What do you think?
Rate this book
Ladies of History #2
Just Jane
In this moving and authentic portrayal, Christy Award-winning author Nancy Moser transports readers back to the life and times of one of the literary world's beloved heroines, Jane Austen. Growing up in a clergyman's home gives Jane opportunities to observe human nature at its best—and worst. Vivid and delightful characters pour from her pen—Elizabeth Bennet, Fitzwilliam Darcy, Emma Woodhouse, Fanny Price, John Willoughby. . . . Jane dreams of publishing her stories and sharing them with the world, but how can she? She's just Jane from Steventon. Will anyone ever read her novels?
364 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2007
156 people are currently reading
2126 people want to read
About the author
Nancy Moser
77 books764 followersNancy Moser is the author of over forty books. Her award-winning stories will inspire you to discover your unique God-given purpose. Her genres include both contemporary and historical stories, inspirational humor, and children's books.
Her newest release, "An Undiscovered Life" is about an elderly woman who wants her family to know about her "before" life—her life before them. It's inspired by Nancy's mother who died in 2020 at age 99. It's a poignant, inspiring family story.
Another newer release is "Eyes of Our Heart" which showcases a group of ordinary people who are called to discover where God is working in their lives--and join Him.
Another recent release is "The Shop Keepers", book #3 of the Pattern Artist series about a group of women designing fashion and opening their own store in 1911-19 New York City. The first book in the series, "The Pattern Artist", was a finalist for a Romantic Times award.
Other titles include the time-travel historicals, "Where Time Will Take Me", "Where Life Will Lead Me", and the Downton Abbey-inspired Manor House Series beginning with "Love of the Summerfields."
Her historical bio-novels allow real women-of-history to share their life stories: "Just Jane" (Jane Austen), "Mozart's Sister" (Nannerl Mozart),"Washington's Lady" (Martha Washington) and "How Do I Love Thee?" (Elizabeth Barrett Browning.)
"An Unlikely Suitor" was named to Booklist's Top 100 Romance Novels of the last decade. Nancy's time-travel novel, "Time Lottery", won a Christy Award, and "Washington's Lady" was a finalist. Her contemporary books are known for their big-casts and intricate plotting.
Some contemporary titles are "The Invitation", "John 3: 16", "The Sister Circle", and "The Seat Beside Me."
Nancy and her husband live in the Midwest. She's earned a degree in architecture, traveled extensively in Europe, and has performed in numerous theaters, symphonies, and choirs. She is a fan of anything antique--humans included.
Website: nancymoser.com
Her newest release, "An Undiscovered Life" is about an elderly woman who wants her family to know about her "before" life—her life before them. It's inspired by Nancy's mother who died in 2020 at age 99. It's a poignant, inspiring family story.
Another newer release is "Eyes of Our Heart" which showcases a group of ordinary people who are called to discover where God is working in their lives--and join Him.
Another recent release is "The Shop Keepers", book #3 of the Pattern Artist series about a group of women designing fashion and opening their own store in 1911-19 New York City. The first book in the series, "The Pattern Artist", was a finalist for a Romantic Times award.
Other titles include the time-travel historicals, "Where Time Will Take Me", "Where Life Will Lead Me", and the Downton Abbey-inspired Manor House Series beginning with "Love of the Summerfields."
Her historical bio-novels allow real women-of-history to share their life stories: "Just Jane" (Jane Austen), "Mozart's Sister" (Nannerl Mozart),"Washington's Lady" (Martha Washington) and "How Do I Love Thee?" (Elizabeth Barrett Browning.)
"An Unlikely Suitor" was named to Booklist's Top 100 Romance Novels of the last decade. Nancy's time-travel novel, "Time Lottery", won a Christy Award, and "Washington's Lady" was a finalist. Her contemporary books are known for their big-casts and intricate plotting.
Some contemporary titles are "The Invitation", "John 3: 16", "The Sister Circle", and "The Seat Beside Me."
Nancy and her husband live in the Midwest. She's earned a degree in architecture, traveled extensively in Europe, and has performed in numerous theaters, symphonies, and choirs. She is a fan of anything antique--humans included.
Website: nancymoser.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 213 reviews
May 28, 2010
(Two and one-half stars: I definitely thought it was OK and I nearly liked it).
The life of Jane Austen reads like one of her novels – in most ways. There are balls, flirtations, close friends, tiresome family members, adverse financial situations which make marriage an apparent necessity and choices which hold out for love despite adverse financial situations. In one major aspect, however, the biography and the novels of Austen diverge: a happy romantic ending. Austen died at the age of 41, having never married.
Nancy Moser, author of Just Jane, a fictionalized account of Austen’s life, postulates – quite correctly – that when Austen was “unable to find her own Mr. Darcy, she created him.” Poser’s book swells the basic facts of Austen’s life into a first-person, 350-page narrative which dwells on Austen’s evolution as a writer and points out the many obvious connections between the biographical facts of Austen’s life and her fiction.
In utilizing first-person narration, Moser allows the reader into Jane’s head, which is both illuminating and, in this particular case, often very disappointing. While the reader does get a cinematic view of the events of Austen’s life as they unfold, the avid Jane Austen fan would expect something more – Jane Austen’s sparkling voice which, sadly, is not apparent in Moser’s book. Moser herself admits at the book’s end that she “did not attempt to match the unique ‘voice’ of Jane Austen, only to hint at it.” This makes Moser’s choice of first-person narrative quite puzzling; if she wasn’t going to try and approximate Austen’s voice, why in the name of the Regency period did she have Austen narrate the entire book?
As much as a true Jane Austen fan cannot conceive of being bored while reading one of her novels, so one cannot possibly imagine being bored while residing inside of Austen’s head. Unfortunately, while inhabiting the one Moser’s book creates, I often was. There isn’t much here that even remotely sounds like the wonderfully witty writer who was frequently observed to laugh out loud, set aside her needlework and rush across the room for a sheet of paper with which to immortalize whatever clever line had just popped into her head. It strains literary credulity to believe that the same person who was able to write lines such as: “From this day you must be a stranger to one of your parents. Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do” would, in her private moments, be thinking such dull stuff as “I am free to . . . to be Jane. Day to day, day after day, just Jane.”
