The Emporia Gazette Crazy about jane
Dalene Hawthorne, Special to The Gazette
Originally published 09:47 a.m., March 1, 2008
Updated 09:47 a.m., March 1, 2008
“Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict,” by Laurie Viera Rigler, Dutton, 2007, $24.95.
This is a seriously funny book that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Although you don’t have to be a Jane Austen addict to appreciate it, it helps if you’ve read at least one Jane Austen novel or perhaps have seen one of the movies. If you have never read a Jane Austen novel, I suggest you read “Pride and Prejudice” before you read this book. There are several copies in the Emporia Public Library.
You will further appreciate this book if you are a woman who has dated men in the 20th or 21st centuries. I’m afraid, guys, you’ll probably want to look for another book. This is truly chick lit.
In “Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict,” Courtney Stone is a single woman from 21st century Los Angeles, and is a true Jane Austen addict. After finding her fiancé in the arms of her wedding cake baker, she goes on a Jane Austen binge and wakes up to find herself in another woman’s body, about to be bled by the local surgeon in 1813 England. Despite her protests, and to avoid being placed in an insane asylum, Courtney ends up submitting to being bled. Yuck.
She finds out that the body she now inhabits belongs to Jane Mansfield (remember the bra commercials?), a 30-year-old, unmarried gentlewoman who was thrown from her horse and suffered a head injury. Courtney spends her time embroidering, trying to get back to the 21st century and her own life while avoiding germs and the insane asylum. She also must decide whether she can trust the rich, handsome young widower who seems to be in love with her/Jane. When she visits a fortune teller to try to find a clue about how to get home to L.A., she finds herself dealing with the possibility that flexibility within the space-time continuum is only one way.
If you are a true Jane Austen addict, I think you will enjoy this book. To be a true addict you must have read all of the books and wished there were more, watched at least some of the movies, discussed the merits of Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy with your friends who still tolerate you, and every now and then have thought that you were better suited to have lived in the time of Jane Austen.
Of course, we all know that is just a silly thought because what woman in her right mind would want to have lived in a time when women had so few options. If you are not sure whether you are a true Jane Austen addict, you can visit the author’s Web site for confirmation. You might also be interested in joining the Jane Austen Society of North America.
On the Net:
Author Web site: http://janeaustenaddict.com/
Jane Austen Society of North America: http://www.jasna.org/index.html
On the Shelf is written by staff and volunteers of Emporia Public Library.
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