“When I read "Pride and Prejudice" in 93 or 94, I complained that there was no action in the book. The characters simply took long walks where they discussed nothing. Now, having matured some 15+ years and having been thoroughly indoctrinated by daughters and their love of the movies and books, I decided to give Austen another try. I was disappointed. I get it; really, I do. The romance, the formality, the Victorian morality. But this is chick lit, plain and simple. Austen's writing is okay--she has certain favorite words that she uses over and over in her books-like "approbation." Her stories are predictable also. But what I find really annoying about her books is how self-absorbed her characters are. She usually sets up the story so that some young girl is suddenly faced with not being as wealthy as she once thought she might be. So now in the face of this âÂÂtragedyâ she must find some rich guy to fall in love with her. Laudably, Austen always tries to make her matches ones of virtue, i.e. true love. But do you ever find it odd that the servants are not going through drama after drama after drama--somehow they are able to handle their poverty in life with grace. And why do none of these girls ever fall for the sensitive, self-taught stable boy? Give me Dickens, the Brontes, or even du Maurier any day.”
ACE wrote this review Saturday, February 2, 2013.
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