Miss Austen by Gill Hornby

After my last few books, I promised myself I’d read something totally different, and I certainly accomplished that goal with Miss Austen.

This novel imagines the life of Jane Austen’s sister Cassandra – both from the time they were girls up until her old age. The story begins in 1840, and sixty-seven year old Cassandra Austen travels to Kintbury, the family home of her deceased fiancé, Tom Fowle.

Ostensibly visiting to assist in packing up household in preparation to move after the death of her brother-in-law, Cassandra is actually there to search for and destroy any of Jane’s letters which may damage her legacy and image. These letters cover key relationships and events between the Austen, Fowle, and Lloyd families between 1795 and 1817. While finding and obtaining these letters, Cassandra Austen revisits the past, and the details of her life and her sister’s life are tantalizingly revealed

It is a truth universally acknowledged (get it? a little Jane Austen humor there) that Cassandra burned hundreds of letters to and from Jane before her own death in 1845. Ms. Hornby re imagines these letters, and others, throughout this novel. Even though the letters aren’t real, it was an wonderful way to inhabit the lives of Cassandra, Jane, the Austen family, and their relations.

As she discovers and reads the letters at Kintbury, both Cassandra and the reader are transported back to the early 1800’s to a story that could have been one of Jane’s own works. Cassandra falls deeply in love, is betrothed and then bereaved. Unable to reconcile the memory of her one great love, Cassandra vows to remain single and devote herself to her family and good works.

Jane Austen also remained unmarried and their devoted sibling relationship is portrayed with Jane’s letters to Cassandra and the reader is brought into their closeness.

I have lost a treasure, such a sister, such a friend as never can have been surpassed. She was the sun of my life, the gilder of every pleasure, the soother of every sorrow, I had not a thought concealed from her, and it is as if I had lost a part of myself. – Cassandra Austen upon Jane’s death

Interwoven with Cassandra’s history is the ‘present-day’ (1840) story of her dead finance’s family and the author explores the fate of unmarried women and the real need for them to marry and marry well. A glimpse into the plight of unmarried women during this time, and their efforts to find happiness in a world in which they were considered worthless except as caretakers for those more fortunate.

Whoever looked at an elderly lady and saw the young heroine she once was?

I especially enjoyed Ms. Hornby’s depiction of the Austen family and the love they felt for each other.

She [Cassandra] and her siblings were, to one another, a source of constant love and cheerful support. It was such a sadness to find other families so differently arranged.

Now, readers I totally enjoyed this novel. I found the writing exquisite and a wonderful insight into the Austen family story, however, here at Book Barmy we try to give fair warning about books that may not suit everyone.

So here we go…

Miss Austen is a slow read and it isn’t very plot focused — it’s the characters that shine through — even Mary Austen, who was just insufferable. And like Jane Austen’s own works, the novel has many characters to keep straight, but rest assured, there’s a list of characters to help you. And one more disclaimer, I believe one should be a Jane Austen fan to fully enjoy this novel.

This wonderful imagining had me headed to my shelves to maybe re-read one or two in my Jane Austen collection. But then — what’s this, say what? I realized I have never read Mansfield Park.

Shamefaced, I have added it to the rest-of-my-summer reading pile list.