Godmersham Park: The Sunday Times top ten bestseller by the acclaimed author of Miss Austen

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Home » blog » Godmersham Park by Gill Hornby Review – It’s a Romantic, Thoughtful New Book Godmersham Park by Gill Hornby Review – It’s a Romantic, Thoughtful New Book She’s torn between her dislike of him and her attraction to him. But she chooses to keep her distance because he’s married and because she’s below his station. Not to mention, she could be fired. The more peripheral characters, namely the other Austen family members and servants, are also worthy of praise. They are fleshed-out the ideal amount for secondary characters and contribute to the story in meaningful ways, avoiding the pitfall of so many ancillary characters – superfluity. Elizabeth Austen is a particularly well-penned character, exemplifying the expected behavior of a lady of the house. She is courteous to her servants, Anne included, but ultimately, she is their superior in rank, a fact which underlies her every interaction with them.

From the number one bestselling author of Miss Austen , a powerful and moving novel featuring Jane Austen's closest friend and confidante . . . Jane Austen was a regular visitor between 1798 and 1813. [7] Mansfield Park is said to be based on Godmersham Park. [8] In 1852, the property passed to Knight's son. He remodelled the south front to designs by William Burn, [9] which were swept away in the 1930s by Robert Tritton. Godmersham Park was later sold to John Cunliffe Lister Kay, who died in 1917. [10] [11] During the First World War, an airship was stationed at Godmersham Park, which served as a sub-station of RNAS Capel. [12] Admito que esto es una ficcionalización de un hecho real, y por tanto, se abre a dudas e interpretaciones, pero agradezco el libro por conocer a esta "figura oculta" que muestra la realidad de las mujeres trabajadoras de cierta clase en esa época. De nuevo, gracias Ms Hornby.Meanwhile, Anne crosses paths with Henry Austen, the handsome and charming brother of Edward, her employer – who often comes to visit. En este caso se habla de Anne Sharp, institutriz en la casa de Edward y Elizabeth Austen, que da nombre al título, y se basa en una ficcionalización de los hechos descritos en el diario de Fanny Austen, sobrina de la conocidad autora, así como en los hechos reales de los que se tiene conocimiento sobre esta mujer. A refined and intelligent woman, educating Fanny poses no real difficulties for Anne but finding her place within the household proves to be more of a challenge. Anne is often lonely, and though she becomes friendly with regular houseguests Hariott Bridges, the younger sister of Elizabeth, Henry Austen, Edward’s younger brother with whom Anne forms an unwise attachment, and later Jane Austen herself, there is a distance dictated by her position. A sympathetic character given her circumstances and ill-health, I liked Anne well enough, but I didn’t really grow fond of her.

The excellent latest from Hornby ( Miss Austen) traces several years in the life of Anne Sharp, a friend of Jane Austen’s. Hornby’s skillful mix of fact and fiction captures the complexities of the Austens and their era, and her crisp, nimble prose sparkles throughout. Best of all, Hornby genuinely channels the sentiment of 19th-century English literature. Janeites aren’t the only readers who will relish this smart, tender tale." Hornby’s protagonist is Anne Sharpe, a once well-to-do woman who has been forced into straitened circumstances after her mother’s death. She is compelled to take the only “respectable” work available to women of her standing: becoming a governess at Godmersham Park, home of Jane Austen’s elder brother, Edward, and his wife, Elizabeth. Thankfully, their daughter, her charge, Fanny, is an unusually charming and bright girl . As for Anne, we are reminded early, “behind every well-bred governess there was an absence of man”. By the time she encounters the dashing Henry Austen – Jane’s real-life brother, readers will find the saga as entrancing as any of Austen’s own novels. A richly imagined novel inspired by the true story of Anne Sharp, a governess who became very close with Jane Austen and her family by the #1 International bestselling-author of Miss Austen.Ultimately, Godmersham Parkis a historical fiction book that takes historical facts seriously, albeit with a couple of surprising liberties. It’s witty and well-written, and I wholeheartedly recommend it.

But Anne is keenly aware that her new role is an awkward one: she is neither one of the servants nor one of the family, and to balance a position between the 'upstairs' and 'downstairs' members of the household is a diplomatic chess game. One wrong move may result in her instant dismissal. If you love Jane Austen you're sure to enjoy Gill Hornby's stylish glimpse into the life of young governess Anne Sharp. This elegantly written tale skillfully recreates a world where governesses are midway between the family upstairs and the servants downstairs." - The Independent (UK)stars - rounded up because of the author’s note at the end which I found far more interesting than the rest of the book. Hornby’s skillful mix of fact and fiction captures the complexities of the Austens and their era, and her crisp, nimble prose sparkles throughout. Best of all, Hornby genuinely channels the sentiment of 19th-century English literature. Janeites aren’t the only readers who will relish this smart, tender tale.”— Publishers Weekly, starred review When Mr. Edward Austen's family comes to stay, Anne forms an immediate attachment to Jane. They write plays together, and enjoy long discussions. However, in the process, Anne reveals herself as not merely pretty, charming, and competent; she is clever too. Even her sleepy, complacent, mistress can hardly fail to notice.