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For Myself Alone: a Jane Austen Inspired Novel
From the author of "The Darcys of Pemberley" comes a new story, straight out of the world of Jane Austen and told in a style strongly reminiscent of her classic novels.
Set in nineteenth century Hampshire and Bath, "For Myself Alone" is the tale of Josephine Walker, a bright, young woman whose life is turned upside-down by an unexpected inheritance. With a tempting fortune of twenty thousand pounds, she’s suddenly the most popular girl in town. Yet Jo longs to be valued for who she is, not for her attractive bank balance. She cannot respect the men who pursue her for her money, and the only one she does admire is considered the rightful property of her best friend. Now, even the motives of her new fiancé are suspect. Does he truly love her for herself alone? There’s one sure, but extreme, way to find out… if Jo has the courage to take it.
"For Myself Alone" will appeal to those who long for more Jane Austen, for more stories like the ones she told written in the elegant language of her time. Just for fun, lines from Jane Austen's works have been sprinkled throughout the text for her fans to find.
Set in nineteenth century Hampshire and Bath, "For Myself Alone" is the tale of Josephine Walker, a bright, young woman whose life is turned upside-down by an unexpected inheritance. With a tempting fortune of twenty thousand pounds, she’s suddenly the most popular girl in town. Yet Jo longs to be valued for who she is, not for her attractive bank balance. She cannot respect the men who pursue her for her money, and the only one she does admire is considered the rightful property of her best friend. Now, even the motives of her new fiancé are suspect. Does he truly love her for herself alone? There’s one sure, but extreme, way to find out… if Jo has the courage to take it.
"For Myself Alone" will appeal to those who long for more Jane Austen, for more stories like the ones she told written in the elegant language of her time. Just for fun, lines from Jane Austen's works have been sprinkled throughout the text for her fans to find.
265 pages, Nook
First published March 29, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
December 7, 2012
Parmi les oeuvres inspirées de Jane Austen que j'ai lues (et il y en a un certain nombre, quand j'y pense ...), ce roman fait indéniablement parti des meilleurs. Le "genre" m'avait habituée jusqu'ici à des récits poussifs et romancés à l'excès, ce n'est absolument pas le cas ici. Le roman de Shannon Winslow est bien construit, très maîtrisé et écrit avec beaucoup d'élégance, ce qui est suffisamment rare pour être noté. Son parti pris est intéressant, l'auteur a tissé son roman à la manière de Jane Austen. Elle installe son intrigue dans un microcosme, un petit village du Hampshire puis à Bath, et met en scène une comédie de moeurs et de caractères avec une galerie de personnages finement croqués et des rebondissement savamment dosés. Le premier chapitre du roman s'ouvre sur un échange de comérages. L'héroïne du roman, Josephine Walker, dite Jo, fait beaucoup parler d'elle. Ce qui lui est arrivé lors de son récent séjour à Bath donne lieu à des rumeurs qui risquent de lui coûter sa réputation. Et son sait (Jane le rappelle souvent ) à quel point une réputation est précieuse pour une jeune femme de l'époque.
Le prologue est une excellente entrée en matière. Il éveille la curiosité du lecteur et lui donne envie de découvrir ce qui est arrivé à Josephine et ce qui l'a mise dans une posture aussi délicate. Josephine est d'ailleurs un personnage intéressant et attachant. Elle est intelligente, sensée, bien éduquée. L'auteur ne nous la présente pas comme une héroïne à proprement parler, elle n'a rien de particulier qui la démarque des autres et mène une vie tranquille et sans heurts. Losqu'elle hérite d'une véritable fortune à la suite du décès de son oncle, elle prend conscience que son existence en sera à tout jamais bouleversée. La voilà maintenant entourée de prétendants alors que jusqu'ici, c'était sa jolie amie Agnes qui attirait les regards de la gente masculine. Il y a de quoi ironiser ...
Alors, lorsque Jo, accompagnée de ses parents, décide de passer quelques temps à Bath pour profiter du bon air et des mondanités, elle prend la résolution de ne révéler à personne qu'elle est une riche héritière. Mais parviendra-t-elle à cacher son secret et surtout à se faire aimer "pour elle seule" ?
Shannon Winslow, tout comme Jane Austen avant elle, privilégie la sobriété aux envolées lyriques, la raison au romantisme exacerbé. Bien que dense, équilibré, mesuré, son récit n'en est pas moins très plaisant à lire !
Je suis donc très enthousiaste et je pense m'intéresser de plus près aux autres romans de l'auteur. Il me semble qu'elle a écrit un texte comique (satirique ?) sur Mr Collins ainsi qu'une suite de Pride & Prejudice ...
Le prologue est une excellente entrée en matière. Il éveille la curiosité du lecteur et lui donne envie de découvrir ce qui est arrivé à Josephine et ce qui l'a mise dans une posture aussi délicate. Josephine est d'ailleurs un personnage intéressant et attachant. Elle est intelligente, sensée, bien éduquée. L'auteur ne nous la présente pas comme une héroïne à proprement parler, elle n'a rien de particulier qui la démarque des autres et mène une vie tranquille et sans heurts. Losqu'elle hérite d'une véritable fortune à la suite du décès de son oncle, elle prend conscience que son existence en sera à tout jamais bouleversée. La voilà maintenant entourée de prétendants alors que jusqu'ici, c'était sa jolie amie Agnes qui attirait les regards de la gente masculine. Il y a de quoi ironiser ...
Alors, lorsque Jo, accompagnée de ses parents, décide de passer quelques temps à Bath pour profiter du bon air et des mondanités, elle prend la résolution de ne révéler à personne qu'elle est une riche héritière. Mais parviendra-t-elle à cacher son secret et surtout à se faire aimer "pour elle seule" ?
