Miss Austen
Oct. 19th, 2022 11:11 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alobearMiss Austen by Gill Hornby attempts to provide an answer to the mystery of why Jane Austen's sister, Cassandra, burned large portions of their correspondence shortly before she died. So, it's one of those books that takes a hole in history and tries to fill it.
Overall, it's well-written in a style that emulates Austen's own, without trying too hard to parrot it. I liked Cassandra very much as a character, both near the end of her life in 1840, and as presented as a younger women throughout earlier portions of her life.
I'm confused by the Guardian's review, though, which says the novel is written 'with great kindness' and suggests 'Jane would have approved'. In the novel, Cassandra's motive is to destroy any evidence that Jane was anything other than an even-tempered and happy person throughout her life, by searching through various sources of correspondence, to winkle out any letters that might suggest otherwise. However, in the process of showing this search, the author creates the very evidence Cassandra is seeking to keep hidden and therefore presents Jane as suffering a great deal from deep depression. Now, I'm all for sympathetic representation of mental health struggles, and certainly wouldn't want to put pressure on anyone to present themselves only as perfectly satisfied with their life. But, it does feel as if the book creates the very situation Cassandra is envisaged as trying to prevent - which doesn't seem very 'kind' to me, or something that Jane would 'approve'.
There are also several characters who are presented as possible sources for some of the more extreme subjects of ridicule in Jane's novels - which may or may not have been the case. But, since this book is supposed to be about the real people, I felt they were turned into caricatures to an extent that didn't seem credible.
All that aside, I did find the book compelling - if rather depressing in places - I enjoyed the range of characters, the possible insight into a close sisterly bond, and the presentation of Cassandra as very much in control of her choices and satisfied with what she's made of her life.
So, a mixed experience - but an interesting addition to the canon of speculation about Jane Austen's life.
Overall, it's well-written in a style that emulates Austen's own, without trying too hard to parrot it. I liked Cassandra very much as a character, both near the end of her life in 1840, and as presented as a younger women throughout earlier portions of her life.
I'm confused by the Guardian's review, though, which says the novel is written 'with great kindness' and suggests 'Jane would have approved'. In the novel, Cassandra's motive is to destroy any evidence that Jane was anything other than an even-tempered and happy person throughout her life, by searching through various sources of correspondence, to winkle out any letters that might suggest otherwise. However, in the process of showing this search, the author creates the very evidence Cassandra is seeking to keep hidden and therefore presents Jane as suffering a great deal from deep depression. Now, I'm all for sympathetic representation of mental health struggles, and certainly wouldn't want to put pressure on anyone to present themselves only as perfectly satisfied with their life. But, it does feel as if the book creates the very situation Cassandra is envisaged as trying to prevent - which doesn't seem very 'kind' to me, or something that Jane would 'approve'.
There are also several characters who are presented as possible sources for some of the more extreme subjects of ridicule in Jane's novels - which may or may not have been the case. But, since this book is supposed to be about the real people, I felt they were turned into caricatures to an extent that didn't seem credible.
All that aside, I did find the book compelling - if rather depressing in places - I enjoyed the range of characters, the possible insight into a close sisterly bond, and the presentation of Cassandra as very much in control of her choices and satisfied with what she's made of her life.
So, a mixed experience - but an interesting addition to the canon of speculation about Jane Austen's life.
