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Vintage Jane Austen #6
Second Impressions
Jane Austen's stories have inspired writers for generations...in this collection they inspire fiction across the genres! From the English Regency to the American 1950s, in Houston or a space freighter, fairytale land or a retirement center...Austen's timeless characters come to life again.
222 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 4, 2017
The stories in this short story anthology are extremely diverse and yet they are all sweet and uplifting. I think Hannah Scheele had a brilliant idea when she decided to hold a contest to create a collection of short fiction inspired by Jane Austen's novels. Six authors have contributed nine stories, and I enjoyed every one of them! I'd pick a favorite, but as it was the one written by my mom, I'm afraid that would be considered favoritism...
As I said, the settings and situations and styles are all very different. It makes readers appreciate how timeless and applicable Jane Austen's plots really are.
"Chocolate Surprise" is set in 1950s America. "Gently Pursued, Finally Persuaded" is in an Illinois retirement home. "The Secret of Pemberley Estate" is a sequel to Pride and Prejudice and includes beautiful illustrations by the author. "Emma's Irritation" is a prequel to Emma. "Mother's Day" is in contemporary America. "The Mansfield" is on a spaceship. "Elaina" is in a non-magical fantasy kingdom. "Peace in the Orchard" is in a slightly magical fantasy kingdom. And "Maid in Houston" is about Hispanics in contemporary Houston.
You will not get bored with the settings!
If you're a Jane Austen fan and enjoy exploring her novels beyond their original context, I encourage you to read these stories by like-minded people to yourself. Or if you are just looking for a fun, clean, colorful, heartwarming collection of short stories, this book fills the bill.
As I said, the settings and situations and styles are all very different. It makes readers appreciate how timeless and applicable Jane Austen's plots really are.
"Chocolate Surprise" is set in 1950s America. "Gently Pursued, Finally Persuaded" is in an Illinois retirement home. "The Secret of Pemberley Estate" is a sequel to Pride and Prejudice and includes beautiful illustrations by the author. "Emma's Irritation" is a prequel to Emma. "Mother's Day" is in contemporary America. "The Mansfield" is on a spaceship. "Elaina" is in a non-magical fantasy kingdom. "Peace in the Orchard" is in a slightly magical fantasy kingdom. And "Maid in Houston" is about Hispanics in contemporary Houston.
You will not get bored with the settings!
If you're a Jane Austen fan and enjoy exploring her novels beyond their original context, I encourage you to read these stories by like-minded people to yourself. Or if you are just looking for a fun, clean, colorful, heartwarming collection of short stories, this book fills the bill.
November 6, 2017
WARNING: The following review will contain spoilers
SECOND IMPRESSIONS
Overall rating: 3.5 Stars
An overall delightful little collection of Jane Austen inspired short stories, ranging over all the different settings imaginable, from medieval castles in a faraway land of ‘once upon a time’; to present-day American cities with smart phones and cars. Although I enjoyed this collection on the whole, there were a few stories that I really, really didn’t like, or that I just felt didn’t work with Jane Austen. Overall this is my least favourite book of the Vintage Jane Austen series, but that’s to be expected since it’s impossible to like each and every story in a collection like this, especially when, as in this case, they’re all written by different authors. My final complaint is that there was only one Sense and Sensibility retelling in the whole collection, and absolutely no takes on Northanger Abbey. But otherwise a lovely read, the titles of the short stories and the names of the characters were, for the most part, extremely clever and well thought-out. And for those of you who don’t know, Jane Austen’s original title for Pride and Prejudice was First Impressions, which just shows how clever and fitting the title of this short story collection is!
CHOCOLATE SURPRISE
by E. Kaiser Writes
5 stars
This was one of my favourite stories in the whole collection. It opens with a spin-off of the opening line in Pride and Prejudice, but it soon becomes clear that it’s actually an Emma retelling, which I just loved! The characters were just as loveable as the originals, and the plot and ending were cleverly unique though still holding close to the Emma story. One of the best, defiantly one I’ll read over again!
EMMA’S IRRITATION
by Mikayla Holman
3.5 stars
I confess I was slightly disappointed with this one. It’s not so much a Jane Austen retelling as much as a Jane Austen fan-fiction, since it has all the original characters from Emma and is set a few years before the beginning of the classic takes place. When it comes to Jane Austen I prefer retellings to fan-fiction, but still I enjoyed it though it’s not one of my favourites. I felt the characters, especially Mr Knightley, weren’t very much like one would have expected from the original book, and although I appreciate the author’s efforts to add a Christian theme to the story, since it’s not there in the original Emma it feels out of place and just doesn’t work with this particular story. The main event that the tale is centred around is mentioned at the end of Emma, when she admits to calling Mr Knightley “George” once when she was younger, hoping it would irritate him. That part was well done in this short story, and I found myself liking the ending much more than the beginning.
THE MANSFIELD
by E. Kaiser Writes
4 stars
I had no idea what to expect from this one. The beginning was slightly confusing, and it took me a while to realize that the story takes place on a space-ship in outer-space, instead of a cruise liner in the middle of the sea, and once I discovered that my expectations of this story fell right down to ground level. But actually, I was pleasantly surprised. Apart from the one mention of a possible species of some kind of animal living on one of the planets, this wasn’t Sci-Fi like I had been afraid it would be. Everything mentioned seemed to be achievable through science and technology alone and there were no mentions of aliens or any other ‘force’, for which I was very grateful. Once I really got into the story I found it to be a very clever take on one of my favourite Jane Austens, Mansfield Park, and the way the author developed the plot and characters in keeping with the original story was really good and very well done. My only big complaint was that Faith and Erik weren’t cousins like they were in the original book, though of course, I kind of expected a modern-day author to change that. Overall, a clever re-telling, much better than my original expectations of it were.
PEACE IN THE ORCHARD
by E. Kaiser Writes
1 star
To be perfectly honest I didn’t even finish this one. It started out ok, in fact, I was really beginning to enjoy this Pride and Prejudice spin-off, but soon it started getting ridiculous with magical themes, dragons and dwarfs and such-like. For a while I kept on with it, hoping it would get better, but when gnomes started appearing I gave it up. Such a pity, because it had great potential.