Shannon Winslow, tout comme Jane Austen avant elle, privilégie la sobriété aux envolées lyriques, la raison au romantisme exacerbé. Bien que dense, équilibré, mesuré, son récit n'en est pas moins très plaisant à lire !
Je suis donc très enthousiaste et je pense m'intéresser de plus près aux autres romans de l'auteur. Il me semble qu'elle a écrit un texte comique (satirique ?) sur Mr Collins ainsi qu'une suite de Pride & Prejudice ...
November 14, 2013
This novel is supposed to be a "what if" Jane Austen had lived to complete another novel but is not based on any of the major 6 plots in the Austen canon, however, I did not find this one to be at all in the style of Jane Austen. For one thing, it was too slow. The plot took forever to develop so that the ending was very rushed. The action of the story was largely summarized and lacked Jane Austen's witty dialogue. The ending is largely predictable for readers of the genre, but there are a few twists and red herrings which I greatly appreciated. The characters are dull and unmemorable. The relationships develop randomly without good reason. I could not understand why someone with such a big heart like Josephine would be friends with someone so shallow as Agnes. The only character I liked was Arthur and I felt very sorry for him. I was hoping for light, bright and sparking but this book was too slow to fit the bill. Readers who enjoy clean, Austenesque fiction written in a somewhat period style might enjoy this one. For me, the book was entirely unmemorable and I have forgotten most of it already.
December 19, 2017
I read all the reviews for this before purchasing it when it was listed along with a number of other JA related books on a link on Abigail Reynolds' page (my favorite author for "what if" and modern adaptations). The reviews convinced me to invest in this and it was the second one read among all those bargain books. I found delight in recognizing some of Jane's own lines, although at times I was so caught up in the "page turning" quality that I neglected to be alert for such. I stayed up late and then put aside my morning newspaper to finish this novel the next morning. I found that this was one of maybe two books in this Jane Austen or related genre which brought tears to my eyes. The reasons for only 4 stars are: 1) The ending could have been developed more even though the book was longer than some others and 2) The relationship between our heroine and her true destiny didn't have quite enough sexual tension or development for my tastes. Not that I want any bedroom scenes - please -no! but a little more of that "spark when he touched my hand" or gazes caught and realizations brought to fore would have rated a 5 star review.
October 16, 2018
3.75
For Myself Alone is not a direct Austen retelling or continuation, but is billed as being “in the style of” Jane Austen, and with that, I would definitely agree. That’s not to say that a modern voice or sentiments don’t intrude, because as is the case with most Austenesque works, they certainly do. But it does have a similar feel and makes a really good effort at capturing some of that style and feeling of Austen, which I commend Winslow for. She imitates Austen well in style, tone and subject, and while not pitch perfect, I don’t think the book is ever jarringly modern* in the way that some (if not most) JAFF can be.
[* Now, having said that it wasn’t jarringly modern, I’m gonna go ahead and contradict myself, because
there were some thing that did stick out a little bit as a) too modern, and b) as not quite Austenesue. For the most part, I think these things stand out only because the rest mimicked a Regency style so well; in any other Jane Austen fanfic, I don't think any of it would have stood out as particularly modern sensibilities, turns of phrase, or breaches of propriety -- though the latter probably should have been better addressed, as it was a rather big deal. This could be a book chat, maybe; there’s a whole heck of a lot of impropriety happening in Austenesque fiction, and I can never tell how much is for story expediency/modern audience retention, and how much is just from truly not knowing how big a deal something would have been during the Regency period. Hmm…]
It reminds me most, perhaps, of Northanger Abby, which is a long-standing favorite of mine (and I will fight anyone who says NA is not as good as the rest of Austen, I will fight you), and I don’t think it’s purely because a large chunk of the book takes place in Bath. There are themes and characters and deceptions that would be right at home in Northanger Abbey, and that bit of dramatic irony where the reader knows (or heavily suspects) what’s really going on, when the main character doesn’t, that helps make NA so delightful. It does occasionally feel a bit long (at times, I felt like I had been reading this forever), and sometimes overdone, but I still found myself really enjoying it, and what’s more, I find myself remembering it pretty well, which is honestly a sad rarity for me. (I guess when you read too much, too fast, it all tends to blend together and fade pretty quickly…)
There is one thing, and I don’t hold this against the book in any way – though I do wonder how realistic it is – but there is a money-based plot thread in this that in some ways has the main character occasionally seeming very modern and almost-revolutionary, while also being just… Too Good™. Part of me has begun to chafe at martyr female characters. I should probably explore this more in a book chat, but I'm getting to a point where I don't want to wait for it to all come out right in the end for the good guy; I want the good guy to FIGHT. I suppose Jo does fight in her own way, and I suppose she does make the decisions that are most likely to lead to her own happiness, but given the time and the uncertainties for women (and the HIGH improbability of a chance at true independence for women of the time) even in the best of circumstances, some of the bigger things that happened in the book galled me a little bit. Again, I think it suits the story fine, it just doesn’t suit me, but I can’t really get into that without major spoilers.
All that said, I enjoyed it, and would read more from Shannon Winslow; I’d also be curious to see how she handles a straightforward Austen retelling or continuation, because I think she could both mimic the style well and take it in some interesting directions.
For Myself Alone is not a direct Austen retelling or continuation, but is billed as being “in the style of” Jane Austen, and with that, I would definitely agree. That’s not to say that a modern voice or sentiments don’t intrude, because as is the case with most Austenesque works, they certainly do. But it does have a similar feel and makes a really good effort at capturing some of that style and feeling of Austen, which I commend Winslow for. She imitates Austen well in style, tone and subject, and while not pitch perfect, I don’t think the book is ever jarringly modern* in the way that some (if not most) JAFF can be.
