Basic plot
A group of Jane Austen book lovers gather together to discuss her works and in the process find that life is not as straightforward as Miss Austen wrote it to be. If only though, it was. Jocelyn, Sylvia, Prudie, Allegra, Bernadette and Grigg do not really have alot in common with each other other than their taste in books but they find their monthly gatherings a welcome respite from their own complicated lives.
What I liked about this book
The characters have very interesting lives which serve as sub-plots to the story. The quaint and quirky flashbacks through their lives in essence are more the core of the book than the actual book club itself. The reader is able to understand how each character became the person they area and how different their personal perspectives are on Miss Austen and life in general. The concise summary of all of Jane Austen's books which are mentioned found at the back of the book was very helpful, especially for someone like my since I have only read Miss Austen's Pride & Prejudice and Sense & Sensibility.
What I disliked about the book
I would have to say, the actual book club discussions themselves. Strangely enough, people discussing books does not a fascinating read make. It also bugged me that I could not gauge how old these people actually were and had no way of matching them to the people on the cover which depicted the actors from the movie (based on the book) even after finishing the book. Perhaps that was not the book's fault ;)
A quote I liked from the book
She closed her eyes, which made them disappear but not usefully so.
And since it is a Jane Austen book club:
"The mere habit of learning to love is the thing."- Jane Austen 1775-1817
Rating: 3.5