GENTLY PURSUED, FINALLY PERSUADED
by Gail Bryant
5 stars
So this is the only Persuasion retelling in the entire collection, which disappointed me because that’s one of my favourite Jane Austens, but as soon as I started reading this it more than made up for the lack of any other Persuasion stories! This one is my absolute favourite story in the whole collection! Persuasion, with all its original charm and beauty, set in a modern-day nursing home with the characters that had lost each other over fifty years previously because the hero hadn’t been a Christian at that time and the heroine would not marry an unbeliever, no matter how much she loved him. Not only did this story have the strongest Christian message of all the other stories put together, but so many good, Biblical lessons in it, such as not marrying an unbeliever (if you are a Christian). I really couldn’t say enough in praise of this one, so I’ll have to just leave it at highly recommended; an absolute must-read! And that proposal at the end! Wonderfully sweet, absolutely beautiful!
MAID IN HOUSTON
by Jennifer Baxter
2.5 stars
This was another take on Mansfield Park, but not half as good as The Mansfield. I always find it highly annoying to have to wade through endless foreign words in a book that’s supposed to be written in English, with no definition or translation given anywhere. And in this case it wasn’t even as though the foreign words were easy enough to make out the general idea. Not only that, but the dialog was difficult to read and hard to make out who was speaking in some places. I would probably have enjoyed it if it had not been for the writing style, as the plot itself was a very good and unusual version of the original, and had good potential, but poorly executed.
THE SECRET OF PEMBERLEY ESTATE
by Therese Peyton
3.5 stars
So because I gave up on Peace in the Orchard, this was the only Pride and Prejudice story that I read in this collection. Again, not a retelling but rather fan-fiction again, only this time I actually didn’t mind it too much. The characters were well in-keeping with the way they appear in the book, and although I found the whole mystery a little childish and not very well-developed, it was interesting and different to read a story about Georgianna Darcy. I enjoyed the dialogue, and some parts of the mystery were quite good and unusual, such as the ‘flower language’ and paintings. However the illustrations, I felt, just didn’t fit with the time period of the story. They were very well done, but they were modern, and in my opinion ruined the story’s effect. Still, an enjoyable read.
MOTHER’S DAY
by Jennifer Baxter
4 stars
Why, oh why did this have to be the only Sense and Sensibility story in this collection? It was well done, though I found the ending extremely abrupt and rather feeble, but the angle at which this was written and the lessons taught and implied were wonderful.
ELAINA
by Hannah Jones
5 stars
So along with Gently Pursued, Finally Persuaded and Chocolate Surprise, this one was my favourite story out of Second Impressions. It’s a fairy-tale type retelling of Emma, but unlike Peace in the Orchard there is no magic or fantasy in this one. It seemed to be more a medieval kind of story about a king, a princess, and a dashing knight by name of Lord Geoffrey. What struck me most about this one, apart from the good Christian message again, was how the author mixed up all the events, put them all out of the order they are in the original book, and still managed to pull off a great story with a wonderfully-written plot! I absolutely loved it, it was so different, yet so similar to Emma. Definitely a re-read must!
SECOND IMPRESSIONS
Overall rating: 3.5 Stars
An overall delightful little collection of Jane Austen inspired short stories, ranging over all the different settings imaginable, from medieval castles in a faraway land of ‘once upon a time’; to present-day American cities with smart phones and cars. Although I enjoyed this collection on the whole, there were a few stories that I really, really didn’t like, or that I just felt didn’t work with Jane Austen. Overall this is my least favourite book of the Vintage Jane Austen series, but that’s to be expected since it’s impossible to like each and every story in a collection like this, especially when, as in this case, they’re all written by different authors. My final complaint is that there was only one Sense and Sensibility retelling in the whole collection, and absolutely no takes on Northanger Abbey. But otherwise a lovely read, the titles of the short stories and the names of the characters were, for the most part, extremely clever and well thought-out. And for those of you who don’t know, Jane Austen’s original title for Pride and Prejudice was First Impressions, which just shows how clever and fitting the title of this short story collection is!
CHOCOLATE SURPRISE
by E. Kaiser Writes
5 stars
This was one of my favourite stories in the whole collection. It opens with a spin-off of the opening line in Pride and Prejudice, but it soon becomes clear that it’s actually an Emma retelling, which I just loved! The characters were just as loveable as the originals, and the plot and ending were cleverly unique though still holding close to the Emma story. One of the best, defiantly one I’ll read over again!
EMMA’S IRRITATION
by Mikayla Holman
3.5 stars
I confess I was slightly disappointed with this one. It’s not so much a Jane Austen retelling as much as a Jane Austen fan-fiction, since it has all the original characters from Emma and is set a few years before the beginning of the classic takes place. When it comes to Jane Austen I prefer retellings to fan-fiction, but still I enjoyed it though it’s not one of my favourites. I felt the characters, especially Mr Knightley, weren’t very much like one would have expected from the original book, and although I appreciate the author’s efforts to add a Christian theme to the story, since it’s not there in the original Emma it feels out of place and just doesn’t work with this particular story. The main event that the tale is centred around is mentioned at the end of Emma, when she admits to calling Mr Knightley “George” once when she was younger, hoping it would irritate him. That part was well done in this short story, and I found myself liking the ending much more than the beginning.
THE MANSFIELD
by E. Kaiser Writes
4 stars
I had no idea what to expect from this one. The beginning was slightly confusing, and it took me a while to realize that the story takes place on a space-ship in outer-space, instead of a cruise liner in the middle of the sea, and once I discovered that my expectations of this story fell right down to ground level. But actually, I was pleasantly surprised. Apart from the one mention of a possible species of some kind of animal living on one of the planets, this wasn’t Sci-Fi like I had been afraid it would be. Everything mentioned seemed to be achievable through science and technology alone and there were no mentions of aliens or any other ‘force’, for which I was very grateful. Once I really got into the story I found it to be a very clever take on one of my favourite Jane Austens, Mansfield Park, and the way the author developed the plot and characters in keeping with the original story was really good and very well done. My only big complaint was that Faith and Erik weren’t cousins like they were in the original book, though of course, I kind of expected a modern-day author to change that. Overall, a clever re-telling, much better than my original expectations of it were.
