This time travel novel tells the tale of C.J. Welles, a New York City
actress who is transported back to 1801 England when she steps
backstage during an audition for a play about Jane Austen. There she
meets with misfortune, from which she is rescued by a widowed countess
who claims her as her niece. Throw in a handsome nobleman, his snobby
aunt, and an appearance or two by Miss Austen herself, and the stage is
set for romance and adventure.
While there is much to enjoy in this novel, including a tour of
Georgian Bath and glimpses of future characters from Austen novels, I
found the execution a little wanting. The point of view bounces from
head to head, so often that at times I wasn’t sure who was telling the
story. Add to that some kitchen sink plotting, more telling than
showing, and a variety of historical inaccuracies. The latter were
particularly frustrating, especially when the hero tells of his wife
being sent to the Bastille in the 1790s – a little difficult, since it
was destroyed during the summer of 1789.
C.J.’s hero, the Earl of Darlington, is likable enough, and it’s easy
to understand their mutual attraction. The romance storyline works
quite well, with enough believable conflict to make the reader root for
the pair.
Despite its problems, I expect many readers will enjoy the world the
author creates and appreciate the fish-out-of-water adventures of the
21st century heroine coping with early 19th century surroundings and
attitudes. The story moves along at a good clip, the supporting cast is
well-drawn, and there’s a fun twist at the end.
© Teresa Eckford, 2006
This review first appeared in the May 2006 issue of The Historical Novels Review
No comments:
Post a Comment