughout to please fans. Austen scholars and society members may not appreciate the author's inventions, which distort the actual history and roles of real-life persons, but less serious readers will undoubtedly enjoy the depiction of village life, likable characters, and Austen connections that pervade the novel.

"But one can always read Austen "

So there is a lot of Jane Austen out there right now. As there always is. And I don't begrudge anyone the love HOWEVER as someone who would love to see some of her other literary favourites (I am looking at you, miniseries of Villette) get attention, I often feel that every time I approach something Austen I will be seeing something I have seen before.

For example, on first glance, you might look at this and think: hey! It's the Jane Austen Book Club 40s Style.

That is not the case. There are few cases, actually, where a writer decides to use fiction as a thesis-as an outlet to posit her reflections about her relationship with Austen as well as inspire us to think about Austen in a different way. With the exception of the excellent (if very different) "The Austen Escape" by Katherine Reay, and Charlie Lovett's "First Impressions", this is the height of wielding a literary figure's life and legacy to help us understand our own foils and foibles, trials and triumphs.


Expertly researched with an immediately engaging narrative whose omniscient tendencies pull you in tight and are as warmly knitted as a cozy on a Brown Betty tea pot, The Austen Society never once talks down to its readers. It never goes over the plots of Austen like a bludgeon rather it assumes the initiated will fall head over heels with the treatment of their favourite Austen books and the uninitiated will be immediately inspired to dash and pick up the one or several books they missed.


This book is told with a gentle philosophy and a cherished connection that welcomes the reader into a world shared by a common interest. More still, it beckons you to revisit Austen again beyond what we've turned her into. But moreover inspires you to read her in a new way.

From servant girl to seductive film producer, the universal appeal of Austen is done in a focused way. We find Austen here not in the general but in the subtle and nuanced interpretations of timeless characters. If Austen's greatest strength is the humane appeal of her flawed and dimensional characters stretching centuries so they could easily fit into the wheel of whatever era is turning , so Jenner's thesis is that we are not unlike these faraway characters on a shelf. Their flaws and foibles triumphs and ultimate desire for love are what make her so resonant. Because we are Austen's characters. And she chooses to spotlight other people as equally humane and resounding in a world torn by war and death. Humanity. Through Austen, through tenuous connection and intentional community, Jenner recreates the same experience. Of lush rural settings like patchwork quilts dotted by sheep of grand estates and country parishes. Austen is always with us because we do not change. Not truly. Nor does our grief, nor do our hopes, nor do the little things that throw us off completely. Just as the rehearsal of a play mimics the courtship ritual in Mansfield Park ( "a bunch of young people half related to each other putting on a play so they can make out with all the people they are not supposed to"), so a hidden letter can shift the course of an estate's future.

It deftly balances as homage to Austen in word and conversation and ode to Austen by replicating what is at the core of her stories. But perhaps, most powerfully, it is a call to revisit a textual world we've minimized to numerous adaptations. So many Jane Austen fans are fans of one interpretation of her work. This inspires you to tuck again beneath the pages and not allow a director or star to speak for the power of the slightest wordplay that will never transpose rightly to screen. In actress Mimi's inclusion and the Hollywood angle we see Jenner stating the case as a production of Sense and Sensibility (hilariously Willoughby heavy) takes fictional stage in a mirror of our own era's propensity to re-film these again and again.

You see things form characters who teach you perspectives wrought of their own emotional intelligence similar social construct and personal histories. Jane Austen is a buoy for grief stricken hands reached out and the balm of laughter. She's the winsome wise sage and the matchmaker through the ache of nostalgia and the promise of something else. And it's constant. An anchor. It's the power of reading and escapism and the pages we turn until they're thin beneath our fingers: "It was so huge. It was as if a whole other world were inside him, so big that he couldn't see it without somehow getting completely out of his own way."

And the book offers surprising vantage. Even a Hollywood scoundrel who wants to seduce women gets a turn at preconceived Austen notions while villagers who pass at church and Christmas functions in often silent communication finally find words when they can speak in Darcy and Pemberley, "obstinate, head strong girl" and Henry Crawford.

The insight of each character into Austen is a gateway to understanding their dynamics and relationships. But also heightens their instinct and understanding of the relationships around them. Austen is the portal to interpreting a glance a comma placement in a letter a breath or a touch or an umbrella shared. She is the dictionary on a language of love and friendship that allows this society to rebuild the very finest of warm and compassion and ultimately human moments as they repair from a time when humans wrecked each other. The Austen Society is a restoration of love of literature of a small village slowly returning to its shrines to a great writer but also finding its character again. A community forged. Families chosen. Hearts exchanged. Food and clothing are rationed still. But these characters have something in bottomless abundance.

