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Mansfield Trilogy #1
A Contrary Wind: a variation on Mansfield Park
Fanny Price, niece to Sir Thomas Bertram of Mansfield Park, is an intelligent but timid girl from a poor family, who is grateful for the advantages of education and breeding conferred upon her as result of growing up with her wealthier cousins. But the cruelty of her Aunt Norris, coupled with the pain of knowing that the man she secretly loves is infatuated with the vivacious but cold-hearted Mary Crawford, compel Fanny to run away from Mansfield Park and find employment as a governess. Far away from everything she ever knew and the one man she loves, will Fanny grow in fortitude and independence? Will a new suitor heal her broken heart? Or will a reckless decision threaten to destroy her own life and the lives of those she holds most dear? This variation of Jane Austen’s novel includes all the familiar characters from Mansfield Park, as well as some new acquaintances. There are some mature scenes.
348 pages, Paperback
Published January 20, 2017
36 people are currently reading
248 people want to read
About the author
Lona Manning
7 books37 followersLona Manning has a website and blog at www.lonamanning.ca She loves reading, choral singing, gardening and travel. Over the years, she has been a legal secretary, political speech writer, office manager, vocational instructor, non-profit administrator and teacher of English as a Second Language. She spent four years teaching in China, where she began writing her debut novel, A Contrary Wind. She and her family live in the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
July 27, 2018
I truly am blown away.
This is an exquisitely written and researched story that imagines what would have happened at Mansfield Park had the return of Sir Thomas Bertram's ship to England been delayed for weeks by "a contrary wind." After all, his timely arrival in Jane Austen's novel puts an end to the theatrical rehearsals for Lovers' Vows and also ends the disruptive influence of the Crawford siblings. His approval of Fanny as the only sensible one in the household during his absence silences the venomous Mrs. Norris and reassures Fanny that at least the head of the family approves of her character.
By Ms. Manning's reckoning, the results of Sir Thomas's unfortunate delay would be disastrous. Mary and Henry Crawford are unstoppable as they continue to manipulate the Bertrams, with Mary digging her claws deeper into Edmund while Henry toys with both Julia and Maria.
Fanny cannot bear to watch as Edmund falls under Mary's spell. Then Mrs. Norris makes a nasty comment in front of all, belittling Fanny for refusing to take part in the theatrical with her cousins and accusing her of being ungrateful "considering who and what you are." Between Fanny's unrequited love for Edmund and Aunt Norris's continued disapproval, Fanny decides there is no future for her at Mansfield Park, and she makes the uncharacteristically spunky decision to seek a position as a governess and leave.
Unable to face everyone with her decision (especially Edmund), she manages to sneak away and travel to Oxford for her interview. She is hired to work for the Smallridge family. She does leave behind two letters, one to Edmund and one to Sir Thomas, intentionally providing no clues regarding her destination. However, one never gets to its intended recipient.
The day Fanny leaves Mansfield Park is an eventful one for other reasons, as well. In their father's absence, Edmund and his brother Tom must deal with a crisis of Maria's making. Her engagement with Mr. Rushworth is broken off, and it is expected that she will marry Henry Crawford instead. With that distraction, it takes time for Fanny's absence to be noticed and her letters to be discovered. All assume she must have gone to her parents' home in Portsmouth.
Sir Thomas finally returns to his family. Henry's smooth talking bamboozles him, too. When it becomes apparent that Fanny did NOT go to Portsmouth, Tom and Edmund are sent off to search for her, and Henry also leaves, claiming he will join the search. In fact, Henry's only motives are to get away and hopefully put off marrying Maria indefinitely.
The plot develops in various directions from here. It's truly ingenious the way Ms. Manning weaves the different storylines in and around each other. Fanny achieves success as a governess and finally begins to develop some self-confidence when not constantly told how worthless she is. Through her friendship of Mrs. Butters, Mrs. Smallridge's aunt, Fanny meets Mr. William Gibson, a writer and supporter of the abolitionist movement. He ends up on a ship with Fanny's brother William, making the topic of slavery and the British attempts to stop it an integral part of the story. Sir Thomas, having been disgusted by witnessing the slaves on his sugar plantations, resolves to sell out all his business where the profits come from such human suffering.
Meanwhile, Mary wants Fanny found (Edmund will not marry while his cousin is unaccounted for), but in order to prevent him from learning of her duplicity, she also needs to keep Edmund and Fanny separated. Henry DOESN'T want Fanny found because his supposed search for her is his excuse for not marrying Maria.
At one point, Fanny is offered a deal with the Devil (I was shouting, "NO!! DON'T DO IT!!"), and this leads to all kinds of new developments in the story. I was also ticked off with Edmund for being so blind about Mary's true character for so long. It's only when reality smacks him in the face that he finally wises up.
Oh, and Julia Bartram finds herself falling in love with someone, too, which is yet another intriguing storyline that intersects with the others.
It's an exciting book that kept me eagerly turning pages, wondering what was going to happen next. There are historical details and characters woven throughout as well as characters and names from other Jane Austen books. What's most impressive, though, is the way all the different plot elements intertwine. VERY Austenesque! While it's event-driven, Fanny's thoughts keep harking back to Edmund with regret and yearning. The writing itself is just gorgeous.
Several characters change over the course of the book. Fanny herself does, now that she is out in the world and less sheltered, but it's another who is most significantly altered.
This comes to a conclusion (although no happy ending for many characters) and can be read as a stand-alone, but it is only the first in a series and I was impatient to get to the sequel. It is eventually to be at least a trilogy.
Don't skip the "Foreword or Afterword," which comes at the end of the book (92% in my kindle). Ms. Manning provides a lot of thoughtful insights into Mansfield Park and what caused her to make these particular plot choices. The reader is also provided a sneak peek into the beginning of A Marriage of Attachment: a sequel to A Contrary Wind. Be warned, though, that reading the teaser will make you want to read the rest immediately.
This is an exquisitely written and researched story that imagines what would have happened at Mansfield Park had the return of Sir Thomas Bertram's ship to England been delayed for weeks by "a contrary wind." After all, his timely arrival in Jane Austen's novel puts an end to the theatrical rehearsals for Lovers' Vows and also ends the disruptive influence of the Crawford siblings. His approval of Fanny as the only sensible one in the household during his absence silences the venomous Mrs. Norris and reassures Fanny that at least the head of the family approves of her character.
By Ms. Manning's reckoning, the results of Sir Thomas's unfortunate delay would be disastrous. Mary and Henry Crawford are unstoppable as they continue to manipulate the Bertrams, with Mary digging her claws deeper into Edmund while Henry toys with both Julia and Maria.
Fanny cannot bear to watch as Edmund falls under Mary's spell. Then Mrs. Norris makes a nasty comment in front of all, belittling Fanny for refusing to take part in the theatrical with her cousins and accusing her of being ungrateful "considering who and what you are." Between Fanny's unrequited love for Edmund and Aunt Norris's continued disapproval, Fanny decides there is no future for her at Mansfield Park, and she makes the uncharacteristically spunky decision to seek a position as a governess and leave.
Unable to face everyone with her decision (especially Edmund), she manages to sneak away and travel to Oxford for her interview. She is hired to work for the Smallridge family. She does leave behind two letters, one to Edmund and one to Sir Thomas, intentionally providing no clues regarding her destination. However, one never gets to its intended recipient.
