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| Courtesy of Goodreads |
Her books have been read and re-read. Whether it is for
leisure, scholarship, or just to soothe the inner romantic in us, Jane Austen’s
novels have transcended her time and become even more popular than during her
life. Catherine Reef creates a story much like Jane Austen in an attempt to
portray Austen’s life that was filled with love, heartbreak, disappointments,
and celebrations not just in her own success but the successes of her close
family and friends. The biography of Jane Austen’s life gives new insight not
just to a lover of her work, but a person who has faced challenges, tragedies,
and sometimes achieved the impossible—even for being a woman. In addition to
giving insight into the life and times of Jane Austen, she shows how an author
from centuries ago is still influencing and captivating her audience in new
editions of her books, cinema based on her work, and the popular culture that
would take her work in order to cross the genres with zombies, sea monsters,
and more.
It is difficult not to show my admiration for Jane Austen. However,
I was surprised to find that although many have written about her work and
life, no one had written a biography for the young adult reader. Biographies
can be difficult to get through but Reef seems to tie together Austen’s life,
family, and writing in a way that almost reads (if not for the dates given) as
if it could be happening today. Reef includes information on what has been done
with Austen’s work today, provides graphics from film, documents, and utilizes
the Austen’s voice frequently to connect the reader not to some dead author,
but a person who lived, and not always according to what others said. I would
recommend this book for a female young adult audience aged 15-19 primarily,
although with the proper introduction and programming it would be suited for
young adult male as well. As I said, the author gives insight into the journey
of a growing woman, and a developing author.
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