The Jane Austen Society

Join the virtual online book tour of THE JANE AUSTEN SOCIETY, Natalie Jenner’s highly acclaimed debut novel May 25 through June 30, 2020. Seventy-five popular blogs and websites specializing in historical fiction, historical romance, women’s fiction, and Austenesque fiction will feature interviews and reviews of this post-WWII novel set in Chawton, England.

Today I’m featuring my review and thoughts on the story AND the lovely audiobook narrated by none other than Richard Armitage (you North & South fans will be swooning now, I know).

About the Book

Just after the Second World War, in the small English village of Chawton, an unusual but like-minded group of people band together to attempt something remarkable.

One hundred and fifty years ago, Chawton was the final home of Jane Austen, one of England’s finest novelists. Now it’s home to a few distant relatives and their diminishing estate. With the last bit of Austen’s legacy threatened, a group of disparate individuals come together to preserve both Jane Austen’s home and her legacy. These people—a laborer, a young widow, the local doctor, and a movie star, among others—could not be more different and yet they are united in their love for the works and words of Austen. As each of them endures their own quiet struggle with loss and trauma, some from the recent war, others from more distant tragedies, they rally together to create the Jane Austen Society.

AUDIOBOOK NARRATED BY ACTOR RICHARD ARMITAGE:

The full unabridged text of THE JANE AUSTEN SOCIETY was read by the distinguished English film, television, theatre and voice actor Richard Armitage for the audiobook recording. Best known by many period drama fans for his outstanding performance as John Thornton in the BBC television adaptation of North and South (2004), Armitage also portrayed Thorin Oakenshield in Peter Jackson’s film trilogy adaptation of The Hobbit (2012 – 2014).

Listen to a YouTube audiobook excerpt here.

Review

Thought-provoking in its analysis of Austen, The Jane Austen Society at once pays homage and has an endearing, colorful cast of its own. The trials of war, survival, and carrying the burdens of others are themes that contrast with the tiny little moments that make up the joy of life all prevalent in this story of hope.

Natalie Jenner has an authorly voice that captures an era and a bright group of people with a beautiful cadence and concept. From details like the subtle and leading POV shifts to the timeline of the novel, all of the characters are introduced and set up extremely well before the deeper everydayness of their lives is explored. Their relationships intertwine and wind through the story, exploring the heart of friendship, companionship, sacrifice, and even romance.

I particularly appreciate how the pleasure of reading is portrayed in this story. The joy found in rereading favorite authors, the keen humanity found in Austen’s stories, the comfort of books, and literature as a uniting force are all concepts woven through polite conversations, characters’ thoughts, and ultimately a commonality bringing together an unlikely community. The analysis, in particular, of Austen’s depth and the slight parallels to her familiar tropes Natalie engages with her own characters are simply delightful.

I must mention there is more than one romantic thread in this story and ALL of them are a delight! The couple that parallels Emma and Knightley, though, are my absolute favorites! Their conversations are just so smart, meaningful, and full of wit. They forge their own identities, not merely regurgitations of Austen’s famous duo, as an intellectual and emotional match.

The audiobook version of this novel is a pleasure to listen to, as well. Narrator Richard Armitage delivers a memorable and impactful performance with various accents (English variations, American, and even Scottish!) and a heavy dose of emotion. His embodiment of the character Dr. Benjamin Gray, in particular, is my favorite.

I highly recommend this novel for fans of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, author Katherine Reay, or fans of post-WWII stories of triumph.

**content note: to my readers who know I typically review inspirational fiction, I want to fill you in on some content expectations. This is a “secular” novel, and has some mild and brief strong language, and an implied homosexual relationship. **

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy. This is my honest review.

About the Author

Natalie Jenner is the debut author of THE JANE AUSTEN SOCIETY, a fictional telling of the start of the society in the 1940s in the village of Chawton, where Austen wrote or revised her major works. Born in England and raised in Canada, Natalie graduated from the University of Toronto with degrees in English Literature and Law and has worked for decades in the legal industry. She recently founded the independent bookstore Archetype Books in Oakville, Ontario, where she lives with her family and two rescue dogs.