Editorial Review
A big success in hardcover, this novel by New York Times bestselling author of Princess Academy is sure to find a new and substantial audience in paperback.
Jane is a young New York woman who can never seem to find the right man—perhaps because of her secret obsession with Mr. Darcy, as played by Colin Firth in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. When a wealthy relative bequeaths her a trip to an English resort catering to Austen-obsessed women, however, Jane’s fantasies of meeting the perfect Regency-era gentleman suddenly become more real than she ever could have imagined. Is this total immersion in a fake Austenland enough to make Jane kick the Austen obsession for good, or could all her dreams actually culminate in a Mr. Darcy of her own?
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Customer Reviews
Fun, Easy, Quick 
2008-10-06
This is a great little quick read to brighten your day. It is laugh-out loud darling especially if you are an Austen Fan!
Great modern day twist.. 
2008-10-05
My daughter bought this book and said I HAD to read it! I was a bit skeptical, as I thought it was a period piece. Was I surprised! Ms Hale combines a love for Jane Austen in a modern day setting. I won't go into the actual plot, as I don't want to give too much away! Just be assured that it is a clever, fast read, with a great cast of characters. I am recommending this book to all my gal friends.
As far as any other book that Ms. Hale has written, after researching this, I found that her other books to date were young adult or grammar school level. I sure hope she writes some other adult reading level books. Tally ho!
sweet and quick read (perfect for vacations) 
2008-10-03
This was a great quick read about a girl who lived part of her life in reality (has a job she doesn't quite like, and boyfriends she refers to as numbers instead of names) and part of her life in Pride and Prejudice fantasyland (where she is looking for her Mr. Darcy). She is bequeathed, in a relative's will, a trip to Pembrook Park. Pembrook Park is a resort where female guests pretend to live in Jane Austen's time era (they have to talk the talk, live by the societal etiquittes of that day, wear the clothes, etc.) At the resort are also actors who pretend to be the guests relatives and, hopefully, love interests. In fact, one of the reasons some of these women go to Pembrook Park is to have forbidden love trysts (especially since they know there will be no strings attached). Jane is reluctant to go, especially as she is not really looking for love; but she finds herself torn between two men, Martin (a gardener) and Mr. Nobley (a Mr. Darcy-like character).
One reason I thought the book was interesting was the fact that these actors were so in character throughout Jane's stay at Pembrook Park, it was hard to distinguish reality and acting. In fact, Jane has this feeling as well. It was interesting to see how deep the pretenses of Pembrook Park really reached (and to find out what was real and what was not). Also, the author, in between each chapter, included brief summaries of each boyfriend (and the inbetween boys) that Jane encountered throughout her life.
A very enjoyable book 2008-10-01
I really enjoyed this book. I had no expectations of a masterpiece and was not disappointed in that respect. Shannon Hale tells the story of Jane, a closet Mr. Darcy/Colin Firth admirer. Jane hides her A&E Pride & Prejudice DVD set behind her houseplants so as not to give herself away. However, her great aunt discovers her secret and forces a confession from her. Months later the same great-aunt leaves Jane a bequest in her will - an all expenses paid 3-week trip to a Jane Austen fairyland in the English countryside where Jane can totally immerse herself in Austen's time and characters. Will Jane finally kick her Darcy obsession? Will she find true love? Will her bust pop out of the top of those regency dresses? You'll have to read the book to find out. This book is well written in a fun, casual style and I enjoyed the whole thing. It is a fairly quick read, you can probably polish it off in one evening with little effort.
Loved It!!! 2008-09-05
If you like Jane Austen's works and feel that Pride and Prejudice is without a doubt the BEST love story ever, then this is a book for you. I can't wait to read it again!
A Book for the Austen Lover in All of Us 2008-08-30
A big success in hardcover, this novel by New York Times bestselling author of Princess Academy is sure to find a new and substantial audience in paperback.
