Fowler, Karen Joy - The Jane Austen Club

[oyceter]

I actually starting out not really wanting to read this. It wasn't because of the book itself, but rather, Fowler goes into Jocelyn's past, and there was just too many date-rape-esque situations and uncomfortable sexual situations for me. It didn't feel exploitative or anything, but it was extremely uncomfortable reading. Luckily, the sob-story tendencies died early on. I knew I fell for the book when it gets to:

"Grigg had never read Pride and Prejudice.
Grigg had never read Pride and Prejudice.
Grigg had read The Mysteries of Udolpho and God knows how much science fiction -- there were books all over the cottage -- but he'd never found the time or the inclination to read Pride and Prejudice. We really didn't know what to say."

Tee hee hee.

I think my favorite chapter was the one on Grigg and his childhood growing up with three (very cool) older sisters and reading science fiction. I only realized Karen Joy Fowler also wrote sci-fi when I saw a few discussions on her new short story (or something) that prompted discussion at Worldcon. Also, I loved that Grigg went to cons and read Ursula K. LeGuin and the like. And bonus points for the gratuitous mention of Buffy ;).

There is probably a lot more to say on the meta-ness of the book, on Sylvia pondering how she would feel as a character in a book, and other circumstances like that, but in the end, I was just bowled over by the book love. I loved how the five ladies held Austen in such regard, how they made her a part of their lives, and Grigg's initiation into the Jane Austen club.

Links:
- sophia_helix's review
- buymeaclue's review
- tenemet's review