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    The Jane Austen Society: A Novel
    The Jane Austen Society: A Novel
    The Jane Austen Society: A Novel
    Audiobook9 hours

    The Jane Austen Society: A Novel

    Written by Natalie Jenner

    Narrated by Richard Armitage

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    "Richard Armitage is an excellent choice of narrator for this celebration of the famed British author's work. His deep, resonant voice meanders through the stories of seven different people in the small English town of Chawton...a great casual listen, especially for those familiar with Austen's work." -- AudioFile Magazine

    This program includes a bonus conversation between the author and Kathleen A. Flynn, author of The Jane Austen Project.

    Just after the Second World War, in the small English village of Chawton, an unusual but like-minded group of people band together to attempt something remarkable.

    One hundred and fifty years ago, Chawton was the final home of Jane Austen, one of England's finest novelists. Now it's home to a few distant relatives and their diminishing estate. With the last bit of Austen's legacy threatened, a group of disparate individuals come together to preserve both Jane Austen's home and her legacy. These people—a laborer, a young widow, the local doctor, and a movie star, among others—could not be more different and yet they are united in their love for the works and words of Austen. As each of them endures their own quiet struggle with loss and trauma, some from the recent war, others from more distant tragedies, they rally together to create the Jane Austen Society.

    A powerful and moving novel that explores the tragedies and triumphs of life, both large and small, and the universal humanity in us all, Natalie Jenner's The Jane Austen Society is destined to resonate with listeners for years to come.

    A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press

    "Fans of The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society will adore The Jane Austen Society… A charming and memorable debut, which reminds us of the universal language of literature and the power of books to unite and heal." —Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Girls of Paris

    "Anyone seeking an antidote to contemporary chaos will find a welcome respite among the members of a group whose outer lives may appear simple, but whose inner lives need the kind of balm Austen knew well." -- Washington Post

    "Just like a story written by Austen herself, Jenner's first novel is brimming with charming moments, endearing characters, and nuanced relationships, all largely set within and reflecting the often intrusive atmosphere of a small country community...The pleasures are many in this clever tribute to the beloved and endlessly influential Austen and the English village tale.” -- Booklist, starred review

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMacmillan Audio
    Release dateMay 26, 2020
    ISBN9781250752185
    Author

    Natalie Jenner

    NATALIE JENNER is the author of the instant international bestseller The Jane Austen Society and Bloomsbury Girls. A Goodreads Choice Award runner-up for historical fiction and finalist for best debut novel, The Jane Austen Society was a USA Today and #1 national bestseller, and has been sold for translation in twenty countries. Born in England and raised in Canada, Natalie has been a corporate lawyer, career coach and, most recently, an independent bookstore owner in Oakville, Ontario, where she lives with her family and two rescue dogs. Visit her website to learn more.

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    Reviews for The Jane Austen Society

    4/5

    157 ratings8 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Is anyone else having trouble with the audio?? It keeps skipping.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      Reminiscent of Jane Austen characters and time even if set in a different time period. A lovely book with a hopeful ending.
    • 5/5
      Very slow to start, I fact, I almost put it down but I kept at it and loved it.
    • 5/5
      This book captures the fine literate English society of the last century so beautifully. Kept me intrigued.
    • 5/5
      If you are a Jane Austen fan - you’ll enjoy this listen!
    • 5/5
      Wonderful storyline with excellent narration! A good read that will make you laugh and cry from one moment to the next.
    • 5/5
      The story was full of kindness and compassion. I especially enjoyed trying to connect plotlines and inspiration to Jane’s 6. I thought the approach was intelligent, incorporating literary theory and criticism with good old-fashioned storytelling.
      A special shout out for the terrific narration by actor Richard Armitage. I was particularly disappointed the author doesn’t mention his performance for the audio book in the conversation she has at the end of the recording (which was a very welcome treat, BTW). His is a masterful and varied voice - beautifully adapted to each character. Once again these classically-trained British stage actors really get it right (Armitage has also done a lot of Georgette Heyer available on Scribd - a pure delight). I wasn’t sure I wanted to read/listen to the book until I saw Armitage’s name - but since he chooses quality projects it was a sign for me to pursue... so honestly the author/publishers should celebrate that!

      I do fear that if the book takes off, Chawton which already sees a fair number of annual visitors is going to be overrun. Still, I thought the author’s idea to make the place itself a kind of character in this novel was brilliant and explores nicely the microcosm theme so prevalent in Austen’s work.
    • 5/5
      Perfect for fans of Jane Austen of course and novels like The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and The Chilbury Ladies Choir. Highly recommend this one and it was excellent on audio.