I am a fan of Jane Austen as much as the next girl. Who wouldn’t love a man who is a gentleman and has manners. And the heroine is a smart, headstrong girl.
I’ve heard of this book on and off for years, and finally got down my list to it. It kept getting pushed down whenever one of my favorite authors had a new release.
I was pleasantly surprised. There was a lot less fluff then I thought there would have been. The main character, Jane, is a little wishy washy. But in a good way. She knows she has an obsession which has been fueled by her bad string of boyfriends. She knows what the “practical” thing she should do, but her heart wants something else.
Some people didn’t like her as much (in other reviews) because she wasn’t “strong and decisive”. But I can relate to her. She is stuck in 3 worlds, not just 2. Not only the modern world where women can do anything and everything, and has it all figured out. Then the world that tells her that her biological clock is ticking. And that she shouldn’t have had so many boyfriends.
This third world is part fantasy, part history. A more simple time. Yes less choices, but too many choices can be overwhelming. Its bad enough parts of society expect you to be loose and free when you date in your younger years, but just turn around and settle down and take everything serious. There’s nothing wrong with wanting a serious relationship right off. She can’t change something that is fundamentally her.
Overall, a good read. Highly recommended. An easy read that skims on some deeper parts.
Since I liked the book so much I went online to find the movie. Now I didn’t have high expectations only because most books to movies don’t translate well.
So no, this was not a close adaptation. A lot was changed. There was no inheritance from the aunt, she bought the package herself. Her obsession was not hidden but glaringly obvious. And all the characters were changed in big or small ways. A lot of the background was lost like in most movies.
But…..somehow it worked. The movie was only an hour and a half so they had to cut somewhere. So the beginning was the logical answer. And people want more at the place anyways.
It did show how ridiculous all the people were. I liked how Jane and “Lizzie” were more friends. The changes worked for the time they had.
Also movies do add some where the book could not. I’ve never been good at picturing what clothes looked like in detail. Then the little moments of a look. I feel like movies can do better at add the impact of just one look.
Overall a good, enjoyable movie. Just don’t go looking to it as a close read to the book. I’d suggest only do that for the ones that get turn into TV shows.
Has anyone read this book or seen the movie? What did you think of it? Any thoughts on book to movie adaptations?
Star Gazers, Dream and Create 