out of the ordinary

Not that I have "ordinary" novels to read, but I picked my latest read on quite a whim. I spoiled myself with "The Gargoyle," and so I chose something exactly the opposite: "The Jane Austen Book Club." Light, easy, quick. All of those it is, although I wouldn't recommend it to my mother. There are a few details included that I'm afraid would make her blush.

This is a nice novel so far, and I'm half through with it. It's not fantastic, but it's not bad. It's actually about what I thought it would be, but I was secretly hoping to be pleasantly surprised. A few women I work with asked what I was reading, and seemed to share the same view: the book is just OK. The inclusion of random French phrases is usually fine in a book if they are translated or explained, but there have been several parts I have not been able to fully appreciate simply because I have no idea what the sentence said. Luckily these are fairly sporadic. Just as sporadic but much happier are the sentences the author, Karen Joy Fowler, surprises me with. Every now and then, she'll actually throw in a rather profound statement. Unfortunately, I haven't been marking these to post. You'll just have to take my word for it.

The book claims New York Times bestsellerdom, and I suppose the concept is deserved. Jane Austen is a much-beloved author, and I was forced to read one or two in high school. I've always been more attached to the Bronte sisters, but I might read an Austen again soon. I think I have "Emma" and "Mansfield Park" with me here. I did the other day rearrange my bookcase. Of the three shelves (oh, hush, I have many more than that, but most are in storage) the top shelf is books I plan to read soonest. Middle shelf is books I'm on the fence about, but one might jump at me if the mood strikes. The lowest shelf contains books I've already read, recently or not, and those I know I won't make it around to for a good while, like "The Stand."

I should be able to finish my current selection pretty quickly, and then maybe I can revisit the two I began recently. Then maybe I can move on to the ones I began a while back and never finished. But, the process will be delayed if my coworker brings me her copy of "Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs" as promised. I need to add some non-fiction to my list.

I will say at first I wasn't sure if I would even make it through "The Jane Austen Book Club," but I forced myself to continue, and it's been enjoyable enough. You really don't have to know the Austen novels to appreciate it, because the author has included synopses of them as an appendix. And, as one of the book's cover blurbs says, the book might make a good introduction to them. I also found out that they actually made a movie of this book, though I can't exactly see how it would go, considering the book is full of flashbacks of the club's members. I can't imagine reading it and thinking it would make a good movie. Maybe I'll change my mind by the end.