[* Now, having said that it wasn’t jarringly modern, I’m gonna go ahead and contradict myself, because
there were some thing that did stick out a little bit as a) too modern, and b) as not quite Austenesue. For the most part, I think these things stand out only because the rest mimicked a Regency style so well; in any other Jane Austen fanfic, I don't think any of it would have stood out as particularly modern sensibilities, turns of phrase, or breaches of propriety -- though the latter probably should have been better addressed, as it was a rather big deal. This could be a book chat, maybe; there’s a whole heck of a lot of impropriety happening in Austenesque fiction, and I can never tell how much is for story expediency/modern audience retention, and how much is just from truly not knowing how big a deal something would have been during the Regency period. Hmm…]
It reminds me most, perhaps, of Northanger Abby, which is a long-standing favorite of mine (and I will fight anyone who says NA is not as good as the rest of Austen, I will fight you), and I don’t think it’s purely because a large chunk of the book takes place in Bath. There are themes and characters and deceptions that would be right at home in Northanger Abbey, and that bit of dramatic irony where the reader knows (or heavily suspects) what’s really going on, when the main character doesn’t, that helps make NA so delightful. It does occasionally feel a bit long (at times, I felt like I had been reading this forever), and sometimes overdone, but I still found myself really enjoying it, and what’s more, I find myself remembering it pretty well, which is honestly a sad rarity for me. (I guess when you read too much, too fast, it all tends to blend together and fade pretty quickly…)
There is one thing, and I don’t hold this against the book in any way – though I do wonder how realistic it is – but there is a money-based plot thread in this that in some ways has the main character occasionally seeming very modern and almost-revolutionary, while also being just… Too Good™. Part of me has begun to chafe at martyr female characters. I should probably explore this more in a book chat, but I'm getting to a point where I don't want to wait for it to all come out right in the end for the good guy; I want the good guy to FIGHT. I suppose Jo does fight in her own way, and I suppose she does make the decisions that are most likely to lead to her own happiness, but given the time and the uncertainties for women (and the HIGH improbability of a chance at true independence for women of the time) even in the best of circumstances, some of the bigger things that happened in the book galled me a little bit. Again, I think it suits the story fine, it just doesn’t suit me, but I can’t really get into that without major spoilers.
All that said, I enjoyed it, and would read more from Shannon Winslow; I’d also be curious to see how she handles a straightforward Austen retelling or continuation, because I think she could both mimic the style well and take it in some interesting directions.
April 28, 2012
Gossip. It has the power to create larger than life reputations, but also has the ability to destroy said reputations. Within Jane Austen’s novels we’ve seen just what gossip can do; Mr. Darcy’s reputation and person are vilified by Wickham, John Thorpe gossips about the true size of Catherine Morland’s dowry to a displeased General Tilney, and Captain Wentworth hears gossip that shares the good tidings of Anne Elliot’s non-existent engagement to her cousin William. It should come as no surprise then that Austen fan fiction writer Shannon Winslow should write an Austen-inspired novel that focuses on just what can happen with gossip!
For Myself Alone takes place in Bath and Hampshire in the 1800’s. Winslow tells the story of Josephine Walker, the recent recipient of a large inheritance totaling almost twenty-thousand pounds, an unimaginably large sum at the time. While Josephine is grateful for the inheritance from her Uncle, she also is concerned that people will now view her as a walking pile of money instead of the sweet and caring girl that she normally is. What’s more, the suitors that come courting her can’t be trusted, and the only man in her life that she feels she can trust is Arthur, who also unfortunately happens to be the betrothed of her best friend, Agnes. Engaged herself, Josephine begins to lose trust in her own fiancé, Richard, after she overhears a conversation between him and his father. With all of these events happening to poor Josephine, how will she cope? Will she be able to find comfort in Arthur despite their inability to be together? What will she do with all of that money?
When I reviewed Winslow’s first novel The Darcys of Pemberley, I put in my review that Winslow was sure to be around the JAFF world for a while. For Myself Alone cements that thought in my opinion. Winslow has a fantastic ability to not only create a story that could be a long lost Austen novel, but to write it with the same wit and vivacity we’d expect from Austen herself. Told in a completely first person narrative (which may I add is refreshing in this genre) it opened up the doors to allow us into the mind of our heroine. We know exactly what she is feeling throughout, affording us the opportunity to really connect with her. I find the more you can connect with your heroine/hero the bigger the enjoyment of the work becomes.
The prologue of the novel did a fabulous job at grabbing my attention and making me eager to learn about Josephine’s story and why she was the sudden target of the local gossips. While the beginning of the novel moved slightly slowly, events in Bath pick up at heart-racing fast pace that doesn’t stop until the last page! For those who want a fresh story with a definite Austen flair, For Myself Alone is the way to go. I’m so glad that Winslow is back with another great work. I can’t wait to see what she can do in the JAFF world!
Kimberly (Reflections of a Book Addict)
http://wp.me/p18lIL-Yc
For Myself Alone takes place in Bath and Hampshire in the 1800’s. Winslow tells the story of Josephine Walker, the recent recipient of a large inheritance totaling almost twenty-thousand pounds, an unimaginably large sum at the time. While Josephine is grateful for the inheritance from her Uncle, she also is concerned that people will now view her as a walking pile of money instead of the sweet and caring girl that she normally is. What’s more, the suitors that come courting her can’t be trusted, and the only man in her life that she feels she can trust is Arthur, who also unfortunately happens to be the betrothed of her best friend, Agnes. Engaged herself, Josephine begins to lose trust in her own fiancé, Richard, after she overhears a conversation between him and his father. With all of these events happening to poor Josephine, how will she cope? Will she be able to find comfort in Arthur despite their inability to be together? What will she do with all of that money?