But also a rallying cry to return to the source material as we spiral out in our modern media, a reminder that Austen is a sense of restoration and reconciliation especially here when pitted against a world trying to rebuild. "How real, how human she seems now!" Exactly--- in grief and relation--- in love and in loss---at the book end two horrible wars-- at the uncertainty of the future... From what was to me a glaringly new perspective on Anne Eliot's measurement of grief for her mother against her relationship with Wentworth, to the highlight of Knightley's careful consideration of Emma's unread reading list, it begs you to put Jonny Lee Miller away for just an afternoon in exchange for a trip back into the wit and wonder of Austen's words.

"And that's exactly what Austen gives us. A world so part of our own, yet so separate that entering it is like some kind of tonic. Even with so many flawed and even silly characters, it all makes sense in the end. It may be the most sense we'll ever get to make out of our own messed up world."

This human author reflects our humanity back to us through centuries and in the careful curation of her work and legacy, Natalie Jenner's resplendent debut does the same.


Shared on Goodreads, Instagram, FB and Twitter

📖 BOOK REVIEW ⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this amazing ARC! ⁣⁣
⁣⁣
The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner⁣⁣
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5⁣⁣
Pub date: May 26, 2020⁣⁣
Good with: A nice cuppa ☕️⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Brief synopsis: 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. ⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Review: This book was like a nice, warm blanket on a rainy day—funny, romantic, dramatic—everything you would want in a historical fiction novel! ⁣⁣
⁣⁣
I love Jane Austen, so I cheered on the establishment of a society that celebrates her books. I loved the shifting point of views and how all of the characters intersect in this book. I love how books bring people together—people from all walks of life. ❤️⁣⁣
⁣⁣
The village of Chawton has so much charm, and so does its people! I wanted to jump into the book and be a part of the society myself! ⁣⁣
⁣⁣
I also loved the Austen-esque themes that the author brought to her book. The humor, the romance—it reminded me of Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility 😍! It was lovely that she included her own Austen-like twist. Such a great book—those who love Austen should definitely scoop this one up! 🤓📚✨⁣
⁣
Question: If you could make a society for any author, who would you choose and why?

After reading the premise of this book I really wanted to love it but sadly I didn’t. For me there were unnecessary descriptions of people and places which slowed the flow of the story. The author is clearly a fan of Austen and I sometimes felt like she was using the novel as a way of showing just how knowledgeable she was. I found it hard to believe that in every day life people would start comparing what they were doing to a passage in a book. I also think that better research of England after the war wouldn’t have gone amiss. At one point a character is described making tea with a tea bag. It is 1945/46 and teabags weren’t introduced into England until 1953. Also, I doubt that an English woman would say that they had “quit” their job and they would go to the pictures not the movies.
For me, the second part of the book was better than the first.

I’m ready to join the Jane Austen society! Natalie Jenner’s debut novel, was extremely entertaining. I’ve already pre-ordered the book for when it’s released so that I can add it to my collection.

I love the way the characters in the become so invested in the lives of Jane Austen’s characters, as if they were people, something we sadly lose far too often once we’re done with school.

Set in the small town of Chawton, Hampshire, where Jane wrote her last 3 books, the town has changed very little since she lived there.

It’s right after WW2 and you feel how their losses in the wars have effected everyone in the town to some degree.
The society is formed by eight very different people, brought together by their love of Austen and her books. It is devoted to the preservation of her memory and their work to create a museum to honor her and her works.

In her novel, Natalie Jenner brilliantly mirrors her characters with that of Jane Austen’s. I was looking forward to reading this book based on its description, what I found was even more than I hoped. I will be thinking about the characters and this book for a long time and I hope to visit Chawton on my next visit to the UK.

Thank you to St Martin’s Press and NetGallery for providing this copy.

I loved this! The author obviously really cared about her characters, and so, as a reader, I did too. I felt I was living the story along with them, and all the Jane Austen references were a lovely bonus. It was entertaining and moving. My favourite characters were Dr Grey, Mimi and Frances.

I really want to give it five stars, but there is just one problem - the 'world' of a British village in the 1940s didn't ring true. It was as if a group of modern Americans (very engaging modern Americans!) had been plonked down in that setting. They talk about someone having 'passed' rather than 'died'. (Just after the war in Britain, there would have been no such preciousness about death!) They wear vests rather than waistcoats and 'go see a movie' rather than going to see a film, and say things like 'Because why?' and 'It's like, come on now...'. The village itself also seemed curiously untouched by the war, other than the odd mention of rationing and people having been killed (or 'passed'!).

This was such a shame, as it definitely had the potential for five stars, if only the author had done some research into how people thought, behaved and spoke at that time in that sort of place.

Another tiny niggle - the text of the letter was never revealed. I kept waiting, thinking that the suspense was being heaped up nicely, but then... nothing.

That said, it was a wonderful read and I enjoyed it very much! The ending was very satisfying, although I was sorry to say goodbye to the characters.

