It saddens me to rate a book about my love of Jane Austen and Pride and Prejudice so low. However, I cannot rate it higher. Here's why:

I really enjoyed the beginning of the book. I thought it was well done, and intriguing enough for me to keep reading it. I could sympathize with the main character's, Jane, adoration of Pride and Prejudice, and when she had the chance to live in the Regency period, I was thrilled. That was something that I had always wanted to do.

The main problem with this book is that it is not only a "borrowed" plot from Pride and Prejudice itself, but also from Bridget Jones's Diary. I understand that authors sometimes borrow plots and twist them into a new story that is already familiar. But, Hale fails to put her own spin on the book enough to satisfy me. By the last fifty or so pages it felt as if I was reading Bridget Jones's Diary again, but with character names changed.

Want to check out Austenland by Shannon Hale and make your own opinions? Here's where you can get a copy.

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