Comments on: REVIEW: According to Jane by Marilyn Brant

By: Emily and Her Little Pink Slips

Emily and Her Little Pink Slips — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:57:34 +0000

I am almost 29 and I read everything Mrs Austen wrote plus a few novels based on her work, a few months ago I had a chance of reading “According to Jane” by Marilyn Brant, I wasn’t impressed on many levels:

* as a fan of Austen I thought those characters weren’t half as interesting as the originals
* as a fan of YA/coming-of-age novel this definitely wasn’t thrilling, there is no real chemistry between Ellie and Sam, this books lacks a substantial amount of sparkle
* as a fan of chick lit loosely based on Austen novels I think this is a very average one

A few months ago I read “The Family Fortune” by Laurie Horowitz, it’s based on Persuasion and I thought it was excellent and I can’t stop recommending it to all my friends.

By: Allison T.

Allison T. — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:08:14 +0000

Dear Trai,

How delightful to hear from a Young Person! And from one so well read and so ready to convert the uninitiated to The Cause: (“Miss Austen!”).

I will be very interested to read your comments after you’ve read the book.

Allison T.

By: Trai

Trai — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:04:01 +0000

I literally *just* received this one in the mail yesterday. I’m 19 and I have to say that, yes, most girls my age don’t know much Austen besides Pride and Prejudice. But a lot of them do. My roommate here at my college really enjoyed Pride and Prejudice, but hadn’t gotten into any of the other books; they just weren’t AS interesting to her. Over the past couple weeks, though, I introduced her to the film of Emma (and Clueless!) and I think she’s really enjoying them.

Having read all the Austens, I can say freely that P&P isn’t my favorite, but it’s the one that’s most recognizable, so yes, I can understand why publishers are hesitant to cash in on another book besides P&P. A Barnes and Noble employee recently told my mom that while PPZ is selling well, books like Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters are selling less so, probably because there aren’t as many people who’d recognize S&S as Austen. (I personally didn’t enjoy what I read of Sea Monsters as much as I enjoyed PPZ, but that’s neither here nor there.)

Anyway, my point being, thank you for the review and I hope I’ll at least enjoy the book, though I’m one of those who’d wish for a little more of the other stories. (After all, what if Sam was her Henry Crawford? That would be a little more interesting. )

By: Mags

Mags — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:22:52 +0000

While sometimes she comes out with something recognizably Austenesque—“You are too sensible a girl to fall in love merely because you are warned against it”

That probably sounds Austenesque because it’s a nearly direct quote from Mrs. Gardiner to Lizzy in P&P.