Oh, how I loved reading about Henry Austen! He’s given the romantic treatment here, although since he’s married, you know things aren’t quite going to work out. I only wished for more scenes with Henry. JANE AUSTEN The more peripheral characters, namely the other Austen family members and servants, are also worthy of praise. They are fleshed-out the ideal amount for secondary characters and contribute to the story in meaningful ways, avoiding the pitfall of so many ancillary characters – superfluity. Elizabeth Austen is a particularly well-penned character, exemplifying the expected behavior of a lady of the house. She is courteous to her servants, Anne included, but ultimately, she is their superior in rank, a fact which underlies her every interaction with them. A richly imagined novel inspired by the true story of Anne Sharp, a governess who became very close with Jane Austen and her family by the #1 International bestselling author of Miss Austen. She soon finds herself employed by Mr. and Mrs. Edward Austen, governess to the 12-year-old Fanny Austen. RELATED: ‘Bloomsbury Girls’ Book Review: A Beautiful Tribute to Booklovers

Jane Austen was a regular visitor between 1798 and 1813. [7] Mansfield Park is said to be based on Godmersham Park. [8] In 1852, the property passed to Knight's son. He remodelled the south front to designs by William Burn, [9] which were swept away in the 1930s by Robert Tritton. Godmersham Park was later sold to John Cunliffe Lister Kay, who died in 1917. [10] [11] During the First World War, an airship was stationed at Godmersham Park, which served as a sub-station of RNAS Capel. [12] A portrait of a "non-maid" servant in a difficult time, where being a woman, single and poor, although with a profession, could be a drag on life.Gill Hornby ha sabido plasmar su historia utilizando las mismas técnicas y lenguaje narrativo que se estilaban en la época, con un toque moderno ya que pone el foco en las vidas de las mujeres y las escasas alternativas que tenían a su alcance y los factores que determinaban esas alternativas. Así pues, aunque no es una novela feminista, si que se pone la luz sobre esos temas, ya que, como es lógico, aquellas mujeres se preocupaban por su porvenir teniendo en cuenta su condición de mujeres. Esta preciosa novela costumbrista habla sobre mujeres de toda condición, lo que reflexionaban cuando estaban solas, las cargas que llevaban, la incertidumbre y la reducida educación que recibían. La propia Jane Austen hace hincapié, por ejemplo en “Orgullo y prejuicio” en cuales son las enseñanzas adecuadas para una mujer o en “Sentido y sensibilidad” se indica que dependen de la bondad de familiares cuando se quedan solas y sin un padre que las apoye, tal y como les sucedió a la propia Austen o a Anne Sharp en sus vidas reales. When there are visitors, she is ripe for what is to come when the household is enlivened by family guests. One such visitor is Edward Austen’s brother, the charming and flitting Henry, who is loved by all and seemingly hasn’t a care in the world that women like Harriet and the lonely Anne might fall more deeply than he imagined. But the deepest longing she feels comes from exposure to Fanny’s letters from Aunt Jane, Edward Austen’s younger sister, and then the arrival of the wry, witty woman herself shows Anne the true friendship and companion of the heart she has been missing all her life. She is also brightened by the amateur theatricals she writes and directs, fishing by the river, volunteering at the village school, and rambles in the park talking writing with dear Jane. Anne, however, is not merely a purveyor of information concerning the Regency governess; she is a fully fleshed-out character with a well-developed arc. We see her transform from a privileged, carefree individual into a woman of substance, who faces her changed circumstances head on with dignity and strength. She is also a highly intelligent and perceptive person, and her commentary on the various absurdities of the household and society at large are both insightful and entertaining.