PEACE IN THE ORCHARD
by E. Kaiser Writes
1 star
To be perfectly honest I didn’t even finish this one. It started out ok, in fact, I was really beginning to enjoy this Pride and Prejudice spin-off, but soon it started getting ridiculous with magical themes, dragons and dwarfs and such-like. For a while I kept on with it, hoping it would get better, but when gnomes started appearing I gave it up. Such a pity, because it had great potential.
GENTLY PURSUED, FINALLY PERSUADED
by Gail Bryant
5 stars
So this is the only Persuasion retelling in the entire collection, which disappointed me because that’s one of my favourite Jane Austens, but as soon as I started reading this it more than made up for the lack of any other Persuasion stories! This one is my absolute favourite story in the whole collection! Persuasion, with all its original charm and beauty, set in a modern-day nursing home with the characters that had lost each other over fifty years previously because the hero hadn’t been a Christian at that time and the heroine would not marry an unbeliever, no matter how much she loved him. Not only did this story have the strongest Christian message of all the other stories put together, but so many good, Biblical lessons in it, such as not marrying an unbeliever (if you are a Christian). I really couldn’t say enough in praise of this one, so I’ll have to just leave it at highly recommended; an absolute must-read! And that proposal at the end! Wonderfully sweet, absolutely beautiful!
MAID IN HOUSTON
by Jennifer Baxter
2.5 stars
This was another take on Mansfield Park, but not half as good as The Mansfield. I always find it highly annoying to have to wade through endless foreign words in a book that’s supposed to be written in English, with no definition or translation given anywhere. And in this case it wasn’t even as though the foreign words were easy enough to make out the general idea. Not only that, but the dialog was difficult to read and hard to make out who was speaking in some places. I would probably have enjoyed it if it had not been for the writing style, as the plot itself was a very good and unusual version of the original, and had good potential, but poorly executed.
THE SECRET OF PEMBERLEY ESTATE
by Therese Peyton
3.5 stars
So because I gave up on Peace in the Orchard, this was the only Pride and Prejudice story that I read in this collection. Again, not a retelling but rather fan-fiction again, only this time I actually didn’t mind it too much. The characters were well in-keeping with the way they appear in the book, and although I found the whole mystery a little childish and not very well-developed, it was interesting and different to read a story about Georgianna Darcy. I enjoyed the dialogue, and some parts of the mystery were quite good and unusual, such as the ‘flower language’ and paintings. However the illustrations, I felt, just didn’t fit with the time period of the story. They were very well done, but they were modern, and in my opinion ruined the story’s effect. Still, an enjoyable read.
MOTHER’S DAY
by Jennifer Baxter
4 stars
Why, oh why did this have to be the only Sense and Sensibility story in this collection? It was well done, though I found the ending extremely abrupt and rather feeble, but the angle at which this was written and the lessons taught and implied were wonderful.
ELAINA
by Hannah Jones
5 stars
So along with Gently Pursued, Finally Persuaded and Chocolate Surprise, this one was my favourite story out of Second Impressions. It’s a fairy-tale type retelling of Emma, but unlike Peace in the Orchard there is no magic or fantasy in this one. It seemed to be more a medieval kind of story about a king, a princess, and a dashing knight by name of Lord Geoffrey. What struck me most about this one, apart from the good Christian message again, was how the author mixed up all the events, put them all out of the order they are in the original book, and still managed to pull off a great story with a wonderfully-written plot! I absolutely loved it, it was so different, yet so similar to Emma. Definitely a re-read must!
June 8, 2017
I have looked forward to reading this book since they announced it, and since I am in the collection, it made it even cooler to read. I'm just going to give a short note on every story:
Chocolate Surprise. This was a cute Emma retelling, set in the 1950's. That is my favorite time period, so I really enjoyed reading this. It was cute, and I enjoyed how the characters were set up.
Gently Pursued, Finally Persuaded. This was a very unique retelling of Persuasion set in a modern retirement home. To me it was a bit sad, because the characters missed so much of each others lives. But this was really sweet none the less.
The Secret of Pemperly Estate. This is a sort of add on to the end of Pride and Prejudice told from the perspective of Georgiana Darcy. I generally enjoy mystery's, but I did not really enjoy this one. I was a bit confused at points, and it was all wrapped up really quickly. This author did do a good job of representing the characters from the book. They really felt true to Jane Austen's style. Again, this was rather interesting, but I just didn't enjoy it very much.
Emma's Irritation. This is my story written as a story that happens nearly seven years before the book Emma begins when she is only sixteen. It explores Emma's part in John and Isabella getting together, and more of Emma and Mr. Knightly's relationship.
Mother's Day. I am really not sure what to think of this one. I couldn't really figure out what this was supposed to be based off of, though I am guessing Sense and Sensibility. I really didn't care ether way about the story.
The Mansfeild. Mansfield Park in Sci-Fi setting. This was my favorite story of the collection. I would give it five stars if I was just rating this one alone. This was so original. I honestly didn't think anyone could pull off Jane Austen in Sci-fi, but she did. The characters were clear, and very easy to recognize, yet they still had an original twist to them. I would love to read a full version of this story.
Elaina. A medieval retelling of Emma. Emma is my favorite Jane Austen, so I really wanted to like this... but I didn't. It really just felt like a super shortened version of Emma without much of an original twist to it. There were some conversations that felt almost identical to ones in Emma. And at the end
Peace on the Orchard. A medieval retelling of Pride and Prejudice. I ended up not liking this one very much, because I just wasn't super interested. This author did do a good job of making the setting very interesting, and adding some originality to it. I felt like the ending was rushed, and I had to radically change my view on people, instead of an easier change. But I did like the authors style, and it was an enjoyable story.
Maid in Huston. A modern retelling of Mansfield Park. It took me a bit to figure out what story this was, but after I did, I enjoyed it. It was an interesting take on the story with some very realistic backstory's for characters. I only had two small things I disliked. 1. The main guy is not very nice. He chaises after girls, and really doesn't appreciate the main girl very much. 2.
