Austen's originals are better, o course, but this a nice gloss and a modern take.

The lives of 6 friends loosely connected are examined against the backdrop of all 6 Jane Austen's novels. The characters are deftly woven and a seemingly innocent plot line becomes deceptively complex as each learns to love and trust themselves and others. I enjoyed it, especially all the Jane-isms at the end. ( )

I just listened to the first CD and I'm not sure that I will ever attempt to listen/read the rest of this book. It's just too sexy for me. I'm just not into that kind of thing being in my plots. Although, I do love Jane Austen, I just couldn't get past the junk to get to her importance here.

I just listened to the first CD and I'm not sure that I will ever attempt to listen/read the rest of this book. It's just too sexy for me. I'm just not into that kind of thing being in my plots. Although, I do love Jane Austen, I just couldn't get past the junk to get to her importance here.

Nachdem ich zuerst den „Der Jane Austen Buch Club“ gesehen hatte, musste ich auch unbedingt das Buch lesen.
Das Buch an sich war einfach zu lesen (obwohl in Englisch) war jedoch auch nicht besonders tief greifend oder moraltragend. Der Aufbau der Kapitel war anfangs erst verwirrend, da in jedem Kapitel zwar auch das Jane Austen Buch behandelt wurde, dass die Lesegruppe gerade besprach, doch vorrangig lag Augenmerk auf der Beschreibung der Personen, ihres Verhaltens, Eigenschaften und Vergangenheit. Da ich mir das Buch ausgesucht hatte, um mehr über die Jane Austen Bücher zu lesen und die Verbindung der Charaktere mit den von ihnen zum Besprechen ausgesuchten Büchern zu erfahren, hat mich dieses Vorgehen zuerst irritiert. Nach kurzer Zeit hatte ich mich jedoch daran gewöhnt und fand die Vergangenheit der einzelnen Personen sehr interessant. Meiner Meinung nach wollte die Autorin durchaus eine Verbindung ziehen zwischen den Protagonisten ihres Buches und den Inhalten der Jane Austen Bücher, hat jedoch, meines Erachtens, nicht genügen Zeit darauf verwendet diese Verbindung zu zeichnen. Als nicht-Kenner der Jane Austen Bücher ist es daher schwierig diese Parallelen zu sehen.
Die einzelnen Protagonisten waren durchaus detailreich gezeichnet und erfuhren im Buch eine umfassende Charakterbeschreibung. Allerdings konnte ich mich nicht des Eindrucks erwehren, sie seien alle eine Art von Stereotyp und nur um eine Charaktereigenschaft aufgebaut: Bernadette ist die freundlich-höfliche hoffnungsvolle Romantikern, die niemandem etwas Schlechtes sagen möchte und in allem das Gute sieht; Prudie ist die ängstlich-angepasste Französischlehrerin, die sich nicht entscheiden kann, ob sie ihren eigenen Weg gehen soll oder den ihr vorgeschriebenen und versucht durch ständiges Französischsprechen von anderen abzuheben; Sylvia ist die typisch-hingebungsvolle Mutter, die sich um ihre Kinder sorgt und deren Glück über ihr eigenes stellt; Jocelyn ist die starrsinnig-perfektionistische Kupplerin, die selbst Angst davor hat sich zu binden und zu verlieben; Allegra ist rebellisch-extreme Lesbe, die versucht entgegen den Normen zu leben; Grigg ist der frauenverstehende-offene Science-Fiction-Fan, der sich mit großer Begeisterung auf neue Sachen einlässt. Zugegeben, nicht alle sind vollkommen stereotypisch, weisen jedoch gewisse unveränderliche Merkmale auf. Vor allem ist mir aufgefallen, dass kaum eine der Figuren sich im Laufe des Romans verändert. Auch wenn bestimmte Änderungen in deren Leben eintreten und sie neue Entscheidungen treffen, so bleiben sie doch alle größtenteils dieselben (obwohl zum Ende des Buches des Öfteren auf ihre Veränderung hingedeutet wird).
Der meiner Meinung psychologisch interessanteste Charakter ist Prudie, dicht gefolgt von Jocelyn und Allegra. Prudie leidet sehr unter ihrer nicht vorhandenen Kindheit und den Lügen ihrer Mutter und scheint nun stets darauf bedacht, den Leuten zu gefallen und ihnen Beweise für ihr Verhalten zu liefern (man könne jeden fragen, der Prudie kenne). Gleichzeitig urteilt sie aber auch sehr streng über Charaktereigenschaften anderer, die ihrer Meinung nach unnormal oder seltsam sind oder einfach nicht so wie sie. Jocelyn hingegen ist auch die einzige, die sich, wie ich finde, in ihrer grundlegenden Haltung öffnet und einige ihrer oben genannten stereotypischen Eigenschaften abmildert, indem sie sich endlich einer nicht-perfekten Liebesbeziehung hingibt und sich etwas Neues traut, indem sie Science-Fiction-Romane liest.
Alles in allem war das Buch durchaus unterhaltsam, jedoch kaum so tief greifend und verbindend, wie ich es mir erhofft hatte. Die Charaktere sind eher flach und stereotypisch, die Verbindungen zu den Jane Austen Büchern zu sehr im Hintergrund.