When I reviewed Winslow’s first novel The Darcys of Pemberley, I put in my review that Winslow was sure to be around the JAFF world for a while. For Myself Alone cements that thought in my opinion. Winslow has a fantastic ability to not only create a story that could be a long lost Austen novel, but to write it with the same wit and vivacity we’d expect from Austen herself. Told in a completely first person narrative (which may I add is refreshing in this genre) it opened up the doors to allow us into the mind of our heroine. We know exactly what she is feeling throughout, affording us the opportunity to really connect with her. I find the more you can connect with your heroine/hero the bigger the enjoyment of the work becomes.
The prologue of the novel did a fabulous job at grabbing my attention and making me eager to learn about Josephine’s story and why she was the sudden target of the local gossips. While the beginning of the novel moved slightly slowly, events in Bath pick up at heart-racing fast pace that doesn’t stop until the last page! For those who want a fresh story with a definite Austen flair, For Myself Alone is the way to go. I’m so glad that Winslow is back with another great work. I can’t wait to see what she can do in the JAFF world!
Kimberly (Reflections of a Book Addict)
http://wp.me/p18lIL-Yc
May 5, 2012
As Shannon Winslow’s latest novel For Myself Alone opens, we discover that two things have recently happened to twenty-one year old Josephine Walker: her uncle has willed her a significant inheritance and there has been some unnamed-but-clearly-scandalous “trouble in Bath.” With this hint of mystery, Winslow sets off on her charming tale.
Upon their beloved uncle’s death, the Walker family seems set for life: Josephine has twenty thousand pounds and her brothers inherit an estate and a good living. But Josephine is incredibly uncomfortable with her status as a newly-minted heiress. After a few years of delightful anonymity on the marriage mart in her home county of Hampshire, she is suddenly in the sights of the local fortune-hunters.
In a moment of frustration, Josephine declares: ”I want to be valued for myself alone, not for my bank balance.” And so she and her parents set themselves up in Bath. But Josephine swears them to secrecy about her inheritance. She is determined to attract a husband who will love her regardless of her money.
All seems well as she meets a handsome young man. But the “trouble in Bath” that we discovered at the beginning of the novel is waiting for her.
Though author Shannon Winslow’s previous work The Darcys of Pemberley is an Austen sequel, with For Myself Alone she was interested in doing something different. A note at the beginning reveals that:
"When I began this novel, my goal was to create, not a sequel or a tie-in this time, but a new story — one I imagined Miss Austen might have written next. I didn’t have in mind any direct reference to her work, only a nod to her style."
I applaud Ms. Winslow for how well she achieves this. For Myself Alone is witty and well-paced. I smiled devilishly into my fan at some of the dialogue and laughed out loud at some of the silly thoughts that run through Josephine’s head. I imagine that this is exactly how Jane Austen would have written a first-person narrative. I was hesitant at first to resign myself only to one point of view in the story, but it works very well here. (Minus a number of times I wanted to shake Josephine into seeing what was right in front of her face.)
It is pretty clear from the beginning who Josephine is supposed to end up with. But Winslow does an excellent job of keeping us waiting until Jo herself realizes it, giving little hints and morsels here and there. Along the way, Winslow manages also to give a full picture of family drama and friendships, and, of course, Jane Austen’s favorite theme of the influence of money. Winslow writes all of this with a keen ear for the cadences of Austen’s language. Her prose is a joy to read.
Five Stars
Upon their beloved uncle’s death, the Walker family seems set for life: Josephine has twenty thousand pounds and her brothers inherit an estate and a good living. But Josephine is incredibly uncomfortable with her status as a newly-minted heiress. After a few years of delightful anonymity on the marriage mart in her home county of Hampshire, she is suddenly in the sights of the local fortune-hunters.
In a moment of frustration, Josephine declares: ”I want to be valued for myself alone, not for my bank balance.” And so she and her parents set themselves up in Bath. But Josephine swears them to secrecy about her inheritance. She is determined to attract a husband who will love her regardless of her money.
All seems well as she meets a handsome young man. But the “trouble in Bath” that we discovered at the beginning of the novel is waiting for her.
Though author Shannon Winslow’s previous work The Darcys of Pemberley is an Austen sequel, with For Myself Alone she was interested in doing something different. A note at the beginning reveals that:
"When I began this novel, my goal was to create, not a sequel or a tie-in this time, but a new story — one I imagined Miss Austen might have written next. I didn’t have in mind any direct reference to her work, only a nod to her style."
I applaud Ms. Winslow for how well she achieves this. For Myself Alone is witty and well-paced. I smiled devilishly into my fan at some of the dialogue and laughed out loud at some of the silly thoughts that run through Josephine’s head. I imagine that this is exactly how Jane Austen would have written a first-person narrative. I was hesitant at first to resign myself only to one point of view in the story, but it works very well here. (Minus a number of times I wanted to shake Josephine into seeing what was right in front of her face.)
It is pretty clear from the beginning who Josephine is supposed to end up with. But Winslow does an excellent job of keeping us waiting until Jo herself realizes it, giving little hints and morsels here and there. Along the way, Winslow manages also to give a full picture of family drama and friendships, and, of course, Jane Austen’s favorite theme of the influence of money. Winslow writes all of this with a keen ear for the cadences of Austen’s language. Her prose is a joy to read.
Five Stars
November 14, 2013
The best Austen fanfiction I have yet read by far. This isn't a sequel or a retelling, rather a "Jane Austen inspired novel". The story is completely new, but written, as close as is possible, in Jane Austen's style. While perfection in such an endeavor may be impossible, this one comes pretty darn close.
