Our children’s book of the month for April is The Austen Girls by Lucy Worsley. Giving a view of Jane Austen’s life that you have never seen before – from the eyes of her young nieces!
The Austen Girls – the blurb
Would she ever find a real-life husband? Would she even find a partner to dance with at tonight’s ball? She just didn’t know.
Anna Austen has always been told she must marry rich. Her future depends upon it. While her dear cousin Fanny has a little more choice, she too is under pressure to find a suitor.
But how can either girl know what she wants? Is finding love even an option? The only person who seems to have answers is their Aunt Jane. She has never married. In fact, she’s perfectly happy, so surely being single can’t be such a bad thing?
The time will come for each of the Austen girls to become the heroines of their own stories. Will they follow in Jane’s footsteps?
In this witty, sparkling novel of choices, popular historian LUCY WORSLEY brings alive the delightful life of Jane Austen as you’ve never seen it before.
A girly book?
I knew choosing this book was going to be controversial for the book group as it was a very ‘girly’ book. In the past I’ve tried to shy away from something so obviously female yet historical romances are a big part of literature it is only right that in a book club exploring space, murder, refugees and slaves, we include something as fundamental as the great English upper class love story.
It wasn’t actually a love story at all. For a start our heroine was rich. Yes there was pressure on her to marry well, however she was more than equal to any Lords and Ladies we would go on to meet. Then there was her Aunt, a certain Jane Austen, who had never married and made money by writing novels (shocking!) Fanny Austen was positively encouraged by her Aunt to be a heroine rather than marry any old Lord, Earl or Gentleman. Plus you had an ending that wasn’t predictable, or lovey dovey, or anything else that children avoid like the plague. So overall not a very stereotypical ‘girly’ book.
Marriage…yuck!
Despite this however the book didn’t receive a warm reception. The boys just didn’t take to it and even the girls found the idea of a book all about getting married to be a bit, yuck. Not having a physical book club this month made it a little bit difficult, and for that reason I think the book didn’t get the best of chances. I would love to have discussed why marriage was so important and the limitations of girls around that time to show just how daring Fanny was being by meeting a thief at midnight. Thus is life at the moment though and I have to accept that for now, the book wasn’t for them.
If you have a child who isn’t quite up to Pride and Prejudice but you think they would enjoy that sort of book THIS is a brilliant introduction for them. It’s has strong females, a realistic approach to love and has plenty on the side to research.
Book club questions
+++ These questions contain spoilers and should only be used if you have read the book already!+++
- The book is based around real life author Jane Austen. Can you find out a little about her? What was Pride and Prejudice about? Is Godmersham Park still standing today?
- ‘Prestidigitarian’ (page 204) is a real word and one I hadn’t come across before. Can you look in a dictionary and learn a new word? Can you use it when speaking to someone? Or include it when you are next writing something?
- The book is set approximately in 1800. At this time convicts, like Mr Drummer, if found guilty would often be sent to Australia as punishment. Can you research magistrates, prisons and deportation in 1800?
- Anna is feisty, strong willed yet poor. Fanny is shy, conscientious yet rich. How would it have been if Anna were the rich one and Fanny poor? Would the girls have been more/less likeable if tantrum prone Anna were rich and worrier Fanny were poor?
- At the end of the book Fanny starts to write a story. Could you finish it for her?
If you would like to join in with our Children’s Book of the Month keep your eyes peeled when we announce May’s book in a few days time, Our review with book club questions is usually posted on the last Monday of the month and you can check out previous book of the months such as Orion Lost by Alastair Chisholm by clicking on the Young Adult/Kids button at the top of our Home Page.