Chocolate Surprise. This was a cute Emma retelling, set in the 1950's. That is my favorite time period, so I really enjoyed reading this. It was cute, and I enjoyed how the characters were set up.
Gently Pursued, Finally Persuaded. This was a very unique retelling of Persuasion set in a modern retirement home. To me it was a bit sad, because the characters missed so much of each others lives. But this was really sweet none the less.
The Secret of Pemperly Estate. This is a sort of add on to the end of Pride and Prejudice told from the perspective of Georgiana Darcy. I generally enjoy mystery's, but I did not really enjoy this one. I was a bit confused at points, and it was all wrapped up really quickly. This author did do a good job of representing the characters from the book. They really felt true to Jane Austen's style. Again, this was rather interesting, but I just didn't enjoy it very much.
Emma's Irritation. This is my story written as a story that happens nearly seven years before the book Emma begins when she is only sixteen. It explores Emma's part in John and Isabella getting together, and more of Emma and Mr. Knightly's relationship.
Mother's Day. I am really not sure what to think of this one. I couldn't really figure out what this was supposed to be based off of, though I am guessing Sense and Sensibility. I really didn't care ether way about the story.
The Mansfeild. Mansfield Park in Sci-Fi setting. This was my favorite story of the collection. I would give it five stars if I was just rating this one alone. This was so original. I honestly didn't think anyone could pull off Jane Austen in Sci-fi, but she did. The characters were clear, and very easy to recognize, yet they still had an original twist to them. I would love to read a full version of this story.
Elaina. A medieval retelling of Emma. Emma is my favorite Jane Austen, so I really wanted to like this... but I didn't. It really just felt like a super shortened version of Emma without much of an original twist to it. There were some conversations that felt almost identical to ones in Emma. And at the end
Peace on the Orchard. A medieval retelling of Pride and Prejudice. I ended up not liking this one very much, because I just wasn't super interested. This author did do a good job of making the setting very interesting, and adding some originality to it. I felt like the ending was rushed, and I had to radically change my view on people, instead of an easier change. But I did like the authors style, and it was an enjoyable story.
Maid in Huston. A modern retelling of Mansfield Park. It took me a bit to figure out what story this was, but after I did, I enjoyed it. It was an interesting take on the story with some very realistic backstory's for characters. I only had two small things I disliked. 1. The main guy is not very nice. He chaises after girls, and really doesn't appreciate the main girl very much. 2.
June 21, 2017
Age Appropriate For: 10 and up
Best for Ages: 10 and up
This collection is one of the best I have ever read. Normally, you read a collection of short stories and you end up loving one and either feeling apathetic or hating the rest. While I liked some more than others, all of these stories captured my interest.
Chocolate Surprise ~ This story got the whole thing off to an amazing start. The opening line sounds like the story is going to be off Pride and Prejudice, but you quickly realize it is more of an Emma retelling. I loved it so much!
Gently Pursued, Finally Persuaded ~ This was one of the sweetest of the whole collection. Persuasion in a nursing home? What is not to love?
The Secret of Pemberley Estate ~ This was a sequel story to Pride and Prejudice, and while interesting, is honestly one of the weaker stories. Full of imagination, adventure, and mystery, it was a bit large to be crammed into a short story. However, I still enjoyed it.
Emma’s Irritation ~ My sister wrote this but even if she hadn’t, I think it would stand out to me. It is based on a conversation in the book Emma by Jane Austen. This was a delightful look at the youth of Emma and Mr. Knightly.
Mother’s Day ~ This was so sweet and amazingly well told for being so short.
Best for Ages: 10 and up
This collection is one of the best I have ever read. Normally, you read a collection of short stories and you end up loving one and either feeling apathetic or hating the rest. While I liked some more than others, all of these stories captured my interest.
Chocolate Surprise ~ This story got the whole thing off to an amazing start. The opening line sounds like the story is going to be off Pride and Prejudice, but you quickly realize it is more of an Emma retelling. I loved it so much!
Gently Pursued, Finally Persuaded ~ This was one of the sweetest of the whole collection. Persuasion in a nursing home? What is not to love?
The Secret of Pemberley Estate ~ This was a sequel story to Pride and Prejudice, and while interesting, is honestly one of the weaker stories. Full of imagination, adventure, and mystery, it was a bit large to be crammed into a short story. However, I still enjoyed it.
Emma’s Irritation ~ My sister wrote this but even if she hadn’t, I think it would stand out to me. It is based on a conversation in the book Emma by Jane Austen. This was a delightful look at the youth of Emma and Mr. Knightly.
Mother’s Day ~ This was so sweet and amazingly well told for being so short.
November 7, 2017
The moment I read the opening line of the first story in this collection (from "Chocolate Surprise" by E. Kaiser Writes) -- "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single woman, in possession of any income at all, must be in want of some chocolate." -- I knew I was going to have the best time reading these stories. I was right. ^_^
From the lovely introduction right through each of these nine tales to the end of the collection, I was touched and charmed and smiling (or laughing), and overall delighting in finding these sweet gems, retelling or otherwise revisiting Jane Austen's tales in many different colorful ways.
We have four set in modern times, two in the original time period (like a direct prequel and sequel), one in the 1950s, one non-magical fantasy, one kingdom adventure, and even a sci-fi story! Three involve Emma, two Pride and Prejudice, two Mansfield Park, and one each of Persuasion and Sense and Sensibility. I enjoyed them all!
Below are my mini-thoughts on each entry. Second Impressions (I love the play on titles, harking back to Pride and Prejudice's early title "First Impressions"!) is a lovely add-on to the Vintage Jane Austen series. One thing is for sure: if you like Jane Austen's works at all, you're going to want to give these stories a try! :)
Introduction - Hannah Scheele
5 stars
Hannah collected a varied and sweet bunch of stories in the contest for this collection, designed absolutely gorgeous covers for the Vintage Jane Austen series, and wrote a delightful introduction too! This was a lovely introduction, full of heart and honesty and a touch of wit; perfect for the collection. I read it twice, before and after reading the stories. It made me happy. ^_^
Chocolate Surprise - E. Kaiser Writes
5 stars
At the beginning, I wasn't totally sure which retelling this was, or if I'd like it, but pretty soon everything clicked and I was like "OH!" and the pieces fell together. And I loved the end! I also loved the letter, and Kingston was great. :D It's set in the 1950s, and the color and detail was fabulous and so vivid. I shall allow you to discover the story it retells, yourself, but overall I really enjoyed it! :)
Gently Pursued, Finally Persuaded - Gail Bryant
5 stars
Aww, so sweet! :) A Contemporary retelling of Persuasion, set in the 1990s, this was an unconventional love story, with a Christian theme and a thread of humor. It said this was the author's first short story, but you would never have known it! The writing was well seasoned and full of clever or fun turns of phrases scattered throughout. The story left me with a smile. ^_^ Lovely!
