Austenland

Definitely a light read, Austenland by Shannon Hale is a perfect feel-good novel for the Jane Austen fans among us.

Fictional New Yorker Jane Hayes is obsessed with Mr. Darcy of "Pride and prejudice" fame and has a string of failed relationships to prove it. In an effort to help Jane kick the obsession, a distant relative sends her to the ultimate role playing game - three solid weeks (504 continuous hours) of constantly-in-character Regency re-enactment at an isolated estate in England. Against her better judgment, Jane goes.

While the characters in the re-enactment are based on Austen characters, the novels themselves are not played out exactly. It is up to the participants to interact with each other, always within the boundaries of Austen-style propriety, and establish their own story lines. Paid staff, however, do fill in the basic personalities, albeit with different names.

It doesn't take Jane long to realize the benefits of her own time period, but she makes the best of her three weeks.

This anti-escapist bit of escapism is light and fun. Author, Hale, has written previously for the young adult market including her New York Times bestseller "Princess academy" [worth reading]. Given the current popularity of all things Austen, and Hale's previous successes, this first novel for adults should do well also.

Austenland by Shannon Hale. Published in 2007 by Bloomsbury. ISBN: 978-1-59691-285-4