Author: Cora Harrison
Talk
about putting the right title in the right hands. I have always been a
huge Jane Austen fan. Literally, I go to the library and pull
absolutely every book off the shelf that has anything to do with this –
as far as I’m concerned – best author who ever lived. I can’t tell you
how excited I am that she is now infiltrating the young adult market. I
think all young adults should be allowed into the Austen world; it’s so
much fun, they’ll wonder why they’ve wasted all their time on vampires.
This story is told through the eyes and
journal of Jenny Cooper. Jenny, (who was a real person named Jane
Cooper), is Jane Austen’s best friend in the horrible boarding school
they find themselves stuck in when our story begins. Jane has a
horrific fever and the headmistress, Mrs. Cawley, is a hideous human
being who not only doesn’t provide real food and warmth to her girls,
but simply doesn’t care that Jane Austen is incredibly ill. So Jenny
takes it upon herself to sneak out of the prison-like school in the dark
of night to run through the town and mail a letter to Mrs. Austen, so
that Jane’s mom will come and rescue her daughter from the evil school
matron. As we follow Jenny through the scary Southampton streets, we’re
with her as she comes across a man named Captain Thomas Williams, who
helps save Jenny from some truly loud, brash men. Assisting her to mail
the letter, they have a wonderful conversation along the way where
Jenny learns about the Captain’s life on the Bonaventure that has just finished a tour of the East Indies.
Racing
back to the school, she writes about her wonderful time with the
Captain and proceeds to get as sick as her best friend, Jane. Soon,
thankfully, Mrs. Austen arrives and pulls the girls out of the horrific
school, bringing them back home to the Austen parish/farm in Steventon.
Now, Jenny is an orphan, but her mother was Mrs. Austen’s sister so, as
a relation to the large Austen clan, she’s welcome to stay in their
home.
As readers are brought through the fantastic
spring of 1791, we spend time with Jane and all her siblings. We watch
the creation of a romance between Jane’s sister Cassandra and the boy
she loves, Tom Fowle – who is rich in affection but poor where money is
concerned – which makes Mrs. Austen a little frightened for the union.
Mrs. Austen knows they’re not wealthy people and she wants rich matches
for her daughters. We also meet Jane’s brothers. Her absolute favorite
is Henry, and Jenny finds herself liking him, as well; he’s both
handsome and charming. Edward was the lucky Austen brother who was
adopted by a rich cousin; and, James is a bit cold to his sister,
wanting her to marry well and stop spending all her time writing
stories. There are others in the Austen clan who are truly witty and
charming, as well as a secret brother named George that Jane reveals to
Jenny.
There are balls held at the Vyne, which is
the fancy home of the Chute family. Tom Chute is a young man who laughs
with Jane constantly, and will perhaps be the man that she will marry
one day; while the oldest brother, William Chute, takes a liking to
Jenny.
This whole novel is an absolute joy to
read. Not only does Jenny get to spend time with this funny, loving
family and see the twists and turns in their relationships, but we also
get to see where and how Jane Austen put together her ideas for the
fantastic tales that we all love to this day. Not only is the writing
perfect for ages twelve and up, but the book also has the best black and
white drawings that really compliment the characters, the locations,
and the world that belonged to Jane Austen. This one has a place on my
bookshelf for the rest of time. Bravo!