The Secret of Pemberly Estate - Therese Peyton
4 stars
I wasn't so sure about this one. It's a direct sort of sequel to Pride and Prejudice, set in 1815. I had just re-read Pride and Prejudice, and some of the characters in this story seemed to act out of character, to me at least, and some of the plot confused me. It was, however, very original/thrilling/theatrical, like a mystery. Not my favorite, but it did have vivid imagery and was an interesting read. :)
Emma's Irritation - Mikayla Holman
5 stars
Eep, I loved this one! It's a sort of prequel, set a few years before Emma, and features a teenage Emma and her relationship with Mr. Knightley, as well as some scenes fans of Emma will find intriguing and fun. Mr. Knightley felt very Mr. Knightley ish! He was great. And I could imagine Emma herself being something like that as a teen. I loved the bantering dialog and fun! And just... really enjoyed it. :)
Mother's Day - Jennifer Baxter
5 stars
Aww! ^_^ I can't really explain this one without giving it away, somehow, but it was an extremely unique and touching twist on a Sense and Sensibility story in a modern setting. It's very short, but every word counts, and just... I don't know! It was subtle but just lovely. :)
The Mansfield - E. Kaiser Writes
5 stars
OH MY GOODNESS. This story! I never would have imagined Jane Austen in space would work as well as this did. The idea of Mansfield Park's story taking place on a spaceship (instead of in a mansion) was genius and worked astonishingly well. The characters and dialog were great (the worldbuilding too) and the Mansfield Park story translated SO well to this new in-space setting that it was just delightful! :) I don't even read much sci-fi but this was great. XD
Elaina - Hannah Jones
5 stars
I was trying to categorize this, and I think I came up with Christian Fiction and the newly named Kingdom-Adventure genre. (There wasn't really adventure? But hey.) This retelling of Emma set in a kingdom of knights. etc., and featuring her as a princess, was so neat! Again, it translated really well, and I thought that was great fun. :) Amazing how well a little kingdom works to replace Emma's small town!
Peace in the Orchard - E. Kaiser Writes
5 stars
Imagine Pride and Prejudice set in an idyllic, non-magical, fantasy-type kingdom where Mr. Darcy is a dragon-slaying king, and you pretty much have this one in a nutshell. XD There's a lot of lovely description of this original, fantastic world, and it mainly focuses on the Elizabeth and Jane characters. The orchard scene at the end was my favorite. :)
Maid in Houston - Jennifer Baxter
4 stars
This was a Contemporary retelling of Mansfield Park, featuring a Hispanic heroine -- who I quite liked -- and a modern setting in Houston. It was a little strange to me, but had some lovely parts and overall it was a very good retelling of Mansfield Park, and so fluidly written and original! It's about every-day people, and I loved that. The part at the end about love was beautiful. ^_^
OVERALL:
What an absolutely sweet (and varied!) collection of retellings! I absolutely loved these little tales — all so unique, and either funny, touching, or just plain enjoyable. ^_^ Some are modern, others historical, or with a dash of kingdoms/light fantasy, and even a sci-fi story! Lovely Jane-Austen-esque gems by talented authors, this collection of stories is a wonderful addition to the Vintage Jane Austen series, and if you’re an Austen fan, you definitely need to give this sweet bundle of tales a try. Excuse me while I hug it. ❤
NOTES:
I received a free e-copy of this book for review purposes; these opinions are entirely my own.
This review was originally posted on the Page Dreamer as part of the Vintage Jane Austen Blog Event: https://thepagedreamer.wordpress.com/...
From the lovely introduction right through each of these nine tales to the end of the collection, I was touched and charmed and smiling (or laughing), and overall delighting in finding these sweet gems, retelling or otherwise revisiting Jane Austen's tales in many different colorful ways.
We have four set in modern times, two in the original time period (like a direct prequel and sequel), one in the 1950s, one non-magical fantasy, one kingdom adventure, and even a sci-fi story! Three involve Emma, two Pride and Prejudice, two Mansfield Park, and one each of Persuasion and Sense and Sensibility. I enjoyed them all!
Below are my mini-thoughts on each entry. Second Impressions (I love the play on titles, harking back to Pride and Prejudice's early title "First Impressions"!) is a lovely add-on to the Vintage Jane Austen series. One thing is for sure: if you like Jane Austen's works at all, you're going to want to give these stories a try! :)
Introduction - Hannah Scheele
5 stars
Hannah collected a varied and sweet bunch of stories in the contest for this collection, designed absolutely gorgeous covers for the Vintage Jane Austen series, and wrote a delightful introduction too! This was a lovely introduction, full of heart and honesty and a touch of wit; perfect for the collection. I read it twice, before and after reading the stories. It made me happy. ^_^
Chocolate Surprise - E. Kaiser Writes
5 stars
At the beginning, I wasn't totally sure which retelling this was, or if I'd like it, but pretty soon everything clicked and I was like "OH!" and the pieces fell together. And I loved the end! I also loved the letter, and Kingston was great. :D It's set in the 1950s, and the color and detail was fabulous and so vivid. I shall allow you to discover the story it retells, yourself, but overall I really enjoyed it! :)
Gently Pursued, Finally Persuaded - Gail Bryant
5 stars
Aww, so sweet! :) A Contemporary retelling of Persuasion, set in the 1990s, this was an unconventional love story, with a Christian theme and a thread of humor. It said this was the author's first short story, but you would never have known it! The writing was well seasoned and full of clever or fun turns of phrases scattered throughout. The story left me with a smile. ^_^ Lovely!