The heroine is somewhat of a cross between Elinor Dashwood and Elizabeth Bennet. Josephine (the heroine) is a very level-headed person, and can usually (though not always!) see a situation for what it is. She doesn't get pulled in to many of society's whims and vices. She is also very intelligent and witty, though I think her wit is more of the common kind than Lizzy's, because her biting comments are not always so perfectly phrased as to rarely cause offense. Jo at times uses her wit to express her own hurt feelings, and so doing, sometimes hurts deeply those closest to her.
Sprinkled throughout the novel are lines borrowed from all of Austen's novels. They are indexed in the back, but most Austen fans will recognize them right away and it's quite fun to stumble upon one! They are, for the most part, seamlessly inserted and don't feel out of place, which is also quite a treat.
If I have any complaints, they would be that the last half of the book is written in the present tense, which I found very distracting, and once in a while some of the dialogue was a bit forced, but the writing in general was very well-done, I thought. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, the characters, the moral, and the writing. The author expresses a wish that someone might someday find the manuscript of an unpublished Austen novel, but in lieu of that happening, we could do worse than this one.
The heroine is somewhat of a cross between Elinor Dashwood and Elizabeth Bennet. Josephine (the heroine) is a very level-headed person, and can usually (though not always!) see a situation for what it is. She doesn't get pulled in to many of society's whims and vices. She is also very intelligent and witty, though I think her wit is more of the common kind than Lizzy's, because her biting comments are not always so perfectly phrased as to rarely cause offense. Jo at times uses her wit to express her own hurt feelings, and so doing, sometimes hurts deeply those closest to her.
Sprinkled throughout the novel are lines borrowed from all of Austen's novels. They are indexed in the back, but most Austen fans will recognize them right away and it's quite fun to stumble upon one! They are, for the most part, seamlessly inserted and don't feel out of place, which is also quite a treat.
If I have any complaints, they would be that the last half of the book is written in the present tense, which I found very distracting, and once in a while some of the dialogue was a bit forced, but the writing in general was very well-done, I thought. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, the characters, the moral, and the writing. The author expresses a wish that someone might someday find the manuscript of an unpublished Austen novel, but in lieu of that happening, we could do worse than this one.
March 26, 2015
This book was amazing. I enjoyed the Northanger Abbey and Persuasion feel to the storyline. As I progressed, I could find Emma, Sense and Sensibility, and even some Mansfield Park tones. This writing paralleled Jane Austen herself. The storyline was so very well thought out and developed. The characters were rich and deep. You could realize some things were just right to happen, but how could our heroine get through her troubles. She did it famously and heroically. I ultimately felt there was not a hint of Pride and Prejudice in it at all until I realized too, that until certain events were revealed to her, Jo had not known herself at all. I would really love to go back and reread it all over again studying the characters in greater detail. I feel full and satisfied like after a delicious and hearty meal, yet still hungry for more of the characters. Fantastic!
July 17, 2016
I liked it. It was predictable, but something compels you forward. In the end I found it very charming and a nice substitute for Jane. I appreciated the intricacy of research done for this book, but the characters didn't grab a hold of me as much as I expected them to. I do recommend it to anyone who is interested in Regency Era romance however. Good read.
February 1, 2015
Sweet regency romance. 3.5 stars
November 16, 2019
Wonderful
It's such a pleasure to find a book written by a truly talented storyteller, and a clever one at that. This story about Josephine Walker, a girl who finds herself suddenly bequeathed a fortune, is great fun to read mainly because she has a lot of very fascinating things to say. Written in the first person, she is obviously a very intelligent young lady, but is smart enough to realize that she makes many mistakes.
We meet Jo's family, as well as many other residents of her small village, and they're all people we come to care about as she lovingly sketches their characters for us. The story is not at all rushed, there is plenty of character development and situation development, so the reader becomes invested in the plot. When the action moves to Bath, where Jo and her parents visit for her father's health, Jo falls in love, and experiences her first major heartbreak. Her one wish is to find someone who will love her for herself, and not for the fortune she acquired so unexpectedly. She learns that this isn't always so easy.
The book is well written and well edited. I recommend it highly.
It's such a pleasure to find a book written by a truly talented storyteller, and a clever one at that. This story about Josephine Walker, a girl who finds herself suddenly bequeathed a fortune, is great fun to read mainly because she has a lot of very fascinating things to say. Written in the first person, she is obviously a very intelligent young lady, but is smart enough to realize that she makes many mistakes.
We meet Jo's family, as well as many other residents of her small village, and they're all people we come to care about as she lovingly sketches their characters for us. The story is not at all rushed, there is plenty of character development and situation development, so the reader becomes invested in the plot. When the action moves to Bath, where Jo and her parents visit for her father's health, Jo falls in love, and experiences her first major heartbreak. Her one wish is to find someone who will love her for herself, and not for the fortune she acquired so unexpectedly. She learns that this isn't always so easy.
The book is well written and well edited. I recommend it highly.
December 27, 2025
Very witty and well put together. It draws very heavy inspiration from Jane Austen, to the point where I could identify phrases that weren’t in the appendix (a word or phrases would be changed to fit the story better). I had a lot of good laughs as I identified my favorite lines from Austen’s works. I’ve lately been struggling to sit down and read, and I absolutely zoomed through this book!
May 11, 2023
Very good. I love the language of Jane Austen. You really need to be alert to what is being said. Everyone was so proper . This story was very good and the characters new and not from any of her books.
June 10, 2017
The writing style was very good and I enjoyed the Regency setting. There were lines sprinkled throughout that came straight from Jane Austen's work - nice little Easter eggs.
February 4, 2021
Well done. Rational main characters. That's always a plus for me.
