Confessions Of A Jane Austen Addict

I made myself sit down and finish a pleasure reading book this morning. I went with Confessions Of A Jane Austen Addict, because, well, I am one. What can I say about this book? It was not nearly what I expected, but in a more interesting then bad way. If you are in JAAA (Jane Austen Addicts Anonymous) then you will want to read this book. Marketers know that we will pick up anything and all things having to do with Austen, buy them, and then possibly regret the purchase. I did that with The Jane Austen Book Club, although thankfully I checked that one out from the library. I'm weary of anyone who tries to tamper with Austen's stories. They are untouchable. This book had almost nothing to do with the stories of Austen but Austen was woven fabulously throughout it.

The book begins when a modern woman, Courtney, wakes up in Regency period England in another woman's body. I was instantly sucked in, but the plot got a little weird when she started having memories from the other girl's experiences. The other girl, Jane Mansfield, we learn, woke up in modern day L.A. in Courtney's body. Her experience is going to be the sequel but I'm not that sure I'm going to read it.

The Austen parts were great, traveling to Bath was fabulous, and even meeting Austen in London was entertaining. I wasn't that pleased with the Austen meet and greet. Rigler did her best to try and translate the pure intellectual fire I have always thought surrounded Austen, but there were some elements I was not quite sure about. Of course, I am a the dork who would think...why did they meet in London... Bath would have made more sense since she stayed with family there. Why was she buying a bonnet? Odd choice since Austen was broke broke broke, but everyone needs a good bonnet I guess. Over all I was pretty disappointed with that. The romance was great so that helped sustain me to the end.

If you are an Austen fanatic then chances are you will read this. You will love all the Austen quotes and the pep of a modern woman stuck in an age where women literally had to get married because they had no source of income, where there was a defined class system, and where hygiene was non-existent. However, if you don't care about Austen (if you don't, you might want to go home and rethink your life. I jest.) there isn't much to hold you to this book.

Aesthetically, there are polkadots on the cover, so it will look smashing on my bookcase.