I am a very big fan of Ms. Jane Austen.
I enjoy the originals, the retellings [own link], the “inspired by,” all of them.
I was thrilled to receive an ARC of this book from NetGalley.
I found myself very frustrated with this book. Overall, it is a good book, don’t get me wrong.
Somewhat reminiscent of Ms. Austen’s works themselves, this book starts with a quick-paced scene to create much interest.
Following that, though was several chapters of introductions of characters and events and I repeatedly found myself thinking, “Why is this important? Where does this fit in? Why do I care?”
We know there is going to be a Society formed – the description tells us so, not to mention the title tells us so. We can safely assume the individual characters we are meeting are going to be instrumental in this society.
But, it took nearly 100 pages to get them all together. That is a lot of character development for reaching a major plot point provided before you even start the book. #frustrating
I will say, this is a good book, but I don’t know if the lead up in the first half of the book is worth it.

Stars: 3.5
Would I recommend? Yes

Loved this book. A story about how people can come together to save something they love and find out it makes them a family. It’s hard to describe this book. You just have to read it!

I really enjoyed Natalie Jenner's novel. The little fictional world she created was cozy, charming, and romantic -- inspired by Austen by not derivative of her work. I found myself captivated by the characters Jenner created. Definitely recommended!

Now this is something to truly to keep on your shelf. Such a truly heartfelt novel. I will give a review later on once released. Just know, purchase this if you are a Jane Austen fan!

I like Jane Austen books, I have read several of her books: Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Sense and sensibility…
In her book Natalie Jenner gather a country doctor, a widow, a young maid, a bachelor farmer, a solicitor, a movie star and an auctioneer in the little village of Chawton who have one thing in commun: they love Jane Austen books. They all have their own struggles and reading Jane Austen help them to deal with their pain. They path will cross through different circumstances to create the Jane Austen society and preserve her work and the place where she lived.

This was an interesting story, the characters had different backgrounds but two point in commun their predicaments and their love for Jane Austen, creating that society allowed them to share what they were going through and create a friendship with each other, or deeper relationship for some of them. It was like an open door for healing and new beggining for them.

The Jane Austen Society is a delightful novel, detailing the lives and disappointments of a diverse group of Austen enthusiasts who set up a society to preserve her cultural heritage. In doing so they forge new and rekindle old romances. Their stories are engaging and wrapped in allusions to Austen’s novels. This is a light but deeply satisfying read that I very much enjoyed.

This book is a sweet and charming slice of post-war British life. The plot details the (fictionalized) formation of the Jane Austen society and their attempts to obtain and protect Austen-related properties and memorabilia.
The members go through heartaches and troubles, and ultimately find romance, friendship and success. Rewarding, but a bit predictable. Definitely recommended for fans of Austen and British historical fiction.
3.5 stars

Jane Austen Society
A wonderfully refreshing read about the establishment of the Jane Austen Society in a small town Chawton in England.
A band of unlikely Jane Austen readers decide to form a society on her 150th anniversary as a way of keeping her writing alive and allowing lovers of her books to see where she lived and wrote.
Following WWII the lives of all the Chawton villagers has changed dramatically. There has been many lives lost and families broken but to the members of the society reading Jane Austen heals those wounds.
This is a really lovely read. I loved the characters; they are all so different and they have a story to tell whether it be grief, love or just living.
Thank you to Netgalley and St Martins Press for the copy to read and review. Highly recommend it.

I love Jane Austen. When I read her books it is like I am getting to spend time with an old friend and we are catching up. This book is no different. Some of Jane Austen's relatives are trying to diminish her legacy. To save her home and her place in history a group of people that are as different as night and day band together to save Jane Austen.

What a fun book. People coming together to have a place to share Jane Austin’s history. I loved it.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this eARC!

Do you participate in the Jane Austen extended universe? I dip in and out - I've read some books from most of the big genres: Jane Austen rewrites/sequels/continuations, books wherein Jane Austen is a character, and books where Jane Austen's books bring people together/heal damaged hearts. This title falls firmly into that last category, and I think most readers know if this kind of book is for them.

This is a complete reimagining of the push to create the (real life) Jane Austen museum and to collect Jane Austen artifacts in Chawton. In her author note, Natalie Jenner makes it clear that these are purely fictional characters. This book brings together a Hollywood actress, the local doctor, a solicitor, a farmer, a very precocious housemaid, a Sotheby's employee, and a member of the Knight family (the family descended from Jane Austen's brother), people who are all deeply kind and nice, but damaged, mostly by grief. They all love Jane Austen the MOST, of course, and band together to celebrate her legacy through the powers of Roberts Rules of Order! The society discusses the books a lot , so some pages read like a transcribed book club, which might annoy some readers, The characters are also unfailingly good and kind and hew very strongly to their professional oaths (and talk about how they have to hew very strongly to their professional oaths) - I liked them, but this occasionally meant that the characters didn't feel as multidimensional as they could have.

Clearly, I have quibbles, but this was actually a pretty enjoyable entry into the Jane Austen heals people genre and a nice picture of English village life after the war. If you're into this part of the Jane Austen extended universe, I think you'll like this one.

If you're an Austen fan (and why wouldn't you be?) you will love this book. A set of diverse and sympathetic characters rally together to maintain Austen's legacy in her hometown of Chawton.