August 13, 2022
Great story
I enjoyed this story very much. Cleverly written with good characters to like and dislike. I definitely recommend this story.
I enjoyed this story very much. Cleverly written with good characters to like and dislike. I definitely recommend this story.
September 11, 2014
*spoilers
While written to imitate Jane Austen's style, this book lacks the satire that distinguishes Ms Austen's novels. She cut through the pretensions and vanities of her society with a razor sharp wit that is inimitable. Many of her characters were larger than life and there was great depth to her writing.
The characters in this book are a little bland and even the villains lacked definition. For me, Arthur was the least successful character because we learn almost nothing about his personality apart from the fact that Jo thought he was perfect before he broke his engagement with Agnes. I longed for a love interest with some substance and spark who could get Jo's blood pumping but she doesn't even consider Arthur in a romantic way until she learns that he may be in love with her (I know she comes to the conclusion that she may have been supressing her true feelings all along but I didn't buy this). Richard's true colours are revealed fairly early on and as there is no possible way Jo could go back to him after what she heard there is little romance to fill the void in what is a romantic novel.
Jo was a bit too much of a Mary-Sue for me, especially in her insistence on maintaining her outrage on her jilted friends behalf even after Agnes had married another man! The fact that Agnes has behaved outrageously with Mr Cox in front of Arthur, giving him every right to question their suitability never comes into it for ever-loyal Jo. Agnes was a stereotypical best friend whose shallowness and vanity only served to reinforce how wonderful Jo was. I found the references to religion to be jarring because Jane Austen is considered a secular writer and the clergy and their hypocrisy were among the targets of her wit. I felt the book could have been shorter and more focused. It wasn't exactly unpredictable and a lot of the details weren't necessary to the storyline.
On saying all this, the book is very well-written and I'm sure will appeal to many readers who love Jane Austen and this era. For me it was just okay, but I should probably qualify my opinion by pointing out that I don't like romance much.
To paraphrase a quote from the book that sums it up perfectly, For Myself Alone was "altogether agreeable, if not particularly stimulating."
While written to imitate Jane Austen's style, this book lacks the satire that distinguishes Ms Austen's novels. She cut through the pretensions and vanities of her society with a razor sharp wit that is inimitable. Many of her characters were larger than life and there was great depth to her writing.
The characters in this book are a little bland and even the villains lacked definition. For me, Arthur was the least successful character because we learn almost nothing about his personality apart from the fact that Jo thought he was perfect before he broke his engagement with Agnes. I longed for a love interest with some substance and spark who could get Jo's blood pumping but she doesn't even consider Arthur in a romantic way until she learns that he may be in love with her (I know she comes to the conclusion that she may have been supressing her true feelings all along but I didn't buy this). Richard's true colours are revealed fairly early on and as there is no possible way Jo could go back to him after what she heard there is little romance to fill the void in what is a romantic novel.
Jo was a bit too much of a Mary-Sue for me, especially in her insistence on maintaining her outrage on her jilted friends behalf even after Agnes had married another man! The fact that Agnes has behaved outrageously with Mr Cox in front of Arthur, giving him every right to question their suitability never comes into it for ever-loyal Jo. Agnes was a stereotypical best friend whose shallowness and vanity only served to reinforce how wonderful Jo was. I found the references to religion to be jarring because Jane Austen is considered a secular writer and the clergy and their hypocrisy were among the targets of her wit. I felt the book could have been shorter and more focused. It wasn't exactly unpredictable and a lot of the details weren't necessary to the storyline.
On saying all this, the book is very well-written and I'm sure will appeal to many readers who love Jane Austen and this era. For me it was just okay, but I should probably qualify my opinion by pointing out that I don't like romance much.
To paraphrase a quote from the book that sums it up perfectly, For Myself Alone was "altogether agreeable, if not particularly stimulating."
May 24, 2018
I applaud the author's intention of writing the kind of novels that Jane Austen wrote. She re-creates Ms. Austen's style well for the most part.
This story contains all of the elements of a good Austenesque novel - a young woman navigating the shark-infested waters of pre-matrimony, superficially suitable young men, manners, reputation, and money. It was an enjoyable read. Since comparisons with Austen are inevitable given the title of the book, I must point out what is missing. The book does not contain Austen's awareness of the restricted fate of women caught within the social system of the day or her sly commentary on that subject. There is no subtext that explores the innate unfairness of the fact that a woman's life is determined by ability to attract a husband. While Winslow's characters talk about how money will affect their lives, there is no quiet desperation, no pressure to rescue family member, no feeling of being well and truly trapped the way Austen's characters were, and therefore the crucial choice of marriage partner seems more like a modern romance.
The action is predictable; everyone gets married to the person he or she deserves. There are no real plot twists, but I'm not sure twists are really required.
The main character, Josephine, seems intelligent and capable. The author makes a few attempts to make the character amusingly sharp-tongued, but that is only on occasion and doesn't actually come across as an actual character trait. The character is pleasant enough for the reader to hope things go well for her, but she's certainly no Lizzie Bennet.
My biggest complaint about the book is the editing, which is atrocious. Some examples:
- reasons are both "sited" and "sighted" when they should have been "cited"
- Arthur "brakes" away when he should "break" away
- a shawl is "thread bare" rather than "threadbare" or even "thread-bare"
- "everyday" and "anymore" are used rather than "every day" and "any more"
These are the ones that come to mind, though there were others. I find this kind of sloppy editing to be distracting and annoying.
