Reviewer: Amy Lignor
Title: Dearest Cousin Jane
Author: Jill Pitkeathley
Publisher: Harper Historicals
ISBN-13: 978-0-06-187598-4
Release Date: March 2010
Genre/Sub-genre: Historical Fiction
Year/Setting: England, 1765-1817
Overall Rating: 4.0
Sexual Content Rating: None
Language (Profanity/Slang) Content Rating: None
Violent Content Rating: None
Jill's Website/Blog: None found
Dear Readers:
I was fortunate enough to have read this author’s first novel entitled Cassandra and Jane, which was extraordinarily well-researched and great fun for any true Jane Austen fan to read. In this wonderful new offering, she introduces us to Eliza Hancock. Eliza is a cousin to Jane and we begin by following her adventures far from Jane’s backyard.
The young Eliza traveled to India when she was only a girl, determined to find work as a governess. In India, she met up with Dr. Hancock, a kind, educated man who became Eliza’s husband. Throughout various chapters that are told from Eliza’s point of view, as well as her husband’s, a second story emerges of a man named Hastings who perhaps had a love affair with Eliza. It doesn’t help the gossip when he is named godfather to her daughter and he immediately puts money in a trust fund for the young Betsy. Along the way, the doctor passes away and Eliza and her daughter are on their own as they go through the French Revolution and other moments in Europe’s history.
Near the middle of this wonderful story we begin to see the authoress, Austen, emerge. Through various letters, and her relationship with Eliza, readers witness the "shelving" of Sense and Sensibility; a much-talked-about romance between Jane and a man who, although he loved her dearly, had to marry for money; and, many other tales that surrounded Jane’s life. We are also shown the various lives of Jane’s siblings. Included in these chapters are the love, marriage, and eventual death of her dear sister’s husband, as well as the joining in matrimony of Eliza with Jane’s brother Henry. James and his wife Mary taking over Jane’s father’s parish and relegating the Austen family to Bath (which Jane Austen absolutely despised) was also another point touched on by the author.
In the end, I’ve noticed with all books that Jane Austen is in, whether she is the main character of the story or not is no matter. Jane is always the star. For a woman who thought her stories were a bit "fluffy," I think Jane Austen would be surprised and amused that her "voice" today is responsible for millions of "knock-offs" of her brilliant stories, as well as major motion pictures that have captured all of our hearts and imaginations. In fact, most women I know will tell you quite quickly that Mr. Darcy is STILL the man they’d love to meet. For a life with few big "events" in it, Jane Austen would hopefully be thrilled (if not a little angry about the vampire stories that have spawned from her superb writing) at the complete celebration of her life, her family, and her unforgettable words.
Until next time, Amy
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