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Jane Digby's Diary: To Begin, Begin
Bright, beautiful, and bold, Jane Digby led a remarkable life. Born to privilege in 1807 at Dorset, England, she soon scandalized Europe with her reckless pursuit of of freedom. She sacrificed home, family, and respectability for her passions. Kings, princes, barons, brigands, lords, and sheiks were among her lovers. A gifted artist and musician, as well as a superb horsewoman, she spoke several languages, read widely, wrote eloquently, and embraced all manner of culture and travel.
An amusing, thoughtful, and moving work of historical fiction, JANE DIGBY'S DIARY offers a compelling account of the life of a woman who truly lived all for love. Join her on her path to a life well lived.
This volume, TO BEGIN, BEGIN, is the first installment of the serial, JANE DIGBY'S DIARY. Volume Two, A REBEL HEART, is now available in the Kindle store.
An amusing, thoughtful, and moving work of historical fiction, JANE DIGBY'S DIARY offers a compelling account of the life of a woman who truly lived all for love. Join her on her path to a life well lived.
This volume, TO BEGIN, BEGIN, is the first installment of the serial, JANE DIGBY'S DIARY. Volume Two, A REBEL HEART, is now available in the Kindle store.
226 pages, ebook
Published April 20, 2018
112 people are currently reading
110 people want to read
About the author
C.R. Hurst
11 books20 followersC.R. Hurst, who taught writing and language at a small college in Pennsylvania for over 25 years, retired early and moved to the North Carolina mountains where she lives with her husband and a little black cat named Molly. CR loves the outdoors, reads too much and writes too little. A realist with two feet planted in the 21st century, she nevertheless enjoys escaping into the past with historical fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
November 23, 2022
My rating 4.5
The Novella "Jane Digby's Diary: To Begin, Begin" by C.R. Hurst is historical fiction told in diary form with date entries. Through that diary, Jane addresses her imaginary friend and describes the events that follow her throughout her life.
This diary follows Jane Digby, a wealthy British aristocratic family in the early 1800s. We follow Jane's life from eighteen, her dreams and fantasies about love, gossip, disappointments, and the world of the rich at that time, which is far from idyllic. A part of her life is drawn through it, in which she describes everything she feels and the spirit of that time. Although she lives in a wealthy family, she is conditioned by tradition and rules. What Jane herself will describe in her diary.
I would recommend this novella to fans of historical fiction.
The Novella "Jane Digby's Diary: To Begin, Begin" by C.R. Hurst is historical fiction told in diary form with date entries. Through that diary, Jane addresses her imaginary friend and describes the events that follow her throughout her life.
This diary follows Jane Digby, a wealthy British aristocratic family in the early 1800s. We follow Jane's life from eighteen, her dreams and fantasies about love, gossip, disappointments, and the world of the rich at that time, which is far from idyllic. A part of her life is drawn through it, in which she describes everything she feels and the spirit of that time. Although she lives in a wealthy family, she is conditioned by tradition and rules. What Jane herself will describe in her diary.
I would recommend this novella to fans of historical fiction.
May 8, 2022
What a clever approach to a book, or rather a series. The first installment (Book 1 of 4), starts off in 1873, toward the end of Jane Digby's life, whilst she's living in Syria. Jane has just read her own obituary in The Morning Post newspaper - a scathing and "fabricated" one at that - and is forced to respond to worried family and friends, assuring them she's still alive, but perhaps more importantly to defend her character. While she admits to being a sinner, the one thing she does not regret over her lifetime is the "need to love and be loved." Those six words seem to dictate the direction of her life.
While I have heard of Jane Digby before, I admit not knowing a great deal about her. It was tempting to research more of her details- after the very first chapter - but I'm glad I didn't because I sense the book is more enjoyable and suspenseful when the reader is naive to the full account of this aristocratic woman's life.
The book really begins in 1824, when Jane was just 17. Born into great privilege - the daughter of a heroic rear-admiral Henry Digby and Lady Andover - she spends time touring Europe, at her grandfather's palatial estate amongst many siblings and cousins, and at her own home, Forston House in Dorset. Following the death of her dear colt - and accused of being overly comforted by one of the young grooms - her mother sends her off to a seminary to reform her inappropriate behavior. But was she meant to be a "proper" young lady?
Although the book is conveyed to the reader through the solitary lens of Jane's periodic diary entries, by interjecting poems, letters, etc. into the entries themselves, the author does a good job of revealing the depth of the many other characters in Jane's life - mostly her mother, governess "Steely", her father "Babou", cousin George, and first husband Edward. Hurst is able to build a world beyond Jane's to the point where you feel empathy, despair, and even admiration for those around her. After all, remember, Jane is no saint.
I thoroughly enjoyed the first installment in this series, and read it in just a few sittings. Hurst does an admirable job of capturing the customs, traditions, culture, and language of the Regency era. It is clear she conducted extensive research into the time period and life of Jane Digby. This is an excellent historical fiction book and I look forward to reading the rest of this series.
While I have heard of Jane Digby before, I admit not knowing a great deal about her. It was tempting to research more of her details- after the very first chapter - but I'm glad I didn't because I sense the book is more enjoyable and suspenseful when the reader is naive to the full account of this aristocratic woman's life.
The book really begins in 1824, when Jane was just 17. Born into great privilege - the daughter of a heroic rear-admiral Henry Digby and Lady Andover - she spends time touring Europe, at her grandfather's palatial estate amongst many siblings and cousins, and at her own home, Forston House in Dorset. Following the death of her dear colt - and accused of being overly comforted by one of the young grooms - her mother sends her off to a seminary to reform her inappropriate behavior. But was she meant to be a "proper" young lady?
Although the book is conveyed to the reader through the solitary lens of Jane's periodic diary entries, by interjecting poems, letters, etc. into the entries themselves, the author does a good job of revealing the depth of the many other characters in Jane's life - mostly her mother, governess "Steely", her father "Babou", cousin George, and first husband Edward. Hurst is able to build a world beyond Jane's to the point where you feel empathy, despair, and even admiration for those around her. After all, remember, Jane is no saint.
I thoroughly enjoyed the first installment in this series, and read it in just a few sittings. Hurst does an admirable job of capturing the customs, traditions, culture, and language of the Regency era. It is clear she conducted extensive research into the time period and life of Jane Digby. This is an excellent historical fiction book and I look forward to reading the rest of this series.
January 13, 2022
What a great read! Enthusiastic five stars.
I basically look for one thing in my media—that I come away with a greater appreciation of the world around me. Lives are to be lived. And this book delivered.
I had never heard of Jane Digby, but through reading this fictional diary, based on the non-fictional events of Digby’s early life, I have a real sense of her as a woman and a greater sense of the age she lived in. Digby was strong minded, physically driven, and she held unconventional views. I greatly appreciated the factual historical details on every page of the diary. This novella is part one of four—covering the first part of Digby’s life only. More travel and trysts await in parts two and onward.
I enjoyed the format of this book as well, though it did take some adjustment. Because of the ‘journal entry’ nature of the story, we are never fully ‘in scene’ but always removed from it, by virtue of Jane’s recollection in writing in her diary. The only character we are ever ‘with’ is Jane, although she is quite good at relaying the other characters (and her opinions of them!) to us. This is simply a different way to hear a story. Think of it as a different sort of cuisine than the one you normally eat, something possibly confusing at first (like sushi, or pickled beaver tail, or Midwestern seven-layer salad) but then you get the idea and come to appreciate the new dish. This diary format is the literary equivalent of that.
The writing is top notch. Beautiful prose, with language that feels apt for the time (early 1800s), easy to read. I devoured this book in one sitting. The only stumble I had (where I had to go back and check that I had not misread) was that Edward’s deceased wife was introduced as Octavia, and later called Olivia. I’m not sure if there is confusion in the actual historical record or if this is a typo, but if it was a typo, it was the only such error I saw in the entire novella.