But Anne is keenly aware that her new role is an awkward one: she is neither one of the servants nor one of the family, and to balance a position between the 'upstairs' and 'downstairs' members of the household is a diplomatic chess game. One wrong move may result in her instant dismissal. The book has slowly and gently build to two crisis points: Anne’s discovery of the truth about her father and her past as well as Anne facing facts about her feelings for charming Henry and Jane Austen. Much of the author's research came from the diaries of Fanny Austen Knight who Anne looked after for several years at the house. She was Jane's niece and the daughter of Elizabeth Austen, The book moves slowly and there are Bridgerton and Downton Abbey vibes as the estate and landscape are brilliantly evoked as are the dresses and customs of the day. The author has done a really good job of bringing the time and society of that time to life as to the worry that women, whatever their station, worried about and had to face.Jane Austen is my girl. She has been my girl for more years than I’m able to count, and I can’t think of a day where she will not be, in fact, my girl. I was desperate to read this book for its dip into Jane’s life through the eyes of Anne Sharp, the governess of her family’s children. Brother Henry was always welcome. He was charming and lively. Sister Cassandra was quiet and helpful, good with the younger children. His mother and sister Jane were problematic, too witty and opinionated, too willing to talk about books and other unwomanly subjects.

When I first heard about Godmersham Park and that the story was about Anne Sharpe, a governess that worked with the Austen family, I was all over this book. I was so fascinated in learning about every facet of Jane Austen's life, that books like these have me intrigued and excited to read. More than that, I enjoy learning about the role of women in the early part of 1800's, that tells the story about the complexities of societal class, position, friendships, and matters of the heart.Her old life – those days once so large, rich and colourful – was behind her, for now. A small corner would be all she required, into which she could shrink and think and reflect. Where her intellect might hope to flourish, though her body and her time must henceforth be enslaved.” (7) When Mr. Edward Austen’s family comes to stay, Anne forms an immediate attachment to Jane. They write plays together and enjoy long discussions. However, in the process, Anne reveals herself as not merely pretty, charming, and competent; she is clever too. Even her sleepy, complacent, mistress can hardly fail to notice.

Still, the two are drawn together – he to her intellect and spirit – and she to his joviality and warmth. When Mr Edward Austen's family comes to stay, Anne forms an immediate attachment to Jane. They write plays together, and enjoy long discussions. However, in the process, Anne reveals herself as not merely pretty, charming and competent; she is clever too. Even her sleepy, complacent mistress can hardly fail to notice. Tanto se concentra en estos tres personajes y tangencialmente en Elizabeth Austen, su hija, Miss Harris y algún personaje más que aparece en forma de "cameo", que luego cuesta entender la relación con otros personajes como Cassandra o Edward, que para ser el amo de la casa, aparece bien poco, aunque es natural pues delegaba en su mujer. There’s something about the lives of real historical figures being imagined and put into a story which is just delectable to me. Hornby has taken correspondence written by the family at the time, and used it to create this account of Anne’s time as governess. It’s almost voyeuristic, but deliciously so. Godmersham Park" takes as its main character a real person too, but one whom less is known about: Anne Sharp, the governess to the oldest daughter of Jane's wealthy brother, Edward. Anne appears to have become an important friend to Jane; a letter to her was one of the last that Jane wrote shortly before her death in 1817, and she also sent a copy of "Emma," the last book published in her lifetime, to Miss Sharp.

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The two-year period at Godmersham was not the happiest time for Anne, and while this is an intriguing book, it is not cheerful or uplifting for the most part. The friendship with Jane and the interactions with Fanny are the bright spots in this book. Elizabeth, the mistress of the house, comes across as unsympathetic and almost cruel, especially when she sends Anne for barbaric "treatment" for her headaches. As someone who has suffered migraines, I was furious when Elizabeth forced open the curtains in Anne's room, insisting that the light would make her feel better. It drives home the truth that servants in those days were often not allowed to have feelings or express complaints to those considered above their station. Anne’s story is fraught with loneliness and angst as she’s suddenly thrust into the role of governess with her mother’s death and father’s abandonment. Used to living a comfortable life, Anne finds it difficult to navigate her new role. While she finds twelve year old Fanny engaging and enjoyable, she figuratively walks a tightrope, not quite fitting in with the servants, but not equal to the family. She’s constantly on guard, measuring her words and actions to protect her position. This becomes even more precarious when Henry Austen takes a marked interest in her. Thoroughly entertaining, Godmersham Park has some of the same understated wit and sharp observation as Austen's novels' Sunday Times I had to let go of that expectation and recognize that Anne is a different sort of character – she doesn’t have to confront the men or anyone else who mistreat her – as cathartic as that would have been to read.