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According To Jane

by Marilyn Brant

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2963688,022 (3.34)12
In Marilyn Brant's smart, wildly inventive debut, one woman in search of herself receives advice from the ultimate expert in matters of the heart. . . It begins one day in sophomore English class, just as Ellie Barnett's teacher is assigning Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. From nowhere comes a quiet "tsk" of displeasure. The target: Sam Blaine, the cute bad boy who's teasing Ellie mercilessly, just as he has since kindergarten. Entirely unbidden, as Jane might say, the author's ghost has taken up residence in Ellie's mind, and seems determined to stay there. Jane's wise and witty advice guides Ellie through the hell of adolescence and beyond, serving as the voice she trusts, usually far more than her own. Years and boyfriends come and go--sometimes a little too quickly, sometimes not nearly fast enough. But Jane's counsel is constant, and on the subject of Sam, quite insistent. Stay away, Jane demands. He is your Mr. Wickham. Still, everyone has something to learn about love--perhaps even Jane herself. And lately, the voice in Ellie's head is being drowned out by another, urging her to look beyond everything she thought she knew and seek out her very own, very unexpected, happy ending. . . "A warm, witty and charmingly original story." --Susan Wiggs, New York Times bestselling author "An engaging read for all who have been through the long, dark, dating wars, and still believe there's sunshine, and a Mr. Darcy, at the end of the tunnel." --Cathy Lamb, author of Henry's Sisters "This is a must-read for Austen lovers as well as for all who believe in the possibility of a happily-ever-after ending." --Holly Chamberlin, author of One Week In December… (more)
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» See also 12 mentions

Showing 1-5 of 35 (next | show all)
Cute. A little too predictable but cute. ( )
  MsTera | Oct 10, 2023 |
This is a bit of an odd-ball premise - at age 15, Ellie gets the voice of Jane Austen talking to her in her head and giving her life and relationship advice. The story follows Ellie through high school, college, grad school, and beyond, and details her string of (completely unsuitable) boyfriends -- each of whom Jane has much to say about. Quirky, funny, and with some really fun characters, and an ending that made me smile. Brant got Jane Austen's "voice" down. ( )
  wisemetis | Jan 14, 2023 |
Ellie Barnett, geek, needdy and a failure because she is not married by 18 has Jane Austen as her Personal Spritual Guide. Over two decades Jane's advice guides her through the angst of her teenage years and into her adulthood. But will she find her Mr. Darcy.
A well-written enjoyable story ( )
  Vesper1931 | Jul 29, 2021 |
Hate to admit this, but I've never read Jane Austin... and yet I truly enjoyed this book. We follow a young woman as she becaomes an adult, all with Jane's advice and opinion speaking to her in her head. This is not my typical book choice, but the Kindle price was great (free when I got it), and was glad I'd read it. ( )
  ker95tx | May 27, 2020 |
A modern Pride and Prejudice. With a young girl- women who is haunted by jane Austin. She finds her "friend" is full of advice, but sometimes you have to go your own way. It was a cute romance, with a predictable ending, definitely chick lit. I could see this as a movie. ( )
  TheYodamom | Jan 29, 2016 |
Showing 1-5 of 35 (next | show all)
“It begins one day in sophomore English class, just as Ellie Barnett’s teacher is assigning Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice. From nowhere comes a quiet ‘tsk’ of displeasure. The target? Sam Blaine, the cute bad boy who’s teasing Ellie mercilessly, just as he has since kindergarten. Entirely unbidden, as Jane might say, the author’s ghost has taken up residence in Ellie’s mind and seems determined to stay there.”

Thus commences the back blurb on Marilyn Brant’s According to Jane, a book that lies somewhat uneasily, for this reader at least, between a tween/teen coming-of-age novel, a more adult coming-of-age novel (sometimes disparagingly referred to as “chick-lit”), and a novel that Janeites would find interesting.

Some readers will find According to Jane an entertaining read as Ellie struggles to decide which of her lovers is The One. She also wrestles with her position in the family as a middle child with substantial sibling issues with her older sister. The story flashes back and forth to Ellie’s experiences with various boyfriends and lovers at various times in her life and her continuing encounters with Sam. Could Jane Austen be wrong after all? Could Sam really be Mr. Darcy? According to Jane is likely to appeal most to young women readers of 21+ with a mild interest in Jane Austen; but I think it fails both its younger and its Jane-Adamant readers.

 
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Next to being married, a girl likes to be crossed in love a little now and then.
---Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice (1813)
Dedication
For Jeff, Joe and Andrew
~Incredibly Good Guys~
&
In memory of
Margaret Weigel (1921-2007) and Kim Hintz (1967-2004)
~Inspirations~
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I always thought Homer painted his character Odysseus as a real slow learner with that whole twenty-year-journey thing.
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(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
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In Marilyn Brant's smart, wildly inventive debut, one woman in search of herself receives advice from the ultimate expert in matters of the heart. . . It begins one day in sophomore English class, just as Ellie Barnett's teacher is assigning Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. From nowhere comes a quiet "tsk" of displeasure. The target: Sam Blaine, the cute bad boy who's teasing Ellie mercilessly, just as he has since kindergarten. Entirely unbidden, as Jane might say, the author's ghost has taken up residence in Ellie's mind, and seems determined to stay there. Jane's wise and witty advice guides Ellie through the hell of adolescence and beyond, serving as the voice she trusts, usually far more than her own. Years and boyfriends come and go--sometimes a little too quickly, sometimes not nearly fast enough. But Jane's counsel is constant, and on the subject of Sam, quite insistent. Stay away, Jane demands. He is your Mr. Wickham. Still, everyone has something to learn about love--perhaps even Jane herself. And lately, the voice in Ellie's head is being drowned out by another, urging her to look beyond everything she thought she knew and seek out her very own, very unexpected, happy ending. . . "A warm, witty and charmingly original story." --Susan Wiggs, New York Times bestselling author "An engaging read for all who have been through the long, dark, dating wars, and still believe there's sunshine, and a Mr. Darcy, at the end of the tunnel." --Cathy Lamb, author of Henry's Sisters "This is a must-read for Austen lovers as well as for all who believe in the possibility of a happily-ever-after ending." --Holly Chamberlin, author of One Week In December

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