Jane is a young New York woman who can never seem to find the right man—perhaps because of her secret obsession with Mr. Darcy, as played by Colin Firth in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. When a wealthy relative bequeaths her a trip to an English resort catering to Austen-obsessed women, however, Jane’s fantasies of meeting the perfect Regency-era gentleman suddenly become more real than she ever could have imagined. Is this total immersion in a fake Austenland enough to make Jane kick the Austen obsession for good, or could all her dreams actually culminate in a Mr. Darcy of her own?
Kudos to Katherine Kellgren 2008-08-09
There's no better way to experience Shannon Hale's delicious Austenland than listening to Katherine Kellgren's exuberant narration. The story is of a thirtyish American singleton who is bequeathed a vacation at Pembroke Park, a meticulous evocation of regency England. The heroine is christened Miss Jane Erstwhile and embarks on an adventure that contains far more twists and turns than imaginable. Kellgren's narration not only catpure's Jane's breathless abandonment to Austenland but also the wide range of supporting players with accents ranging from the Deep South American style to the haut ton of Jane Austen's era. Note: Austenland is best enjoyed with Earl Grey tea and scones, clotted cream optional.
Light and Fun 2008-08-03
I work for a school and try to read some young adult and children's literature so that I'll be able to use and recommend good contemporary books to the students. Often, this reading is amusing for me, but it typically feels like it's just a professional duty. I rarely find myself really hooked by the books.
The exception, though, is anything written by Shannon Hale. She's a tremendous writer. She can take seemingly tired plot patterns
(such as princess training in the wonderful Princess Academy) and make it feel like you've never seen anything like it before. She, too, is just the sort of writer who'd be fun to read even if the plot was terrible. It's great prose, with precise and surprising images and with humorous observations. I would, and do, recommend those novels to anyone--including adults.
So anyway, I was very excited to see that Austenland, a novel targeted for an adult audience (especially one knowledgeable of Jane
Austen's oeuvre), was coming out. Upon reading it, I'd say that Austenland definitely doesn't reach the level of Hale's young adult novels, but it was also not a disappointment.
I love the premise. Jane, a thirty-three-year-old graphic designer, is still single and has become obsessed with Colin Firth's Darcy
from Pride and Prejudice. She wonders if her dreams have hindered her ability to fall in love with a "real" man. Jane's aunt (somewhat
implausibly--one of the flaws in the novel, I thought) intuits her Pride and Prejudice obsession and bequeaths her with a three-week
stay at a sort of resort in which Austen's England and Austen-like plots are enacted. Jane sees this as a chance to finally confront
and reject the unrealistic images that have been holding her back, and she decides to take the trip.
Of course, not much is going to turn out as she expects. There's quite a cast of characters to deal with, including an absurd and out-of-place Southern woman (Mrs. Charming), a rival, a drunk, a Darcy, and a handsome gardener. She's come to Austenland to reject her fantasies so that she can finally live and find love in the real world, but when she meets these characters, what's reality and what's fantasy become pretty intertwined. She's got a lot more challenges to overcome than she ever thought.
Some of those characters were a bit overdone (especially in the audio version), and some of the jokes fall flat, but overall, it certainly manages to entertain. Once you accept the first premise of the book, everything else plays out logically, surprisingly, and in satisfying ways. There are a number of comical situations, and there is actual character growth, and there is quite a romance (or two) that develops.
So, if you like light romance, if you like Jane Austen, or Shannon Hale, I think you'll find this a really fun little novel.
For all you Austen fans. 2008-08-01
Short but good book. Exciting plot twists. Loveable characters. Wish it had been longer but liked it anyway. This book will be re-read again many times. Glad I bought it.
Entertaining!!! 2008-07-25
I am a big fan of Pride and Prejudice and have had a secret crush on Colin Firth since he, in my eyes, became the perfect Mr. Darcy (as does Shannon Hale!!!). I have read several fanficition books, and this one is very good. It is an interesting version and has a bit of a twist. It is in a modern setting and it is truly easy to feel with the narrator and envision the settings. It is a fun and quick read!