Ein Wort zum Film: Der Film ist eindeutig eine sehr eigene Interpretation des Buches, die mir sehr gut gefällt. Die Verbindungen der Figuren zu den Austen Büchern sind besser dargestellt und die Charaktere teilweise besser gestaltet. Womöglich liegt es daran, dass ich den Film zuerst sah, doch ausnahmsweise gefällt mir die Verfilmung besser als das Buch. ( )

I picked up this book at a Borders sale and must admit that apart from the cheap price tag, the only reason I purchased this book was because it made mention of my favourite author, Jane Austen. And that's where my affair with the book ended. Sure, I read it, but the book was like a very very weak cup of bagged tea - no character, no flavour, dull as all hell. There goes several hours of my life that I won't get back!! The book is a favourite with some, and if you like a bit of fluff that requires little concentration or commitment, then it may be right up your alley, but it certainly wasn't up mine. The only positive thing I have to say about my relationship with this book is that it led me to a fabulous fantasy writer, Ursula Le Guin. One of the characters in the novel recommends reading Le Guin to his love interest so I thought I'd give her much praised EarthSea Trilogy a go. Now there's a good read. (Note: It didn't seem possible at the time, but the movie was even worse than the book). ( )

Having seen the movie, I picked up the book. It surprised me that the movie shaved off around 5-10 years off of each character. the characters did not have the same appeal in the book nor did the book go into the details that the movie did. The story was flat and even dull at points. Having seen the movie, saved the story for me, but if I were to have read the story first I doubt I would have had any connection to the characters or events.
Skip the book and go rent the movie. ( )

I'm liking this book alot now that I'm about 3/4 done with it. Plus if you're a fan of Jane Austen novels then you'll really enjoy it since they discuss her novels throughout the book, plus you get to know each of the characters. ( )

A "cute" book, with Austin like characters! It's a quick, fun read. ( )

A clever little book about - you guessed it - a book club which reads all six of Jane Austen's novels. Ignore the back cover blurbs; you will enjoy this far more if you're already an Austen fan. The original characters are cute, but by and large it's written for Janeophiles. ( )

This book is about a group of friends who get together to read all of Jane Austen's novels over the course of a year, and what happens to them during that year. I think it was meant as a kind of a Valentine to Jane Austen from the author, Karen Joy Fowler, because she clearly loves her work. It doesn't matter whether you've read Austen's novels or not (I haven't), you can still enjoy the book and the author gives a synopsis of each of the novels at the end of the book. I enjoyed the way the characters were drawn. Each member of the book club leads a discussion of a particular book each month, and during the chapter for that month, we learn about the member of the book club leading the discussion. Austen ties into their lives in unexpected ways, and the interaction between the characters and the text of the novels and their lives is the dynamic that moves the book forward.

