I was SUPER excited to read this book. After enjoying her other books, esp the Goose Girl, and hearing so much about this one and being a Jane Austen junky myself..I think I was expecting too much. Lets just say I knew exactly what would happen about 30 pages in and that's not my favorite thing. It was still a fairly cute story so if you don't mind predictable story lines, then this is the book for you! ( )

It was a quick read..only 200 pgs, but I dunno..found something lacking. It was cute, though! If you're a Jane Austen fan then you'd find it amusing! :) ( )

When I began this book I was almost giddish with anticipation about it's undoubted goodness. Well.....about midway thru, I lost my enthusiasm. It felt scattered, droll and the boyfriend countdown got tedious. I would admit some redemption came toward the end, and I would say the latter half did feel more Austen-like. This could have been really really great, it missed that mark unfortunately, and it was just okay.

Love Jane Austen's novels, love the movies, really didn't like this book.

The writing itself is kind of sloppy, even purplish at times; it made it difficult to get into the narrative because I kept getting pulled up by metaphors that seem to exist only to call attention to themselves rather than bring an image clearly to mind. Then there are the contradictions: "The day was gray, and patchy rain nudged ("nudged"??) the carriage roof...the sky cerulean blue." Sorry, can't have a cerulean blue sky when it's raining enough to "nudge" the carriage roof. The misuse of the word "literally" was also irritating: "...how could the actor keep up the virtual drinking and not get literally toasted?"

The book isn't well-researched. With much emphasis put on period correct Rules, there are several which anyone familiar with Austen's novels would know are simply wrong. Capt. East, Jane, et al, allowing Miss Heartwright to walk back to the house, ill, unescorted? Nonsense.

But most of all, the book seems ultimately to support the very thing it is supposed to argue against: that the fantasy man, the Mr. Darcy, will appear in our heroine's life, fall madly in love with her, etc. That is so obviously what "Mr. Nobley" is intended to be. While at one point, Jane seems to be getting on with life, saying that she needs to learn to be comfortable in her independence, being by herself, she then seems to decide that what would be best is to be comfortable being alone LATER, after she's gone ahead and seen if she can attract the attentions of the gentlemen at Pembrook Park. The whole theme of independence and self-sufficiency is lost in the very contrived ending, one that seems more to support Lydia-like behavior rather than Elizabeth's. While one of the plot twists is interesting, it just isn't something that I feel the Austen fan--of both the novels and the movies--would enjoy.

Of course, it IS a quick read, so if you take it on, you won't lose much time. ( )

I listened to Austenland on audio on a long drive alone. It was absolutely perfect for the occasion. Austenland is the story of Jane Hayes, a single New Yorker, graphic designer and Jane Austen (especially the Colin Firth BBC miniseries of Pride and Prejudice) devotee. When her quirky aunt passes away, Jane learns she was left a peculiar thing in the will: a two-week holiday trip to an English estate where she will live in Austen's time. It's essentially an elaborate Jane Austen role-playing theme park, complete with period costumes, customs and lack of technology. The men are played by actors, and our heroine, despite acknowledging Darcy has ruined her real relationships by being too good, has a tough time letting go of her modern persona and relaxing.

Austenland is pure, brilliant fantasy and utterly dreamlike for Austen fans, but the comedy keeps the story from slipping into schmaltzy. Even those who feel dear Jane is teetering on overexposure would enjoy the satire. It's a quick, delightful tale, and Katherine Kellgren's reading was marvelous. Her voices were delightful and helped bring out the personalities of characters. ( )