I highly recommend this book to readers of historical fiction, readers who like strong women, and readers who are looking for a delightful and quick read.
I basically look for one thing in my media—that I come away with a greater appreciation of the world around me. Lives are to be lived. And this book delivered.
I had never heard of Jane Digby, but through reading this fictional diary, based on the non-fictional events of Digby’s early life, I have a real sense of her as a woman and a greater sense of the age she lived in. Digby was strong minded, physically driven, and she held unconventional views. I greatly appreciated the factual historical details on every page of the diary. This novella is part one of four—covering the first part of Digby’s life only. More travel and trysts await in parts two and onward.
I enjoyed the format of this book as well, though it did take some adjustment. Because of the ‘journal entry’ nature of the story, we are never fully ‘in scene’ but always removed from it, by virtue of Jane’s recollection in writing in her diary. The only character we are ever ‘with’ is Jane, although she is quite good at relaying the other characters (and her opinions of them!) to us. This is simply a different way to hear a story. Think of it as a different sort of cuisine than the one you normally eat, something possibly confusing at first (like sushi, or pickled beaver tail, or Midwestern seven-layer salad) but then you get the idea and come to appreciate the new dish. This diary format is the literary equivalent of that.
The writing is top notch. Beautiful prose, with language that feels apt for the time (early 1800s), easy to read. I devoured this book in one sitting. The only stumble I had (where I had to go back and check that I had not misread) was that Edward’s deceased wife was introduced as Octavia, and later called Olivia. I’m not sure if there is confusion in the actual historical record or if this is a typo, but if it was a typo, it was the only such error I saw in the entire novella.
I highly recommend this book to readers of historical fiction, readers who like strong women, and readers who are looking for a delightful and quick read.
March 30, 2022
When I started reading this book, I hadn't realized it was about a real person. It seemed unbelievable that a real person should have lived such adventures in such little time, especially a woman in the restricted conditions of the early 19th century. When I realized it, I made research about the real Jane Digby. A portrait of her appeared, that seemed too familiar, but I couldn't imagine what connection there could be between Jane Digby and the person I knew as countess Theotoki, a personality of 19th century Athens. Since Athens is my city and I can be considered a specialist in its history in the 19th century, countess Theotoki was very familiar to me, because her house was built by one of the most famous Greek architects of the 19th century and is considered one of the most important mansions of 19th century Athens.
Many times I have walked in front of the spot where it once existed and have thought of this personality, but I didn't know anything about her life before and after the time she lived in Athens. But I did wonder why, since she was so famous in Athens in the 1840s, I had never stumbled upon any mention of her afterward. The research I did and the information provided by this book about her life before her Athenian "phase" were very enlightening. She had A LOT to do before as well as after that, in many other parts of the world. I still can't believe the adventures she had and her courage to do so many things against what was expected of her due to her sex and position.
This book gives a fast-paced, easy-to-read, and often amusing fictionalized account of the early life of this absolutely fascinating personality, touching issues still relevant today. The atmosphere of the time is very well represented, sometimes giving the impression one reads a novel by Jane Austen. I only wish the author had elaborated more on her sentiments and thoughts in some parts where very crucial events took place. Nevertheless, I would recommend this book to anyone who would enjoy a book reviving the atmosphere of the English high society of the early 19th century and the life account of such a unique personality.
Many times I have walked in front of the spot where it once existed and have thought of this personality, but I didn't know anything about her life before and after the time she lived in Athens. But I did wonder why, since she was so famous in Athens in the 1840s, I had never stumbled upon any mention of her afterward. The research I did and the information provided by this book about her life before her Athenian "phase" were very enlightening. She had A LOT to do before as well as after that, in many other parts of the world. I still can't believe the adventures she had and her courage to do so many things against what was expected of her due to her sex and position.
This book gives a fast-paced, easy-to-read, and often amusing fictionalized account of the early life of this absolutely fascinating personality, touching issues still relevant today. The atmosphere of the time is very well represented, sometimes giving the impression one reads a novel by Jane Austen. I only wish the author had elaborated more on her sentiments and thoughts in some parts where very crucial events took place. Nevertheless, I would recommend this book to anyone who would enjoy a book reviving the atmosphere of the English high society of the early 19th century and the life account of such a unique personality.
November 29, 2022
I don't read a lot of historical fiction unless it's historical mystery fiction, but I started the first book of Jane Digby's diary and couldn't put it down until I finished it. And I'm already well into the second book. This is SO well done. Putting Jane's story in diary format was perfect. It reads quickly, with just the necessary information and description to tell the story, and it lets the reader into Jane's thoughts and feelings. The story is able to skip over days, weeks, months, and even years without losing anything in the telling of the story. So well done, I can't say enough good about it, but give it a try and I think you'll agree.
July 6, 2022
Jane Digby's Diary is the fictional diary of a real woman who blazed a path across the 19th-century world, in defiance of the expectations and mores of the time. It offers some fascinating insight into her life and times.
I really enjoyed the personal touches - the sense of injustice when spending the night with her beloved horse who was dying, Jane finds herself accused of philandering with the stablehand, the impact of her marriage and its decline and her love affair.
For me though the second part of the book was much stronger than the first. In the first part, Jane's voice and personality are not as strong and there is a sense of gallery history - descriptions of historical things, people and events, feeling more like a name-dropping session rather than Jane's personal reactions and experience of them.
That flaw aside this is an engaging read and becomes more so as it progresses and by the end when Jane has to make a heartbreaking decision, I was thoroughly hooked.
I really enjoyed the personal touches - the sense of injustice when spending the night with her beloved horse who was dying, Jane finds herself accused of philandering with the stablehand, the impact of her marriage and its decline and her love affair.
For me though the second part of the book was much stronger than the first. In the first part, Jane's voice and personality are not as strong and there is a sense of gallery history - descriptions of historical things, people and events, feeling more like a name-dropping session rather than Jane's personal reactions and experience of them.
That flaw aside this is an engaging read and becomes more so as it progresses and by the end when Jane has to make a heartbreaking decision, I was thoroughly hooked.
March 30, 2022
This interesting book combines shades of Bridgerton (for the Netflix fans!) with some Bronte-esque and Dickinson vibes thrown in. The book is a little trite inasmuch as it trods well known territory — diary entries, voyages, and family squabbles - but it nonetheless does a great job of capturing the place and tone with high accuracy and authenticity levels. I enjoyed the hyperbolic diary entries of the author, and her naming of the the diary as “Marianne” was a cute touch. The pace really gets going when our heroine is sent off to boarding school, as a punishment for her so-called “high spirited” behavior. This section is sadly all too brief, but it levels up the action, and the tale becomes more interesting as more characters are introduced.
While the book stays in the “schoolgirl vapid” arena, it becomes more colorful as you get deeper in. It took me a while to realize this was based on a true story, which added depth to the breathless, giddy descriptions of events, which felt very true to the teen girl mind. The attention to detail sets it apart others of its genre. Would have liked it if the heroine could have expressed more of a personality, rather than just repeat/record everything she saw, as well as comment more incisively. The world building was great however, and the use of poems, liberally sprinkled, helped set the scene as well. This won’t be to everyones taste, but for fans of regency romance and classics, this is a good fit, as the extra travelogue details broaden the range.
While the book stays in the “schoolgirl vapid” arena, it becomes more colorful as you get deeper in. It took me a while to realize this was based on a true story, which added depth to the breathless, giddy descriptions of events, which felt very true to the teen girl mind. The attention to detail sets it apart others of its genre. Would have liked it if the heroine could have expressed more of a personality, rather than just repeat/record everything she saw, as well as comment more incisively. The world building was great however, and the use of poems, liberally sprinkled, helped set the scene as well. This won’t be to everyones taste, but for fans of regency romance and classics, this is a good fit, as the extra travelogue details broaden the range.
