I've decided to participate in the Jane Austen Book Club Challenge 2019 in addition to my other reading challenges. I was planning to read some Austen this year anyway, and/or books inspired by her.
Has anyone read Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay?
Her novels are usually hit or miss with me, almost on a 50/50 grading system, but it's been so since I've read her first book that I'm willing to give it another try. Epistolary novels used to be my least favorite, but I'm not such a stickler anymore so I might not mind anymore that her first book is epistolary. We'll see.
What fun!
ReplyDeleteI've read Dear Mr. Knightley, and I really enjoyed it. I liked that both hero and heroine were flawed and had room for growing and learning.
Have fun!
Thanks! It'll be interesting to see if my opinion of it has changed since it must have been at least 8 years or so since I've read it. Depending on the publication date and I read it the year it came out.
DeleteBTW, her newest book, The Printed Letter Bookshop, is head and shoulders above her earliest books, imho. It's a lot more intricate, weaving together multiple characters with their own arcs, and just has a more mature and graceful feel to it.
DeleteI think that one was the first one I read. I didn't care for the ending, and I think I liked it so much because I'd not read Daddy Long Legs (the book it gets its main plot from). . . nor did I know that the plot wasn't original, I wasn't happy after I found that out. I didn't love the next one of hers. And didn't finish another, but I've heard her most recent book is good. I tend to stay away from JA retellings, but those that like them mention Jane of Austen, and the Mr. Darcy (Mr. Wickham, etc.) Diaries.
ReplyDeleteI just finished reading the Henry Tilney Diary and while I didn't necessarily agree with all of the interpretations by the author, it was still really darling. I enjoyed it thoroughly, probably he's because he's my favorite Austen hero.
DeleteI had no idea that Dear Mr. Knightley wasn't really an original idea! Wow, that's kind of a shock to me. One book I might recommend is The Bronte Plot. I just liked the atmosphere and the idea of an English vacation focusing so strongly on literature.
I think the Bronte plot was the one I DNFed. But I'm looking forward to The Printed Letter Bookshop which Hamelette has mentioned on social media. I have to wait for my library to get it though.
DeleteI read Dear Mr. Knightly and enjoyed it. The only other book by her I've liked was Lizzie and Jane.
ReplyDeleteI was a bit torn with Lizzie and Jane but did find it rather original. It was good, just rather sad in places. Did you read The Bronte Plot? That might be my favorite of Reay's works.
DeleteNot yet but it's on my list
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