Women's Classic Literature Enthusiasts discussion

Let's do this buddy read over 2 months since it is the holiday season for most and usually is busy.

Sandition will be on PBS' masterpiece on mid January.

Charlene wrote: "Let's do this buddy read over 2 months since it is the holiday season for most and usually is busy.

Sandition will be on PBS' masterpiece on mid January."

I haven't signed up for this but I am interested - if that is OK. It will be January before I get to it though as this is my busy time of year.

Count me in!

Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "Charlene wrote: "Let's do this buddy read over 2 months since it is the holiday season for most and usually is busy.

Sandition will be on PBS' masterpiece on mid January."

I haven't signed up for..."

That is fine. I don't think I will get to this until end of December.

I am about half way done with my current book, so I may be starting Sandition next week.

Charlene wrote: "I am about half way done with my current book, so I may be starting Sandition next week."

Silly me, I hadn’t realized that you linked to one of the completions. I bought the 74 page version that presumably includes only the portion Jane write. So you’ll have to tell me how it ends. lol

I’ve seen an episode of the miniseries. It will be great to compare.

Carol wrote: "Charlene wrote: "I am about half way done with my current book, so I may be starting Sandition next week."

Silly me, I hadn’t realized that you linked to one of the completions. I bought the 74 pa..."

The one linked is the first one that Goodreads would choose. I picked up the Collins Classic edition that may be a completed by someone else one too but I haven't looked.

I am assuming that we are just reading Jane Austen's partial manuscript which is very short. Am I wrong?

Just looking now. Jane Austen wrote 11 chapters for the novel. That is what we should be reading. I don't know how easy it will be to find a partial book. And it looks like some versions of the book may not even contain Jane Austen's original text.

According to Wikipedia, Sandition is a fragment of a book with 11 chapters. However, my edition has 12 chapters. My version is by Oxford World's Classics and includes Northanger Abbey, Lady Susan, The Watsons and Sandition. Northanger Abbey, Lady Susan, The Watsons, and Sanditon

I have to say that these 11 or 12 chapters will not be easy reading since JA did not have time to edit or expand each chapter. It seems almost to be an outline.

Charlene wrote: "Just looking now. Jane Austen wrote 11 chapters for the novel. That is what we should be reading. I don't know how easy it will be to find a partial book. And it looks like some versions of the boo..."

Most versions I’ve seen combine be Sanditon with other stories, so it looks like a 250 page book, but the Sanditon portion is only a third or so of it.

Carol wrote: "Charlene wrote: "Just looking now. Jane Austen wrote 11 chapters for the novel. That is what we should be reading. I don't know how easy it will be to find a partial book. And it looks like some ve..."

If that is it, then both the Collins Classic and the Oxford World Classics should have the correct version.

I just stated. Mr. Parker does remind me of Mr. Woodhouse. There is a little bit of Lady Russell thrown in too with regards to aristocracy view points.

Just starting chapter 3. Mr. Parker is already driving me nuts.

I finished the unfinished manuscript. It got a little confusing because JA used letters for the names of the characters instead of writing them out. It will be interesting to see how the TV movie fleshes out the characters and finishes the story lines.

I immediately starting reading Lady Susan after that since it is in my edition. I am enjoying that immensely.

☯Emily wrote: "I finished the unfinished manuscript. It got a little confusing because JA used letters for the names of the characters instead of writing them out. It will be interesting to see how the TV movie f..."

I should finish the last couple chapters tonight. I know it is unfair to do this but comparing with other JA works, this one isn't one of my favorites. Maybe the TV movie will convince me otherwise. It is a great start but does seem rushed.

Jane was dying as she wrote this and I am assuming it is a first draft. It is not one of my favorites either, but it is interesting that the locations of the plot changes from her other books and does not center on the gentry and their lands, but on developing the coast. Sounds very 21st century.

For Charlotte Heywood to be our heroine of Sanditon, it was the Parker family that took center stage in the book.

I just read a review in the Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA) about the first four episodes of Sanditon. (It is an 8 part series!)

Apparently, there is nude sea-bathing with the male characters and some "sexing up" of some of the characters along with other choices that defy historical accuracy, but make good cinematic storytelling. There is subtle feminist undertone according to the reviewer.

Like the reviewer states, it will be fascinating to see how the adaptation handles the issue of slavery as the series begins to develop the character of Miss Lambe, the only black character in an Austen work.

Charlene wrote: "For Charlotte Heywood to be our heroine of Sanditon, it was the Parker family that took center stage in the book."

Apparently the miniseries does change the demeanor and actions of Charlotte and makes her a central character of the story.

Only 12 more days until the series starts.

List of characters: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/...

I’ve just started listening on Audible

☯Emily wrote: "List of characters: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/..."

That list of characters is very detailed.

I am listening to this on audible.

Sanditon is clearly unfinished, to me the existing chapters have not yet undergone the rigorous revisions of earlier works. I feel that the wit isnt as sharp as usual.

Austen abandoned this book in the March before she passed away. I wonder if she was too ill to write and if illness was affecting her writing or if she was not enjoying where the story was taking her.

There are familiar character structures here. I have just completed chapter 7 and so far the Denham's and Mr Parker. Although Charlotte is referred to as 'my heroine', she hasnt really come to the fore as yet.

I have seen the first episode of the miniseries and so far what I have read covered about half the episode. I'm keen to see how the series completes the novel

More info about the PBS program:
https://janeaustensummer.org/2020/01/...

Well, I was disappointed. It might an interesting story, but it is no Jane Austen.

Carol wrote: "Charlene wrote: "I am about half way done with my current book, so I may be starting Sandition next week."

Silly me, I hadn’t realized that you linked to one of the completions. I bought the 74 pa..."

I'm reading the incomplete version as well. I can remember being able to see "the seams" when I read the version by 'A Lady' many years ago.

I'm just about to start Chapter 5 & I am struck by heavily Georgette Heyer's writing style was influenced by this book.

Enjoying so far.

Ok finished. My version which I'm reading online has 12 chapters, but the final chapter is a fragment.

I loved the beginning which I thought could be really effectively filmed with Mr Parker as a modern day developer. But I thought the story became harsher as it went on. Austen was almost mean with some of her characters. None of the gentle mockery I associate with Austen.

It doesn't surprise me that Austen was unwell writing this one. Some of you may know I'm a big Georgette Heyer fan & the Regencies she wrote when unwell are inferior to the best of her Regencies.

I was able to watch all the Sanditon from PBS. I know the ending wasn't popular, but I thought of it was a tribute to the fact that the original work was unfinished and the program left Charlotte's fate unfinished. It definitely filled out the story, probably not in the way Austen would have but was a good escape for now.