November 13, 2019
A very (im)proper English lady
When I was a teen, I read historical novels by the truckload and then dazzled my college professors with my knowledge of royal genealogies and the sort of "domestic" scandals that ruined political careers and sometimes brought down governments. Women only gained the right to vote in the 20th century, but we were potent political factors since the dawn of governance. An accurate historical novel (and this one qualifies) gives you a look into the intimacies of daily life which history books ignore.
The early 19th century was a turbulent time in England. The English had emerged victorious from a long war with France and many naval officers (like Jane Digby's father) had made fortunes capturing and looting French ships. King George IV was a fashion-plate and bon vivant. Wealthy English who choose to live in London could enjoy a sophisticated life style formerly reserved for Europeans. It was a time when marital vows weren't taken too seriously, as long as straying partners were discrete. Jane Digby never was.
Jane appears in this book as a likable, spirited young woman. She was happy to run wild on her grandfather's estate, but a young lady was born and bred to make a brilliant marriage that would solidify her family's position in society. Jane's marriage to Lord Ellenborough was a love match, but also elevated her to the top level of London society. She had difficulty conceiving the expected heir, but the major problem was her husband's obsession with his political career that left her bored and feeling like an after-thought in his life.
Soon he was neglecting her not only for politics, but for other women. Her mother advised her to look the other way and be happy with her husband's generous gifts. But Jane was not a woman to overlook an insult and she retaliated by having an affair with an older cousin for whom she had long had a secret passion. When her first child was finally born, it was uncertain who fathered him.
Then her cousin moved on, but by that time, Jane was passionately in love with a Bohemian prince attached to his London embassy. She became pregnant with his child and when the scandal broke, refused to give up her Prince . She followed him to Paris, where her daughter was born. When this first volume ends, she has been told that her Prince (a Catholic) cannot marry a divorced woman.
Jane is wounded, but being rejected reminds her that she's received a generous settlement from her husband. Not yet 25 years old, she has her own income and no one to tell her what to do with it. She is that great rarity for the time - an independent woman. And she decides to make the most of it by traveling and satisfying her curiosity about exotic places and cultures.
This is an entertaining book, written in the form of a diary. The characters and places are well-drawn and believable. I especially enjoyed the descriptions of dinner parties and evenings at elegant clubs. Most females of the time would have been envious of Jane's luxurious life, but she chafed at the restrictions put on her - the lack of freedom, exercise, and mental stimulation. She raged at the fact that men were allowed (even encouraged) to openly pursue their passions, while women were expected to conceal theirs.
But how much of the feelings that this author attributes to Jane Digby are accurate? To some extent, there's no answer to that question. We know the basic facts of Digby's strange life, which is to say that we know what she DID, but not WHY.
Was she an early feminist? Maybe, but not necessarily. There WERE feminists then, but Jane's behavior could just as easily have been prompted by a love of adventure, a need for romantic attention, narcissism, or many other personality traits. Feminism means not simply wanting freedom and fair treatment for oneself, but for other women. Early on, at least, there's no evidence that Jane was concerned about the problems faced by women as a group. She simply refused to be bound by social rules that didn't suit her.
I seriously doubt that Jane worried about her lack of maternal love for her children. Wealthy English women typically turned their children over to nurses, nannies, and governesses to raise. A wealthy woman who spent time with her children was more likely to be remarked on than one who ignored them completely. Running a large household, being socially active, and keeping her husband satisfied was a full time job. Jane's mother supervised her presentation into London society and her marriage, but showed little interest in her otherwise. Like mother, like daughter.
Keeping in mind that we should avoid attributing modern ideas to historic characters, it's still a fascinating story. Jane Digby's childhood, first marriage, and divorce were just the beginning of her mind-blowing saga. I'm looking forward to Volume II.
Disclosure: I'm an internet-acquaintance of this author, dating from the time I read her book on Amazon reviewing. However, she never asked me to review this book. I bought my own copy and my opinions have not been influenced in any way.
When I was a teen, I read historical novels by the truckload and then dazzled my college professors with my knowledge of royal genealogies and the sort of "domestic" scandals that ruined political careers and sometimes brought down governments. Women only gained the right to vote in the 20th century, but we were potent political factors since the dawn of governance. An accurate historical novel (and this one qualifies) gives you a look into the intimacies of daily life which history books ignore.
The early 19th century was a turbulent time in England. The English had emerged victorious from a long war with France and many naval officers (like Jane Digby's father) had made fortunes capturing and looting French ships. King George IV was a fashion-plate and bon vivant. Wealthy English who choose to live in London could enjoy a sophisticated life style formerly reserved for Europeans. It was a time when marital vows weren't taken too seriously, as long as straying partners were discrete. Jane Digby never was.
Jane appears in this book as a likable, spirited young woman. She was happy to run wild on her grandfather's estate, but a young lady was born and bred to make a brilliant marriage that would solidify her family's position in society. Jane's marriage to Lord Ellenborough was a love match, but also elevated her to the top level of London society. She had difficulty conceiving the expected heir, but the major problem was her husband's obsession with his political career that left her bored and feeling like an after-thought in his life.
Soon he was neglecting her not only for politics, but for other women. Her mother advised her to look the other way and be happy with her husband's generous gifts. But Jane was not a woman to overlook an insult and she retaliated by having an affair with an older cousin for whom she had long had a secret passion. When her first child was finally born, it was uncertain who fathered him.
Then her cousin moved on, but by that time, Jane was passionately in love with a Bohemian prince attached to his London embassy. She became pregnant with his child and when the scandal broke, refused to give up her Prince . She followed him to Paris, where her daughter was born. When this first volume ends, she has been told that her Prince (a Catholic) cannot marry a divorced woman.
Jane is wounded, but being rejected reminds her that she's received a generous settlement from her husband. Not yet 25 years old, she has her own income and no one to tell her what to do with it. She is that great rarity for the time - an independent woman. And she decides to make the most of it by traveling and satisfying her curiosity about exotic places and cultures.
This is an entertaining book, written in the form of a diary. The characters and places are well-drawn and believable. I especially enjoyed the descriptions of dinner parties and evenings at elegant clubs. Most females of the time would have been envious of Jane's luxurious life, but she chafed at the restrictions put on her - the lack of freedom, exercise, and mental stimulation. She raged at the fact that men were allowed (even encouraged) to openly pursue their passions, while women were expected to conceal theirs.
But how much of the feelings that this author attributes to Jane Digby are accurate? To some extent, there's no answer to that question. We know the basic facts of Digby's strange life, which is to say that we know what she DID, but not WHY.
Was she an early feminist? Maybe, but not necessarily. There WERE feminists then, but Jane's behavior could just as easily have been prompted by a love of adventure, a need for romantic attention, narcissism, or many other personality traits. Feminism means not simply wanting freedom and fair treatment for oneself, but for other women. Early on, at least, there's no evidence that Jane was concerned about the problems faced by women as a group. She simply refused to be bound by social rules that didn't suit her.
I seriously doubt that Jane worried about her lack of maternal love for her children. Wealthy English women typically turned their children over to nurses, nannies, and governesses to raise. A wealthy woman who spent time with her children was more likely to be remarked on than one who ignored them completely. Running a large household, being socially active, and keeping her husband satisfied was a full time job. Jane's mother supervised her presentation into London society and her marriage, but showed little interest in her otherwise. Like mother, like daughter.
Keeping in mind that we should avoid attributing modern ideas to historic characters, it's still a fascinating story. Jane Digby's childhood, first marriage, and divorce were just the beginning of her mind-blowing saga. I'm looking forward to Volume II.
Disclosure: I'm an internet-acquaintance of this author, dating from the time I read her book on Amazon reviewing. However, she never asked me to review this book. I bought my own copy and my opinions have not been influenced in any way.
