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Title details for Austenland by Shannon Hale - Available

Austenland

A Novel

#1 in series

by Shannon Hale
Katherine Kellgren
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
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1 of 1 copy available

For every woman who's read Pride and Prejudice and sighed for Mr. Darcy: Austenland is a confection of a novel set at a Jane Austen fantasy camp for women, from New York Times–bestselling author and Newbery Honor Medalist Shannon Hale.

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?

  • Creators

  • Series

    Austenland

  • Publisher

  • Awards

  • Release date

    June 1, 2007

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781427201423
      • File size: 182433 KB
      • Duration: 06:20:04

  • Languages

    • English

  • Levels

    • Lexile® Measure: 830
    • Text Difficulty: 4-5

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Well known for writing clever twists on fairy tales for young adults, the author has written her first adult story. Aficionados will connect with the many allusions to Jane Austen's works in this modern-day story of 33-year-old Jane Hayes, who is frustrated in love and longing for an Austen-like romance. When her Aunt Carolyn wills her a three-week stay at Pembroke Park, an Austen role-playing theme park, Jane starts by seeking a Mr. Darcy and ends by realizing that her present reality holds more promise than the fictional past. Katherine Kellgren characterizes British-accented gentlemen and women as they indulge in a Regency lifestyle. As Jane, she expresses the passions of a young woman trying to make sense of life and love. S.W. (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      February 12, 2007
      In 32-year-old singleton Jane Hayes's mind, no man in the world can measure up to Fitzwilliam Darcy—specifically the Fitzwilliam played by Colin Firth in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice
      . Jane is forced to confront her Austen obsession when her wealthy great-aunt Carolyn dies and leaves her an all-expenses-paid vacation to Pembrook Park, a British resort where guests live like the characters in Jane's beloved Austen novels. Jane sees the trip as an opportunity for one last indulgence of her obsession before she puts it "all behind her—Austen, men, fantasies, period," but the lines between reality and fiction become pleasantly blurred as Jane acclimates to the world of Spencer jackets and stringent etiquette rules, and finds herself torn between the Darcyesque Mr. Nobley and a forbidden tryst with Pembrook Park's gardener. Though the narrative is endlessly charming, Jane is convincing neither as a sarcastic single girl nor as a romantic idealist, and the supporting cast is underdeveloped. Nods to Austen are abundant in contemporary women's fiction, and an intriguing setup and abundant wit are not enough to make this one stand out.

    • Publisher's Weekly

      Starred review from July 30, 2007
      Katherine Kellgren gives a marvelous performance in this entertaining chick lit/romance about 30-something Jane, who fantasizes about Jane Austen's heroes (particularly Mr. Darcy) while her real-life relationships flounder. She gets the tantalizing chance for a two-week holiday at an exclusive English estate where guests can experience Regency England, complete with Austenesque actors to romance them. Kellgren creates the perfect voice for each character—she's absolutely hilarious as Miss Charming, a 50-something Southern woman who tries desperately to put on a British accent and fails miserably; she's appropriately arrogant yet compelling as the attractive Mr. Nobly. As the boyishly charming Jasper, a gardener from Sheffield, Kellgren is more than up to the challenge of a very tricky accent to pull off. Kellgren brings wonderful acting to her performance, conveying Jane's conflicting emotions: thrilled at living out her fantasy while simultaneously embarrassed and self-conscious at being so silly and school-girlish. This is perfect summer beach listening for fans of chick lit, romance or Jane Austen. Simultaneous release with the Bloomsbury hardcover (Reviews, Feb. 12).

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • Lexile® Measure:830
  • Text Difficulty:4-5

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