The Watsons; Concluded by L.Oulton

by Jane Austen

Continued in the style of Jane Austen, this version takes notes made by Cassandra and Jane's niece Catherine and continues the story in a believable way. You can barely see the join! No more characters are introduced and the storyline follows a style with features that can be followed through to other areas in Jane's books and experience . Well worth reading. It could almost have been written by Jane herself. (Amazon)

Genres: Classics, Jane Austen

121 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 24, 2012

About the author

Jane Austen was an English novelist known primarily for her six novels, which implicitly interpret, critique, and comment upon the English landed gentry at the end of the 18th century. Austen's plots often explore the dependence of women on marriage for the pursuit of favourable social standing and economic security. Her works are an implicit critique of the novels of sensibility of the second half of the 18th century and are part of the transition to 19th-century literary realism. Her deft use of social commentary, realism and biting irony have earned her acclaim among critics and scholars.

The anonymously published Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park (1814), and Emma (1816), were a modest success but brought her little fame in her lifetime. She wrote two other novels—Northanger Abbey and Persuasion, both published posthumously in 1817—and began another, eventually titled Sanditon, but died before its completion. She also left behind three volumes of juvenile writings in manuscript, the short epistolary novel Lady Susan, and the unfinished novel The Watsons.
Since her death Austen's novels have rarely been out of print. A significant transition in her reputation occurred in 1833, when they were republished in Richard Bentley's Standard Novels series (illustrated by Ferdinand Pickering and sold as a set). They gradually gained wide acclaim and popular readership. In 1869, fifty-two years after her death, her nephew's publication of A Memoir of Jane Austen introduced a compelling version of her writing career and supposedly uneventful life to an eager audience. Her work has inspired a large number of critical essays and has been included in many literary anthologies. Her novels have also inspired many films, including 1940's Pride and Prejudice, 1995's Sense and Sensibility and 2016's Love & Friendship.

Reviews

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

This version was better than Joan Aiken's. I liked that events unfolded as I had anticipated when reading Austen's fragment. However, the end was too rushed and not well-developed.

[Andy Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure why this one wasseg aside. Set up seemed pretty promising but perhaps she felt it unoriginal..The heroine is Emma, the one sibling who is more educated and cultured than the others by dint of having been raised in part by a rich aunt but now landed back with the family. There are multiple suitors but the would be winner we barely see in the Austen fragment
And the young chancer and dull Lord are dismissed by her very early on. For this reason Oulton picks up the pen with a bit of a lack of suspense and does not try to draw out the denouement too much but hurries on through to yhe conclusion. She does a pretty good jon stylistically but some of the wit in the dialogue is lost. The heroine on occasion answers monosyllabically. But it is wrapped up fine with whatever notes Austen left and others ha e tried alternative endings too.

[Riley Moffatt · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m so sad she never finished this because I really like it! The characters are so interesting and well thought out and I love this character of Emma who is both a part of and set apart from her family as she grew up away from them. Jane Austen’s unfinished half is better than 3 stars and while I’m glad I saw the (presumed) ending through the second half, it was clear it was not Austen and more of an outline, like another reviewer said.

"Hearts so easily broken would be scarcely worth considering."

[gracie rogers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Absolutely gutted she never finished this one, even more so than Sanditon, it had potential to be wonderful. At least four stars for Jane’s half, Emma Watson was cracking, the rest were horrific and I love them all for it.

I liked Oulton’s planned out plot conclusion, and it was nice to read a version where there was a sense of closure, but it read more like an outline than a full completion. The join was smooth, but it does break down by the end.

[A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oulton's continuation of The Watsons has a happy ending for most of the characters (especially the deserving ones), but it's a jarring change from Austen's careful world and character building to chapters that move through major plot points extremely quickly with a strong focus on summary. It's fine. I may read some of the versions other authors have attempted to see what direction they take the plot.

[Alex Mesman · Rating 1 out of 5]

Awful
Not her style, not her wit and not her class. As bad as it gets. Don’t waste time reading it.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

The good news is it only takes about 2 hours to read this book. The bad news is that it reads more like an outline than a fleshed out story. L. Oulton finished this version in 1923, which might explain some it. A couple reference book list her as female, but I can't really find out any more about her. I believe it to be true as the story is very sentimental; she would have made a good soap opera writer in modern times. She did get the hero right from Jane's first six chapters, but gave no plausible reason for his infatuation with Emma Watson.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a project Jane Austen left unfinished, the part she wrote lacks the refinement of her completed novels; and as another reviewer noted, this conclusion reads almost like a summary of what happened more than a story. That said, it's entertaining!

Some have criticized Miss Austen for naming two of her sweetest, most perfect characters after herself (Jane Bennet and Jane Fairfax). It's worth noting that in this story, Jane Watson is anything but sweet or perfect! 😆

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a little too happy ending for me. Everybody married the person they desired and inherited money. I don't remember Austen being so Hallmark Sunday Movie. It's more satisfying than other conclusions I've read though.

[Gabi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the fragment by Austen; especially the ball scene where Emma danced with Charles was adorable.
I wish I had stopped where Austen did, though, because the part by L. Oulton was very disappointing. It was dull and bland, it read more like a summary of a story than a finished novel.