Over 200 years ago a young woman by the name of Jane Austen wrote six novels over a period of fifteen years. They are romantic and center around the manners and mores of the landed gentry of the time. She was never acknowledged as a writer during her time but the novels have since earned her a place as one of the most widely read writers in English literature. Over the years the books have been both praised and reviled (Mark Twain wrote “It would be a good library without those books even if there were no books in the library.”) but the praise far outruns the venom. There are clubs throughout the world devoted to the examination and explanation of Miss Austen’s six novels. And “The Jane Austen Book Club” is a fictional account of such a club.
In Central California five women and one man get together once a month for six months to discuss the novels, one each month. Over that time marriages are tested, affairs begin and fade, unsuitable arrangements become suitable, and love happens. Karen Joy Fowler channels Jane Austen brilliantly as she writes of the present day gentry with their faults, foibles and joys.
The first meeting, in March is hosted by Jocelyn. She has never married, raises, for show and stud, a breed of dog called Ridgebacks, noted as a matriarchal breed and Jocelyn is definitely the Alpha female. With her in charge, as the author puts it, an advanced civilization will come about. The book under discussion is Emma.
In April the group is hosted by Allegra, the daughter of Sylvia a third member of the club. Allegra has broken up with her long time girlfriend for having revealed Allegra’s three deepest secrets. The book examined is Sense and Sensibility.
May finds the group at Prudie’s. Prudie teaches French at the local high school. Although she has never been to France she annoys by constantly using French phrases. As one of her friends says; “If only she would stop speaking French–or go to France where it wouldn’t be so noticeable.” Prudie suffers from a growing libido that tends to color the rest of her conversation. Mansfield Park is their subject
In June they convene at Grigg’s, the lone male of the group. He had never read any of the Austen novels and had been invited to join the group by Jocelyn much to the wonderment of the women. For whom had Jocelyn destined him? Instead of having each of the six novels separate he had bought the big compendium of Austen’s work, a single book viewed as heresy by the others. He had an additional fault: he liked science-fiction and read it widely, proposing that they should read “Lavinia” by Ursula K. LeGuinn. Northanger Abbey is this month’s subject.
July is for Bernadette, the oldest of the group. She is inclined to hold forth while no one seems to listen. Bernadette never says anything once if it can be said three times. Pride and Prejudice is her book.
August finds the group back at Sylvia’s house. Her husband, Daniel, had left her but at this point is starting to show up frequently. This concerns the ladies because they had concluded that Jocelyn had meant Grigg for Sylvia. Other characters are starting to enter the story as various arcs are nearing completion. The book is Persuasion.
Filled with humor and incisive insight The Jane Austen Book Club will be enjoyed whether or not you are a Jane Austen fan. After all as Anthony Lane, a film critic for The New Yorker magazine, wrote in 1999 “Nudity, sexual abuse, lesbianism, a dash of incest–will we never tire of Jane Austen?”
