Mostly good, just annoyed by ending coda, which had no beginning matching frame... seems like it was meant to be a quirky hat tip, but needed some strengthening... ( )

Mostly good, just annoyed by ending coda, which had no beginning matching frame... seems like it was meant to be a quirky hat tip, but needed some strengthening... ( )

Imagine, if you will, that Jane Austen can somehow receive letters from her modern-day readers, asking for her sage advice in love and marriage. That's the premise for this charming little book.

Part "autobiography", part self-help book, and part critical analysis, Dear Jane Austen is full of practical advice for all women, no matter what era they're living in. Told in a tone that is mostly pitch-perfect, Austen weighs in on topics ranging from beauty to friends and family, to sex. The only thing that jarred was when she used modern phrases in her answers. There's something of an explanation included, but it still bothered me a little.

There are some spoilers included if you haven't read Austen's entire body of work. I haven't yet, but this didn't really bother me. I think I'll have forgotten the little bits and pieces I learned by the time I actually get around to reading all of her other books.

Fans of Austen will love this little book, especially the single women still looking for their Mr. Darcy. ( )

A book I quite enjoyed although I expect that to really like it you have to be an Austenite, a fan of science fantasy or magical realism and light-hearted deconstruction. ( )

In this book, Jane Austen has assumed the role of "Dear Abby". She answers modern ladies questions on life and love. I really enjoyed it at first; but then all the letters were getting old by the end. The only thing that kept me reading was the satirical humor, just like Miss Austen would have written in her own novels. I would have loved this book, except I'm just not into Dear Abby. ( )