First Impressions

Book as described, arrived on time.

Wer Bücher mag, wird die Oden an Bücherliebe in Charlie Lovetts Romanen lieben.In einem Duett von Gegenwart und Jane Austens Lebenszeit erzählt dieser wortgewandte Autor eine neue zauberhafte Geschichte mit viel Spannung, unerwarteten Wendungen und ein wenig Romantik.

I have never read anything by Jane Austen. That hasn't been by conscious choice, it's just something that has never occurred to me to do. I have seen bits and pieces of movies based on her books but never watched one beginning to end. What little I have picked up or seen regarding Austen's work was enough to tell me that I probably wouldn't be interested in her writing. So why read a book that is based upon Jane Austen's work? Because the author has written two other books whose plots have been based upon books and I found both of those works to be highly enjoyable. If the other two were good then shouldn't this one be just as entertaining?The story is told in two timelines. The first involves Jane Austen and her relationship with a retired cleric, Richard Mansfield. The second timeline occurs in the present and involves an Oxford grad student named Sophie Collingwood that has just completed her studies and is now looking for a job. Sophie is the heroine of the story and a bibliophile thanks to the influence of her Uncle Bertram. I did not think the plot as well conceived as those of the other two books I've read by this author but it was still good. However, I imagine Jane Austen fans will probably consider this book to be something of a sacrilege. If that be the case I would point out that the author makes several mentions of Austen's book "Northanger Abbey" being meant as a satire of the then current popularity of gothic novels. I could be wrong but this book might just be the author's attempt to satirize Austen fans as Jane did gothic novel fans in her day. Again, I have not read any Austen at all but I suspect the characters and their relationships does seem to be similar to what I know of Austen's work. So maybe the author is having a little fun at the expense of Austen fans, I will leave that for each of you to decide for yourselves.The plot unfolds after Sophie takes a job with an antiquarian book dealer following the death of her beloved uncle that she finds suspicious. In the course of her new job she receives an assignment to track down a specific book by Richard Mansfield. The importance of this book is that it may prove that "Pride and Prejudice" was plagiarized by Austen and was actually the work of Rev. Mansfield. The search for this book takes Sophie on a journey through literary history and history of her own family and the lives of two suitors that she encounters along the way. This is not great literature, this book is just fun, a quick read, and entertaining. It is just the sort of lighthearted book to provide a reader with a change of pace from heavier reading which is why I picked it up. Give it try. (less)

If you are a Jane Austen fan & enjoy a bit of mystery and romance then this is the book for you.

As others have mention this novel is a mix of historical fiction, chick lit, and mystery. Parallel stories are told between Jane Austen and the modern character Sophie. The premise centers around the question "What if Pride and Prejudice was not an original work by Austen?" I think the world would be crushed to find out it was written or helped to be written by someone else. Plenty of unlikable characters-but that's true to life. My first impression was a highly enjoyable tale.