I recommend this book for a short, light read. I got through it in one day, and I didn't have to stay up very late.

je n'ai pas pu aller au bout... ( )

Cok sirin bir kitap. Jane Austen'in romanlarindaki olaylari su an yasayan kisilere cok hos ve yaratici sekillerde bagliyor, ayrica Jane Austen'in Emma'yi ya da Catherine'i anlatirkenki hafif dalga gecen tavri da var. Filmi ise cok kotuydu, cok bozmuslar, romantik komedi yapmislar, kitap da hafifti ama o kadar degil... Jane Austen romanlari uzerine yapilmis denemeler icinde Bridget Jones'dan sonra en iyisi, aslinda kiyaslamak da sacma, cunku cok farkli ligdeler. Bu daha edebi, Bridget Jones daha eglenceliydi.

A light little novel, sometimes amusingly constructed, and displaying a wealth of knowledge about and appreciation for Jane Austen, but nevertheless having very little in the way of sticking power after the cover is closed. ( )

Brilliant way to incorporate the artistry of Austen into today's world. ( )

Almost as disappointing as the terrible movie version. ( )

A book about readers, book clubs, and fans of Jane Austen. At first, I was at a disadvantage since I haven't read any of Austen's book (fans don't throw anything. I've seen the films and I plan to real all her novels as time allows), but as I started to learn about the members of the club I enjoyed myself more. I really liked Grigg the SF fan who joined the club. He was a blast. You just never know who is going to show up in a book club. ( )

I remember reading somewhere that one reviewer found Fowler too clever. I think I agree. Generally, I enjoyed this and found some of Fowler's observations more insightful than I had expected them to be, but overall I wish she had done a little more characterizing for its own sake and a little less paralleling Austen (dare I say, for its own sake). Still, enjoyable, and trips right along. A suitable summer read. ( )

Five women and one man come together to read the complete works of Jane Austen.

I initially liked this book very much. I found it very readable, and I appreciated the structure. It's well-paced, and Fowler presents some lovely character studies as she moves through the months, (and the Jane Austen novels), with these individuals. There are some good parallels between the characters' lives and the books they study, too. It was an interesting premise, and Fowler seemed set to make it pay.

As the book progressed, though, I felt my interest wane. Each character receives very little attention after her or his chapter is over. There's almost no further growth. The parallels wane somewhat, too, and the Jane Austen discussion fades into the background. I found it rather unsatisfying.

In the end, this was a mildly entertaining book, but certainly nothing special. I felt okay about passing along to someone else. ( )

Brace yourself, Trin: I actually did not hate this. I expected, especially given the terribly pastel cover, that reading this would induce a facial tic—however, there was just enough dry humour and nicely observed character interaction to win me over. There was even one point—about The Mysteries of Udolpho—which made me grin. Grigg's section of the book was perhaps my favourite—I liked Fowler's inversion of things so that his sisters were the heroes and he the heroine.

However ("...more Brace yourself, Trin: I actually did not hate this. I expected, especially given the terribly pastel cover, that reading this would induce a facial tic—however, there was just enough dry humour and nicely observed character interaction to win me over. There was even one point—about The Mysteries of Udolpho—which made me grin. Grigg's section of the book was perhaps my favourite—I liked Fowler's inversion of things so that his sisters were the heroes and he the heroine.

However ("Ha!", I can hear Trin cry, "of course there's a however!") I thought Fowler was very inconsistent in her characterisation. Some characters were drawn out more than others; even by the end, there were some names which I struggled to place. Fowler seemed to be more fond of some—Jocelyn in particular—than of others, and it showed in her pacing and in the sharpness of her writing. The biggest failure for me (shockingly) was the Austen connection. Each of the six members of the book club was connected thematically to one of Austen's six major works, forming the conceit around which the whole book is structured—and a conceit which felt rather contrived at times. The 'analysis' of the novels in which the members engaged was also very facile—I've seen fifteen year olds manage the same or better—and I did find myself rolling my eyes at times. Overall, a quick, light read, though I wasn't bowled over by it. ( )

'The Jane Austen Book Club' is one of those novels that might be dismissed as 'chick lit' but actually turns out to be a sharp, witty, intelligent and well-written book that, whilst certainly a light read, is also one to be deliciously savoured.