June 30, 2022
Jane Digby was a real person, whose life was one of scandal and adventure, especially for a woman of the early 19th century. This fictional diary covers her early years, from age 17 to 23. The entries show her progress from schoolgirl to a London debut, presentation to the King, courtship by a man twice her age and marriage at age 18. The honeymoon gives way to disillusion and distance, followed by a series of affairs by both Jane and her husband, and eventual divorce.
The book is a short, fast read. As the author explains in an afterword, she wished to convey the style of a young woman eager to experience life, even if that meant incorporating a few turns of phrase that were probably not in use in the early 19th century. Jane’s tone is intelligent and slightly irreverent, but full of affection for her family and friends.
The book presents a close and vivid picture of English upper-class life in the 1820s. Daily routines, family relations, clothing, ladies’ maids, dinners, dances, and dalliances are all presented in Jane’s diary entries, which are addressed to a persona she calls “Marianne.” Social conventions are always evident, along with Jane’s and others’ flouting of them. From the start she is passionate and romantic, craves new experiences but admits she lacks maternal instinct. She doesn’t agonize over ethics or waste much time on regretting her choices, but is always looking forward to the future.
This historical novel is clearly based on research and presents a real person in a thoughtful and true-to-life way. Recommended for readers of historical fiction and of 19th century authors such as Jane Austen and the Brontë sisters.
The book is a short, fast read. As the author explains in an afterword, she wished to convey the style of a young woman eager to experience life, even if that meant incorporating a few turns of phrase that were probably not in use in the early 19th century. Jane’s tone is intelligent and slightly irreverent, but full of affection for her family and friends.
The book presents a close and vivid picture of English upper-class life in the 1820s. Daily routines, family relations, clothing, ladies’ maids, dinners, dances, and dalliances are all presented in Jane’s diary entries, which are addressed to a persona she calls “Marianne.” Social conventions are always evident, along with Jane’s and others’ flouting of them. From the start she is passionate and romantic, craves new experiences but admits she lacks maternal instinct. She doesn’t agonize over ethics or waste much time on regretting her choices, but is always looking forward to the future.
This historical novel is clearly based on research and presents a real person in a thoughtful and true-to-life way. Recommended for readers of historical fiction and of 19th century authors such as Jane Austen and the Brontë sisters.
May 21, 2022
This was an easy and enjoyable read. I was a little surprised and disappointed that it was such a short novel. I felt I’d only really started getting into it when it finished.
I thought the author did a good job of fictionalising Jane's life and made Jane a vivid character.
The prologue made me curious about her supposed death. but this novel doesn’t cover that part of her life. It covers Jane’s life from her seventeenth birthday to her mid-twenties. However, there is a sequel.
The curriculum at Jane’s seminary for young ladies (where she is sent because she spent time with a young groom while her colt was dying) made me laugh. Deportment, Custom and Conversation, Fashion and Beauty, Voice and Singing, Household Management……
Jane comes across as an intelligent, passionate young woman but naïve where husbands and lovers were concerned. The hypocrisy and double standards of Regency society are exposed in Jane’s story. Jane was forced to admit adultery in the divorce if she wanted to remarry although her husband had been equally guilty of adultery.
I thought there was a great piece of foreshadowing in the novel about her marriage when Jane has her first carriage ride with her future husband.
“Oh dear Marianne, what can an eighteen-year-old girl really have to say to a man almost twice her age and he to her?”
I disliked her lover Felix and thought London society were right to nickname him the Cad.
I’m curious as to what Jane did next.
I thought the author did a good job of fictionalising Jane's life and made Jane a vivid character.
The prologue made me curious about her supposed death. but this novel doesn’t cover that part of her life. It covers Jane’s life from her seventeenth birthday to her mid-twenties. However, there is a sequel.
The curriculum at Jane’s seminary for young ladies (where she is sent because she spent time with a young groom while her colt was dying) made me laugh. Deportment, Custom and Conversation, Fashion and Beauty, Voice and Singing, Household Management……
Jane comes across as an intelligent, passionate young woman but naïve where husbands and lovers were concerned. The hypocrisy and double standards of Regency society are exposed in Jane’s story. Jane was forced to admit adultery in the divorce if she wanted to remarry although her husband had been equally guilty of adultery.
I thought there was a great piece of foreshadowing in the novel about her marriage when Jane has her first carriage ride with her future husband.
“Oh dear Marianne, what can an eighteen-year-old girl really have to say to a man almost twice her age and he to her?”
I disliked her lover Felix and thought London society were right to nickname him the Cad.
I’m curious as to what Jane did next.
March 30, 2022
This is the first volume in a series which depicts a fictionalised account of the life of Jane Digby. Using diary entries to tell of the early life and loves of the heroine works really well as a device to get inside her head and follow the twists and turns as she navigates 19th Century high society in London and beyond.
In order to depict Digby's experiences convincingly the author has done a tremendous job with her research to capture the spirit of the times. She has also succeeded in giving Digby a distinctive voice that evolves as she gets older (although when this volume ends she is still in her Twenties) and suffers scandals, the loss of a child and the loss of a husband.
One other comment about the diary entry approach used here, is that it means the book is formed of easily digestible stand alone chunks that make it easy to dip into and out of, but without ever letting the pace drop.
The page turning element is provided by the incidents, misadventures, and romances that Digby plays a part in. The characters that she encounters are well drawn, and all have their strengths as well as their flaws. This is certainly true of Digby herself. It is easy to see that fans of this type of fiction will want to buy every volume in the story to see how Digby's life plays out.
In order to depict Digby's experiences convincingly the author has done a tremendous job with her research to capture the spirit of the times. She has also succeeded in giving Digby a distinctive voice that evolves as she gets older (although when this volume ends she is still in her Twenties) and suffers scandals, the loss of a child and the loss of a husband.
One other comment about the diary entry approach used here, is that it means the book is formed of easily digestible stand alone chunks that make it easy to dip into and out of, but without ever letting the pace drop.
The page turning element is provided by the incidents, misadventures, and romances that Digby plays a part in. The characters that she encounters are well drawn, and all have their strengths as well as their flaws. This is certainly true of Digby herself. It is easy to see that fans of this type of fiction will want to buy every volume in the story to see how Digby's life plays out.
June 17, 2021
I absolutely enjoyed this book! It was saucy, well-written and wonderfully scandalous!
In a time where there were specific rules on comportment and behaviour, Jane Digby was not like other women. She understood what was expected of her, but those expectations rarely coincided with her choices, unless she wanted them to. Ruled by her heart rather than society, Jane was a strong, opinionated woman who fought for her independence and did not shy away from going after what she desired. In this delicious little novel, I got the chance to meet Ms. Jane Digby, and get a taste of how she lived according to her own rules.
This was such a great little read. I really liked learning about Jane, and I thought the diary format was a clever way to present the information - I often find historical fiction can get carried away in paragraph-long descriptions, but everything in this was bite-sized and wonderfully written. I honestly didn't know that Jane Digby was a real person, but now I need to know what happens next in her life!
Thank you Voracious Readers and CR Hurst for my copy!
In a time where there were specific rules on comportment and behaviour, Jane Digby was not like other women. She understood what was expected of her, but those expectations rarely coincided with her choices, unless she wanted them to. Ruled by her heart rather than society, Jane was a strong, opinionated woman who fought for her independence and did not shy away from going after what she desired. In this delicious little novel, I got the chance to meet Ms. Jane Digby, and get a taste of how she lived according to her own rules.
This was such a great little read. I really liked learning about Jane, and I thought the diary format was a clever way to present the information - I often find historical fiction can get carried away in paragraph-long descriptions, but everything in this was bite-sized and wonderfully written. I honestly didn't know that Jane Digby was a real person, but now I need to know what happens next in her life!
Thank you Voracious Readers and CR Hurst for my copy!
July 30, 2020
How many of us live the life of our choosing? In C.R Hurst's new novel, Jane Digby's Diary: To Begin, begin, we meet such a woman, remarkable for her lovers and lifestyle, even more so given the time in which she lived.
