The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenne
Summary
Only a few months after the end of the Second World War, a new battle is beginning in the little village of Chawton. Once the final home of Jane Austen, the Chawton estate is dwindling, and the last piece of Austen’s heritage is at risk of being sold to the highest bidder…
Drawn together by their love of her novels, eight very different people – from a local farmer to the village doctor, a precocious servant girl to a glamorous film star – must unite to attempt something remarkable. As new friendships form, and the griefs of the past begin to fade, they rally together to create the Jane Austen Society, and to save the beloved novelist’s home and legacy. But can her words change all their lives in return?
Book Setting: Chawton, England
Chawton, UK
Gosport Road
Chawton House
Alton, UK
Chawton Cottage
Chawton Cricket Club
Sotheby’s London
Godmersham Park Heritage Centre
Kent, UK
St Nicholas's Church
Upper Farringdon
Lower Farringdon
Winchester, UK
Steventon, UK
The Ritz London
Hever Castle & Gardens
Wolf’s Lane
Reviews
"Fans of The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society will adore The Jane Austen Society… A charming and memorable debut, which reminds us of the universal language of literature and the power of books to unite and heal."
―Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Girls of Paris
"Anyone seeking an antidote to contemporary chaos will find a welcome respite among the members of a group whose outer lives may appear simple, but whose inner lives need the kind of balm Austen knew well." ―The Washington Post
"Just like a story written by Austen herself, Jenner's first novel is brimming with charming moments, endearing characters, and nuanced relationships...Readers won't need previous knowledge of Austen and her novels to enjoy this tale's slow revealing of secrets that build to a satisfying and dramatic ending."
―Booklist (starred review)