Dear Reader: Two hundred and fifty years ago marked two significant events across two continents – Jane Austen’s birth in Steventon, England, December 16, 1775, and the start of the fight for independence by American colonists in Lexington and Concord on April 19th from Great Britain. And so Jenner’s book, set in GB and the American Colonies comes at a propitious time. The novel’s plot is set in 1865, 48 years after Jane Austen’s death, and just after the Civil War in America ends and followed by the news of Abraham Lincoln’s death, and And so the timing of this novel is timed brilliantly – in honor of the 250th anniversary – J Austen’s birth and America’s fight for independence from Great Britain.
For this discussion about Natalie Jenner’s latest novel, I listened to an audio version of a book that spans over 300 pages and that the listener takes from 11-12 hours to complete. The author’s complex plot provides numerous characters, and their movements across two nations, often with historical minutia thrown in. One set back as a listener is that, unlike a novel in which one can quickly flip back and forth to check on a detail, an audio book forces one to rewind. Being ham handed, I often missed the stop I needed.
The good news is that once the introductions of the characters are over and the plot truly gets going, it’s hard to stop listening, especially sections 2 and 3. To help listeners keep track of the characters and their settings,, I’ve listed the four main divisions in the novel. They are:
1) Boston: In which the main characters are introduced. (a,b, & c) Sisters Charlotte and Henrietta Stevenson are the spinster daughters of Massachusetts Supreme Court Justice William Stevenson; (d) Constance Davenish is a Boston socialite and suffragette, (e) Thomas Nash, is also a Massachusetts Supreme Court Justice and Justice Stevenson’s friend, and (f) Denham Scott is a mysterious reporter from Great Britain (GB). All these characters, in one way or another, have a keen interest in Jane Austen’s work.
Although he lived in Portsmouth, GB, Sir Admiral Francis Austen, Jane Austen’s brother and the last surviving Austen sibling, is included in this section. Jenner weaves his presence throughout the novel, for he is the engine that propels the plot forward in every section of the novel.
Also included in this introductory section are the Nelson brothers, Nicholas and Hazlett, who are both Civil War veterans. After the war ends, the bachelor brothers work in Philadelphia as rare book dealers. Philadelphian heiress, Sara-Beth Gleason, daughter of a Pennsylvania state senator, frequently visits the rare book shop, for she has her mind set on one of the Nelson brothers.
In this introductory section, Jenner narrates the details of the characters, their settings, and their connections to each other and their knowledge of J Austen. We know their background mainly through the narrator’s voice, but occasionally get brief glimpses of their personalities through their letters, particularly between Sir Francis and the Stevenson sisters, as well as his correspondence with the Nelson brothers. Within these letters and the characters’ reactions to them, the plot of the novel unfurls in a more personal way.
2) The Sea. In the second section of the novel, the reader meets Louisa May Alcott on board the S.S China, a transatlantic mail packet steamer headed from Boston to Portsmouth. Traveling on board are the Stevenson sisters, journalist Denham Scott, the Nelson brothers, Justice Thomas Nash, and Sara-Beth Gleason, who has followed the brothers to England. Remaining in Boston are Justice Stevenson and Constance Davenport.
By this time, Jenner has largely left narrative exposition in favor of having her characters discuss their thoughts and/or allow the reader to get into their minds via free indirect discourse, the writing method J Austen used inventively in her novels. FID allows Jenner to jump back and forth as the third person narrator as well as enter her characters’ minds.
The journey on board the S.S. China is lively. Alcott, a spinster, author, and woman’s rights activist bonds with both the women and the men. On board the ship, the passengers find/discuss their common admiration for Jane Austen and her writings. After her death, and as the 19th century progressed, Austen’s reputation had spread to the U.S, whose growing popularity Jenner includes in detail.
3) Hampshire. The third section of this novel is, frankly, my favorite part of the book. Various threads of the major plots coalesce and intertwine, in particular, those of Admiral Francis Austen, the Stevenson sisters, and the Nelson brothers. Jenner takes us to Portsmouth Lodge, the admiral’s house, which rises on a point above the harbor. From his perch, Sir Francis looks out to the English Channel with a maritime telescope, watching the ships come and go in the harbor and the activities on the docks. Charlotte and Henrietta Stevenson and Nicholas and Hazlett Nelson visit Sir Frances, who shares important information with them. The group journeys to Chawton House and Chawton Cottage, and follow the paths and roads that J Austen has traveled. In addition, between the group’s conversations with the Admiral and their expanded knowledge of the author from his first-hand accounts, Jenner fully fleshes out the details of her life. Austen has become a living, breathing person in their and our minds.
This section has many twists and turns that lead to a mystery the Admiral holds close to the vest. He also keeps certain plans a secret. These mysteries play an important part in keeping me interested in finding out what they are.
4) The Court. This section, for me, was a let down. Instead of reaching a satisfactory ending that ties loose ends, new twists are introduced. My mind became confused, for I wondered about the reasons for adding additional threads so late in the novel. Of the reviews I read, however, over 90% of the reviewers were satisfied with the ending and praised the novel, giving it from four to five stars. I found only one review in which the reviewer felt that the book was chugging along nicely, until he reached the last section, when he stopped reading because of the muddling of the plot.
I kept listening until the end, but felt like I had experienced a number of different endings. I thought, much like the endings in the film, ‘Return of the King’, in which the audience sat through Aragorn’s coronation, Sam’s return to the Shire, and Frodo’s departure by ship to the Grey Havens with the Elves, ‘enough is enough.’.
And so I have mixed feelings writing this review, since I like the author’s writing style and her remarkable research. Plus, listening to a novel that is over 300 pages long and has a quite complicated plot that contains numerous characters who live in and travel to different locations can be quite confusing. I’ll eventually read the novel, and am sure that going at my own pace while leafing through the pages will provide a better ‘reading’ experience.
Links
Jane Austen's World 
I enjoyed the novel. Not much of an audiobook person–I’m not anti-audio–I don’t have the attention span for them.
Perfect answer. I had no idea the book was so complex and long. One needs to pay close attention, especially with a novel that has so many details and interrelationships. Perhaps I should have just given a short review, but I did like the two mid sections enormously. Thanks for stopping by. V
I agree.
The mid-sections were the best. I love an honest review.