The day Fanny leaves Mansfield Park is an eventful one for other reasons, as well. In their father's absence, Edmund and his brother Tom must deal with a crisis of Maria's making. Her engagement with Mr. Rushworth is broken off, and it is expected that she will marry Henry Crawford instead. With that distraction, it takes time for Fanny's absence to be noticed and her letters to be discovered. All assume she must have gone to her parents' home in Portsmouth.
Sir Thomas finally returns to his family. Henry's smooth talking bamboozles him, too. When it becomes apparent that Fanny did NOT go to Portsmouth, Tom and Edmund are sent off to search for her, and Henry also leaves, claiming he will join the search. In fact, Henry's only motives are to get away and hopefully put off marrying Maria indefinitely.
The plot develops in various directions from here. It's truly ingenious the way Ms. Manning weaves the different storylines in and around each other. Fanny achieves success as a governess and finally begins to develop some self-confidence when not constantly told how worthless she is. Through her friendship of Mrs. Butters, Mrs. Smallridge's aunt, Fanny meets Mr. William Gibson, a writer and supporter of the abolitionist movement. He ends up on a ship with Fanny's brother William, making the topic of slavery and the British attempts to stop it an integral part of the story. Sir Thomas, having been disgusted by witnessing the slaves on his sugar plantations, resolves to sell out all his business where the profits come from such human suffering.
Meanwhile, Mary wants Fanny found (Edmund will not marry while his cousin is unaccounted for), but in order to prevent him from learning of her duplicity, she also needs to keep Edmund and Fanny separated. Henry DOESN'T want Fanny found because his supposed search for her is his excuse for not marrying Maria.
At one point, Fanny is offered a deal with the Devil (I was shouting, "NO!! DON'T DO IT!!"), and this leads to all kinds of new developments in the story. I was also ticked off with Edmund for being so blind about Mary's true character for so long. It's only when reality smacks him in the face that he finally wises up.
Oh, and Julia Bartram finds herself falling in love with someone, too, which is yet another intriguing storyline that intersects with the others.
It's an exciting book that kept me eagerly turning pages, wondering what was going to happen next. There are historical details and characters woven throughout as well as characters and names from other Jane Austen books. What's most impressive, though, is the way all the different plot elements intertwine. VERY Austenesque! While it's event-driven, Fanny's thoughts keep harking back to Edmund with regret and yearning. The writing itself is just gorgeous.
Several characters change over the course of the book. Fanny herself does, now that she is out in the world and less sheltered, but it's another who is most significantly altered.
This comes to a conclusion (although no happy ending for many characters) and can be read as a stand-alone, but it is only the first in a series and I was impatient to get to the sequel. It is eventually to be at least a trilogy.
Don't skip the "Foreword or Afterword," which comes at the end of the book (92% in my kindle). Ms. Manning provides a lot of thoughtful insights into Mansfield Park and what caused her to make these particular plot choices. The reader is also provided a sneak peek into the beginning of A Marriage of Attachment: a sequel to A Contrary Wind. Be warned, though, that reading the teaser will make you want to read the rest immediately.
May 18, 2017
What If Fanny Was Tired of Being Called Ungrateful?
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
What a novel experience it is to read a variation for Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park! What happens in a Mansfield Park variation? Is it like a Pride and Prejudice variation – do Fanny and Edmund still end up together (just traveling a different path)? Or does the author shake things up a little more?
In Lona Manning’s contemplative and inventive variation she poses the questions:
What if “a contrary wind” delayed Sit Thomas’s return to Mansfield Park by a few weeks?
What if the rehearsals of Lover’s Vows continued unimpeded?
What if Fanny was tired of being told she was an ungrateful burden to the Bertram family and decided to take control of her own future?
So many possibilities, right? With Sir Thomas’s continued absence and the increasing intimacy and suggestiveness of the theatricals, there is so much that happens! But sadly, Fanny isn’t there to witness it all. She has left Mansfield behind to seek a position as a governess. What will the Bertrams say when they notice Fanny’s absence? Will Fanny ever be reunited with her Bertram cousins? Or will her path continue to diverge from theirs?
Brava to Lona Manning for her thoughtful twists and skillful execution in this variation. This story was in no way predictable and it kept me guessing almost until the end! I really enjoyed not knowing what to expect and I enjoyed the slow and leisurely reveal. With every character there were some twists, so nothing was proceeding in a predictable or familiar way!
One aspect of this story that I enjoyed is Ms. Manning’s respectful renderings of Jane Austen’s characters. Her thoughtful and perceptive portrayals of these characters illustrate her keen understanding, and I’m happy to say she doesn’t take any character too far away from their original personality (like the film adaptations do!). I greatly appreciated the development of Fanny’s character throughout this story. (Forewarning: I’m not one of those readers who despise Fanny). Fanny has always earned my sympathy, and I admire her tender heart and how she strives to live by a strict moral code. In this story, we see more of how Fanny can be selfless and compassionate towards others. The Crawfords, on the other hand, did not rise in my esteem. Their selfishness and self-serving interests are heightened a little in this novel.
Another element of the story I enjoyed was the clever and subtle inclusion of several characters from other Jane Austen novels. It is always fun to detect a character and situation that sounds familiar. In addition, I enjoyed the new original characters that were introduced, and the spotlight on the abolitionist movement and British navy.
While I loved all the twists Ms. Manning implemented in her tale, I did find some of the later ones to be a little too sudden and abrupt for my taste. I think if they unraveled at more leisurely pace or with more of a build up it would have been better. But perhaps the author was trying to keep this story from being too long. However, the quicker action at the end and the several story threads left hanging made some things feeling a little more unresolved. (Definitely hoping for a sequel!)
A Contrary Wind is a praiseworthy and well-crafted variation of Mansfield Park. Through her prose and premise Lona Manning displays a comprehensive knowledge of the time period and an admirable devotion to Jane Austen and her world. A wonderful choice for readers who are looking for well-written stories that feature other Jane Austen novels.
Warning: Recommended for mature audiences due to a few intimate scenes and descriptions (nothing graphic).
Austenesque Reviews
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
What a novel experience it is to read a variation for Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park! What happens in a Mansfield Park variation? Is it like a Pride and Prejudice variation – do Fanny and Edmund still end up together (just traveling a different path)? Or does the author shake things up a little more?
In Lona Manning’s contemplative and inventive variation she poses the questions:
What if “a contrary wind” delayed Sit Thomas’s return to Mansfield Park by a few weeks?
What if the rehearsals of Lover’s Vows continued unimpeded?
What if Fanny was tired of being told she was an ungrateful burden to the Bertram family and decided to take control of her own future?
So many possibilities, right? With Sir Thomas’s continued absence and the increasing intimacy and suggestiveness of the theatricals, there is so much that happens! But sadly, Fanny isn’t there to witness it all. She has left Mansfield behind to seek a position as a governess. What will the Bertrams say when they notice Fanny’s absence? Will Fanny ever be reunited with her Bertram cousins? Or will her path continue to diverge from theirs?
Brava to Lona Manning for her thoughtful twists and skillful execution in this variation. This story was in no way predictable and it kept me guessing almost until the end! I really enjoyed not knowing what to expect and I enjoyed the slow and leisurely reveal. With every character there were some twists, so nothing was proceeding in a predictable or familiar way!
