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Title: Austenland

Subtitle: A Novel

Author: Shannon Hale

Narrator: Katherine Kellgren

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 23 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-16-07

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1208 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Now a major motion picture.

Jane Hayes is a seemingly normal young New Yorker, but she has a secret. Her obsession with Mr. Darcy, as played by Colin Firth in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, is ruining her love life: no real man can compare. But when a wealthy relative bequeaths her a trip to an English resort catering to Austen-crazed women, Jane's fantasies of meeting the perfect Regency-era gentleman suddenly become realer than she ever could have imagined.

Decked out in empire-waist gowns, Jane struggles to master Regency etiquette and flirts with gardeners and gentlemen: or maybe even, she suspects, with the actors who are playing them. It's all a game, Jane knows. And yet the longer she stays, the more her insecurities seem to fall away, and the more she wonders: Is she about to kick the Austen obsession for good, or could all her dreams actually culminate in a Mr. Darcy of her own?

Critic Reviews:

"Endlessly charming." (Publishers Weekly)

"A clever confection for fans of contemporary Austen knockoffs." (Booklist)

Members Reviews:

Book my tickets....Im going to Austenland

This book was funny, light hearted and lots of fun. I'm such a Pride & Prejudice fan that this would make a great adventure to take with my friends. I would recommend this to all sappy P&P fans. The narrator did a great job with this book.

A Book Which Can be Put Down

Katherine Kellgren does such a good job narrating that she almost rescues this book. This is an interesting take on the Austen universe but I have to confess that this book can be put down. I am not certain why my reaction is so lukewarm. I think it because the real parts of the story and play acting are difficult to distinguish. I also couldn't seem to sympathize with the heroine. I really didn't like her and I don't know why. It puzzles me for I tend to suspend my disbelief on command of the author. I am willing to be led where ever the author wants to go. In this case, I think the heroine led a boring life, is bored, wants to be rescued and does nothing for herself: in short, she is boring. What kind of man would want to be around her? To say this in a different way: Miss Elizabeth Bennet wasn't sitting on her hands dreaming of a Darcy coming to her rescue. She lived and took her pleasures and disappointments as she found them. She was never boring. She will never be boring. Dittos for Anne Elliot, Elinor Dashwood, Fanny Price, Catherine Morland and certainly Emma Woodhouse. If woman (or a man) is leading an empty life, it is not Mr. Darcy's fault. Look to the mirror.

Entertaining book

Both my 17 year old daughter and I (a 46 year old mom) loved this book. We're both Jane Austen fans, and the idea of being able to escape to a Jane Austen-type of world is intriguing. I think all of Shannon Hale's books are great, and always look forward to her next one.

Fun read

I thought this was entertaining, although a bit slow and unbelievable at parts. We read it for our book club and most everyone got some fun out of reading it. It's in no way deep, but it is clean (no sex scenes) and still romantic.

Light and fun

This book was a quick,easy listen that was light and fun. It made me laugh many times. I thoroughly enjoyed it!