Jane Austen July 2025 discussion

If anyone is interested in reading The Year in Between by Christina Morland, we can discuss it here.

I've read it, albeit a year or two ago, so I may chime in.

Thank you for recommending it to me two years ago. I love it!

Well, this book is proving a refreshing break from Grad School. It is equal parts entertaining and torturous to read. Half in hope half in agony, if I may borrow Captain Wentworth's line, is one way I would describe this book.

It does go on a bit, but I thought it was interesting the way she let the characters mature and change based on experiences. And I like an author who isn’t afraid to have her characters debate ideas; I get so tired of novels are all about feelings!

Oh, that isn't a complaint. Even the somewhat tortuous moments make me laugh even as I'm shouting at the characters. And to quote myself from two years ago, Marianne please stop startling Colonel Brandon! He spooks like a horse.

😂😂😂

I'm finishing some other books. But I hope to be able to properly start reading The Year in Between on Saturday. (I'm past Marianne's initial diary entries.)

Well, late as a usual, I started reading today on my way to work.

Rebecca, what do you think about moving the narrative to 1810?

EDIT: Just a little nitpick. Marianne, if you want to watch sunrise in August you better get up at about 5:30 a.m. (8 won't cut it.) LOL!

Lol, I'd missed that! I wish they'd kept it 1790's, especially because they barely use any of the Romantics from the 1810's, but it does allow for some interesting discussion of Napoleon on British living abroad. I find a lot of fan fiction writers move it to the 1810's because they think it more interesting. The only one I know of that engages with the semi cold war going on between England and France during the 1790's was Margaret Dashwood's Diary by Anne Elliott.

A lot of them assume Marianne is a critique of Romanticism rather than the Cult of Sensibility that influenced English Romanticism.

Also, midway through the day The GoodReads APP decided it is no longer compatible with my phone, so I will only be on Goodreads via my computer, which means it will take me much longer to get back to you all now.

This book makes me grateful for Austen skipping the year and just giving us a brief summary of the events.

Don't get me wrong, the book is well-written. But I'm reminded on every page why I find Marianne's character so irritating. At the same time, I appreciate that Marianne's growing up takes time and doesn't happen magically overnight.

Sort of agree. I love this book. I find it funny, for the most part. Though I do find this a very enjoyable read, I also spend a lot of it wanting to shake some sense into Marianne's head. (view spoiler)[ Especially because this version of Marianne gets a different ending than book Marianne as far as when she falls in love with Colonel Brandon. (hide spoiler)]