The Secret of Pemberly Estate - Therese Peyton
4 stars
I wasn't so sure about this one. It's a direct sort of sequel to Pride and Prejudice, set in 1815. I had just re-read Pride and Prejudice, and some of the characters in this story seemed to act out of character, to me at least, and some of the plot confused me. It was, however, very original/thrilling/theatrical, like a mystery. Not my favorite, but it did have vivid imagery and was an interesting read. :)
Emma's Irritation - Mikayla Holman
5 stars
Eep, I loved this one! It's a sort of prequel, set a few years before Emma, and features a teenage Emma and her relationship with Mr. Knightley, as well as some scenes fans of Emma will find intriguing and fun. Mr. Knightley felt very Mr. Knightley ish! He was great. And I could imagine Emma herself being something like that as a teen. I loved the bantering dialog and fun! And just... really enjoyed it. :)
Mother's Day - Jennifer Baxter
5 stars
Aww! ^_^ I can't really explain this one without giving it away, somehow, but it was an extremely unique and touching twist on a Sense and Sensibility story in a modern setting. It's very short, but every word counts, and just... I don't know! It was subtle but just lovely. :)
The Mansfield - E. Kaiser Writes
5 stars
OH MY GOODNESS. This story! I never would have imagined Jane Austen in space would work as well as this did. The idea of Mansfield Park's story taking place on a spaceship (instead of in a mansion) was genius and worked astonishingly well. The characters and dialog were great (the worldbuilding too) and the Mansfield Park story translated SO well to this new in-space setting that it was just delightful! :) I don't even read much sci-fi but this was great. XD
Elaina - Hannah Jones
5 stars
I was trying to categorize this, and I think I came up with Christian Fiction and the newly named Kingdom-Adventure genre. (There wasn't really adventure? But hey.) This retelling of Emma set in a kingdom of knights. etc., and featuring her as a princess, was so neat! Again, it translated really well, and I thought that was great fun. :) Amazing how well a little kingdom works to replace Emma's small town!
Peace in the Orchard - E. Kaiser Writes
5 stars
Imagine Pride and Prejudice set in an idyllic, non-magical, fantasy-type kingdom where Mr. Darcy is a dragon-slaying king, and you pretty much have this one in a nutshell. XD There's a lot of lovely description of this original, fantastic world, and it mainly focuses on the Elizabeth and Jane characters. The orchard scene at the end was my favorite. :)
Maid in Houston - Jennifer Baxter
4 stars
This was a Contemporary retelling of Mansfield Park, featuring a Hispanic heroine -- who I quite liked -- and a modern setting in Houston. It was a little strange to me, but had some lovely parts and overall it was a very good retelling of Mansfield Park, and so fluidly written and original! It's about every-day people, and I loved that. The part at the end about love was beautiful. ^_^
OVERALL:
What an absolutely sweet (and varied!) collection of retellings! I absolutely loved these little tales — all so unique, and either funny, touching, or just plain enjoyable. ^_^ Some are modern, others historical, or with a dash of kingdoms/light fantasy, and even a sci-fi story! Lovely Jane-Austen-esque gems by talented authors, this collection of stories is a wonderful addition to the Vintage Jane Austen series, and if you’re an Austen fan, you definitely need to give this sweet bundle of tales a try. Excuse me while I hug it. ❤
NOTES:
I received a free e-copy of this book for review purposes; these opinions are entirely my own.
This review was originally posted on the Page Dreamer as part of the Vintage Jane Austen Blog Event: https://thepagedreamer.wordpress.com/...
May 31, 2017
I liked the variety in this collection of short stories. Several different genres, settings, and time periods were represented exhibiting the creativity of the authors. Yet within each story the inspiration of Jane Austen's timeless novels glowed. In some the glow was brightly evident, but in others it was more muted as if under a translucent shade.
March 15, 2019
As with any short story collection, there were some I loved and some I didn't care for. Individual reviews and ratings below. :)
Chocolate Surprise - 4 stars
Took me a little bit to pin this as an Emma retelling, but I was impressed at the way the key relationship/twist from the novel was condensed down to a short story while keeping most of the essential elements. The only thing I didn't really understand was how Heather's misunderstanding had come about. But the one line that explained Ida and the chocolate started a whole waterfall of feels! <3
Gently Pursued, Finally Persuaded - 3.5 stars
A sweet Persuasion retelling that I really enjoyed. There were some definite differences from the original (for example, a much stronger reason that they hadn't gotten married), but that wasn't a weakness, and the setting of a second-chance love story in a retirement home was unique and delightful. My only (small) complaints were that a few of the details that carried over seemed a little strained Overall, a very cute story.
The Secret of Pemberley Estate - 2.5 stars
This was an interesting concept, but maybe a bit too complex for a short story. The mystery felt rushed, and some of the conclusions (even the correct conclusions) didn't seem to be based on much evidence. Parts of the story seemed rather far-fetched, and I couldn't figure out where the accusation at the beginning came from once the mystery was explained. Also, the dialogue seemed a bit strained at times, and parts of the ending were a bit cliched. I did like the focus on Georgiana and her relationship with her brother and Elizabeth, though, and the bits with the flower messages were interesting. :)
Emma's Irritation - 3 stars
I could definitely see the callbacks to certain conversations in Emma here, and the attitudes of the characters were reflected pretty well overall. I didn't quite understand the apparent change in Mr. Knightley's attitude toward Emma's matchmaking (or the specific match in question), and obviously with it being a prequel story, we can't get a lot of lessons learned on Emma's part. :S Still, I thought it did a pretty good job of keeping consistency with the original.
Mother's Day - 3.5 stars
This was a nice modern take on Sense and Sensibility. My only complaint was that it was so short that pretty much all we got to see was the wrap-up, and most of the story was taken up with talking/thinking over what had happened in the past. But still sweet--and I did like the kittens! :)
The Mansfield - 4.5 stars
Definitely my favorite of the collection! This story hit just about the perfect balance of being a recognizable retelling without straining to hit every piece of the original. The setting was unique and compelling, and the characters were very understandable, and Faith especially was wonderful. I liked the way the relationship between Faith and Erik left off with plenty of promise, but not a too-quick resolution.