I'm drawn to strong female characters, characters who live their lives in a unique way, who have the strength to go against the norms, against society, and follow their hearts. Jane is such a character, and it's clear right from the first pages of this excellent novel.
During the course of her lifetime, Jane had many lovers and affairs, and moved around all over Europe, from England to Greece, and later to Syria where she found her true love. Throughout her life, she seemed to be guided by her own compass, and made choices few women made at the time. I'm not sure if Jane was a feminist in the modern sense of the word, but she certainly valued her freedom and her ability to follow her heart above all else, and in that sense was clearly a feminist.
The novel, told in diary entries, is extremely well-written, and the story moves along at a brisk pace. It was clear from Hurst's prose that she's been writing and teaching for a long time, and is an expert at her craft.
I highly recommend Jane Digby's diary. If you don't know anything about her life, this novel is a great way to get to know a woman who was clearly ahead of her time.
I'm drawn to strong female characters, characters who live their lives in a unique way, who have the strength to go against the norms, against society, and follow their hearts. Jane is such a character, and it's clear right from the first pages of this excellent novel.
During the course of her lifetime, Jane had many lovers and affairs, and moved around all over Europe, from England to Greece, and later to Syria where she found her true love. Throughout her life, she seemed to be guided by her own compass, and made choices few women made at the time. I'm not sure if Jane was a feminist in the modern sense of the word, but she certainly valued her freedom and her ability to follow her heart above all else, and in that sense was clearly a feminist.
The novel, told in diary entries, is extremely well-written, and the story moves along at a brisk pace. It was clear from Hurst's prose that she's been writing and teaching for a long time, and is an expert at her craft.
I highly recommend Jane Digby's diary. If you don't know anything about her life, this novel is a great way to get to know a woman who was clearly ahead of her time.
March 28, 2022
C.R. Hurst’s novel is a historical fiction of Jane Digby, born in 1807 in England. As the title suggests, it is written in a diary form which I found a bit unusual for me to read but quickly got used to it.
The book presents a compelling story, and it isn’t easy to see what is the true story and what is fiction. It feels that the author did a good amount of research of the time period, and it shows.
The characters are well developed, starting with the protagonist. Jane Digby is a strong young woman who ignores the norms of society and lives her life on her own terms.
It is an engaging reading, and the author is able to transfer you two hundred years in time to a very different era of the early 19th century, but the theme of thinking about our place in society resonates even today.
This is the first book in a series, and after reading it, you will be intrigued enough to pick up the next one.
The book presents a compelling story, and it isn’t easy to see what is the true story and what is fiction. It feels that the author did a good amount of research of the time period, and it shows.
The characters are well developed, starting with the protagonist. Jane Digby is a strong young woman who ignores the norms of society and lives her life on her own terms.
It is an engaging reading, and the author is able to transfer you two hundred years in time to a very different era of the early 19th century, but the theme of thinking about our place in society resonates even today.
This is the first book in a series, and after reading it, you will be intrigued enough to pick up the next one.
June 15, 2021
Jane Austen meets Tess of d’Urbervilles. I had no idea that this was about a real woman but the story is remarkable. The story is very well written and the author tells it well. It was very easy to read and although the actions of the main character are not always agreeable, getting a view of the societal rules of the time makes for a very interesting story. The harshness of the time is not something you find in your Austen novel but is very well revealed here
April 21, 2024
Searching for Love
The very real Jane Digby is portrayed very realistically by CR Hurst in this debut novel. I'm fascinated by the historical detail which fills in the story and puts it in context. The decisions and thought processes displayed in the journal format are truly remarkable. The timeless search for love is portrayed against the backdrop of the times, British cultural expectations and family obligations. As a child of the 20th century and now senior citizen in the 21st century, it is mind boggling to consider the impacts faced by the real Jane Digby. I'm so intrigued that I plan to read more about her scandalous and brave life.
The very real Jane Digby is portrayed very realistically by CR Hurst in this debut novel. I'm fascinated by the historical detail which fills in the story and puts it in context. The decisions and thought processes displayed in the journal format are truly remarkable. The timeless search for love is portrayed against the backdrop of the times, British cultural expectations and family obligations. As a child of the 20th century and now senior citizen in the 21st century, it is mind boggling to consider the impacts faced by the real Jane Digby. I'm so intrigued that I plan to read more about her scandalous and brave life.
June 8, 2024
great historical fiction…’ish’
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Good escapist read. I’ll have to check out the diary entries (-:
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Good escapist read. I’ll have to check out the diary entries (-:
August 12, 2024
Wow, a historic novel (1807) with a 2024 woman who refuses to go with the norm…marriage home and kids is not for her, she wants love!
May 30, 2018
‘Judge me - or not - by my own words.‘
North Carolina author C.R. Hurst taught writing and language at the college level in Pennsylvania before moving to North Carolina to publish her first book in 2016 - UNDER REVIEW: Twenty-nine Months as an Amazon Reviewer. Now she turns to what appears to be her passion in genre – historical fiction with this eloquent beginning of a series based on the life of 19th century Jane Digby.
Hurst sets the tone of her biography of the astonishingly modern Jane Digby with an 19873 note from Jane’s hand written in Damascus, Syria – ‘I make public this account knowing that if I do not my life will be subject to the subtle manipulations and outright lies of the most egregious mode of misformation known - the tabloids. Not many women live to read their own obituaries, but it was my grave misfortune to do so. I am not superstitious and no newspaper can kill me before my appointed time, but I am truly distressed by the great fiction spun by The Morning Post and perpetuated by others. My “remarkable career” was recounted with such disdain for the facts but with such conviction that my family and friends in London became understandably alarmed. I received so many anxious letters that I have spent weeks responding to them, assuring those I hold dear that the reports of my death, and the absurd retrospects of my life, were fabrications of the meanest kind. I now realize that publishing a true account of my life is the surest way to prevent such fictions. For nearly fifty years I have kept a diary where I have recorded truths more rebellious and more scandalous than any scandalmonger could understand. I have lived a life I chose - and the life I choose. Can many women make that claim? We women are taught to obey the commands of a society little concerned with our happiness. We must find satisfaction in home and family - and if home and family prove not enough? Well, a fashionable woman might sin, as long as she is discreet. And I have sinned, but indiscretion is my worst sin. My lovers have included a lord, a prince, a baron, and kings. Brigands and Bedouins have courted me. I have traveled from England to France, from Switzerland to Austria, from Germany to Greece, only to find my heart and my true
home in the Syrian desert. I have sacrificed all without regret to one great and absorbing passion, the need to love and be love. Judge me - or not - by my own words.’
With this tone set we, the reader, stand eager to discover why a woman of stature and privilege arrived at such and ‘obituary’. Hurst reveals the spirit and journey of this lady born in 1807 as she is introduced to us in 1824 – ‘My seventeenth birthday! I am so very spoiled. Mama and Papa have given me my heart’s desires, a metal nib pen to replace my feather quill and a lovely watercolor set and easel with lessons to come. But my favorite gift is you. My dear Steely, knowing my restless mind, thought I might need a secret place - a pretty diary with the most clever lock and darling key - to record my thoughts. Will you be my friend, or better still, my only sister? If so, I shall need to name you. I simply cannot keep calling you, you. How very rude. I think I have the perfect name for you . . . Marianne.’ And thus begins this diary, written by Jane to ‘Marianne’ that reveals a woman’s love of life and of love as she ‘scandalized Europe with her reckless pursuit of freedom. She sacrificed home, family, and respectability for her passions. Kings, princes, barons, brigands, lords, and sheiks were among her lovers. A gifted artist and musician, as well as a superb horsewoman, she spoke several languages, read widely, wrote eloquently, and embraced all manner of culture and travel.’
