Cover Image: Miss Austen

Miss Austen

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Member Reviews

***I received an advanced reader's copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

Casandra is on a mission - to find and to destroy any deeply personal letters written by her sister Jane. A dual timeline plays out the story. I liked the book, but did not love the book. Decisions made in this novel, based on the scant info we know about Jane Austen, did not really ring true to me. Maybe it‘s this that just gives me a so-so feeling about this book.

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Ughhhhh I wanted to love this so much. The writing was good, but I didn’t get sucked in like I was hoping I would! I still would recommend to those die hard Jane Austen fans!

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Another great historical fiction. I really enjoyed this one.
I recommend this book Anyone and Everyone.

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I tried this book because I enjoy historical fiction, and while I'm not a fan of Jane Austen at all I still thought it was worth a try. Despite my best efforts and intentions, I could not find myself interested in the story, it just couldn't hold my attention, much like a Jane Austen novel cannot.

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This novel is about Cassandra Austen and why she would destroy many of Jane Austen’s letters. There is not much of a plot in this story and is very slow-moving. I found Cassandra’s life to be very tragic and would preferred this book was about Jane Austen! Nevertheless, this story will appeal to Jane Austin fans!

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The final book I read in 2021 was one that I very much enjoyed: Gill Hornby’s Miss Austen. The title character is not, as you might expect, the famous novelist Jane Austen, but her elder sister Cassandra. Cassandra, who outlived Jane by nearly thirty years, is known to have burned many of her sister’s letters, although we don’t know exactly why she did this. In this fictional version of Cassandra Austen’s story, Hornby explores a possible reason for the destruction of the letters, while also giving us a glimpse into the lives of Cassandra, Jane and the rest of the Austen family.

The novel opens in 1840 with Cassandra, now an elderly woman, arriving at Kintbury, home of the Fowles, the family of her long-dead fiancé. Following the death of the Reverend Fowle, his daughter Isabella has been left to pack up her parents’ belongings so that a new reverend can move in. Cassandra believes that the letters she and Jane wrote to their friend Eliza Fowle (Isabella’s mother) must still be in the house somewhere and she is determined to find them and remove them before they can be made public.

The story unfolds through the letters Cassandra discovers at Kintbury (not the real letters, of course, as they were destroyed) and through Cassandra’s memories of her younger days. The narrative moves back and forth in time as she remembers the loss of Tom Fowle, the man she should have married, her relationship with Jane and the lives they both led as single women. In the 1840s storyline, we also get to know Isabella, another spinster, and this provides some further insights into what it means to be an unmarried woman in the early 19th century: the lack of security; the pressures created by failing to conform to society’s expectations; and the feeling of being a burden to other family members.

This is a quiet, domestic novel, but I was never bored. There is an authentic period feel and although Hornby doesn’t try to imitate Jane Austen’s writing exactly, the language used generally feels suitable for the time. I enjoyed the occasional references to Jane’s novels, some of which we see her working on and others which the characters read to each other for entertainment. There’s an interesting suggestion that Jane based Mary Bennet in Pride and Prejudice on her sister-in-law, Mary Austen. Most of all, I enjoyed learning a little bit about Cassandra and the world in which she lived.

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I think one's reaction to the depends upon your time in life. Personally, I found it depressing; others I know who read it loved it.

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My gut just does not like the fanfiction of real people. I get it, I get wanting more for the Austen women, but this is just... very sad in how much it needs to give Cassandra more than she did have. I appreciate the intent, but ultimately this is not adding to the progressive and interesting discourse Austen-adjacent spaces are moving into.

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This is a wonderful book— especially for Austenites. It really brings Jane and Cassandra’s worlds to life, and paints a vivid picture of their relationships (with each other, and other family and friends). So well done— well researched and well written. That said, it’s tone is generally sad, and the story develops very slowly… but it’s just so well done that I can overlook that indeed.

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I want to thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for giving me the opportunity to review this book. I admit in my joy at joining NetGalley I may have been overzealous in my requesting numbers. As this book has already been published, I am choosing to work on the current upcoming publish date books in my que. As I complete those I will work on my backlogged request and will provide a review at that time. I again send my sincere thanks and apologies.

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A lovely, gentle read exploring the life of Jane Austen through her sister Cassandra who we follow in her later years, long after Jane's death. This book was written for Austen fans, that is very clear. The style and tone are very much like her books and that suits the story well. It is a character study and not plot or action heavy. If that is what you are looking for, this is the book for you!