Moser has spent considerable time researching her biographical facts, however, and anyone wanting to read a play-by-play account of the plot points of Austen’s life will find plenty of illumination on that score (especially the riveting chapter which portrays her reaction to the marriage proposal from Harris Biggs-Wither -- I'd give the book an extra half-star for that chapter alone).
But in order to hear that inimitable voice, you’ll have to go back to those inimitable novels. Which is always a good idea.
(This review was first posted at CurledUpWithAGoodBook.com).
The life of Jane Austen reads like one of her novels – in most ways. There are balls, flirtations, close friends, tiresome family members, adverse financial situations which make marriage an apparent necessity and choices which hold out for love despite adverse financial situations. In one major aspect, however, the biography and the novels of Austen diverge: a happy romantic ending. Austen died at the age of 41, having never married.
Nancy Moser, author of Just Jane, a fictionalized account of Austen’s life, postulates – quite correctly – that when Austen was “unable to find her own Mr. Darcy, she created him.” Poser’s book swells the basic facts of Austen’s life into a first-person, 350-page narrative which dwells on Austen’s evolution as a writer and points out the many obvious connections between the biographical facts of Austen’s life and her fiction.
In utilizing first-person narration, Moser allows the reader into Jane’s head, which is both illuminating and, in this particular case, often very disappointing. While the reader does get a cinematic view of the events of Austen’s life as they unfold, the avid Jane Austen fan would expect something more – Jane Austen’s sparkling voice which, sadly, is not apparent in Moser’s book. Moser herself admits at the book’s end that she “did not attempt to match the unique ‘voice’ of Jane Austen, only to hint at it.” This makes Moser’s choice of first-person narrative quite puzzling; if she wasn’t going to try and approximate Austen’s voice, why in the name of the Regency period did she have Austen narrate the entire book?
As much as a true Jane Austen fan cannot conceive of being bored while reading one of her novels, so one cannot possibly imagine being bored while residing inside of Austen’s head. Unfortunately, while inhabiting the one Moser’s book creates, I often was. There isn’t much here that even remotely sounds like the wonderfully witty writer who was frequently observed to laugh out loud, set aside her needlework and rush across the room for a sheet of paper with which to immortalize whatever clever line had just popped into her head. It strains literary credulity to believe that the same person who was able to write lines such as: “From this day you must be a stranger to one of your parents. Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do” would, in her private moments, be thinking such dull stuff as “I am free to . . . to be Jane. Day to day, day after day, just Jane.”
Moser has spent considerable time researching her biographical facts, however, and anyone wanting to read a play-by-play account of the plot points of Austen’s life will find plenty of illumination on that score (especially the riveting chapter which portrays her reaction to the marriage proposal from Harris Biggs-Wither -- I'd give the book an extra half-star for that chapter alone).
But in order to hear that inimitable voice, you’ll have to go back to those inimitable novels. Which is always a good idea.
(This review was first posted at CurledUpWithAGoodBook.com).
November 21, 2014
I feel bad giving a book about Jane Austen only three stars. I love Jane Austen. I love her books, and I admire her a lot. From all that we know of her, she seemed to be a remarkably keen, intelligent and discerning woman. Having not read that many bios about her, I can't say whether or not Just Jane was truly accurate, but accurate or not I found that the book dragged on a lot and I thought that it was overall pretty boring. I don't mean to say that Jane Austen's life was boring, for although she did not lead the most palpitating life, just learning about her is very pleasant, but the way this book was delivered was simply not to my taste.
It's written in first person, which I don't necessarily dislike (Jane Eyre was written in first person and it is awesome!), but combined with present tense it was difficult for me to read it and appreciate it. It's not that I didn't like Jane's voice (although at times she was portrayed as really rather whiny and ungrateful) but the present tense slowed the book considerably. Yet all of the important events of Jane's life were related quickly, taking up no more than a half-chapter, and so the months and years were flying by, but the book was still so put-down-able that I grew very bored. I would have loved to see scenes with Jane and Tom Lefroy together, even though they don't end up together, but there weren't any. Their fleeting romance was alluded to in passage before the author moved on with other things. It was the same for nearly all the events in Jane's personal life.
The only thing that made this book bearable, and even somewhat good, was the evolution of Jane's writing, and of Jane as a person. That was interesting. I loved to see how she went from creating Elinor and Marianne as an epistolary work, then deciding it wasn't right and changing it to Sense and Sensibility in a three-volume novel. I loved how she was so into her characters and her characters' lives, how she was practically in love with Mr. Darcy herself and how much she loved and admired Elizabeth Bennet. It was interesting and wonderful to see how Jane progressed with her writing, how she gained more confidence in it and in herself, and how she was finally able to pull herself out of her misery after leaving Bath and starting her life anew in Chawton. I also loved learning more about her family and reading about her brothers and her annoying sisters-in-law, and I thought the character of Cassandra was really well done, and I liked her a lot. It made me wish I had a sister too, with whom I could have such a deep connection. Cassandra was portrayed as a very kind, patient, loving and encouraging sister, and in a way I am glad that she never married since she was able to stay with Jane and keep encouraging her with her writing.
Jane's reflections on life, love and society were truly interesting, and I found myself nodding and agreeing with her most of the time. She was a real introvert, and much preferred observing and thinking that having to mingle in large groups. She kept saying many times over that although she loved her family, she was always glad to see her relatives go after a visit so she could have some quiet time to herself. I totally understand her, because I am the same way! Jane was also very insecure, needy and unhappy for many years of her life. She was pressured into matrimony by all her entourage, deeply felt the restrictions of being poor, and didn't think that her writing was good enough to be published, let alone admired and appraised by enough people to make a difference. If only she had known the full impact her novels would have on the world...
I always thought it really sad that Jane Austen never married, not because there is any shame or anything like that whatsoever in being a spinster, but because she wanted to marry and find the love of her life, but she never did. I always wonder how different it would have been if she had married...maybe she would never have had any novels published and now that would be terribly sad!
It's written in first person, which I don't necessarily dislike (Jane Eyre was written in first person and it is awesome!), but combined with present tense it was difficult for me to read it and appreciate it. It's not that I didn't like Jane's voice (although at times she was portrayed as really rather whiny and ungrateful) but the present tense slowed the book considerably. Yet all of the important events of Jane's life were related quickly, taking up no more than a half-chapter, and so the months and years were flying by, but the book was still so put-down-able that I grew very bored. I would have loved to see scenes with Jane and Tom Lefroy together, even though they don't end up together, but there weren't any. Their fleeting romance was alluded to in passage before the author moved on with other things. It was the same for nearly all the events in Jane's personal life.