This story contains all of the elements of a good Austenesque novel - a young woman navigating the shark-infested waters of pre-matrimony, superficially suitable young men, manners, reputation, and money. It was an enjoyable read. Since comparisons with Austen are inevitable given the title of the book, I must point out what is missing. The book does not contain Austen's awareness of the restricted fate of women caught within the social system of the day or her sly commentary on that subject. There is no subtext that explores the innate unfairness of the fact that a woman's life is determined by ability to attract a husband. While Winslow's characters talk about how money will affect their lives, there is no quiet desperation, no pressure to rescue family member, no feeling of being well and truly trapped the way Austen's characters were, and therefore the crucial choice of marriage partner seems more like a modern romance.
The action is predictable; everyone gets married to the person he or she deserves. There are no real plot twists, but I'm not sure twists are really required.
The main character, Josephine, seems intelligent and capable. The author makes a few attempts to make the character amusingly sharp-tongued, but that is only on occasion and doesn't actually come across as an actual character trait. The character is pleasant enough for the reader to hope things go well for her, but she's certainly no Lizzie Bennet.
My biggest complaint about the book is the editing, which is atrocious. Some examples:
- reasons are both "sited" and "sighted" when they should have been "cited"
- Arthur "brakes" away when he should "break" away
- a shawl is "thread bare" rather than "threadbare" or even "thread-bare"
- "everyday" and "anymore" are used rather than "every day" and "any more"
These are the ones that come to mind, though there were others. I find this kind of sloppy editing to be distracting and annoying.
December 18, 2012
This book did sound like something Jane Austen would write herself. Josephine is described as quite average when compared to her friend until she gets an inheritance of 20,000 pounds from her uncle and suddenly she is admired by all for her dowry. Josephine wants to be loved for herself alone and not her money so when she removes with her family to Bath for a few months she doesn't want the society there to know she has come into money. She makes a great friend in Bath and both girls attract a suitor. Jo as she is called by her close friends soon becomes engaged. Everyone seems to approve of her fiance except for a dear friend Arthur who is supposedly unofficially engaged to her friend (arranged by their respective families). Overhearing a conversation she was not meant to hear makes Jo cast doubts on whether her fiance loves her for herself alone or for her money. She must decide which is the case and what she will do about it. I loved all the secondary characters in this novel - not just her close friends but her family members, especially her brothers! And I enjoyed that in each chapter there were lines that Austen wrote herself or quite similar to those in Pride and Prejudice which made me laugh out loud.. here's just a small sampling for your enjoyment:
"I am only resolved to act in that manner which will, in my own opinion constitute my happiness."
"What can I do for you? May I not send for a doctor? Truly you look very ill." Doesn't that sound like Darcy wanting to fetch Elizabeth a glass of wine LOL.
"How long has she been such a favorite? And pray, when am I to wish you joy?" OH Carolines words!
"OH, if there were but such another man for you." Dear Jane!
"There is nothing so bad as parting with ones children. One seems so forelorm without them." OH Mrs Bennet and her nerves!
"But you know married women have never much time for writing." Silly Lydia!
"I am only resolved to act in that manner which will, in my own opinion constitute my happiness."
"What can I do for you? May I not send for a doctor? Truly you look very ill." Doesn't that sound like Darcy wanting to fetch Elizabeth a glass of wine LOL.
"How long has she been such a favorite? And pray, when am I to wish you joy?" OH Carolines words!
"OH, if there were but such another man for you." Dear Jane!
"There is nothing so bad as parting with ones children. One seems so forelorm without them." OH Mrs Bennet and her nerves!
"But you know married women have never much time for writing." Silly Lydia!
July 24, 2014
“For Myself Alone” was good. I liked the story; love the Regency time period, and found the characters interesting. I am a big JA fan so this “Jane Austen Inspired Novel” (s it says on the front) was right up my alley. This was the first book I’ve read by Shannon Winslow.
The potential of me wanting to read more might be there, but I almost think Winslow tried too hard to mimic Jane Austen. That bothers me somewhat. I easily picked out the direct phrases from JA’s works and could name the story, scene, and character speaking for each phrase that jumped out to me. Winslow sites the quotes in the back, which is fine for those curious, but it wasn’t critical for me. Not a big deal but it just seems like an advertising hook. I don’t want to read a wanna-be story.
I did like the unique plot, of a young lady that is given a significant inheritance and then must fend off potential greedy suitors and then a fiancé. How Josephine deals with it is very interesting. I liked Jo’s independent thinking and her determination to not being taken advantage of - rather unique for a Regency period young woman with not many legal rights. Something I didn’t like was the absurd martyr attitude Jo had in her confrontation with Arthur. (Reminiscent of Emma and Mr. Knightly, but drug out…)
I actually would like Winslow to write what she wants, and not try to be a Jane Austen mimic. Her plot ideas are good and she has a good understanding of the Regency time period. So Shannon Winslow, go for it and write your own words for those plots that fill your brain!
The potential of me wanting to read more might be there, but I almost think Winslow tried too hard to mimic Jane Austen. That bothers me somewhat. I easily picked out the direct phrases from JA’s works and could name the story, scene, and character speaking for each phrase that jumped out to me. Winslow sites the quotes in the back, which is fine for those curious, but it wasn’t critical for me. Not a big deal but it just seems like an advertising hook. I don’t want to read a wanna-be story.
I did like the unique plot, of a young lady that is given a significant inheritance and then must fend off potential greedy suitors and then a fiancé. How Josephine deals with it is very interesting. I liked Jo’s independent thinking and her determination to not being taken advantage of - rather unique for a Regency period young woman with not many legal rights. Something I didn’t like was the absurd martyr attitude Jo had in her confrontation with Arthur. (Reminiscent of Emma and Mr. Knightly, but drug out…)
I actually would like Winslow to write what she wants, and not try to be a Jane Austen mimic. Her plot ideas are good and she has a good understanding of the Regency time period. So Shannon Winslow, go for it and write your own words for those plots that fill your brain!
