The Jane Austen Book Club
by Karen Joy Fowler
I’ve seen the movie version of The Jane Austen Book Club probably twenty times, so naturally, since the plot revolves around a book club, I thought it would be interesting to read the original novel. After reading it, I have a newfound respect for screenwriter and director Robin Swicord. She managed to slog through a mediocre-at-best novel, pick out the best parts of the characters, retain a few key good lines, and add in necessary drama to greatly improve the story.
Five women and one man form a book club, exclusively discussing Jane Austen’s six novels. In the movie, if you’re unfamiliar with Austen’s work, you won’t feel excluded. The male member hasn’t read any of her books either, and the plots and important discussions walk you through both the original novels and the importance of how each book ties in with the modern characters reading them. In the book, not only will non-Austen-aficionados be lost, but there’s very little tie-in with the six novels and the book club members. The movie is much cleverer.
Also, in the movie, there are no flashbacks, only brief references to events in the past. The book relies so heavily on flashbacks, it’s almost confusing, and it repeatedly takes the reader out of the current story. The backstories are succinct in the movie, but in the book, sexual harassment, childhood trauma, divorce, and summer camp, take up equal pages as the current problems, which, once again, aren’t as compelling as in the movie. Trust me, if you like Robin Swicord’s creation, stick with it and don’t pollute your brain. To paraphrase one of the great lines in both versions: The characters’ lives are actually interesting, and Karen Joy Fowler is unaware of it.
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of the 2007 film adaptation here!
Five women and one man form a book club, exclusively discussing Jane Austen’s six novels. In the movie, if you’re unfamiliar with Austen’s work, you won’t feel excluded. The male member hasn’t read any of her books either, and the plots and important discussions walk you through both the original novels and the importance of how each book ties in with the modern characters reading them. In the book, not only will non-Austen-aficionados be lost, but there’s very little tie-in with the six novels and the book club members. The movie is much cleverer.
Also, in the movie, there are no flashbacks, only brief references to events in the past. The book relies so heavily on flashbacks, it’s almost confusing, and it repeatedly takes the reader out of the current story. The backstories are succinct in the movie, but in the book, sexual harassment, childhood trauma, divorce, and summer camp, take up equal pages as the current problems, which, once again, aren’t as compelling as in the movie. Trust me, if you like Robin Swicord’s creation, stick with it and don’t pollute your brain. To paraphrase one of the great lines in both versions: The characters’ lives are actually interesting, and Karen Joy Fowler is unaware of it.
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of the 2007 film adaptation here!