Longbourn - Jo Baker

Title: Longbourn
Author: Jo Baker
Pages: 352
Published: 2013
Challenges: Jane Austen, Historical Fiction
Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literary
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Public Library

Description: The servants at Longbourn estate--only glancingly mentioned in Jane Austen's classic--take centre stage in Jo Baker's lively, cunning new novel. Here are the Bennets as we have never known them: seen through the eyes of those scrubbing the floors, cooking the meals, emptying the chamber pots. Our heroine is Sarah, an orphaned housemaid beginning to chafe against the boundaries of her class. When the militia marches into town, a new footman arrives under mysterious circumstances, and Sarah finds herself the object of the attentions of an ambitious young former slave working at neighboring Netherfield Hall, the carefully choreographed world downstairs at Longbourn threatens to be completely, perhaps irrevocably, up-ended. (via Goodreads)

Thoughts: A funny thing happens sometimes when I like a book, I sometimes am unable to express how I feel about a book through words.   But I can say that I really did enjoy reading the book.  Of course there were aspects of the book that I didn't like and felt that certain things didn't really work with the book, at least until I was able to make sense of them.  I suppose the one thing that did work was that Wickham in the book was able to be shown with his true colours and was interesting to see his portrayal through Sarah's eyes, rather than through Lizzie's eyes.   It does offer an interesting perspective on life as a servant in world about 100 years prior to the start of Downton Abbey.

Bottom line: While there are things that I didn't like about this book, I felt that it was a really good complement to Pride & Prejudice and would recommend it to fans of Pride & Prejudice.  Recommended.

Rating: 3.8/5

Pages for 2013: 16, 528

Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen

Title: Pride and Prejudice
Author: Jane Austen
Pages: 435
Published: 2002 (originally published 1813)
Genre: Classic, Fiction
Challenges: Classics Club, Pride & Prejudice bicentenary Challenge
Edition: Paperback
Source: Personal

Description:  When Elizabeth Bennet first meets eligible bachelor Fitzwilliam Darcy, she thinks him arrogant and conceited, while he struggles to remain indifferent to her good looks and lively mind. When she later discovers that Darcy has involved himself in the troubled relationship between his friend Bingley and her beloved sister Jane, she is determined to dislike him more than ever. In the sparkling comedy of manners that follows, Jane Austen shows the folly of judging by first impressions and superbly evokes the friendships, gossip and snobberies of provincial middle-class life. (via Goodreads.com)

Thoughts:  I quite enjoyed the book and liked how the miniseries incorporated so much of the book into the miniseries.   Sure this is my favourite Austen book and yes, I have compared each one to this book, but there is something to be said for Austen sort of rebuking the way husbands were acquired by those in certain classes at that time, of course in her own way.  I can't really say what I liked about the book because there was so much that I did like about the book.  Its honestly one of those books that there is so much that one likes about the book that you really cannot pinpoint what you liked the most.

Bottom line:  Recommended for those that haven't tried her or who have read her other later books, but    would like to give her another chance.  I would also recommend the book to those that have read her earlier books.  And I would also recommend it to those that need a lighter read, but is still considered to be a classic.

Rating:  5/5

Pages for 2013: 3136

The Pride and Prejudice Bicentenary Challenge 2013

As some of you are aware, the 28th of this month is the 200th anniversary of Pride & Prejudice, but then there are some of you who do read this blog on a regular basis that aren't aware of that fact.  But in any case, it is going to be a momentous occasion, as it is probably Jane Austen's best known work.

And to celebrate this momentous occasion, Austenprose is hosting a challenge to celebrate the bicentenary anniversary.  And you probably guessed it, I will be joining them in watching and reading items that are spun off of this very well known book.

Of course there is the mini-series that was released almost twenty years ago and the movie that was released about 10 years ago.  But there are other items that have been released since the mini-series was released 20 years ago (still love the shirt scene and can't watch the kiss at the end).  And maybe the mini-series was the reason for many of these things being released within the last 20 years.

So here is what I plan on reading and viewing during the coming year for this particular challenge:

• Pride & Prejudice (1813)
• Pride & Prejudice A&E/BBC mini-series (1995)
• Defiantly not Mr. Darcy by Karen Doornebos (2011)
• Bridget Jones's Diary movie (2001)
• Bridget Jones's Diary: The Edge of Reason (2004)
• Becoming Jane (2007)
• The Jane Austen Book Club (2007)

I realize that the vast majority of the items listed are films, but honestly I am reading enough as it is for the coming year.  And based on what I have listed above, I will be at the Disciple level (5-8 selections), at the very least.