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Although a fictional recreation, Miss Austen gives us an explanation as to a question that have puzzled Austen academics for years: why did her younger sister burn all of her letters after her death?

Hornby creates for us a believable adventure that centers around these letters and the life of Jane’s sister, Cassandra. We are taken through the years before and after Jane’s death as Cassandra settles into a life of routine in a rural English cottage. She goes on to visit a family member at a vicarage that is about to be cleared out for its new occupant. The mother of the vicarage has in her possession letters that were written between Jane and Cassandra and they are ones that she prefer not to give to the world.

Cassandra takes possession of the letters and begins to read them as she is drawn back in time to the events and emotions that are present in the letters. Hornby beautifully weaves together the fictional retelling of the letters with events and the loves of both of the Austen girls. While the plot is not outlandish and over the top, Horny has a talent for creating realism in her historical fiction that lifts the family of Austen off of the page, endearing them to the reader.

This was a charming take to read that made for an intriguing take on the famous Austen letters and a plausible reason as to why Cassandra chose to destroy them rather than allow the world to have them. Any Austen fan will love to curl up with this well-written novel as they daydream about bonnets, pinafores and endless English county sides.
Book Information

Miss Austen by Gill Hornby was released on April 7, 2020 from Flatiron Books with ISBN 978-1250252203. This review corresponds to an advanced electronic galley that was supplied by the publisher in exchange for this review.

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I received an advance digital copy of this book from the author, publisher and NetGalley.com. Thanks to all for the opportunity to read and review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Ms. Hornby has intricately and delicately recreated Jane Austen's world, through her main character, Cassandra Austen. A beautifully told story that will delight any Jane Austen fan.

5 out of 5 stars. Highly recommended.

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There is nothing I love more than a story about Jane Austen and/or her characters. Hornby truly gifted her readers with this story. It has heart, complexity, and wit all wrapped up in eloquent writing and beautiful storytelling.

As a Janeites for life, this book has made it on my forever and always shelf.

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Although fiction, it looks at a mystery that has troubled academics for many years - why did Cassandra Austen burn the letters of her sister Jane following her death?

The story switches between the late 1700s/early 1800s and 1840, 23 years after Jane’s death, when Cassandra returns to the home of family friends in search of a cache of letters. The letters open the door to the past and the reader learns of the lives, loves and losses of the Austen family and their friends.

There is a large cast of characters and the action is somewhat limited but the story depicts family relationships and the lives of women at the time very well. The writing style is very Austenesque - you could just imagine women swooning at the sight of a gentleman with his collar undone! 😂 There’s a wry sense of humour in the book and, as ever, sage works of advice - "A single woman should never outlive her usefulness. It was simple bad manners" (makes note to self 😂). An enjoyable read.

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It took me a little bit to get into this book, but by the end I was hooked. Getting to read more about Cassandra’s life (even fictionally) was nice, as she is often forgotten. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book for review.

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I enjoy anything related to Jane Austen and this book was no exception. It was interesting to read a more modern telling about Jane's sister, Cassandra.. The cover of this book is absolutely gorgeous! Thank you to Netgalley for this free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

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Miss Austen, go in this case is Cassandra Austen, the treasured sibling of beloved author Jane Austen, is a well researched, fictionalized account of the two sisters. The author writes in the tone of the era (early 1800s) and illustrates a wonderful understanding of period details. The story illustrates Cassandra’s self sacrificing personality and her utter devotion to Jane and to the legacy of the author. The main themes of Jane’s books, the fact that marriage in this time was a matter of survival for a woman, is explored well. I loved the flashbacks that showed Cassandra, who is an old woman, in her younger years with Jane. Anyone who loves the writing of Jane Austen will adore this beautiful novel.

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I am definitely a Janeite, so this novel was a real treat. The main character is Jane's sister, Cassandra, who is on a quest to preserve her sister's legacy by securing any unseemly correspondence that could mar her image. The novel is much deeper in its message though as it explores the idea that there are many different paths to happiness for women, and the importance of the bonds women form with their friends and family members. I found this to be a cozy read and surprisingly poignant as a woman of certain age myself.

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This was really interesting and not quite what I expected. This story while about Jane Austen (sort of), the main character is Cassandra Austen.

Cassandra is Jane’s sister and it explores the aftermath of Jane’s death. It illustrates what women went through in the 19th century, explores potential history through Jane’s letters, etc.

As a big Janeite I wasn’t sure if I’d like this, but I felt I could embrace the story and really enjoy it!

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