One aspect of this story that I enjoyed is Ms. Manning’s respectful renderings of Jane Austen’s characters. Her thoughtful and perceptive portrayals of these characters illustrate her keen understanding, and I’m happy to say she doesn’t take any character too far away from their original personality (like the film adaptations do!). I greatly appreciated the development of Fanny’s character throughout this story. (Forewarning: I’m not one of those readers who despise Fanny). Fanny has always earned my sympathy, and I admire her tender heart and how she strives to live by a strict moral code. In this story, we see more of how Fanny can be selfless and compassionate towards others. The Crawfords, on the other hand, did not rise in my esteem. Their selfishness and self-serving interests are heightened a little in this novel.
Another element of the story I enjoyed was the clever and subtle inclusion of several characters from other Jane Austen novels. It is always fun to detect a character and situation that sounds familiar. In addition, I enjoyed the new original characters that were introduced, and the spotlight on the abolitionist movement and British navy.
While I loved all the twists Ms. Manning implemented in her tale, I did find some of the later ones to be a little too sudden and abrupt for my taste. I think if they unraveled at more leisurely pace or with more of a build up it would have been better. But perhaps the author was trying to keep this story from being too long. However, the quicker action at the end and the several story threads left hanging made some things feeling a little more unresolved. (Definitely hoping for a sequel!)
A Contrary Wind is a praiseworthy and well-crafted variation of Mansfield Park. Through her prose and premise Lona Manning displays a comprehensive knowledge of the time period and an admirable devotion to Jane Austen and her world. A wonderful choice for readers who are looking for well-written stories that feature other Jane Austen novels.
Warning: Recommended for mature audiences due to a few intimate scenes and descriptions (nothing graphic).
Austenesque Reviews
December 14, 2020
A meek, frail heroine decides enough is enough as events back at Mansfield Park take shocking turns due to the machinations of others. A stunning, colorful, and dramatic variation on Jane Austen's Mansfield Park that was emotional, thoughtful, and oft-times evocative as it took the characters on a very different journey when Fanny Price asks what if she doesn't have to stay and put up with being downtrodden and dependent and also what if the fates send a contrary wind to keep Sir Thomas at sea long enough not to prevent the outcome of the Mansfield theatricals. What indeed...
A Contrary Wind is a unique variation story because it tackles a book that, for one, gets few variations written about it and is also generally the least popular of Jane Austen's novels. The themes of the book and the characters can chafe on modern readers. I for one have never been inclined to dislike the story and was plenty excited when I saw A Contrary Wind released (even though my late reading of the book may suggest differently).
I was only a few pages in when I knew that my early excitement was going to pale against my actual feelings while reading the book. I didn't want to stop reading. The variations began right away since the book had a quick intro and then dove into the place in the original story after most of the characters are introduced and the spicy Lover's Vows play has been in full swing at Mansfield. The author was attentive to writing style, historical background, and infusing authentic historical elements so, though the story took a different path, and some of the characters were exaggerated versions, it smacked of Austen and Regency era.
I appreciated the way the author grappled with the plantation and slavery issue right out in the open and also addressed the character flaws in all of them the same way. Some characters faced their crises and grew while others didn't. The author didn't paint a rosy, romantic story, but rather one of likely possibility dominated by cause and effect from choices yet there were surprises of the unexpected, too. There is a lot of movement as several characters get to narrate from their point of view and this helped the reader know their motives and personalities better.
Fanny is at the heart of it all and more of a catalyst than she ever dreamed she could be or that others could either. It was interesting to explore what would happen among the denizens of Mansfield and it's close relations when the two most steadying influences were absent (Sir Thomas and Fanny) and the others could run unchecked.
Fanny starts off as a staunch and over-sensitive person who learns to know herself and how she was as flawed as the rest even if her excesses went in a less destructive vein. I loved seeing her experience something new and be influenced by new people to find balance and how strong she really can be.
While I thought the Crawfords were quite vile, I found the story bracing and colorful with them working their wiles on the others.
I was startled by what comes for Tom's and even Julia's characters in the end, but not displeased. William Price was a ray or shining light as a heroic and sunny-tempered sailor.
Like most variations, what is varied in the characters is as intriguing as what is done with the plot.
I'm glad I knew going in that the resolve was long and far off because it ended somewhat open-ended. I definitely wish to pursue these characters even the ones bent on greed and their own disastrous path. A less-dense and more dramatic version of the original that I think will find vast appeal for those who love flawed characters and some gothic in their historical romance or fiction plots.
A Contrary Wind is a unique variation story because it tackles a book that, for one, gets few variations written about it and is also generally the least popular of Jane Austen's novels. The themes of the book and the characters can chafe on modern readers. I for one have never been inclined to dislike the story and was plenty excited when I saw A Contrary Wind released (even though my late reading of the book may suggest differently).
I was only a few pages in when I knew that my early excitement was going to pale against my actual feelings while reading the book. I didn't want to stop reading. The variations began right away since the book had a quick intro and then dove into the place in the original story after most of the characters are introduced and the spicy Lover's Vows play has been in full swing at Mansfield. The author was attentive to writing style, historical background, and infusing authentic historical elements so, though the story took a different path, and some of the characters were exaggerated versions, it smacked of Austen and Regency era.
I appreciated the way the author grappled with the plantation and slavery issue right out in the open and also addressed the character flaws in all of them the same way. Some characters faced their crises and grew while others didn't. The author didn't paint a rosy, romantic story, but rather one of likely possibility dominated by cause and effect from choices yet there were surprises of the unexpected, too. There is a lot of movement as several characters get to narrate from their point of view and this helped the reader know their motives and personalities better.
Fanny is at the heart of it all and more of a catalyst than she ever dreamed she could be or that others could either. It was interesting to explore what would happen among the denizens of Mansfield and it's close relations when the two most steadying influences were absent (Sir Thomas and Fanny) and the others could run unchecked.
Fanny starts off as a staunch and over-sensitive person who learns to know herself and how she was as flawed as the rest even if her excesses went in a less destructive vein. I loved seeing her experience something new and be influenced by new people to find balance and how strong she really can be.
While I thought the Crawfords were quite vile, I found the story bracing and colorful with them working their wiles on the others.
I was startled by what comes for Tom's and even Julia's characters in the end, but not displeased. William Price was a ray or shining light as a heroic and sunny-tempered sailor.
Like most variations, what is varied in the characters is as intriguing as what is done with the plot.
I'm glad I knew going in that the resolve was long and far off because it ended somewhat open-ended. I definitely wish to pursue these characters even the ones bent on greed and their own disastrous path. A less-dense and more dramatic version of the original that I think will find vast appeal for those who love flawed characters and some gothic in their historical romance or fiction plots.
July 26, 2018
"Ah even when you do wrong by your own admission, you do no wrong. Have you never succumbed and done what you 'know' to be wrong? No? I will tell you why. It is not because you are more virtuous than the rest of us - though I know you think you are. It is because nothing tempts you. You are too frightened of everything to attempt anything! (quote from the book)
What if a 'contrary wind' changed the course of events at 'Mansfield Park'? What if Fanny Price finally had a enough of her cruel and domineering Aunt Norris and decided to sneak away in the early morning mist?
