Austenland

A Novel

By: Shannon Hale

Narrated by: Katherine Kellgren

Length: 6 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

Jane is a young New York woman who never seems to find the right man - perhaps because of her secret obsession with Mr. Darcy, as played by Colin Firth in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. When a wealthy relative bequeaths her a trip to an English resort catering to Austen-obsessed women, however, Jane's fantasies of meeting the perfect Regency-era gentleman suddenly become more real than she ever could have imagined. Is this total immersion in a fake Austenland enough to make Jane kick the Austen obsession for good, or could all her dreams actually culminate in a Mr. Darcy of her own?

©2007 Shannon Hale (P)2007 Audio Renaissance, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishers LLC

Critic reviews

"Endlessly charming." ( Publishers Weekly)
"A clever confection for fans of contemporary Austen knockoffs." ( Booklist)

A Book Which Can be Put Down

Katherine Kellgren does such a good job narrating that she almost rescues this book. This is an interesting take on the Austen universe but I have to confess that this book can be put down. I am not certain why my reaction is so lukewarm. I think it because the real parts of the story and play acting are difficult to distinguish. I also couldn't seem to sympathize with the heroine. I really didn't like her and I don't know why. It puzzles me for I tend to suspend my disbelief on command of the author. I am willing to be led where ever the author wants to go. In this case, I think the heroine led a boring life, is bored, wants to be rescued and does nothing for herself: in short, she is boring. What kind of man would want to be around her? To say this in a different way: Miss Elizabeth Bennet wasn't sitting on her hands dreaming of a Darcy coming to her rescue. She lived and took her pleasures and disappointments as she found them. She was never boring. She will never be boring. Dittos for Anne Elliot, Elinor Dashwood, Fanny Price, Catherine Morland and certainly Emma Woodhouse. If woman (or a man) is leading an empty life, it is not Mr. Darcy's fault. Look to the mirror.

So fun!

I loved listening to this book! The narrarator made the main character's quirky personality come through. The book itself was very lighthearted and fun. It went by way too fast!

A fun romp for Darcy fans

I should begin this by saying, not only is this fluff, this is for fans of the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice and Bridget Jones, not necessarily all Austen fans will like it. Jane compares herself to Lizzie and Emma and other Austen heroines but sadly, she's more like a mix of Jane Bennet and Mrs. Bennet - cute and accommodating just desperate for a man.

I laughed quite a bit at Jane's adventure and her plucky sidekick, enjoying the intrgue and disgruntled by the treatment of her as a lower-paying guest (which I didn't quite understand because her trip was funded by a wealthy relative - seems she could have purchased the better package for Jane).

Good fun and fluff. Oh, and WAY better than the movie. Enjoy!!

Must know the originals to enjoy this fully

As a teacher and scholar, I've always steered clear of fan fiction and books by modern writers who attempt to exploit Austen's books and characters, but a serious Austen scholar recommended "Austenland" and I'm really glad she did. It is great fun for anyone with a thorough knowledge and love of Austen's fiction who is also able to maintain a critical distance. As the characters have their Austenland experience, they keep shifting into different subject positions from Austen's novels. Thus we keep going back and forth between characters in "Sense and Sensibility," "Mansfield Park," "Persuasion," "Emma," and, of course, "Pride and Prejudice."

I suspect that some of the negative reviews of this book are by readers who feel themselves too closely represented and thus embarrassed by "Miss Charming," a character who is a savage, satiric send-up of an American Anglophile more addicted to Austen's romance plots than aware of the biting irony with which Austen presents them.

Guilty Pleasure

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

If the friend likes Jane Austen books, of course. I loaned my print copy to a friend who loved it so much, she kept it. Not cool.

What about Katherine Kellgren’s performance did you like?

She does well with most voices, and this story poses unique issues with accents. E.g., you have an American female character with a strong southern accent trying to sound poshly British and ultimately getting it ridiculously wrong. Kellgren does this voice is a very enjoyable way. Martin the gardener-not so much.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes.

Written how I think

This book just makes me giggle, because I have had some of the very same thought processes as the main character! Fun read, good naration.

Good listen

Love the story. I listen to it every night
I love all things Austen related. I love the modern take, and would love to have this happen

Loved the movie...

And loved the book! It's nice and light with enough humour to make you laugh out loud. It made me realize that I'm not so unique in how I can personally relate to Austen's heroines as Shannon Hale hit the nail right on the head with this book with the frustration and disappointment of it all. Excellent performance by the narrator Katherine Kellgren as well. Looking forward to the next book!

Loved it!

Would you consider the audio edition of Austenland to be better than the print version?

Did not read the print version, but saw the movie adaptation at Sundance.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Mr. Nobley...hard to figure out his character, forced me to pay attention. This sounds dumb, but the narrators chosen voice for Mr. Nobley was lovely.

What does Katherine Kellgren bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

She has a wide variety of voices, really makes you "judge" each character! Well done!

Who was the most memorable character of Austenland and why?

Ms. Charming...everyone knows a Ms. Charming, and everyone knows that they get what they deserve in the end!

Sweet

Adorable and full of twists this is not your typical love story. Full of laughs, self delusion, and old wounds, it strips the typical drama and comes up with something new.