March 13, 2013
Wow!! Absolutely loved this book. I do believe that Ms Winslow has caught the feeling of Jane Austen when she wrote this book. It starts out letting you know that a young lady of consquence is being gossiped about because of a misstep that happened in bath. From there the story is told from the begining from Josephine Walker's perpective. It is written like a diary where she tell us(the audience) her prepective. The story is about Josephine Walker(Jo)a 21yr old spirited,inteligent,witty and caring young lady who comes to inheriet a large some of money from her Uncle when he died. Of course when she became an heiress because of the money it creates problems for Jo. She wants to marry for love above all else and she soon find that she is wanted by all the gentlemen who previously ignored her. She decides to convince her father to go to bath for his health and she asks for her money to be kept secret. Anyway she meets gentlemen and favors one but all is not what she thought and problems arise and there is other problems occuring with dear friends and so the story goes. Will Jo and her friends find happiness and will she find true love? Those are the questions that Jo must sift through. Loved how our heroine speaks to us. Very engaging story. I recomend this book to all a wonderful read!
September 1, 2012
Delighted with Shannon's ability to create a Jane Austen novel with the accuracy evidenced in 'For Myself Alone: a Jane Austen Inspired Novel'.
Her characters, dialogue, descriptions and influences are all noteworthy. A pleasure to read and add to my Jane Austen bookshelves!
I was immediately swept into the story of Josephine Walker who could as easily have walked off the pages of any JA novel. Teased with some 'trouble in Bath' as the opening, we're taken back to before that trouble begins. Introduced to the main characters influencing the story, then following the story's development as we grow more involved with Jo and her adventures in Bath..
Shannon's mini details & descriptions of life are helpful additions that add to our understanding of the era. I really enjoyed her thoughtful inclusions and appreciated the greater knowledge gained. eg. the legal aspects of Jo's inheritance once she became engaged - all told as part of the story, yet insightfully informing readers of impacts we are unlikely to know otherwise.
Enjoying this addition to my Austen in August 2012 Reading Challenges from Adam at Roof Beam Reader and Misty's Book Rat blog.
Her characters, dialogue, descriptions and influences are all noteworthy. A pleasure to read and add to my Jane Austen bookshelves!
I was immediately swept into the story of Josephine Walker who could as easily have walked off the pages of any JA novel. Teased with some 'trouble in Bath' as the opening, we're taken back to before that trouble begins. Introduced to the main characters influencing the story, then following the story's development as we grow more involved with Jo and her adventures in Bath..
Shannon's mini details & descriptions of life are helpful additions that add to our understanding of the era. I really enjoyed her thoughtful inclusions and appreciated the greater knowledge gained. eg. the legal aspects of Jo's inheritance once she became engaged - all told as part of the story, yet insightfully informing readers of impacts we are unlikely to know otherwise.
Enjoying this addition to my Austen in August 2012 Reading Challenges from Adam at Roof Beam Reader and Misty's Book Rat blog.
Read
September 8, 2012There’s a good reason why Jane Austen’s novels have remained popular, though the era she so eloquently described has long since passed into history. She created characters that, with all their flaws, were likeable and the reader became engrossed in their lives and relationships. Shannon Winslow has managed to enter Austen’s England in her imagination and create a new set of characters that are very reminiscent of hers. Josephine Walker is an interesting heroine who speaks her mind and tries, within the confines of society’s restrictions, to build herself a life that feels worthwhile and comfortable. She makes a wise decision about her unexpected good fortune of a large inheritance, and must deal with the emotional fallout when the money attracts the wrong kind of attention. Reading through Shannon’s work is almost like discovering a long hidden and unpublished manuscript from Jane Austen. As an added bonus, Shannon has hidden in each chapter a line from Austen’s books; it’s fun to read the story and try to detect Austen’s words mingled in with Winslow’s. This book is an enjoyable read and another peephole into Austen’s England.
January 11, 2016
This was a well-written, enjoyable Austen-inspired novel, with locations, social interactions, and conversations reminiscent of Jane Austen's novels. The author did a great job keeping to the feel of a "Regency" period with the language and the expressions. The main character, Jo, and her family were appealing and kind -- unlike some of the flawed family members from Jane Austen's novels, who can cause havoc and can be cruel, the main character's family were all supportive and engaging when the heroine needed it.
December 10, 2015
Nicely written; follows Jane's writing style and the characters behave in appropriate Regency ways. The struggles of the main character shows the disadvantages of the genteel poor and the inability to trust others when a large dowry is involved. Josephine trusts that her father and the father of her sweetheart will deal honorably with her and her dowry. When she realizes she cannot trust the man she loves, she has to get out of the betrothal contract on her own terms.
September 30, 2016
Shannon Winslow does an excellent job of recreating the voice and atmosphere of Jane Austen's novels. This one introduces us to Josephine Walker, an heiress who wishes to be loved for herself alone, not for her money. It also shows us how far women's rights have advanced since Jane Austen's day (thankfully!). There are several annoying typos: sighting for citing, reign in for rein in, discretely for discreetly and lightening for lightning, but aside from that, it's a very good read!
August 1, 2014
I mostly enjoyed this book. I did not like that it started by essentially spoiling the story. Don't read the prologue. I also had a hard time that the second have the book was written in first person present tense. Authors should stay away from this idea.
March 1, 2013
This was mildly entertaining but the plot was too predictable. It was obvious from the very first chapter what would happen.
April 13, 2013
Shannon Winslow is the best current Austen-inspired author I have read. I look forward to more from this talented author.
January 31, 2023
A good choice for those of us looking for more "Austenesque" reads. Doesn't take the place of Austen, but a nice escape.
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