"Despair had given her the courage to do what once had been truly unfathomable." (quote from the book)
Ms. Manning has taken Jane Austen's timid and meek Fanny Price and set her on a course of self-discovery that will test her to her very soul. This is a Fanny I now admire for it is a gradual metamorphosis. Not one where she becomes something she is not. For she is still in essentials, Fanny. As for Edmund Bertram, he is blinded by his infatuation with Mary Crawford and his own arrogance. His journey is just as difficult and one that humbles him completely.
But let us not forget the protagonists, Henry and Mary Crawford. They are brilliant in their 'arts and allurements', their deceptions are subtle and their selfishness knows no bounds. I literally wanted to throttle them both for the havoc they wreaked. Do they get their comeuppance? You will have to read this amazing rendering to find out!
"She told herself that with her determination and ingenuity, she could shape him into the man he deserved to be." (quote from the book)
This is a complex multi-layered story that takes all the characters from Mansfield Park and sets them on a course based on their own actions that is believable. There are new and delightful characters that you will meet and some you will come to love...Mrs. Butters and Mr. Gibson to name a few. There are references to other characters from Ms. Austen's other works that are sprinkled throughout. Where Jane Austen only slightly references the slave trade, Ms. Manning has used this as a strong plot point. It is breathtaking in it's scope, and I look forward to reading the sequel, "A Marriage of Attachment" next!
I won this book in a giveaway with no expectation of a review.
What if a 'contrary wind' changed the course of events at 'Mansfield Park'? What if Fanny Price finally had a enough of her cruel and domineering Aunt Norris and decided to sneak away in the early morning mist?
"Despair had given her the courage to do what once had been truly unfathomable." (quote from the book)
Ms. Manning has taken Jane Austen's timid and meek Fanny Price and set her on a course of self-discovery that will test her to her very soul. This is a Fanny I now admire for it is a gradual metamorphosis. Not one where she becomes something she is not. For she is still in essentials, Fanny. As for Edmund Bertram, he is blinded by his infatuation with Mary Crawford and his own arrogance. His journey is just as difficult and one that humbles him completely.
But let us not forget the protagonists, Henry and Mary Crawford. They are brilliant in their 'arts and allurements', their deceptions are subtle and their selfishness knows no bounds. I literally wanted to throttle them both for the havoc they wreaked. Do they get their comeuppance? You will have to read this amazing rendering to find out!
"She told herself that with her determination and ingenuity, she could shape him into the man he deserved to be." (quote from the book)
This is a complex multi-layered story that takes all the characters from Mansfield Park and sets them on a course based on their own actions that is believable. There are new and delightful characters that you will meet and some you will come to love...Mrs. Butters and Mr. Gibson to name a few. There are references to other characters from Ms. Austen's other works that are sprinkled throughout. Where Jane Austen only slightly references the slave trade, Ms. Manning has used this as a strong plot point. It is breathtaking in it's scope, and I look forward to reading the sequel, "A Marriage of Attachment" next!
I won this book in a giveaway with no expectation of a review.
March 22, 2018
One of the finest Austen variations I have had the pleasure to read.
Having read and been delighted by a number of Austen variations on previous occasions, I was most interested in Manning's adaptation of Mansfield Park. While not my favourite of Austen's works, I was intrigued as to what might be done to the classic novel to provide genuinely viable alternate outcomes for the characters, and hopefully to make Fanny Price more interesting than I found her in the original classic.
Lona Manning's recreation of Mansfield Park, its inhabitants and neighbours did not disappoint. I found myself drawn into Austen's world where the Bertram family prosper and their cousin, Fanny, is stifled amongst them. From that point, Manning's variation is interwoven seamlessly with the original until Austen's story is found to be completely changed. More than once, I had to think back and remind myself of what had happened in the original text, until I gave up on doing that and simply allowed myself to be carried away by Manning's narrative.
'A Contrary Wind' is well-written, keeping in step with the language and writing style used by Austen to tell her stories, while being mercifully less wordy about some of the characters' more trifling thoughts and decisions than Mansfield Park itself.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and consider it to be one of the finest Austen variations I have had the pleasure to read.
Having read and been delighted by a number of Austen variations on previous occasions, I was most interested in Manning's adaptation of Mansfield Park. While not my favourite of Austen's works, I was intrigued as to what might be done to the classic novel to provide genuinely viable alternate outcomes for the characters, and hopefully to make Fanny Price more interesting than I found her in the original classic.
Lona Manning's recreation of Mansfield Park, its inhabitants and neighbours did not disappoint. I found myself drawn into Austen's world where the Bertram family prosper and their cousin, Fanny, is stifled amongst them. From that point, Manning's variation is interwoven seamlessly with the original until Austen's story is found to be completely changed. More than once, I had to think back and remind myself of what had happened in the original text, until I gave up on doing that and simply allowed myself to be carried away by Manning's narrative.
'A Contrary Wind' is well-written, keeping in step with the language and writing style used by Austen to tell her stories, while being mercifully less wordy about some of the characters' more trifling thoughts and decisions than Mansfield Park itself.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and consider it to be one of the finest Austen variations I have had the pleasure to read.
April 28, 2017
While Sir Thomas Bertram is visiting his plantations in the West Indies his family back at Mansfield Park have decided to put on a play. Fanny Price continually faced with the cruel remarks of her Aunt Norris and her unrequited love of Edmund Bertram secretly leaves to become a governess. So the future of all the players are changed.
A very enjoyable well written variation of Mansfield Park.
A very enjoyable well written variation of Mansfield Park.
March 28, 2021
This is a beautiful and compelling adaptation of Mansfield Park — a novel that I think is Austen’s most difficult (yet perhaps most rewarding). What Lona Manning has done here reminds me of what a composer like Liszt did by adapting and arranging the music of other great composers — that is, accentuating the spirit of the original by altering the instrumentation. The spirit of Mansfield Park, to me, is self-knowledge. How well does anyone understand his or her own flaws and virtues? By altering a few key decisions in Fanny Price’s life, Manning allows Fanny, Edmund, and the other Bertrams to explore this question in a novel that has an engaging plot and very well-developed characters. I highly recommend this book!
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July 28, 20184.5 stars rounded up to 5 RTC
March 7, 2017
A very clever MP variation. For mature readers...there were more than 'I didn't need to read that' moments for me...but many know my 'starched notions". The afterword makes mention of the possibility of a sequel...needed in my view as the ending leaves a little too much unsettled for my liking. Several surprising moments in the book. I hope the author writes more very soon. 3.5 rounded to 4. I won a copy of the book at Austenesque Reviews in exchange for a fair and honest review. Thank you to the author as well.
July 23, 2025
If you like Jane Austen for her acerbic wit and keen observations of human nature, if you like eighteenth-century novels for their linguistic control and narrative abandon, you will enjoy this Mansfield Park variation.
