The Jane Austen Book Club - Karen Joy Fowler
Sister Noon Author Returns with a Book for Austen Fans
Six members of the Jane Austen Book Club, one for each of Austen’s books and each with a “private Austen,” meet on a somewhat regular basis to discuss the published works of Jane Austen.
Jocelyn
Club founder and control freak Jocelyn has never been in love. She has been good friends with Sylvia since they were young.
Sylvia
Allegra’s mother, Sylvia has just been abandoned by her husband Daniel, who has since found love with someone else after 32 years.
Allegra
Thirty year old Allegra has just broken up with her girlfriend Corinne, who had written a number of short stories based on situation that Allegra had told her about her life. Worst of all, Allegra says, she had written them so poorly that no one even wanted to publish them.
Bernadette
Bernadette, 67, is an eccentric, with her taped- and paper clipped-glasses and chosen lack of mirrors in her house.
Prudie
Prudie is a high school French teacher and the only married member of the club.
Grigg
Science fiction fan Grigg had never read Jane Austen prior to joining the club; Jocelyn had met him at a science fiction convention and invited him into the club when he moved to the Valley.
Each chapter includes the club’s decidedly informal discussion about a different Austen novel, and covers past and present vignettes on each the characters. Stories about the characters sometimes parallel plots of the Austen books the club is reading, and provide insight into why each character might feel a certain way about the book being discussed.
There is no evident plot in the novel. Rather, it is more of a character study as it follows each character from beginning to end and their trials and tribulations in love. Unresolved issues presented in the beginning are resolved in the end, and the books ends with a satisfying conclusion.
The book includes short summaries of each Jane Austen work, as well as commentaries on each book and discussion group questions from the book club members.
The Jane Austen Book Club will be released as a movie on September 21, 2007, starring Kathy Baker, Emily Blunt, Maggie Grace, Maria Bello, Amy Brenneman, and Hugh Dancy.
About the Author
Karen Joy Fowler is the author of three novels and two short story collections. Her novel Sister Noon was a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award. She leads a Jane Austen book club in California, where she resides with her husband.
Fowler, Karen Joy
The Jane Austen Book Club
New York, Plume, April 26, 2005
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