AUSTEN AT SEA

by Natalie Jenner

I love books with intelligent female protagonists whose adventures are compelling and whose emotional development feels real. And when the story is also historical fiction and I can learn something new, I can’t buy these books fast enough.  Austen at Sea checks all these boxes and is so much more. It is entertaining and smart, while also telling a breathlessly suspenseful story.

Beginning in Boston in 1865, two sisters are chafing at their limited prospects beyond the rudimentary education allowed them, even in the top tier of society. In a secret letter to Sir Frances Austen, the only living sibling of the famous author, they cheekily suggest a visit to see the remains of her limited correspondence. When Sir Frances makes the invitation a reality, they must outmaneuver their father, a supreme court judge, and flee on the next ship headed to England. 

On board, they meet a pair of brothers who have also received an invitation from Sir Frances, as well as the not-yet-famous Louisa May Alcott. Add in an unwanted chaperone-turned-suitor and a charming society debutante and you can imagine the festivities and hijinks that ensue. Once they reach England, the story takes a more serious turn, and in the end everyone is forced to confront their beliefs about artistic ownership and the rights of young women to run their own lives.

In Austen at Sea, Jenner has created an imaginative and well-researched historical novel that is well balanced between the fluff and the emotional truth.  You may not even notice how moving it is until you finish and find you will miss these characters and their curious and heartfelt adventures. (Lily)