utqtbry -
Helpful Score: 2
The premise to this book is brilliant. It would be awesome to see what Jane herself thought of her books becoming their own genre within the literary world. The vampire thing is just icing on the cake after that. Despite this promising beginning the book is failed to keep my original interest (i couldn't even finish the book...I gave up 3/4 of the way through) which is sad considering I had been anticipating this book for months.
What annoyed me more than anything in the book how plain and boring Jane is. I get that she is trying to live a 'normal' and unassuming life but would it have been too much to allow her the littlest bit of sass, independence, and humor. I know, I know...she is a 'middle-aged' British woman who should be all stereotypes have no visible (or real) emotions or humor. But seriously. She left England almost 2 centuries ago and witnessed how people, countries, and cultures grew, morphed, and transformed into our modern selves. Does the author really believe that none of that would have rubbed off on Jane, wouldn't have altered her personality or mindset even in the slightest? She just comes off as such a timid pushover who can never express what it is she really wants.
Furthermore, this book is all vague build up with anti-climactic endings. For instance, Jane has a literary enemy in the form of a Bronte fan which seems like she will serve as a wonderful thorn in Jane's side throughout the novel, yet she is easily dispatched within 2 pages. Jane is forced to reveal her secret identity to those close to her, and the replies make it seem as if all Jane had said was something ridiculously obvious like the sky is blue.
Of less importance were the excerpts from 'Constance' at the beginning of each chapter which are supposed to be written by Jane Austen but don't come across as her style. So with every chapter beginning I was pulled back out of the story a bit because I was comparing with Austen.
I understand that as yet another addition to the Austen genre this book is meant to be fun, fluffy, and slightly silly, but with such a promising premise it had the potential to be so much more.
Oh...and they are making a sequel called Jane Goes Batty in which her book Constance is made into a movie while Jane herself is being filmed for a freaking reality show...good grief.
What annoyed me more than anything in the book how plain and boring Jane is. I get that she is trying to live a 'normal' and unassuming life but would it have been too much to allow her the littlest bit of sass, independence, and humor. I know, I know...she is a 'middle-aged' British woman who should be all stereotypes have no visible (or real) emotions or humor. But seriously. She left England almost 2 centuries ago and witnessed how people, countries, and cultures grew, morphed, and transformed into our modern selves. Does the author really believe that none of that would have rubbed off on Jane, wouldn't have altered her personality or mindset even in the slightest? She just comes off as such a timid pushover who can never express what it is she really wants.
Furthermore, this book is all vague build up with anti-climactic endings. For instance, Jane has a literary enemy in the form of a Bronte fan which seems like she will serve as a wonderful thorn in Jane's side throughout the novel, yet she is easily dispatched within 2 pages. Jane is forced to reveal her secret identity to those close to her, and the replies make it seem as if all Jane had said was something ridiculously obvious like the sky is blue.
Of less importance were the excerpts from 'Constance' at the beginning of each chapter which are supposed to be written by Jane Austen but don't come across as her style. So with every chapter beginning I was pulled back out of the story a bit because I was comparing with Austen.
I understand that as yet another addition to the Austen genre this book is meant to be fun, fluffy, and slightly silly, but with such a promising premise it had the potential to be so much more.
Oh...and they are making a sequel called Jane Goes Batty in which her book Constance is made into a movie while Jane herself is being filmed for a freaking reality show...good grief.
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