Hoist the flag for feminism in an era when woman’s role was ‘secondary’ at best and find how Hurst has brought to life an astounding figure, centuries before her time! The diary is part 1 of a series and ends in the year 1830 – with so much more to follow in the next installments.
Hurst’s writing style is in the manner of diary entries by days – not only in keeping with her concept of sharing an incredible life, but also a technique that encourages non-stop reading. Very fine new book.
North Carolina author C.R. Hurst taught writing and language at the college level in Pennsylvania before moving to North Carolina to publish her first book in 2016 - UNDER REVIEW: Twenty-nine Months as an Amazon Reviewer. Now she turns to what appears to be her passion in genre – historical fiction with this eloquent beginning of a series based on the life of 19th century Jane Digby.
Hurst sets the tone of her biography of the astonishingly modern Jane Digby with an 19873 note from Jane’s hand written in Damascus, Syria – ‘I make public this account knowing that if I do not my life will be subject to the subtle manipulations and outright lies of the most egregious mode of misformation known - the tabloids. Not many women live to read their own obituaries, but it was my grave misfortune to do so. I am not superstitious and no newspaper can kill me before my appointed time, but I am truly distressed by the great fiction spun by The Morning Post and perpetuated by others. My “remarkable career” was recounted with such disdain for the facts but with such conviction that my family and friends in London became understandably alarmed. I received so many anxious letters that I have spent weeks responding to them, assuring those I hold dear that the reports of my death, and the absurd retrospects of my life, were fabrications of the meanest kind. I now realize that publishing a true account of my life is the surest way to prevent such fictions. For nearly fifty years I have kept a diary where I have recorded truths more rebellious and more scandalous than any scandalmonger could understand. I have lived a life I chose - and the life I choose. Can many women make that claim? We women are taught to obey the commands of a society little concerned with our happiness. We must find satisfaction in home and family - and if home and family prove not enough? Well, a fashionable woman might sin, as long as she is discreet. And I have sinned, but indiscretion is my worst sin. My lovers have included a lord, a prince, a baron, and kings. Brigands and Bedouins have courted me. I have traveled from England to France, from Switzerland to Austria, from Germany to Greece, only to find my heart and my true
home in the Syrian desert. I have sacrificed all without regret to one great and absorbing passion, the need to love and be love. Judge me - or not - by my own words.’
With this tone set we, the reader, stand eager to discover why a woman of stature and privilege arrived at such and ‘obituary’. Hurst reveals the spirit and journey of this lady born in 1807 as she is introduced to us in 1824 – ‘My seventeenth birthday! I am so very spoiled. Mama and Papa have given me my heart’s desires, a metal nib pen to replace my feather quill and a lovely watercolor set and easel with lessons to come. But my favorite gift is you. My dear Steely, knowing my restless mind, thought I might need a secret place - a pretty diary with the most clever lock and darling key - to record my thoughts. Will you be my friend, or better still, my only sister? If so, I shall need to name you. I simply cannot keep calling you, you. How very rude. I think I have the perfect name for you . . . Marianne.’ And thus begins this diary, written by Jane to ‘Marianne’ that reveals a woman’s love of life and of love as she ‘scandalized Europe with her reckless pursuit of freedom. She sacrificed home, family, and respectability for her passions. Kings, princes, barons, brigands, lords, and sheiks were among her lovers. A gifted artist and musician, as well as a superb horsewoman, she spoke several languages, read widely, wrote eloquently, and embraced all manner of culture and travel.’
Hoist the flag for feminism in an era when woman’s role was ‘secondary’ at best and find how Hurst has brought to life an astounding figure, centuries before her time! The diary is part 1 of a series and ends in the year 1830 – with so much more to follow in the next installments.
Hurst’s writing style is in the manner of diary entries by days – not only in keeping with her concept of sharing an incredible life, but also a technique that encourages non-stop reading. Very fine new book.
July 31, 2020
Very well done!
Readers of fictional romance will be interested to read this fictional diary of a historical woman involved in one of the most notorious scandals of the Regency period. Feminists will also be intrigued as the divorce prompted many of the time to question the justice of their laws. The heroine is a feisty character who realizes many of her dreams, but at the cost of others.
Readers of fictional romance will be interested to read this fictional diary of a historical woman involved in one of the most notorious scandals of the Regency period. Feminists will also be intrigued as the divorce prompted many of the time to question the justice of their laws. The heroine is a feisty character who realizes many of her dreams, but at the cost of others.
February 18, 2022
What a fantastic read! This story pulled me in completely and made me feel like I was really reading the diary of Jane Digby. I wasn't familiar with her before but am glad to have 'met' her through this clever work of fiction that's based on a real person.
It was fun to read about her visiting places in Europe in a carriage that I've visited in modern times. Travel back then must have been arduous, something one thinks about when reading a diary-style book. I enjoyed hearing about it.
A favorite bit was: "Next we saw a royal sarcophagus thought to be Alexander the Great’s which was rescued from its ignoble use as a bathtub in Alexandra"
The book moves swiftly along, some entries are short and others are longer with more details. Characters build throughout so that they become familiar; it was engaging to get news of them and hear what they were up to.
The period feels realistic, CR Hurst is very skilled at evoking a sense of being back in a different era.
I was sad to see the book end and look forward to the next installment.
It was fun to read about her visiting places in Europe in a carriage that I've visited in modern times. Travel back then must have been arduous, something one thinks about when reading a diary-style book. I enjoyed hearing about it.
A favorite bit was: "Next we saw a royal sarcophagus thought to be Alexander the Great’s which was rescued from its ignoble use as a bathtub in Alexandra"
The book moves swiftly along, some entries are short and others are longer with more details. Characters build throughout so that they become familiar; it was engaging to get news of them and hear what they were up to.
The period feels realistic, CR Hurst is very skilled at evoking a sense of being back in a different era.
I was sad to see the book end and look forward to the next installment.
August 21, 2021
Brutal honesty in following a capricious heart ...