The only thing that made this book bearable, and even somewhat good, was the evolution of Jane's writing, and of Jane as a person. That was interesting. I loved to see how she went from creating Elinor and Marianne as an epistolary work, then deciding it wasn't right and changing it to Sense and Sensibility in a three-volume novel. I loved how she was so into her characters and her characters' lives, how she was practically in love with Mr. Darcy herself and how much she loved and admired Elizabeth Bennet. It was interesting and wonderful to see how Jane progressed with her writing, how she gained more confidence in it and in herself, and how she was finally able to pull herself out of her misery after leaving Bath and starting her life anew in Chawton. I also loved learning more about her family and reading about her brothers and her annoying sisters-in-law, and I thought the character of Cassandra was really well done, and I liked her a lot. It made me wish I had a sister too, with whom I could have such a deep connection. Cassandra was portrayed as a very kind, patient, loving and encouraging sister, and in a way I am glad that she never married since she was able to stay with Jane and keep encouraging her with her writing.
Jane's reflections on life, love and society were truly interesting, and I found myself nodding and agreeing with her most of the time. She was a real introvert, and much preferred observing and thinking that having to mingle in large groups. She kept saying many times over that although she loved her family, she was always glad to see her relatives go after a visit so she could have some quiet time to herself. I totally understand her, because I am the same way! Jane was also very insecure, needy and unhappy for many years of her life. She was pressured into matrimony by all her entourage, deeply felt the restrictions of being poor, and didn't think that her writing was good enough to be published, let alone admired and appraised by enough people to make a difference. If only she had known the full impact her novels would have on the world...
I always thought it really sad that Jane Austen never married, not because there is any shame or anything like that whatsoever in being a spinster, but because she wanted to marry and find the love of her life, but she never did. I always wonder how different it would have been if she had married...maybe she would never have had any novels published and now that would be terribly sad!
July 2, 2013
Age Appropriate For: All Ages
Best for Ages: 12 and up
I avoid most fiction about Jane Austen, either in movie or in book form. Why? I just haven’t liked their take on this historical character. We really don’t know that much about her, which leaves lots of room for speculation and embellishment.
It is rare for me that a main character in a book is my favorite. I usually like the side characters more. However, Jane tugged at my heart strings. She has to go places and be with people she doesn’t like. She doesn’t always have a good attitude. In other words, she is real, human and a lot like me. In fact, all the characters felt real.
The relationship between Jane and her sister was my second favorite part of the book. It reminded me so much of my own friendship with my sister. Thank goodness Nancy Moser didn’t listen to all those people who say sisters can’t be that close. She portrayed a real friendship, one that has its ups and downs, but is always close.
My favorite part was Jane as an author. Nancy Moser captured how authors feel so well in this book. I really identified with Jane’s struggles and challenges in writing. Many of my author friends will love this book just to hear Jane complain that her characters aren’t talking to her (it’s a writer thing).
The story itself was like a Jane Austen book; not full of heart-stopping romance, adventure, or suspense. Instead, this story relies on you being involved with the characters enough to want to know what happens to them next.
I highly recommend this to those who like Jane Austen, non-romance fiction, and strong, character-based stories.
Best for Ages: 12 and up
I avoid most fiction about Jane Austen, either in movie or in book form. Why? I just haven’t liked their take on this historical character. We really don’t know that much about her, which leaves lots of room for speculation and embellishment.
It is rare for me that a main character in a book is my favorite. I usually like the side characters more. However, Jane tugged at my heart strings. She has to go places and be with people she doesn’t like. She doesn’t always have a good attitude. In other words, she is real, human and a lot like me. In fact, all the characters felt real.
The relationship between Jane and her sister was my second favorite part of the book. It reminded me so much of my own friendship with my sister. Thank goodness Nancy Moser didn’t listen to all those people who say sisters can’t be that close. She portrayed a real friendship, one that has its ups and downs, but is always close.
My favorite part was Jane as an author. Nancy Moser captured how authors feel so well in this book. I really identified with Jane’s struggles and challenges in writing. Many of my author friends will love this book just to hear Jane complain that her characters aren’t talking to her (it’s a writer thing).
The story itself was like a Jane Austen book; not full of heart-stopping romance, adventure, or suspense. Instead, this story relies on you being involved with the characters enough to want to know what happens to them next.
I highly recommend this to those who like Jane Austen, non-romance fiction, and strong, character-based stories.
May 31, 2008
Just when I told myself I was finally done with my Jane Austen habit for a while, I saw this book and had to read it...so I did! It's essentially the same story that is presented in the movies "Becoming Jane" and "Miss Austen Regrets," as well as the book I recently read, "The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen." It's about the woman behind the famous novels, whom I find utterly fascinating. It's written in first person, and I was uncertain at first if I liked or disliked the fact that the author did not attempt to capture Jane Austen's unique voice. In the end I decided it's wise to acknowledge that it's too difficult and not make the attempt! This book seemed to get better as the story goes on, and the author has some really interesting insights into the complexities of life and relationships and society in general...she doesn't just stick to the facts as we know them about Austen and her family, she actually draws some conclusions and makes some good points. I'm glad I read it.
November 28, 2023
I thought I knew a lot about Jane Austen's life before I read this book. Moser's research was incredible, and despite its form as a novel, this biography is actually very accurate. Moser brings to life the time and place, as well as the life of Jane and her family.
Read
December 30, 2011I so love anything by or about Jane Austin...I am one of thousands, I know. This book is not high literature but don't we all need a little respite once in a while and this is my cup of tea. In fact I do have a cup of tea along with "jane" and can't wait to indulge at the end of the afternoon with her....
Happy Valentine's Day. Tomorrow my daughter and I are having a Valentine Tea in honor of Jane Austin for my Jane Austin Book Society organization at my daughter's home. Wish all my goodreads friends could come.We must bring to it a romantic quote from one of her books.Here's mine: "In vain have I struggled bit it will not do, my feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tellyou how much I love and admire you." Pride and Prejudice. This is Darcy's idea of a romantic speech but Jane refuses him. Later,much later she changes her mind as he tries once again, this time in a more reasonable manner: "If, however, your feelings have changed, I will have to tell you you have bewitched me body and soul, and I love, I love, I love you and I wish never to be parted from you from this day forward." Pride and PRejudice. What both my husband and I admire about Jane Austin's writing is the beauty of her language. nina
Happy Valentine's Day. Tomorrow my daughter and I are having a Valentine Tea in honor of Jane Austin for my Jane Austin Book Society organization at my daughter's home. Wish all my goodreads friends could come.We must bring to it a romantic quote from one of her books.Here's mine: "In vain have I struggled bit it will not do, my feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tellyou how much I love and admire you." Pride and Prejudice. This is Darcy's idea of a romantic speech but Jane refuses him. Later,much later she changes her mind as he tries once again, this time in a more reasonable manner: "If, however, your feelings have changed, I will have to tell you you have bewitched me body and soul, and I love, I love, I love you and I wish never to be parted from you from this day forward." Pride and PRejudice. What both my husband and I admire about Jane Austin's writing is the beauty of her language. nina
November 13, 2008
I enjoyed reading this fictional account of Jane Austen's life, based on actual facts. I learned about some things I didn't already know, such as her marriage proposal. I also appreciated the insight into the feelings of Jane during the different stages of her life. The writing style, however, was slightly distracting as the author tried to write like Jane Austen. I suppose it was necessary, though, because she tried to use Jane's actual words whenever she could. It did get better as the book went along, maybe because I got more used to it.
February 19, 2008
I was disappointed by this book. I was expecting a compelling plot, but it was very uneventful for the first 250 pages. I was very tempted halfway through to just put it down and not bother finishing the book, but I wondered if anything would actually happen by the end, so I kept reading. What did happen during the last 100 pages really wasn't enough to redeem the intense annoyance and boredom from the beginning of the book. It's mostly a group of vignettes about the author's life. There wasn't really a plot or a direction that the book was moving in. Some of the vignettes had no point at all, and didn't contribute anything to the story or the characters. Many of the vignettes were simply "We visited so-and-so and had a good enough time... I went for a walk this afternoon... I met so-and-so but don't really like her and won't ever see her again..."
There was also a lot of philosophizing about life and writing and character, and there is a painfully slow development of Jane's character. I guess the author is trying to show how Jane grew during this time, but any enlightenment I derived from her development was not worth the time reading this.
There was also a great attempt to show how the events of her life affected her writing, how the events in her books greatly mirror who she met and what she went through. But I would have had to read a lot of Austen's work for that to interest me more. The biggest literary mentions went to Persuasion and Sense and Sensibility, and Pride and Prejudice was rarely brought up.
I did think this was better written than Mr. Darcy's Diary. The language is more pleasing in this book for sure. And if it has one other merit, it's that it seems to be historically accurate. The author probably went to a lot of trouble to research well Austen's life and to write a narrative that probably very closely reflects her feelings and thoughts at certain points in her life. And I admire that she doesn't bend events in Austen's life to make them more dramatic, because that really wouldn't be doing her life justice. But it isn't a compelling read.
Maybe if I had expected less of this going in, I would have appreciated it like I would appreciated a long, quiet, uneventful vacation in the English countryside. But I had high expectations for some reason.
There was also a lot of philosophizing about life and writing and character, and there is a painfully slow development of Jane's character. I guess the author is trying to show how Jane grew during this time, but any enlightenment I derived from her development was not worth the time reading this.
There was also a great attempt to show how the events of her life affected her writing, how the events in her books greatly mirror who she met and what she went through. But I would have had to read a lot of Austen's work for that to interest me more. The biggest literary mentions went to Persuasion and Sense and Sensibility, and Pride and Prejudice was rarely brought up.
I did think this was better written than Mr. Darcy's Diary. The language is more pleasing in this book for sure. And if it has one other merit, it's that it seems to be historically accurate. The author probably went to a lot of trouble to research well Austen's life and to write a narrative that probably very closely reflects her feelings and thoughts at certain points in her life. And I admire that she doesn't bend events in Austen's life to make them more dramatic, because that really wouldn't be doing her life justice. But it isn't a compelling read.
Maybe if I had expected less of this going in, I would have appreciated it like I would appreciated a long, quiet, uneventful vacation in the English countryside. But I had high expectations for some reason.
August 28, 2009
Did your interest in Jane Austen's novels ever make you want to learn more about Jane Austen? Did you see that there were many biographies written about her but not really want to read a biography? If you are like me and prefer the fiction/literature genre more than the nonfiction/biography genre,this would be a great book for you.
This is the story of Jane Austen's life from the age she met her first love, Tom Lefroy (age 20) til the time she died (age 41). In parts the story is a very truthful retelling of her life, a lot of the events and all the characters were really apart of Jane's life. The author took what she knew from other biographies, diaries, and letters to create a story that Jane was telling about herself. It was as if you were reading a novel in which the main character was Jane Austen! What is probably not very true is a lot of the dialogue that took place in the story, as it would be hard to find all the recorded conversations Jane took part in, during her life. The author had to conjecture what Jane would say to her sister if she was with her in person. However, the author used actual quotes of Jane Austen whenever possible and appropriate. At the end of the story the author points out which parts of her story were true and which parts she had to fill in to make the story complete.
I have read many books and some biographies of and about Jane Austen, I sometimes found them a little hard to follow and could never remember who was in her family and who were her closest friends. Now after spending so much time with them and getting to know them, I feel I know the people in Jane Austen's life and Jane Austen very well.
I recommend this book to anyone who loves reading novels by Jane Austen and is curious about this author, but not too keen on reading a biiography. I found nothing wanting and am glad I now have a better understanding of my favorite author.
This is the story of Jane Austen's life from the age she met her first love, Tom Lefroy (age 20) til the time she died (age 41). In parts the story is a very truthful retelling of her life, a lot of the events and all the characters were really apart of Jane's life. The author took what she knew from other biographies, diaries, and letters to create a story that Jane was telling about herself. It was as if you were reading a novel in which the main character was Jane Austen! What is probably not very true is a lot of the dialogue that took place in the story, as it would be hard to find all the recorded conversations Jane took part in, during her life. The author had to conjecture what Jane would say to her sister if she was with her in person. However, the author used actual quotes of Jane Austen whenever possible and appropriate. At the end of the story the author points out which parts of her story were true and which parts she had to fill in to make the story complete.