“She pulled at the top drawer of a battered sideboard, which refused to open. A firmer tug and the drawer yielded, nearly spilling all of its contents on the floor. Mrs Price pawed and rummaged, pulling out bits of ribbon, parts of a broken mantelpiece clock, and stubs of candles, more than once exclaiming to herself, ‘THERE it is!;’ but Miss Crawford came to realize it was not Fanny’s correspondence she was referring to but some other long-lost object.” (p. 110)
This is just one example of amusing bits of observation to be found in A Contrary Wind. The plot has a tendency to ramble, not all characters are necessary to it, but the writing is so good it would be a shame to miss any of it. There is a good deal of Henry Fielding, Samuel Richardson and Fanny Burney here:
“The flickering firelight, casting its shadow on the wall, the deepening shades of night without, the silence of the household, all lent themselves to a confessional mood, and Fanny found herself listening with amazement and horror to [an unnecessary character’s well-told] story.” (p. 303)
As well as Jane Austen:
“Lest the reader’s imagination give rise to a supposition in which this first meeting was the precursor to other, longer, more interesting interviews, in which two lonely souls discovered an irrepressible and mutual sympathy, allow me to state that not then, nor subsequently, did Fanny ever injure the peace of the household or betray her own principles by fancying herself in love with the master of the house.” (p. 84)
The second time round, I read A Contrary Wind side by side with Mansfield Park. My idea was to relieve the tedium of the latter by the fun of the former, but it turned out to be much more than that. Highly recommended!
“She pulled at the top drawer of a battered sideboard, which refused to open. A firmer tug and the drawer yielded, nearly spilling all of its contents on the floor. Mrs Price pawed and rummaged, pulling out bits of ribbon, parts of a broken mantelpiece clock, and stubs of candles, more than once exclaiming to herself, ‘THERE it is!;’ but Miss Crawford came to realize it was not Fanny’s correspondence she was referring to but some other long-lost object.” (p. 110)
This is just one example of amusing bits of observation to be found in A Contrary Wind. The plot has a tendency to ramble, not all characters are necessary to it, but the writing is so good it would be a shame to miss any of it. There is a good deal of Henry Fielding, Samuel Richardson and Fanny Burney here:
“The flickering firelight, casting its shadow on the wall, the deepening shades of night without, the silence of the household, all lent themselves to a confessional mood, and Fanny found herself listening with amazement and horror to [an unnecessary character’s well-told] story.” (p. 303)
As well as Jane Austen:
“Lest the reader’s imagination give rise to a supposition in which this first meeting was the precursor to other, longer, more interesting interviews, in which two lonely souls discovered an irrepressible and mutual sympathy, allow me to state that not then, nor subsequently, did Fanny ever injure the peace of the household or betray her own principles by fancying herself in love with the master of the house.” (p. 84)
The second time round, I read A Contrary Wind side by side with Mansfield Park. My idea was to relieve the tedium of the latter by the fun of the former, but it turned out to be much more than that. Highly recommended!
July 19, 2017
In this reimagining of Jane Austen's "Mansfield Park", Sir Thomas Bertram does not arrive home in time to call an early stop to play rehearsals. And so the story heads off in a different direction. The result is an excellent read, masterful in its execution.
The storylines are fresh and entertaining, and don't hurtle toward a predictable conclusion. The characters (both new and from the original) are lovingly developed with plausibility and clarity. There was one decision by Fanny Price that felt a little out of character, but this was a minor bump for me on a thoroughly enjoyable journey.
The author apparently used a little bit of the original text. Perhaps I'm just not expert enough, but I could not tell where this happened (in the Kindle version) - such was the quality of the writing. It reads just like an Austen novel, with a similarly structured ending (take note those only interested in modern writing and endings). A sequel would be more than welcome!
The storylines are fresh and entertaining, and don't hurtle toward a predictable conclusion. The characters (both new and from the original) are lovingly developed with plausibility and clarity. There was one decision by Fanny Price that felt a little out of character, but this was a minor bump for me on a thoroughly enjoyable journey.
The author apparently used a little bit of the original text. Perhaps I'm just not expert enough, but I could not tell where this happened (in the Kindle version) - such was the quality of the writing. It reads just like an Austen novel, with a similarly structured ending (take note those only interested in modern writing and endings). A sequel would be more than welcome!
September 29, 2018
While author Lona Manning does an excellent job of channeling Jane Austen stylistically , the entire premise of A Contrary Wind misses the mark. Ms. Manning wishes to give a modernized voice to the oft-maligned Fanny Price by showing her development into a young woman of Twenty-First Century grit, determination, and confidence. But doing so is an error, like thrusting Luke Skywalker into an episode of The Flinstones. (In fact, now that I think on it, Luke Skywalker meeting with Fred and Barney may actually be more satisfying than this novel.)
Fanny is very much a Nineteenth Century character created by a novelist of manners who set her in a Nineteenth Century environment, endowed her with Nineteenth Century attributes, and presented her with Nineteenth Century challenges. Those who view Mansfield Park through a Twenty-First Century lens cannot help but misinterpret who Fanny is. Rather than being a priggish pushover, Fanny is actually a model of Christian virtue, endowed with humility, gratitude, patience, constance (which is a MAJOR theme in MP) and, yes, obedience. Ms. Manning sees Fanny as someone who does not know her worth. On the contrary, Fanny knows exactly who she is: a young woman who has been thrust into a filmy netherworld between Mansfield Park and Portsmouth, destined to hover around the edges of Society without being allowed to enter it. This was a truism in Austen's age. There was -- and still is, to a great degree -- a palpable dividing line between Societal castes. In fact, in Society at that time, a young woman such a Fanny did have very little worth, in terms of consequence.
There are several problems with Manning's plotline:
Recommend it? Not if you are a traditionalist, as concerns classic literature. There are so many uncharacteristic turns in this novel that JA's characters are hardly recognizable. While Manning's prosaic style is lovely, I just can't abide the "modern" take on the plot. If, however, you are a fan of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and the Bridget Jones series, then you might very much enjoy A Contrary Wind.
Fanny is very much a Nineteenth Century character created by a novelist of manners who set her in a Nineteenth Century environment, endowed her with Nineteenth Century attributes, and presented her with Nineteenth Century challenges. Those who view Mansfield Park through a Twenty-First Century lens cannot help but misinterpret who Fanny is. Rather than being a priggish pushover, Fanny is actually a model of Christian virtue, endowed with humility, gratitude, patience, constance (which is a MAJOR theme in MP) and, yes, obedience. Ms. Manning sees Fanny as someone who does not know her worth. On the contrary, Fanny knows exactly who she is: a young woman who has been thrust into a filmy netherworld between Mansfield Park and Portsmouth, destined to hover around the edges of Society without being allowed to enter it. This was a truism in Austen's age. There was -- and still is, to a great degree -- a palpable dividing line between Societal castes. In fact, in Society at that time, a young woman such a Fanny did have very little worth, in terms of consequence.
There are several problems with Manning's plotline:
Recommend it? Not if you are a traditionalist, as concerns classic literature. There are so many uncharacteristic turns in this novel that JA's characters are hardly recognizable. While Manning's prosaic style is lovely, I just can't abide the "modern" take on the plot. If, however, you are a fan of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and the Bridget Jones series, then you might very much enjoy A Contrary Wind.
October 31, 2018
Certainly the finest modern rework of an Austen novel
Remarkable alternate telling on Mansfield Park, combines an excellent reproduction of Austen’s writing with informed narration of portions of Regency life that Austen, herself, would never have touched, but which explain the mores and social expectations of the day such that modern readers can better understand why Mansfield Park is such a brilliant novel. The author only tweaks the characters lightly to make them more active, without losing the leisurely pacing of the original. Judicious use of Austen’s own writing to reground the narrative helps maintain the flavor and tone of the original. I look forward to rereading this novel, which is something I seldom do with Austen reworks and knockoffs.