To get reductive on you: In Japan we have ninjo and giri. Ninjo is personal inclination and giri is duty. Much Japanese fiction is a tug of war between the two. In Jane Digby's Diary: To Begin, Begin, the historical novelist C.R. Hurst has mined the life of a trail-blazing high-born young lady and shows her entering society all the way to marrying up then getting bored and giving into ninjo and trysting with one then another lover, with the last here being Felix who seems conflicted for their relationship in the end due to "giri." But the maverick and impulsive Jane Digby seems to ready herself to move on ... or move/travel/make new trysts with life and men as being true to her nature as a man eater. This is all fine and good and makes for dynamite reading in the latter stretches especially. Of Felix, she writes: "July 3 We are more than the love we make. We are companions of the mind and heart. We talk of music, art, poetry, books ... We speak of running away to the north country." Then an earlier entry: "I love him as a woman loves a man, he as a man loves a woman. Our love believes and hopes all things." THIS IS WONDERFUL WRITING. AWWHH! Then there's the bomb about her refusing her husband Edward his marital right. Hurst has done her research and her sentences, most anyway, ring pitch perfect; she has a fine ear and an empathetic heart, bringing this woman Digby off the page and into the twenty-first century for readers today who know all too well the fallacies of the Hollywood version of the white picket fence, two kids, one boy, one girl, a big playful dog and the whole courtly love soap operatic dialogue that goes south in a helluva hurry (Think Fatal Attraction), that Hurst ruptures via her subject's you only go around once in life up in flames exuberance. It makes for good reading in any age but I wonder if another voice could be smuggled in via a pomo rupture. I be talkin epistolary and an exchange of letters between lovers to add some polarity to the rapid fire staccato of telegraphed simple sentences that do become a little monotonous as diaries are wont to do. My advice: rupture it with another voice occasionally. To hell with being "loyal" to the original who lived two centuries ago anyway. Get MORE fictional, creative and crack .. it ... fricking ... open. The chick lit diary needs a ballsy man to stir the pot of solitary sisterhood. Imagine the sparks that'd fly between the lovers in such epistolary exchanges ... The fictional reality would then crackle bigly and dramatically and maybe catch the eye of a traditional publisher looking west to west world Hollywood. Go there, C.R. Or at least toy with me idea. Respectfully, Eric Madeen/Associate Professor/Tokyo City University/www.ericmadeen.com
To get reductive on you: In Japan we have ninjo and giri. Ninjo is personal inclination and giri is duty. Much Japanese fiction is a tug of war between the two. In Jane Digby's Diary: To Begin, Begin, the historical novelist C.R. Hurst has mined the life of a trail-blazing high-born young lady and shows her entering society all the way to marrying up then getting bored and giving into ninjo and trysting with one then another lover, with the last here being Felix who seems conflicted for their relationship in the end due to "giri." But the maverick and impulsive Jane Digby seems to ready herself to move on ... or move/travel/make new trysts with life and men as being true to her nature as a man eater. This is all fine and good and makes for dynamite reading in the latter stretches especially. Of Felix, she writes: "July 3 We are more than the love we make. We are companions of the mind and heart. We talk of music, art, poetry, books ... We speak of running away to the north country." Then an earlier entry: "I love him as a woman loves a man, he as a man loves a woman. Our love believes and hopes all things." THIS IS WONDERFUL WRITING. AWWHH! Then there's the bomb about her refusing her husband Edward his marital right. Hurst has done her research and her sentences, most anyway, ring pitch perfect; she has a fine ear and an empathetic heart, bringing this woman Digby off the page and into the twenty-first century for readers today who know all too well the fallacies of the Hollywood version of the white picket fence, two kids, one boy, one girl, a big playful dog and the whole courtly love soap operatic dialogue that goes south in a helluva hurry (Think Fatal Attraction), that Hurst ruptures via her subject's you only go around once in life up in flames exuberance. It makes for good reading in any age but I wonder if another voice could be smuggled in via a pomo rupture. I be talkin epistolary and an exchange of letters between lovers to add some polarity to the rapid fire staccato of telegraphed simple sentences that do become a little monotonous as diaries are wont to do. My advice: rupture it with another voice occasionally. To hell with being "loyal" to the original who lived two centuries ago anyway. Get MORE fictional, creative and crack .. it ... fricking ... open. The chick lit diary needs a ballsy man to stir the pot of solitary sisterhood. Imagine the sparks that'd fly between the lovers in such epistolary exchanges ... The fictional reality would then crackle bigly and dramatically and maybe catch the eye of a traditional publisher looking west to west world Hollywood. Go there, C.R. Or at least toy with me idea. Respectfully, Eric Madeen/Associate Professor/Tokyo City University/www.ericmadeen.com
August 21, 2020
What a very delightful, historically enlightening, an inspiring example of love, independence, self-actualization and the human spirit prevailing in spite of the cultural mores and expectations to the time. A richly-layered story, told in diary form, the author does an exceptional job in describing not only what the main character is feeling but experiencing. She provides a vivid description of the political and cultural times of 19th century England, as well as the societal mores and practices. While the main character is acutely aware of what is expected of her, the burning desires of how she wanted to act, and what she wanted to experience when it came to individual freedom, sexuality, and love were always present. She had a liberating independent spirit when it was not the desired behavior from a lady. Ultimately, than independent spirit prevails, in her quest for fulfillment is love, sex, and life. A very good and interested reads that takes you back in an age and culture past, but with a taste of what it means to have an indomitable will and spirit when it comes to freedom and love. Excellently written!
June 14, 2018
With such a subject as Jane Digby, it would be easy to fall into the trap of writing a Mary Sue.
Happily, Hurst not only does not do this — instead presenting a very credible character — but also, taking a “bird’s eye view” of the book, we also see a gradual yet inexorable shift in tone as Jane moves on from her girlhood frivolities to her womanly exploits. This is not merely good character development; it showcases Hurst’s skill as an author to reflect that development through Jane’s words (since the book is presented as a diary).
The book overall chronicles her ups and downs, and could for the most part be taken for the historical Digby’s own memoires, though it’d be a sad irony if she had truly foreshadowed her own fate, writing so many years previously of how terrible it must be to do as Byron did, and die sick and alone, so far from home.
Of course, home is where the heart is, and Jane takes hers with her on her journey.
Happily, Hurst not only does not do this — instead presenting a very credible character — but also, taking a “bird’s eye view” of the book, we also see a gradual yet inexorable shift in tone as Jane moves on from her girlhood frivolities to her womanly exploits. This is not merely good character development; it showcases Hurst’s skill as an author to reflect that development through Jane’s words (since the book is presented as a diary).
The book overall chronicles her ups and downs, and could for the most part be taken for the historical Digby’s own memoires, though it’d be a sad irony if she had truly foreshadowed her own fate, writing so many years previously of how terrible it must be to do as Byron did, and die sick and alone, so far from home.
Of course, home is where the heart is, and Jane takes hers with her on her journey.
September 29, 2021
*I received this book from the author for free via Voracious Readers Only in exchange for an honest review*
A wonderfully written diary novel following the life of one of the 19th century’s most scandalous women. Hurst’s writing was colourful and brought the characters to life beautifully in a way that is often difficult with diaries. Despite being relatively short, enough detail was given to the important elements of Jane’s life, from her childhood to her various affairs. I sped through the book and enjoyed reading it! Thank you C.R. Hurst for the book, I look forward to reading the second one!
A wonderfully written diary novel following the life of one of the 19th century’s most scandalous women. Hurst’s writing was colourful and brought the characters to life beautifully in a way that is often difficult with diaries. Despite being relatively short, enough detail was given to the important elements of Jane’s life, from her childhood to her various affairs. I sped through the book and enjoyed reading it! Thank you C.R. Hurst for the book, I look forward to reading the second one!
May 15, 2023
I enjoyed this book immensely and gave Jane Digby’s Diary Five out of five stars for a number of reasons. Most enjoyable was the format of the main character’s diary as the platform for her to tell her story and to provide snapshots of world events as they happened. This might lead the reader to delve further into those historical events. The diary format also made this book a quick and uncomplicated read through the eyes of a historic, bright, and engaging personality.
Jane Digby is seventeen years old. She begins her story by sharing a passage from the diary she received as a birthday gift. The reader learns immediately that Jane is young and willful. She lives in England and discovers her life, although highly privileged, comes with excessively high standards of conduct and responsibility. Jane works to live under the pressures of 19th-century English high society but finds it quite impossible. When Jane attends a social event at an exclusive club for wealthy patrons, she meets Edward, who is seventeen years her senior and a member of Parliament. They marry and eventually have a son, Charlie, whom Jane adores but who is frail and sickly. When Jane discovers that Edward has been unfaithful, she and Edward attempt to revive their marriage. But Jane meets another man, Prince Felix, with whom she falls in love and eventually becomes pregnant. Although Jane has the resources of her wealthy family to protect her from the scandals that are brewing because of the affair, gossip from London’s high society rages until Jane is compelled to flee the city while Felix tries to convince his family to accept her.
As a self-described Anglophile, I am pleased to have discovered a historical figure who was previously unknown to me. With every turn of the page, the diary exposes the most intimate and scandalous details of Jane’s life, yet Jane’s words remain deliciously subtle and understated, in the way Englishmen are so capable. As Jane ages, her entries reflect the personality changes she undergoes as a result of her choices and circumstances. Regardless, Hurst seamlessly carries the reader through the diary from entry to entry until the short novel is over. Because I personally enjoy longer books, I will move on to the next volume in the series to learn more about this intriguing character from history.