I have read many books and some biographies of and about Jane Austen, I sometimes found them a little hard to follow and could never remember who was in her family and who were her closest friends. Now after spending so much time with them and getting to know them, I feel I know the people in Jane Austen's life and Jane Austen very well.
I recommend this book to anyone who loves reading novels by Jane Austen and is curious about this author, but not too keen on reading a biiography. I found nothing wanting and am glad I now have a better understanding of my favorite author.
December 16, 2009
I started reading this with a critical eye, deeming it rather dull and Jane's character lacking. The writing seemed either overly simplified, or as if the author was trying too hard to make it sound like Jane Austen, without much success. But it managed to draw me in after a while, and I believe if it were written as much like the author herself might have written it, it would be a harder, duller read. And of course, it was better written than I could have done. I did dislike some of Jane's complaints, but perhaps that is the way it would have been in her most private writings, as all of us tend toward. I thought a time or two that marriage and children were not considered a great vocation by Jane, but as she herself was a writer, that perhaps would have been seen to be the greater occupation.
This was an interesting look at what might have happened, and some of what *did* happen, kindly explained in the end as to which was fact and which was fiction.
There is a bit of inspiration here, too, knowing that sometimes our dreams are not accomplished all at once and giving hope for the future.
This was an interesting look at what might have happened, and some of what *did* happen, kindly explained in the end as to which was fact and which was fiction.
There is a bit of inspiration here, too, knowing that sometimes our dreams are not accomplished all at once and giving hope for the future.
February 19, 2020
Jane Austen of course is legend to us today. Although I have heard some historical discrepancies from one or two things in this novel of her life, I really see this as a depiction that is the most true to how I see Jane's life. Nancy Moser did a wonderful job bringing the light of Jane to a realistic picture for me and I could imagine every scene of her story. At first I was reading on a depressed note, thinking of the Jane movies I have seen recently just knowing that it will end with her death. At the end of the novel I was quite pleased with the way that Nancy arranged things. I believe this is the way that things should be. Jane should be missed surely, but not pitied. She would not want that I think. But I do believe she claps for joy each time someone else on our earth discovers the words that she has left to share with us all.
July 7, 2008
Having visited Jane Austen's Bath, England home during the summer of '06, I was drawn to read this book. Also knowing that Austen fairly regretted the time she spent in Bath, I wanted to read about her life and times. Having no other such volume with which to compare Moser's book, this was an informative read and one that seemed to put readers into Austen's head as she and her sister struggle with their "spinsterness" in the face of most women of the day who chose marriage as their only option in life. Austen grapples with her own "feminist" attitudes as she struggles to create characters she wishes to grace the pages of her popular novels. I enjoyed reading Moser's book and would recommend it to both died-hard Austen fans as well as novices like myself who wish to read (albeit historically crafted fiction) about Austen writing process, her personal struggles, as well as her life and times.
July 18, 2015
I always struggle with what to write or if I even should write a review if I do not care for a book. But being a book blogger it is supposed to be about giving your honest opinion and review of the book whether it be good or bad. So here is my honest opinion about the book. I really wanted to like this story as I like to read things about Jane Austen. It took me two times to get through this book. For some reason it just seemed to ramble for me and did not really go anywhere. I think this book would have been better as a movie. I did feel bad for Jane in the way her parents decided to move her and get rid of all her things without any input for her but yet her sister in law got to go through the house and take what she wanted. I think Jane was a very deep person and just had trouble getting people to understand her.
August 25, 2011
I have really enjoyed this entire series of historical novels. I can tend to be wary of books that involve Jane Austen, but this one does a nice job of giving a sense of the way things might have been without copying too much of the author’s original language or voice. I actually had seen this one mentioned at Home With Purpose in February and decided to pick it up from the library for myself.
May 3, 2018
This was one of my favorites - came out at the same time Becoming Jane (film) came out, I kept crossing the characters in the book with the ones in the film, and it was kind of fun. Love, love Just Jane. Well done!
January 28, 2021
I have always wanted to read a novel by Jane Austen and plan on it this year. When I saw this series of women in history which has a book dedicated to Jane Austen's life I just had to read it.
While at times this could be a bit tedious to read, it was still fascinating. It takes you into the world and mind of Jane Austen and the daily life which shaped her novels.
I am definitely looking forward to starting her novels this year.
While at times this could be a bit tedious to read, it was still fascinating. It takes you into the world and mind of Jane Austen and the daily life which shaped her novels.
I am definitely looking forward to starting her novels this year.
December 26, 2018
This book was super enjoyable, very well written and engaging. It's not an easy job to paint someones background and character from little known information, but i think Nancy Moser really hit the nail on the head. She brought to life, & portrayed a fair example of who Jane Austen was.
May 29, 2020
I enjoyed this for the most part. I loved Jane's character and the way it almost felt like a Jane Austen book. It dragged by the end for me, though, and I felt like it was a little too long with too many segments that felt unconnected to Jane's actual story.
September 5, 2021
Great way to put the facts of Jane's life in novel form. Enjoyed this. Wonderful visit with Jane, her family, and friends. I re-learned about many important events in her life and enjoyed watching the development of her ability to write and then ability to get a publisher working with her.
Loved that this was an faster read than a true biography. Still got all the facts, just enjoyed the trip a little more.
Loved that this was an faster read than a true biography. Still got all the facts, just enjoyed the trip a little more.
July 7, 2009
"Just Jane" is a novel about Jane Austen's life. The author, Nancy Moser, strove to discover as many facts as possible for the book. However, because many of Jane's letters were destroyed after her death, there are gaps in her life, which Moser had to do her best to fill in. In the back of the novel, Moser was kind enough to list what was fact and what was fiction in her book. I appreciated that.
As for the story, I enjoyed it. It was quaint and cozy. Jane led a simple, quiet life. She was a genuine person who cared about family, friendship and faith. Moser wove these themes into "Just Jane" beautifully. Especially her faith. It was so obvious that it was an intricate part of her life. I also think Moser did a lovely job at creating Jane's voice. I believed to be reading Jane's actual thoughts and feelings. Very natural and convincing.
And it was fun to see where Jane got some of her inspiration for her novels. Even though she did not write specifically about events or people in her life, it is clear that certain situations in her life were inspiring of her stories, whether it be characters, topics or places.
One cute part of the book was when Jane and her friend Martha were coming home from a dance. She met a man there with very dark eyes.
In the carriage home, I laugh aloud at the memory, causing Martha to ask, "What amuses?"
"Dark eyes," I say. "Fine eyes." I remember a line Mr. Darcy utters in First Impressions and I repeat it with some semblance of the rich baritone I imagine him to have. "I have been meditating on the very great pleasure which a pair of fine eyes can bestow."
Martha, who knows my work too well, recognizes it. " 'Tis a good line, Jane."
"All of Mr. Darcy's line are good lines," I say. "He would not accept anything less."
We laugh in complete agreement.
P.S. 07/05/09 After rewatching the movie "Becoming Jane," I noticed discrepancies between the two accounts of her life. Perhaps it is impossible to know exactly what happened in her life, or maybe the two works just chose to focus on different aspects. I like both, but they are so different that I am not sure if one is more accurate than the other. Perhaps it doesn't matter, but I am curious!
As for the story, I enjoyed it. It was quaint and cozy. Jane led a simple, quiet life. She was a genuine person who cared about family, friendship and faith. Moser wove these themes into "Just Jane" beautifully. Especially her faith. It was so obvious that it was an intricate part of her life. I also think Moser did a lovely job at creating Jane's voice. I believed to be reading Jane's actual thoughts and feelings. Very natural and convincing.
And it was fun to see where Jane got some of her inspiration for her novels. Even though she did not write specifically about events or people in her life, it is clear that certain situations in her life were inspiring of her stories, whether it be characters, topics or places.
One cute part of the book was when Jane and her friend Martha were coming home from a dance. She met a man there with very dark eyes.
In the carriage home, I laugh aloud at the memory, causing Martha to ask, "What amuses?"
"Dark eyes," I say. "Fine eyes." I remember a line Mr. Darcy utters in First Impressions and I repeat it with some semblance of the rich baritone I imagine him to have. "I have been meditating on the very great pleasure which a pair of fine eyes can bestow."
Martha, who knows my work too well, recognizes it. " 'Tis a good line, Jane."
"All of Mr. Darcy's line are good lines," I say. "He would not accept anything less."
We laugh in complete agreement.
P.S. 07/05/09 After rewatching the movie "Becoming Jane," I noticed discrepancies between the two accounts of her life. Perhaps it is impossible to know exactly what happened in her life, or maybe the two works just chose to focus on different aspects. I like both, but they are so different that I am not sure if one is more accurate than the other. Perhaps it doesn't matter, but I am curious!
September 17, 2011
It’s no surprise to anyone, if ever reading my reviews, that I am an extreme fan of the incomparable Jane Austen. I have always believed this woman was the "end-all and be-all" of fictional works, so I really desire any author who embarks on this subject to do this lovely woman justice. I am happy to report that this author has done just that.
In this realistic and emotionally moving portrayal of Jane Austen’s early life, the author takes us through the circumstances that molded this young girl into the prolific author that she would become. This story sees Jane venturing out from her own small corner of the world. Following her life’s journey, growing up in a clergyman’s house with her many siblings, she embarks on many moves – good and bad – that make the reader see where and when Jane’s enduring characters were first born. We see Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett formed from Jane’s vivid circle of friends and acquaintances. We understand Marianne and Eleanor – the charming Dashwood sisters from Sense and Sensibility – and we can truly see their creation through Jane Austen’s eyes.
We learn that Jane’s family supported her choice to write with a devotion that is unparalleled and unseen in most family units. Jane certainly has romantic tendencies and harbors, like all authors, the longing to be a true heroine who finds her hero among the masses. However, in her circles, ‘grandness’ seemed to impress far more than ‘thinking,’ and Jane finds herself focusing on her work and her desire to create. There are wonderful lines in this novel such as when Jane remarks that, ‘a person content to be bland will never be anyone’s choice as a companion for an idle afternoon.’ This is what Jane most likely believed, for she was anything but bland. The author also offers up dialogue where Jane states that, "Life goes on with or without a published work by Jane Austen." True. But I am certainly among the many who believe that life is much better ‘with.’
Read This. Enjoy it. I’ve had the supreme pleasure of reading more than one novel recently about this talented woman; this author certainly shows that it’s a ‘universally acknowledged truth’ that Austen was a lady to be remembered
In this realistic and emotionally moving portrayal of Jane Austen’s early life, the author takes us through the circumstances that molded this young girl into the prolific author that she would become. This story sees Jane venturing out from her own small corner of the world. Following her life’s journey, growing up in a clergyman’s house with her many siblings, she embarks on many moves – good and bad – that make the reader see where and when Jane’s enduring characters were first born. We see Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett formed from Jane’s vivid circle of friends and acquaintances. We understand Marianne and Eleanor – the charming Dashwood sisters from Sense and Sensibility – and we can truly see their creation through Jane Austen’s eyes.
We learn that Jane’s family supported her choice to write with a devotion that is unparalleled and unseen in most family units. Jane certainly has romantic tendencies and harbors, like all authors, the longing to be a true heroine who finds her hero among the masses. However, in her circles, ‘grandness’ seemed to impress far more than ‘thinking,’ and Jane finds herself focusing on her work and her desire to create. There are wonderful lines in this novel such as when Jane remarks that, ‘a person content to be bland will never be anyone’s choice as a companion for an idle afternoon.’ This is what Jane most likely believed, for she was anything but bland. The author also offers up dialogue where Jane states that, "Life goes on with or without a published work by Jane Austen." True. But I am certainly among the many who believe that life is much better ‘with.’
Read This. Enjoy it. I’ve had the supreme pleasure of reading more than one novel recently about this talented woman; this author certainly shows that it’s a ‘universally acknowledged truth’ that Austen was a lady to be remembered
February 8, 2009
This book was a pleasant surprise. I was expecting just to read a fictional account of Jane Austen's life, but what I got out of Just Jane is so much more.
Nancy Moser writes this fictional biography of Jane Austen in the first person, speaking in a way that Austen herself may have spoken. While the character interactions and dialogue are created by Moser, much of it is based on fact, as researched in Jane Austen's letters. Just Jane follows Jane Austen's life as she starts to write her now famous novels. We learn how close the beloved author was to her family and friends, how she preferred the quiet of the country, how she enjoyed solitude, and how she had a deep faith in God. Jane Austen never figured religion into her work, but being a rector's daughter, one can be sure of God's importance in her personal life.
Whenever I sat down to read this book, it was like spending time with an old friend. I enjoyed reading about Jane Austen's family life, her friendships, her doubts about being a published author and, ultimately, her determination to use her God-given talent to write. Jane Austen is known for writing about romantic love, yet she never married. After reading Just Jane, it's clear to me that it was never in the cards for her to be a wife. If she had gotten married, it's highly unlikely she ever would've written the novels we enjoy today. Part of her life's journey involved learning that God's plan for her didn't revolve around finding a husband and bearing children, as was expected of women in her time. Instead, she found herself.
I raced to finish reading this book, yet I was sad when it ended. I don't give a whole lot of books 5 stars. But when I've finished reading a book, and days later I'm still thinking about the message I got from it, it obviously made an impact on me. And that's definitely a good thing.
Nancy Moser writes this fictional biography of Jane Austen in the first person, speaking in a way that Austen herself may have spoken. While the character interactions and dialogue are created by Moser, much of it is based on fact, as researched in Jane Austen's letters. Just Jane follows Jane Austen's life as she starts to write her now famous novels. We learn how close the beloved author was to her family and friends, how she preferred the quiet of the country, how she enjoyed solitude, and how she had a deep faith in God. Jane Austen never figured religion into her work, but being a rector's daughter, one can be sure of God's importance in her personal life.
Whenever I sat down to read this book, it was like spending time with an old friend. I enjoyed reading about Jane Austen's family life, her friendships, her doubts about being a published author and, ultimately, her determination to use her God-given talent to write. Jane Austen is known for writing about romantic love, yet she never married. After reading Just Jane, it's clear to me that it was never in the cards for her to be a wife. If she had gotten married, it's highly unlikely she ever would've written the novels we enjoy today. Part of her life's journey involved learning that God's plan for her didn't revolve around finding a husband and bearing children, as was expected of women in her time. Instead, she found herself.
I raced to finish reading this book, yet I was sad when it ended. I don't give a whole lot of books 5 stars. But when I've finished reading a book, and days later I'm still thinking about the message I got from it, it obviously made an impact on me. And that's definitely a good thing.
July 3, 2010
Summary: An imagining of Jane Austen's life following her from her early writings to her death.
Likes: I LOVED Cassandra and the relationships Jane had with other females in her life. Cassandra is an awesome sister and a friend to future generations as portrayed here because she encouraged Jane to write, write, write throughout their lives. Unfortunately Cassandra also burned what were probably some very enlightening letters written by Jane but book>letters so I can forgive her for that.
I like the connections between her life and her fiction (I always like seeing that when I read about an author).
Dislikes: Repetition of the phrase "Just Jane," it was cute at first but then it kept repeating and I felt like the author was hammering it into my head.
While inspirational and having some references to God, there are not as many as I would have liked, thus you could probably share this with a non-Christian friend who is interested in Austen. However, recommend at your own discretion because it's not written at all like Austen and in the Bath sections, Austen seems whiny and is very unsympathetic.
Lastly I was confused about the relationships-it seems like British people during the Regency all had the same names especially within families ("Remember, like, a few years ago, every other boy was named Jason, and the girls were all named Brittany?" -Hercules).
Overall: 3/5. I know this is the second in a series looking at the lives of famous women (the first being Mozart's Sister and the third being Washington's Lady) so if you liked Moser's style in those books, you'll probably like it this one. I was unimpressed and am unlikely to seek out more of her work.
Cover: I like the colors and it's a fine cover but it's not spectacular.
Likes: I LOVED Cassandra and the relationships Jane had with other females in her life. Cassandra is an awesome sister and a friend to future generations as portrayed here because she encouraged Jane to write, write, write throughout their lives. Unfortunately Cassandra also burned what were probably some very enlightening letters written by Jane but book>letters so I can forgive her for that.
I like the connections between her life and her fiction (I always like seeing that when I read about an author).
Dislikes: Repetition of the phrase "Just Jane," it was cute at first but then it kept repeating and I felt like the author was hammering it into my head.
While inspirational and having some references to God, there are not as many as I would have liked, thus you could probably share this with a non-Christian friend who is interested in Austen. However, recommend at your own discretion because it's not written at all like Austen and in the Bath sections, Austen seems whiny and is very unsympathetic.
Lastly I was confused about the relationships-it seems like British people during the Regency all had the same names especially within families ("Remember, like, a few years ago, every other boy was named Jason, and the girls were all named Brittany?" -Hercules).
Overall: 3/5. I know this is the second in a series looking at the lives of famous women (the first being Mozart's Sister and the third being Washington's Lady) so if you liked Moser's style in those books, you'll probably like it this one. I was unimpressed and am unlikely to seek out more of her work.
Cover: I like the colors and it's a fine cover but it's not spectacular.
June 7, 2011
Another of Nancy Moser’s series on historical women. This one is about Jane Austen, who has been a long time favorite of mine. It was interesting to learn a little more about her life. At the beginning of the book there is background information on Jane’s family which helps to keep them all straight. For different reasons, Jane and her sister, Cassandra, never married. They were very close and much of the factual information about Jane comes from her letters to Cassandra. Moser depicts Jane as rather petulant in her early years. This depiction is somewhat understandable because Jane was dependent on her parents and they made the decisions for their dependent daughters. Jane did not always like their decisions—in particular, her parents’ decision to move to Bath after her father’s retirement. Jane’s family always encouraged her writing and whenever she travelled she took her trunk with her writings. One of her brothers sold one of her early works to a publisher for 10 pounds, but he never published it. Jane was upset by this and felt that no one would want to read anything she wrote. However, her family continued to encourage her and the first of her books that was published was Sense and Sensibility followed by Pride and Prejudice. Unfortunately, Jane died in her early 40s, but we have her beloved stories and some of her many letters that give us a little glimpse of the real Jane Austen.
September 16, 2009
I really hate to write anything sometime, about a book I've read, but I do always like to go back and remember what I thought about the book. My memory is so bad, that I can't usually remember unless I make a note of it sometime.
