I am delighted to return to Allie Cresswell's Highbury
Trilogy with her final novel in the series Dear Jane. Inspired by Jane Austen's
Emma, it amplifies the story behind Jane Austen's novel. you can read my
reviews of the first two in the series here: Mrs Bates of Highbury | The Other Mrs Bates
The final instalment of the Highbury trilogy, Dear Jane
recounts events hinted at but never actually described in Jane Austen’s Emma;
the formative childhood years of Jane Fairfax and Frank Churchill, their
meeting in Weymouth and the agony of their secret engagement.
Orphaned Jane seems likely to be brought up in parochial
Highbury until adoption by her papa’s old friend Colonel Campbell opens to her
all the excitement and opportunities of London. Frank Weston is also
transplanted from Highbury, adopted as heir to the wealthy Churchills and taken
to their drear and inhospitable Yorkshire estate.
Readers of Emma will be familiar with the conclusion of Jane
and Frank’s story, but Dear Jane pulls back the veil which Jane Austen drew
over its remainder.
My Thoughts
This third part of the Highbury Trilogy takes you up to the
time of the novel of Emma and runs in part, in parallel with the story. It is a
delight to find Emma there and to recognise her character in the person who
Allie presents to us. Even in the Emma we meet as a young girl, you can see her
character forming and she always feels true to Jane Austen's creation, to me. I
feel the same about Mr Knightley. Of course, Jane Fairfax is the central figure
in this novel and it is illuminating to see her secret romance from a different
perspective.
Once again, I feel
that the conventions and attitudes of the time towards the state of marriage
and the status of women are well written. Accomplishments and beauty are
secondary always to a girl's status in society and in particular to her worth
gained from her family. A woman begins to feel like a commodity and not all
arrangements seem like a marriage of equals. Men it appears have to seek out a
respectable and where possible, moneyed match. Personal wishes seem to be of
secondary importance.
I have thoroughly enjoyed this series and
appreciated that the themes and characters which Jane Austen has created have
been present. There are no discordant notes. As a series, the three novels have
flowed beautifully.
In short: More Regency romance with an touch of Austen.
About the Author
Allie Cresswell was born in Stockport, UK and began writing
fiction as soon as she could hold a pencil.
She did a BA in English Literature at Birmingham University
and an MA at Queen Mary College, London.
She has been a print-buyer, a pub landlady, a book-keeper,
run a B & B and a group of boutique holiday cottages. Nowadays Allie writes
full time having retired from teaching literature to lifelong learners.
She has two grown-up children, two granddaughters, two
grandsons and two cockapoos but just one husband - Tim. They live in Cumbria,
NW England.
Dear Jane is her ninth novel.
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