The premise is simple but original. A group of friends start a book club. Not just any book club, but, in light of their collective issues with modern life, an 'All-Jane-Austen-All-The-Time' book club. Six people, six books, with each of the group hosting the meeting for their chosen novel. The chapters are structured around these meetings, so the first chapter is 'MARCH, CHAPTER 1... in which we gather at Jocelyn's to discuss Emma', and so on. In each chapter the host's history and personality is more fully explored, the month's novel is discussed (but never so much that it bores or alienates the reader), and at the same time the other characters are lightly threaded through the background to keep the overall plot evolving.

As well as showcasing Austen's novels, this is very much a character piece. Each of the six book club members are entirely individual and it makes for much more interesting and amusing reading. Bernadette is a serial wife, rather eccentric and flamboyant, with a liking for yoga and Pride and Prejudice. Loyal Sylvia works at the library and has just had her life shattered by her husband Daniel's confession that he is leaving her for another woman. Her beautiful daughter Allegra is constantly doing daring things - not always without paying the price - and is getting over a devastating betrayal by her ex-girlfriend Corinne. Jocelyn is a dominant terminal singleton, afraid of being hurt and making up for it by matchmaking everyone else. Prudie is a rather artificial, self-conscious young French teacher who doesn't quite know how to interact with other people without coming across all wrong. And Grigg, poor Grigg, a sci-fi fan and Austen virgin brought into the group by Jocelyn as a distraction for Sylvia, entirely out of his depth and trying not to make an idiot of himself. The novel is narrated by a kind of all-seeing other, one who describes each character in the third person but frequently mentions 'us' and 'we'; part of the fun of the reading is trying to work out which of the six, if any, might be telling the story.

Thus characters are deepened, love blossoms and dies and blooms again, and the story goes on. Of course it ends with optimism, hope and a well-timed bit of Austen wisdom. To my surprise, at the end of the book Fowler has also added some little extras which add to the reading experience - some contemporary and modern literary criticism of Austen and her novels, a brief summary of each of the books (handy for those not familiar with all of the works, or those who might want a quick refresher on characters and plots), and at the VERY end, a funny set of 'Questions for Discussion' on Austen AND Fowler presented by each of the six book club members.

Clearly a liking for Jane Austen helps when reading this novel, but ultimately there is nothing in here that should put off a less knowledgeable reader, particularly given the handy summaries at the back (which I wish I'd noticed earlier, I must admit). It is a scrumptious book - funny, romantic, inspiring and positive - and definitely one I'll be keeping to read again.

I'd also highly recommend the recent movie of the book (starring Maria Bello, Maggie Grace and Hugh Dancy), which is surprisingly faithful to the book in spite of its challenging structure, and just as sparkling! ( )

I found this story trite and was bored with this book. I don't even remember why I didn't like it; maybe it was just a visceral reaction. I wanted to like it. And I will admit it made me want to revisit Austen. But overall not an enjoyable read. ( )

I liked the premise, but I found the book to be quite trashy. I particularly hated the author's patronising stuff at the end about setting up your own book club. ( )

This book received excellent reviews - eg New York Times etc and in Australia, at least, it was heavily promoted on release. It is definitiely one for Jane Austen afficianados. Those not familiar with Austen's novels, and those who read a couple of them years ago, are likely to feel excluded from much of the Austen "in talking" that is over generously dropped into the narrative. It was all a bit of a bore. The story line is in the title. A group of people who share a love of Austen's work meet monthly to discuss one of her novels, and in the process, the reader gains some (rather limited) insights into the lives of each of them and what has brought them to where they are. They are not particularly interesting or endearing as a group or individually. Their characters seemed contrived, so as to be different for the purpose of the story. It was all a bit too clumsy. The device of gaining insight into characters through their common membership of a book group has been done before. Those who like the idea of this should read instead, The Reading Group by Elizabeth Noble. It's not great literature, but it is a pleasant and entertainng book, with characters much more endearing than Fowler's. Unlike the JABC, the reader doesn't have to be familiar with the book of the month to engage with the storyline - but the group does have excellent taste and you might be tempted to visit a bookshop or library to get the book afterwards! ( )

Light hearted and humerous, enjoyable froth and made me want to read all of Miss Austen's books again. Some things did not gel ie I thought some of the characters were really old but they were actually young, and the Jocelyn/Grigg thing was nice but not believable. A good holiday read. ( )