Remarkable alternate telling on Mansfield Park, combines an excellent reproduction of Austen’s writing with informed narration of portions of Regency life that Austen, herself, would never have touched, but which explain the mores and social expectations of the day such that modern readers can better understand why Mansfield Park is such a brilliant novel. The author only tweaks the characters lightly to make them more active, without losing the leisurely pacing of the original. Judicious use of Austen’s own writing to reground the narrative helps maintain the flavor and tone of the original. I look forward to rereading this novel, which is something I seldom do with Austen reworks and knockoffs.
April 29, 2018
The author of A Contrary Wind did an excellent job of portraying the world and times of Jane Austen. Her research was impeccable. (Or if it wasn’t, then she was certainly able to make it seem as if it was!) I love it when authors can weave actual history into their story without distracting you (or boring you!) from the story itself. Also, the writing style is very authentic to Austen's. If you had handed me this book and told me, “This was one of Jane’s alternate endings for Mansfield Park”, I honestly think I would believe that a new manuscript had been discovered and published for all of us readers who are hungry for more of Jane Austen’s works. Great stuff!
July 24, 2017
Mansfield Park Austenation. Tremendously well researched - I couldn't find a single anachronism - while still being very entertaining and accessible. Lots of fun little pop-ins featuring other Austen characters and some historical personages. I read a lot of these things and this one was really exceptional. Highly recommended for any Austen fan -- especially those who are more on the purist side.
May 2, 2022
Mansfield Park was not my favorite but this book got me going on the Mansfield Park trilogy. Good for Fanny Price!! I was so happy to read this and see here moving out of her shell. Thanks, Lona Manning. PS:Writing reviews on the two other books in this trilogy.
June 24, 2020
A Mansfield Park Variation.
While Sir Thomas Bertram is visiting his plantations in the West Indies his family back at Mansfield Park have decided to put on a play. Fanny Price continually faced with the cruel remarks of her Aunt Norris and her unrequited love of Edmund Bertram secretly leaves to become a governess. So the future of all the players are changed.
A very enjoyable well written variation of Mansfield Park. A re-read
While Sir Thomas Bertram is visiting his plantations in the West Indies his family back at Mansfield Park have decided to put on a play. Fanny Price continually faced with the cruel remarks of her Aunt Norris and her unrequited love of Edmund Bertram secretly leaves to become a governess. So the future of all the players are changed.
A very enjoyable well written variation of Mansfield Park. A re-read
July 14, 2017
I enjoyed this variation on Mansfield Park. The different take and new characters fit well. The new characters portrayed other happenings during that time period especially in relation to the naval world.
The familiar characters were presented equally well.
The general vibe of the story was Jane Austen-like and had me engaged. The familiar Fanny anxieties and the dislike for the Crawford manipulations came through just right.
The familiar characters were presented equally well.
The general vibe of the story was Jane Austen-like and had me engaged. The familiar Fanny anxieties and the dislike for the Crawford manipulations came through just right.
January 30, 2019
This book has received a Discovering Diamonds Review:
Helen Hollick
founder #DDRevs
"I was doubtful, I admit, before starting this novel – not another Austen-look-alike… but actually, I quite enjoyed this one! "
Helen Hollick
founder #DDRevs
"I was doubtful, I admit, before starting this novel – not another Austen-look-alike… but actually, I quite enjoyed this one! "
October 31, 2022
DNF
I'm out.
I really, really, REALLY wanted to like, if not LOVE, this, and I give full credit to Manning for a) doing research and writing coherently without info-dumping, b) putting Fanny as her lead and attempting to show everyone, by keeping them firmly set as villains, the Crawfords are not all that and a box of Crackerjacks, much less "secondary heroes" of Mansfield Park.
Buuttt...
This book really got under my skin in a bad way, and it took me a bit to figure out what my beef was exactly, but I finally realized it's (whether intended to be or not) a glorified fix-it fic in the guise of a "what if".
This book is not about Austen's Fanny Price, or what she would have done (realistically) had her uncle not returned to intercept the Lover's Vows play, it's about Manning's empowered, re-educated, not quite modernized but still changed to conform to a more modern ideal of what readers today might look for in a regency heroine, Fanny Price and I have a real problem with that...
I would firstly be a hypocrite if I decried the character changes in books like "Murder at Mansfield Park" but overlooked this because it's (in theory) in Fanny's favour.
Second, Manning does not GET Fanny, I'm sorry, but she doesn't.
Fanny is a Cinderella, a Sara Crewe, type figure; these are essentially superheroes for girls, a moral paragon, no idiot in his right bloody mind wants to read a book where Superman learns the evils of slavery and the value of blood family over adoptive family.
Much less would they want to read about Superman's atheist peasant girlfriend.
Mr. Gibson sucks.
Austen's Fanny would never be interested in him.
Rather than base her Canon departure on the idea of what would happen, Manning focuses on what she thinks SHOULD happen, simply because she believes the original Fanny untempted.
I've got to call bullsheet, sorry.
Austen's Fanny may not do anything wrong and Austen may never tell us of any temptation or dwell on Fanny's resentment, but that is because Fanny chooses not to dwell on negative wants; she's humble. She is an Eve who never ate the fruit. Just because she had the moral backbone to do the right thing does not make her untempted, it makes her someone who didn't have to fall to overcome temptation.
Moreover, what's the point of bypassing the usual crap alternative pairing of Henry/Fanny if you don't understand what's actually wrong/problematic about it in the first place and so are essentially putting Fanny with someone she's equally unsuited to?
One main reason people ship them to begin with isn't because Henry is actually such a prize (he's a short plain Playboy, thank gawd he has charisma and money, because if he was broke and witless no one would want him, I promise you) but because they believe Fanny needs to "experience the wider world", that she's stunted at Mansfield Park, and they erroneously think Henry and London society would give that to her and she'd be happy.
Because, yeah, when you're emotionally neglected for years the best thing that can happen to you is for a selfish mook to show up and throw money at all your problems... 🙄
Manning does the same thing, just with a different guy and a slightly different morality.
It's still putting across the message however that the meek Christian girl needs to be "fixed". That her viewpoint must be altered to look for "more" even if simple pleasures and humble home life is all she actually wants. That's saying Fanny only wants that life because she doesn't "know better".
That's insanely toxic.
Also Tom runs away from home because he's gay?
This book is so hackneyed, I can't even.
I do love the concept, Fanny reaching the end of her rope and becoming a governess, but this is not how she or anyone of her personality type would go about it.
While I own all three books after reading through as much of this one as I could stand and leafing ahead through the rest, and through the other two books, I think I'm done with the series.
I don't need to see my beloved Mansfield Park characters treated this way. (Full marks for historical accuracy, but this is still an awful OOC fanfiction at the end of the day.)
Even the dang Crawfords deserve better than this!
If I want variation on MP, I'll check out the Beresfords again, or I'll go over my own fanfiction.
This is bleak, preachy, frustrating, and unbelievable.
Sorry, it's a hard no from me on this series.
I'm out.
I really, really, REALLY wanted to like, if not LOVE, this, and I give full credit to Manning for a) doing research and writing coherently without info-dumping, b) putting Fanny as her lead and attempting to show everyone, by keeping them firmly set as villains, the Crawfords are not all that and a box of Crackerjacks, much less "secondary heroes" of Mansfield Park.
Buuttt...
This book really got under my skin in a bad way, and it took me a bit to figure out what my beef was exactly, but I finally realized it's (whether intended to be or not) a glorified fix-it fic in the guise of a "what if".
This book is not about Austen's Fanny Price, or what she would have done (realistically) had her uncle not returned to intercept the Lover's Vows play, it's about Manning's empowered, re-educated, not quite modernized but still changed to conform to a more modern ideal of what readers today might look for in a regency heroine, Fanny Price and I have a real problem with that...
I would firstly be a hypocrite if I decried the character changes in books like "Murder at Mansfield Park" but overlooked this because it's (in theory) in Fanny's favour.
Second, Manning does not GET Fanny, I'm sorry, but she doesn't.
Fanny is a Cinderella, a Sara Crewe, type figure; these are essentially superheroes for girls, a moral paragon, no idiot in his right bloody mind wants to read a book where Superman learns the evils of slavery and the value of blood family over adoptive family.
Much less would they want to read about Superman's atheist peasant girlfriend.
Mr. Gibson sucks.
Austen's Fanny would never be interested in him.
Rather than base her Canon departure on the idea of what would happen, Manning focuses on what she thinks SHOULD happen, simply because she believes the original Fanny untempted.
I've got to call bullsheet, sorry.
Austen's Fanny may not do anything wrong and Austen may never tell us of any temptation or dwell on Fanny's resentment, but that is because Fanny chooses not to dwell on negative wants; she's humble. She is an Eve who never ate the fruit. Just because she had the moral backbone to do the right thing does not make her untempted, it makes her someone who didn't have to fall to overcome temptation.
Moreover, what's the point of bypassing the usual crap alternative pairing of Henry/Fanny if you don't understand what's actually wrong/problematic about it in the first place and so are essentially putting Fanny with someone she's equally unsuited to?
One main reason people ship them to begin with isn't because Henry is actually such a prize (he's a short plain Playboy, thank gawd he has charisma and money, because if he was broke and witless no one would want him, I promise you) but because they believe Fanny needs to "experience the wider world", that she's stunted at Mansfield Park, and they erroneously think Henry and London society would give that to her and she'd be happy.
Because, yeah, when you're emotionally neglected for years the best thing that can happen to you is for a selfish mook to show up and throw money at all your problems... 🙄
Manning does the same thing, just with a different guy and a slightly different morality.
It's still putting across the message however that the meek Christian girl needs to be "fixed". That her viewpoint must be altered to look for "more" even if simple pleasures and humble home life is all she actually wants. That's saying Fanny only wants that life because she doesn't "know better".
That's insanely toxic.
Also Tom runs away from home because he's gay?
This book is so hackneyed, I can't even.
I do love the concept, Fanny reaching the end of her rope and becoming a governess, but this is not how she or anyone of her personality type would go about it.
While I own all three books after reading through as much of this one as I could stand and leafing ahead through the rest, and through the other two books, I think I'm done with the series.
I don't need to see my beloved Mansfield Park characters treated this way. (Full marks for historical accuracy, but this is still an awful OOC fanfiction at the end of the day.)
Even the dang Crawfords deserve better than this!
If I want variation on MP, I'll check out the Beresfords again, or I'll go over my own fanfiction.
This is bleak, preachy, frustrating, and unbelievable.
Sorry, it's a hard no from me on this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
October 31, 2021The book started well and I enjoyed Fanny as a heroine (I had always liked her) and the skillful stylization and attention to detail. Then a certain decision Fanny made caused me to put the book away. It was so out of character for Fanny, and so evidently a contrivance to propel the plot forward, that it became a different kind of story, one I couldn’t suspense my disbelief for. Abandoned about 60% in. I’m sorry.
August 16, 2025
I am disappointed and quite angry. For a while, I enjoyed the book immensely. It was clever, it was fresh and interesting, and it was (mostly) true to characters.
Sir Thomas arrives a bit later, the play-acting continues, Fanny is fed up and flees to become a governess. I liked the aftermath of the theatricals, and I especially enjoyed reading about Fanny's life in the Smallridges' home, seeing her world expanding, and witnessing her growth.
Then, about halfway through the book, a huge WTF moment.
After this, the whole book really fell apart for me. It seemed to lose focus
So many things were going on; nevertheless (or because of this?), it felt like the book would never end. When it did, I can't say the conflicts were solved to my satisfaction -- then again, it's a trilogy, so the HEAs may come in later books.
Although the novel has its moments, and the language is beautiful throughout, I'm not interested in continuing the trilogy.
Sir Thomas arrives a bit later, the play-acting continues, Fanny is fed up and flees to become a governess. I liked the aftermath of the theatricals, and I especially enjoyed reading about Fanny's life in the Smallridges' home, seeing her world expanding, and witnessing her growth.
Then, about halfway through the book, a huge WTF moment.
After this, the whole book really fell apart for me. It seemed to lose focus
So many things were going on; nevertheless (or because of this?), it felt like the book would never end. When it did, I can't say the conflicts were solved to my satisfaction -- then again, it's a trilogy, so the HEAs may come in later books.
Although the novel has its moments, and the language is beautiful throughout, I'm not interested in continuing the trilogy.
October 7, 2019
This book was entered in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:
Title: A Contrary Wind
Author: Lona Manning
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 21
Stats
Editing: 10/10
Writing Style: 10/10
Content: 10/10
Cover: 10/10
Of the 21 readers:
21 would read another book by this author.
21 thought the cover was good or excellent.
21 felt it was easy to follow.
21 would recommend this story to another reader to try.
Of all the readers, 8 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
Of all the readers, 13 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
21 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
21 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
‘The author cleverly keeps Austen’s characters in keeping with the original. A wonderfully written story with a perfect writing style for this genre and time. Enjoyed it.’ Female reader, aged 32
‘This author shows a love for Jane Austen’s works through her thoughtful portrayal of the plot, setting and characters of the original. The smart way she had altered the plot and, in doing so, developing the characters in a different way, was impressive.’ Female reader, aged 53
‘Wonderful novel wrapped in a wonderful cover.’ Male reader, aged 49
‘Filled with so many little details from the original story but, at the same time, offering fans of Austen a new take on the story to enjoy.’ Female reader, aged 62
‘The author smartly keeps the language style but cuts a lot of the chaff. A well-researched, thoughtfully written novel. Fans of Austen will love it.’ Female reader, abed 72
To Sum It Up:
‘An insightful, cleverly written novel in keeping with the original. A SILVER medal winner and highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
Title: A Contrary Wind
Author: Lona Manning
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 21
Stats
Editing: 10/10
Writing Style: 10/10
Content: 10/10
Cover: 10/10
Of the 21 readers:
21 would read another book by this author.
21 thought the cover was good or excellent.
21 felt it was easy to follow.
21 would recommend this story to another reader to try.
Of all the readers, 8 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
Of all the readers, 13 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
21 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
21 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
‘The author cleverly keeps Austen’s characters in keeping with the original. A wonderfully written story with a perfect writing style for this genre and time. Enjoyed it.’ Female reader, aged 32
‘This author shows a love for Jane Austen’s works through her thoughtful portrayal of the plot, setting and characters of the original. The smart way she had altered the plot and, in doing so, developing the characters in a different way, was impressive.’ Female reader, aged 53
‘Wonderful novel wrapped in a wonderful cover.’ Male reader, aged 49
‘Filled with so many little details from the original story but, at the same time, offering fans of Austen a new take on the story to enjoy.’ Female reader, aged 62
‘The author smartly keeps the language style but cuts a lot of the chaff. A well-researched, thoughtfully written novel. Fans of Austen will love it.’ Female reader, abed 72
To Sum It Up:
‘An insightful, cleverly written novel in keeping with the original. A SILVER medal winner and highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
July 21, 2025
I don’t like Mansfield Park, nor Fanny Price, very much. I cannot stand Edmund Bertram.