The nineteenth-century English aristocracy, understandably, draws wide interest because it remained untouchable and unreachable for those who weren’t lucky enough to have been born into it. Nevertheless, the main character, by her shocking behavior, possesses very American sensibilities as she pursues her chosen lifestyle and by rejecting her stuffy British upbringing, regardless of the response from British high society. Jane was also born into a man’s world. She was expected to marry well, produce heirs, and simply accept whatever her husband decides. Being headstrong and highly educated, Jane tenaciously follows her interests in art, literature, horseback riding (straddle) and gardening while also having children as was expected despite not possessing “motherly instincts”.
When finished with the book, I was confident the author was British. However, I was surprised to learn she is American. I imagine this is likely the reason Hurst chose Jane Digby as the subject of her debut novel. Jane’s feminist persona fits well in American culture. I was also drawn to the character who usually obeyed her stern mother or dominant husband, but also unapologetically followed her instincts whether good, bad or ill-advised.
Jane Digby is seventeen years old. She begins her story by sharing a passage from the diary she received as a birthday gift. The reader learns immediately that Jane is young and willful. She lives in England and discovers her life, although highly privileged, comes with excessively high standards of conduct and responsibility. Jane works to live under the pressures of 19th-century English high society but finds it quite impossible. When Jane attends a social event at an exclusive club for wealthy patrons, she meets Edward, who is seventeen years her senior and a member of Parliament. They marry and eventually have a son, Charlie, whom Jane adores but who is frail and sickly. When Jane discovers that Edward has been unfaithful, she and Edward attempt to revive their marriage. But Jane meets another man, Prince Felix, with whom she falls in love and eventually becomes pregnant. Although Jane has the resources of her wealthy family to protect her from the scandals that are brewing because of the affair, gossip from London’s high society rages until Jane is compelled to flee the city while Felix tries to convince his family to accept her.
As a self-described Anglophile, I am pleased to have discovered a historical figure who was previously unknown to me. With every turn of the page, the diary exposes the most intimate and scandalous details of Jane’s life, yet Jane’s words remain deliciously subtle and understated, in the way Englishmen are so capable. As Jane ages, her entries reflect the personality changes she undergoes as a result of her choices and circumstances. Regardless, Hurst seamlessly carries the reader through the diary from entry to entry until the short novel is over. Because I personally enjoy longer books, I will move on to the next volume in the series to learn more about this intriguing character from history.
The nineteenth-century English aristocracy, understandably, draws wide interest because it remained untouchable and unreachable for those who weren’t lucky enough to have been born into it. Nevertheless, the main character, by her shocking behavior, possesses very American sensibilities as she pursues her chosen lifestyle and by rejecting her stuffy British upbringing, regardless of the response from British high society. Jane was also born into a man’s world. She was expected to marry well, produce heirs, and simply accept whatever her husband decides. Being headstrong and highly educated, Jane tenaciously follows her interests in art, literature, horseback riding (straddle) and gardening while also having children as was expected despite not possessing “motherly instincts”.
When finished with the book, I was confident the author was British. However, I was surprised to learn she is American. I imagine this is likely the reason Hurst chose Jane Digby as the subject of her debut novel. Jane’s feminist persona fits well in American culture. I was also drawn to the character who usually obeyed her stern mother or dominant husband, but also unapologetically followed her instincts whether good, bad or ill-advised.
November 1, 2022
Jane Digby's Diary is a historical novel covering the youth and first marriage of a privileged young woman in early nineteenth-century England. The story is told through diary entries so it's like an epistolary novel with the protagonist writing letters to herself. As such, we experience events from a step removed and are completely reliant on Jane's veracity. Also, some of the diary entries are separated by weeks or months. Despite these drawbacks, the story possesses a sense of immediacy. It held my interest from beginning to end.
Jane is not always likable in these pages. She comes across as selfish and callous at times toward her children, but she is thrust into a life of marriage and responsibility at a young age. Her previous life experience as a sheltered young woman of privilege has hardly prepared her for the challenges to come. She barely knows "who she is" when she is thrust into marriage to a widower who is more interested in his political career and the memory of his first wife. Jane is an attractive young woman and other men soon target her, perhaps picking up on her loneliness in her marriage.
If you're interested in life in early nineteenth-century England, Jane Digby's Diary will be a welcome addition to your reading list. Highly recommended.
Jane is not always likable in these pages. She comes across as selfish and callous at times toward her children, but she is thrust into a life of marriage and responsibility at a young age. Her previous life experience as a sheltered young woman of privilege has hardly prepared her for the challenges to come. She barely knows "who she is" when she is thrust into marriage to a widower who is more interested in his political career and the memory of his first wife. Jane is an attractive young woman and other men soon target her, perhaps picking up on her loneliness in her marriage.
If you're interested in life in early nineteenth-century England, Jane Digby's Diary will be a welcome addition to your reading list. Highly recommended.
September 13, 2021
First of a series, this book is based on the life of a real person. In the early 1800's, Jane seemed destined for the life of a high class, well bred Englishwoman. Her marriage, while still a teenager, to Lord Ellenborough, eventually fell apart. She felt abandoned, whether in London, or at their country estate, while he spent his days dealing with business, or being a Member of Parliament.
Jane had a child with her lover, but they never married. She traveled to different European cities, staying with friends, while she considered her future. Does she return to England, and attempt some "damage control" on her reputation? Does she continue to travel, not caring what other people think?
This book is in diary form, so it may not be for everyone. It is still an interesting tale of someone who broke away from the rock solid social "rules" of Regency England, to find her own way in life. It is very much worth reading.
Jane had a child with her lover, but they never married. She traveled to different European cities, staying with friends, while she considered her future. Does she return to England, and attempt some "damage control" on her reputation? Does she continue to travel, not caring what other people think?
This book is in diary form, so it may not be for everyone. It is still an interesting tale of someone who broke away from the rock solid social "rules" of Regency England, to find her own way in life. It is very much worth reading.
May 11, 2022
An independent young woman in the nineteenth-century aristocracy. The story follows the coming of age of a girl from an aristocratic family through her diary. Via a path defined by amorous liaisons, she breaks free from the shackles of high society. It takes us up close into the family life and social events, including her meetings with the King and the Wellingtons, and paints an empathic and credible tableau of the nineteenth-century English aristocracy—suffocating for young women with wider interests than marrying, having children, and becoming household managers. The dialogue, historic background, and language are exquisite. Yet, after a promising start, the story suffers from some repetitive phrasing, predictability, and slow pace. The storytelling, although exceedingly skillful, could have been done with more originality since the author has chosen to write it in the form of fiction. The interesting historic descriptions saved the fourth star for me.
October 14, 2022
Jane Digby's Diary: To Begin, Begin by C.R. Hurst is an interesting historical fiction based on the imagined diary of one Jane Digby. Jane Digby was a real person born into a wealthy British aristocratic family in the early 1800s. Her family was highly placed, think meeting the King of England at her coming out party, and she was well known to all the most elite of society. Despite her constant training in etiquette and feminine good manners, Digby was a rebel at heart who saw no reason why she could not entertain the same sexual dalliances that men of her era were allowed. The result was scandal, opulent settings, and steamy romances.
Personally, I enjoy more historical facts and narratives in my historical fiction. C. R. Hurst tells her imagined story of Jane Digby's life entirely through the reading of Digby's fictional diary. The diary technique was not my cup of tea. However, I'm sure fans of the genre will enjoy it.
For a creative fictional look at a strong and wealthy woman of the 1800s who doesn't let herself miss out on any romantic opportunities in life, fans of Romance and Historical Fiction will find a great experience in Jane Digby's Diary, To Begin, Begin.
Personally, I enjoy more historical facts and narratives in my historical fiction. C. R. Hurst tells her imagined story of Jane Digby's life entirely through the reading of Digby's fictional diary. The diary technique was not my cup of tea. However, I'm sure fans of the genre will enjoy it.
For a creative fictional look at a strong and wealthy woman of the 1800s who doesn't let herself miss out on any romantic opportunities in life, fans of Romance and Historical Fiction will find a great experience in Jane Digby's Diary, To Begin, Begin.
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