Content--mentions of finding new species on other planets
Elaina - 2.5 stars
This one wasn't my favorite. I didn't connect well with the style, and it stuck way too close to the original for my preference. Although I did like the way Henrietta's portion of the plot was tweaked. ;) Unfortunately, trying to squeeze the entirety of Emma into the space of a short story made things feel very rushed and surface-y.
Peace in the Orchard - DNF
Skipped for personal convictions regarding magical fantasy. ;)
Maid in Houston - 1.5 stars
I had a hard time with this one, and not just because of the randomly-scattered Spanish. The story felt rushed, and the characters were hard to like. Even Francesca, who's supposed to be our heroine, didn't get enough depth to really have me rooting for her, and I still can't figure out why I'm supposed to be the slightest bit happy about her ending up with Ernesto. I literally can't come up with one good quality that he demonstrated through the whole story, and his change was too out-of-the-blue to be believable, especially since we didn't get to watch it lived out. Also, I wasn't sure what purpose his bouncing back and forth between religions was supposed to serve, but it wasn't at all comfortable, especially since it wasn't resolved in any significant way.
Content--several uses of "heck"; mentions of drugs and drinking; mention of uncomfortable touches and a man romancing a married woman; mentions of trying out various religions
Chocolate Surprise - 4 stars
Took me a little bit to pin this as an Emma retelling, but I was impressed at the way the key relationship/twist from the novel was condensed down to a short story while keeping most of the essential elements. The only thing I didn't really understand was how Heather's misunderstanding had come about. But the one line that explained Ida and the chocolate started a whole waterfall of feels! <3
Gently Pursued, Finally Persuaded - 3.5 stars
A sweet Persuasion retelling that I really enjoyed. There were some definite differences from the original (for example, a much stronger reason that they hadn't gotten married), but that wasn't a weakness, and the setting of a second-chance love story in a retirement home was unique and delightful. My only (small) complaints were that a few of the details that carried over seemed a little strained Overall, a very cute story.
The Secret of Pemberley Estate - 2.5 stars
This was an interesting concept, but maybe a bit too complex for a short story. The mystery felt rushed, and some of the conclusions (even the correct conclusions) didn't seem to be based on much evidence. Parts of the story seemed rather far-fetched, and I couldn't figure out where the accusation at the beginning came from once the mystery was explained. Also, the dialogue seemed a bit strained at times, and parts of the ending were a bit cliched. I did like the focus on Georgiana and her relationship with her brother and Elizabeth, though, and the bits with the flower messages were interesting. :)
Emma's Irritation - 3 stars
I could definitely see the callbacks to certain conversations in Emma here, and the attitudes of the characters were reflected pretty well overall. I didn't quite understand the apparent change in Mr. Knightley's attitude toward Emma's matchmaking (or the specific match in question), and obviously with it being a prequel story, we can't get a lot of lessons learned on Emma's part. :S Still, I thought it did a pretty good job of keeping consistency with the original.
Mother's Day - 3.5 stars
This was a nice modern take on Sense and Sensibility. My only complaint was that it was so short that pretty much all we got to see was the wrap-up, and most of the story was taken up with talking/thinking over what had happened in the past. But still sweet--and I did like the kittens! :)
The Mansfield - 4.5 stars
Definitely my favorite of the collection! This story hit just about the perfect balance of being a recognizable retelling without straining to hit every piece of the original. The setting was unique and compelling, and the characters were very understandable, and Faith especially was wonderful. I liked the way the relationship between Faith and Erik left off with plenty of promise, but not a too-quick resolution.
Content--mentions of finding new species on other planets
Elaina - 2.5 stars
This one wasn't my favorite. I didn't connect well with the style, and it stuck way too close to the original for my preference. Although I did like the way Henrietta's portion of the plot was tweaked. ;) Unfortunately, trying to squeeze the entirety of Emma into the space of a short story made things feel very rushed and surface-y.
Peace in the Orchard - DNF
Skipped for personal convictions regarding magical fantasy. ;)
Maid in Houston - 1.5 stars
I had a hard time with this one, and not just because of the randomly-scattered Spanish. The story felt rushed, and the characters were hard to like. Even Francesca, who's supposed to be our heroine, didn't get enough depth to really have me rooting for her, and I still can't figure out why I'm supposed to be the slightest bit happy about her ending up with Ernesto. I literally can't come up with one good quality that he demonstrated through the whole story, and his change was too out-of-the-blue to be believable, especially since we didn't get to watch it lived out. Also, I wasn't sure what purpose his bouncing back and forth between religions was supposed to serve, but it wasn't at all comfortable, especially since it wasn't resolved in any significant way.
Content--several uses of "heck"; mentions of drugs and drinking; mention of uncomfortable touches and a man romancing a married woman; mentions of trying out various religions
October 14, 2017
Alors, déjà le concept : des réécritures/ suites très brèves des romans de Jane Austen (donc forcément l'intrigue ne se centre que sur un ou deux points des différents romans), le tout à des époques différentes ou contemporaines de Jane.
Comme toujours, je vais débriefer rapidement chacune des vignettes avant de donner un avis global
* Chocolate Surprise de E.Kaiser Writes : Une version de Emma... L'histoire se suit plaisamment et on retrouve les étapes importantes du roman. Bien entendu l'héroïne réalise ses sentiments et craint de voir son amie et celui qu'elle aime se marier. Mais au final, elle comprend son erreur. Plaisant mais pas ioubliable
Ma note : 5/10
* Gently Pursued, Finally Persuaded de Gail Bryant: Persuasion à la maison de retraite ! J'ai beaucoup aimé l'originalité de cette histoire qui permet aux héros de se retrouver (mais non sans épreuves !) Les rebondissements sont là et les personnages attachants !