So, I took a fancy to read a different take on the tale. At first I was bored out of my mind, Fanny being a timid governess wasn’t exactly a thrill. The machinations of the Crawfords at least drove events on, and I only really thought the book got interesting once they visited Fanny and the events that followed from there.
Yes, it is a different choice than JA Fanny would have made, but that is why I am here. And then quickly we passed into snooze-ville again. I thought this was a trilogy because the build up would now pay off into an elaborate and intricate plot requiring three books.
Instead Fanny and Edmund have one conversation, return to being their boring selves, and the only mildly interesting character is done away with.
So, for the rest of the book we are stuck with the now - again - intolerable Fanny and Edmund, the dull as paint Mr. Gibson, and I guess Mrs.Butters? Oh and a character that is now gay I guess, but that doesn’t make him more interesting cause I can’t say I feel like I know anything about his personality either way to make him interesting to follow, even as a side plot.
I suppose Julia could be interesting but not enough to tempt. I really regret buying this. Did I enjoy it more than actual Mansfield Park - for the most part, kind of, but ultimately I now suspect these characters are not for me, no matter the writer.
Ps. Also no way was Henry such an idiot that he would just confess everything to Stanhope and be surprised that others didn’t find it like a fun clever Little prank. The character was never stupid, please. Both of the Crawfords, while the only lifeblood of this tale, we’re done dirty
So, I took a fancy to read a different take on the tale. At first I was bored out of my mind, Fanny being a timid governess wasn’t exactly a thrill. The machinations of the Crawfords at least drove events on, and I only really thought the book got interesting once they visited Fanny and the events that followed from there.
Yes, it is a different choice than JA Fanny would have made, but that is why I am here. And then quickly we passed into snooze-ville again. I thought this was a trilogy because the build up would now pay off into an elaborate and intricate plot requiring three books.
Instead Fanny and Edmund have one conversation, return to being their boring selves, and the only mildly interesting character is done away with.
So, for the rest of the book we are stuck with the now - again - intolerable Fanny and Edmund, the dull as paint Mr. Gibson, and I guess Mrs.Butters? Oh and a character that is now gay I guess, but that doesn’t make him more interesting cause I can’t say I feel like I know anything about his personality either way to make him interesting to follow, even as a side plot.
I suppose Julia could be interesting but not enough to tempt. I really regret buying this. Did I enjoy it more than actual Mansfield Park - for the most part, kind of, but ultimately I now suspect these characters are not for me, no matter the writer.
Ps. Also no way was Henry such an idiot that he would just confess everything to Stanhope and be surprised that others didn’t find it like a fun clever Little prank. The character was never stupid, please. Both of the Crawfords, while the only lifeblood of this tale, we’re done dirty
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 1, 2019
This was such a good book. You can really tell the author has done their research. Also I loved that she had Fanny finally decide to take control of her life and the fact that she became of governess was perfect. Because Fanny being a governess makes complete sense to me. Also I love the invention of William Gibson as a man who becomes friends with both Fanny and Fanny's brother William, he is such a sweetheart. The author does take a strong line against the Crawford's but not to an ooc degree. I love that Fanny and Edmund are not portrayed as perfect and in fact they both make mistakes and have to face the consequences of their decisions and really so does everyone else. Also I love that more of the social/historical events of the time are mentioned and effect the characters, such as the fight to abolish the slave trade and the fire of St. John's. This series is supposed to be a trilogy so I can't wait to see what happens next!
May 23, 2020
A Contrary Wind is a book filled with brilliance by Jane Austen and Lona Manning. The story is a continuance of Mansfield Park. Jane Austen would enjoy reading this version. The new introduced characters are completely new and interesting. The information on the slave trade is both more complete. The reader has a interest in the story and the people involved. I also think Mr. Crawford is portraiture as a much worse character than described by Jane Austen, I think also that Lona Manning has described the bedroom scenes a little too detailed. In spite of these disagreeable remarks about the sex content, I enjoyed the book. I can't wait to get the next book, I want to see what happens to these wonderful characters.
November 26, 2017
Started out promising, but then took a weird turn at the 50% mark.
September 4, 2021
Some parts were slow (but so is Mansfield I suppose lol) but I was super impressed with some chunks where it really sounded Austenesque.
October 7, 2021
3 1/2 stars
August 10, 2019
This was not so bad... only I hated it in the end (and before).
The story starts quite close to the original Mansfield Park; the tension is according to what goes on in the scenes in canon... then the novelty of this alternate retelling is interesting and well set; Fanny escapes Mansfield to become a governess. The story is interspersed with much abolitionist detail, new characters and Crawford intrigues in excess. The intense angst, misunderstandings and cruel hurtful machinations are not all resolved in the end... more so, they drag into following sequels ! -- to my chagrin.
What I hated the most was that here Fanny's coming of age involves her falling into a tangle of deception with her active participation in a manner that I deem quite unlike Fanny (though it is explained, I am just not buying it). And Edmund's fancy for Mary is intensified and brought to conclusion in excrutiating detail up until the last page...
So at 60% of the plot Edmund was still pledging his sould to his one true love, then sacred vows are taken, and at 87% into the book he is still having physical intimacy and explicit pleasure with Mary -- that is not the variation I seek to read.
It was generally well written and the time setting was adequate. The plot was a little messy and pumped with some lateral subplots which don't really add much so far (maybe in the next book?) and the story arc was not smooth sailing but felt glitchy to me.
I love, admire and respect the original Fanny Price; the heroine here in this book is a regression and a detriment to her character.
The story was too angsty for me and the final reward to the reader at the end was totally missing for me.
Too bad, right???
The story starts quite close to the original Mansfield Park; the tension is according to what goes on in the scenes in canon... then the novelty of this alternate retelling is interesting and well set; Fanny escapes Mansfield to become a governess. The story is interspersed with much abolitionist detail, new characters and Crawford intrigues in excess. The intense angst, misunderstandings and cruel hurtful machinations are not all resolved in the end... more so, they drag into following sequels ! -- to my chagrin.
What I hated the most was that here Fanny's coming of age involves her falling into a tangle of deception with her active participation in a manner that I deem quite unlike Fanny (though it is explained, I am just not buying it). And Edmund's fancy for Mary is intensified and brought to conclusion in excrutiating detail up until the last page...
So at 60% of the plot Edmund was still pledging his sould to his one true love, then sacred vows are taken, and at 87% into the book he is still having physical intimacy and explicit pleasure with Mary -- that is not the variation I seek to read.
It was generally well written and the time setting was adequate. The plot was a little messy and pumped with some lateral subplots which don't really add much so far (maybe in the next book?) and the story arc was not smooth sailing but felt glitchy to me.
I love, admire and respect the original Fanny Price; the heroine here in this book is a regression and a detriment to her character.
The story was too angsty for me and the final reward to the reader at the end was totally missing for me.
Too bad, right???
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