That said, I liked this book, but I didn't love it. I wanted to really, really like it, but I really sort of struggled through it. That could have just been me, though. I've read two others by Moser (Mozart's Sister and Washington's Lady and I have another yet to read), and I enjoyed those. I liked the Martha Washington book the most, probably because it is American history and I've visited Mount Vernon in the last few years. I love Jane Austen, although I admit I have seen more movies of her work than read the actual book (gasp, there, I admitted it!). I think that I'm just a moody reader and this one just didn't appeal to me at the time. Or it could have been that it was just slow in spots for me, and I had to get used to the dialect of how it was written.
Either way, I liked it, but I wanted to like it more. I'll still read more by this author, I have the one about Elizabeth Barrett Browning yet to read, and I hope she continues to do more of these women in history fiction books. I really enjoy them, when I'm not bogged down :)
That said, I liked this book, but I didn't love it. I wanted to really, really like it, but I really sort of struggled through it. That could have just been me, though. I've read two others by Moser (Mozart's Sister and Washington's Lady and I have another yet to read), and I enjoyed those. I liked the Martha Washington book the most, probably because it is American history and I've visited Mount Vernon in the last few years. I love Jane Austen, although I admit I have seen more movies of her work than read the actual book (gasp, there, I admitted it!). I think that I'm just a moody reader and this one just didn't appeal to me at the time. Or it could have been that it was just slow in spots for me, and I had to get used to the dialect of how it was written.
Either way, I liked it, but I wanted to like it more. I'll still read more by this author, I have the one about Elizabeth Barrett Browning yet to read, and I hope she continues to do more of these women in history fiction books. I really enjoy them, when I'm not bogged down :)
June 24, 2008
When I began reading this book, I was not sure I was going to like it. The fact that it is written in the first person did not sit well with me at first. However, I did not have to read too far before I became completely engaged in the story. I found this to be an entertaining way of getting an insight into what life must have been like for Miss Austen and to (finally) grasp how her family was put together. I had never been able to keep track of all the brothers and nieces and nephews, but having them introduced in novel form gave me a better understanding of the family dynamic. I find the bond between Jane and Cassandra to be genuine and sweet, and I hope they truly did find fulfillment in their unmarried state, for who knows if Jane would have ever written otherwise? This book made me appreciate Jane Austen all the more, and I have to go and re-read all her novels again as soon as possible.
February 9, 2011
I really expected quite a lot from this. I love Jane Austen, and seeing as her story is quite like that of one of her characters (without the happy at the end) I had thought I would quite like this. But I did not.
The writing style of the book was the biggest problem for me. Nancy Moser says herself she did not try to write in Jane's unique voice, merely tried to hint at it. The hints were too few, in my opinion, and I found it quite hard to connect this Jane to the Jane I have read about before. I feel that the book generally had problems in making characters likeable, even if they were meant to be likeable. That just severely lessened the enjoyment that I could get from the book.
In the end, I also realized that the story of her life might not be that appropiate for a novel after all. I found myself bored during the biggest part of the book, which I hardly think was all my or Moser's fault. I will say this for Moser though: it was very well researched. But I didn't feel it.
The writing style of the book was the biggest problem for me. Nancy Moser says herself she did not try to write in Jane's unique voice, merely tried to hint at it. The hints were too few, in my opinion, and I found it quite hard to connect this Jane to the Jane I have read about before. I feel that the book generally had problems in making characters likeable, even if they were meant to be likeable. That just severely lessened the enjoyment that I could get from the book.
In the end, I also realized that the story of her life might not be that appropiate for a novel after all. I found myself bored during the biggest part of the book, which I hardly think was all my or Moser's fault. I will say this for Moser though: it was very well researched. But I didn't feel it.
August 29, 2014
I keep vacillating between 2 & 3 stars, so 2.5, I guess.
It took me a long time to get through this short book, mostly because I was bored for the first half and less bored for the 2nd, but still not captivated. I think it is hard to write a novel of a real person's life, so maybe authors of this type of book are doomed from the beginning. The author tries to capture Jane Austen's voice, but for me, it just didn't work.
I found myself wondering what was fact & fiction through the book. Fortunately, at the end, the author has a nice summary of what some of the facts are and what she filled in with her imagination. Being a fan of Jane Austen's work, but having never read a biography of her life, I did learn many things about her life that I found interesting from her family life and financial struggles to her pathway to becoming a published author to her brief romantic attachments.
It took me a long time to get through this short book, mostly because I was bored for the first half and less bored for the 2nd, but still not captivated. I think it is hard to write a novel of a real person's life, so maybe authors of this type of book are doomed from the beginning. The author tries to capture Jane Austen's voice, but for me, it just didn't work.
I found myself wondering what was fact & fiction through the book. Fortunately, at the end, the author has a nice summary of what some of the facts are and what she filled in with her imagination. Being a fan of Jane Austen's work, but having never read a biography of her life, I did learn many things about her life that I found interesting from her family life and financial struggles to her pathway to becoming a published author to her brief romantic attachments.
May 20, 2009
This was a good read, and I really enjoyed reading more about Jane Austen's life. This book has inspired me to read the biography written by her nephew - James Edward Austen-Leigh. As historical fiction, it does draw many conclusions about her life that are not actually based in fact. At best, it uses Austen's books, Austen's biography by her nephew as well as other biographies and references. These are pulled into a novel format for entertaining reading. I feel it an accurate portrayal of the author, although you feel that either Austen heavily influenced the character of Elizabeth Bennett or this author (Moser) was heavily influenced by Elizabeth Bennett in creating her Austen for this book. As Lizzie Bennett has been one of my favorite heroines in literature, this little aspect did not really bother me. :)
January 13, 2010
Loved this book! If you're a Jane Austen fan, you will like it too. It's exactly how I pictured her to be. Grant it, is a novel, but there are some truths to it. The author did their research. It was like you were put back in time to Austen's society. The issues that she dealt with in her time made an impact in what she wrote. You can see that throughout her writings and in this book. I love the way that the author incorported her books that she wrote by explaining which characters Jane was working on, or quoting passages from her books. If you've read Austen's books, you'll get several little nuisances and stories behind certain characters, and even see how maybe some of her family and those in society influenced her writings. One of my favorite books of the year!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 213 reviews