Ma note : 8/10
* The secret of Pemberley Estate de Therese Peyton : Une suite à Pride & Prejudice teintée de fantasy où les Darcy se retrouvent les dépositaires d'un trésor royal (d'un royaume complètement inventé). Le mystère qui rappelle un peu les romans gothiques est au rendez vous et l'histoire se suit avec plaisir
Ma note : 6/10
* Emma's irritation de Mikayla Holman : L'histoire est une sorte de prequel d'Emma où l'héroïne à 16 ans et cherche à favoriser l'union de sa soeur et de John. Bien entendu Knightley la met en garde et on assiste aux débuts de match maker d'Emma. Les personnages sont fidèles aux originaux et l'histoire est bien menée
Ma note : 8/10
* Mother's Day de Jennifer Baxter : Inspiré de Sense & Sensibility dans le monde moderne qui se centre sur le personnage de la mère au moment où ses filles sont toutes les deux malheureuses, j'ai bien aimé le fait qu'elle s'interroge sur sa méthode d'éducation et la fin est jolie
Ma note : 7/10
* The Mansfield de E.Kaiser Writes : Mansfield Park dans l'espace ! Et si The Mansfield était un vaisseau spatial dans un futur indéfini ? J'ai trouvé très inventif et les grandes lignes du roman sont là même si la fin diffère un peu pour le personnage du fil ainé des Bertram (enfin son équivalent). C'était divertissant et les grandes lignes du roman sont là
Ma note : 6/10
* Elaina de Hannah Jones : Emma (encore !) version fantasy où Elaina(Emma) est la princesse d'un royaume imaginaire. Cette version est celle qui reprend le plus complètement la trame du roman original et je l'ai vraiment beaucoup aimée ! On reconnait bien les personnages originaux et j'ai apprécié l'écriture de l'auteure
Ma note : 8/10
* Peace in the orchard de E. Kaiser Writes : Une version fantasy de Pride & Prejudice qui en garde les grandes lignes. J'ai bien aimé le côté tueur de dragons du prince Darcy et les personnages de Jane & Elizabeth (qui ne portent pas le même prénom) sont tout à fait oniriques (le fait que les oiseaux se posent sur elles et tout ça, c'est très Disney). L'histoire se lit avec plaisir
Ma note : 6/10
* Maid in Houston de Jennifer Baxter : Une version "mexicaine" de Mansfield Park où le frère de Fanny est un policier... J'avoue que j'ai eu un peu de mal avec celle ci même si les grandes lignes du roman sont respectées
Ma note : 5/10
Pour résumer :
Ce que j'aime : les versions d'Emma, la créativité des différents auteurs et l'originalité des histoires
Ce que j'aime moins : j'ai eu un peu de mal avec certaines histoires, notamment dans le style et le tout est toujours trop bref
En bref : Un recueil inventif qui montre que les personnages inventés par Jane Austen sont universels
Ma note
6,5/10
Comme toujours, je vais débriefer rapidement chacune des vignettes avant de donner un avis global
* Chocolate Surprise de E.Kaiser Writes : Une version de Emma... L'histoire se suit plaisamment et on retrouve les étapes importantes du roman. Bien entendu l'héroïne réalise ses sentiments et craint de voir son amie et celui qu'elle aime se marier. Mais au final, elle comprend son erreur. Plaisant mais pas ioubliable
Ma note : 5/10
* Gently Pursued, Finally Persuaded de Gail Bryant: Persuasion à la maison de retraite ! J'ai beaucoup aimé l'originalité de cette histoire qui permet aux héros de se retrouver (mais non sans épreuves !) Les rebondissements sont là et les personnages attachants !
Ma note : 8/10
* The secret of Pemberley Estate de Therese Peyton : Une suite à Pride & Prejudice teintée de fantasy où les Darcy se retrouvent les dépositaires d'un trésor royal (d'un royaume complètement inventé). Le mystère qui rappelle un peu les romans gothiques est au rendez vous et l'histoire se suit avec plaisir
Ma note : 6/10
* Emma's irritation de Mikayla Holman : L'histoire est une sorte de prequel d'Emma où l'héroïne à 16 ans et cherche à favoriser l'union de sa soeur et de John. Bien entendu Knightley la met en garde et on assiste aux débuts de match maker d'Emma. Les personnages sont fidèles aux originaux et l'histoire est bien menée
Ma note : 8/10
* Mother's Day de Jennifer Baxter : Inspiré de Sense & Sensibility dans le monde moderne qui se centre sur le personnage de la mère au moment où ses filles sont toutes les deux malheureuses, j'ai bien aimé le fait qu'elle s'interroge sur sa méthode d'éducation et la fin est jolie
Ma note : 7/10
* The Mansfield de E.Kaiser Writes : Mansfield Park dans l'espace ! Et si The Mansfield était un vaisseau spatial dans un futur indéfini ? J'ai trouvé très inventif et les grandes lignes du roman sont là même si la fin diffère un peu pour le personnage du fil ainé des Bertram (enfin son équivalent). C'était divertissant et les grandes lignes du roman sont là
Ma note : 6/10
* Elaina de Hannah Jones : Emma (encore !) version fantasy où Elaina(Emma) est la princesse d'un royaume imaginaire. Cette version est celle qui reprend le plus complètement la trame du roman original et je l'ai vraiment beaucoup aimée ! On reconnait bien les personnages originaux et j'ai apprécié l'écriture de l'auteure
Ma note : 8/10
* Peace in the orchard de E. Kaiser Writes : Une version fantasy de Pride & Prejudice qui en garde les grandes lignes. J'ai bien aimé le côté tueur de dragons du prince Darcy et les personnages de Jane & Elizabeth (qui ne portent pas le même prénom) sont tout à fait oniriques (le fait que les oiseaux se posent sur elles et tout ça, c'est très Disney). L'histoire se lit avec plaisir
Ma note : 6/10
* Maid in Houston de Jennifer Baxter : Une version "mexicaine" de Mansfield Park où le frère de Fanny est un policier... J'avoue que j'ai eu un peu de mal avec celle ci même si les grandes lignes du roman sont respectées
Ma note : 5/10
Pour résumer :
Ce que j'aime : les versions d'Emma, la créativité des différents auteurs et l'originalité des histoires
Ce que j'aime moins : j'ai eu un peu de mal avec certaines histoires, notamment dans le style et le tout est toujours trop bref
En bref : Un recueil inventif qui montre que les personnages inventés par Jane Austen sont universels
Ma note
6,5/10
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews