So she stood still and patient upon the black and white chequered floor, like a small pawn on a chessboard. It’s a reasonably busy household with so many children, visiting houseguests, and family events, but not a particularly active one, and I felt the story lacked energy. Elizabeth Austen is a particularly well-penned character, exemplifying the expected behavior of a lady of the house.

A refined and intelligent woman, educating Fanny poses no real difficulties for Anne but finding her place within the household proves to be more of a challenge. She has been my girl for more years than I’m able to count, and I can’t think of a day where she will not be, in fact, my girl.Anne Sharp was the real life governess to Fanny Austen (Jane Austen’s niece) and Godmersham Park was the inherited residence of Fanny’s father, Edward Austen Knight. I admit that this is a fictionalization of a true fact, and therefore, it is open to doubts and interpretations, but I appreciate the book for showing this "hidden figure" that shows the reality of working women of a certain class at that time. I was caught up in the novel immediately, as Anne was informed of her loss of income and change in status by a shady lawyer, but that part of the story was not really explored to its fullest. Most casual readers of Jane Austen won't be familiar with this friend, and none of Anne's own words or letters survive, but what we do know is that even though Jane Austen was publishing anonymously, she presented Anne with a special copy of Emma, and they were close enough for Cassandra to send Anne a lock of Jane's hair after her death.

Fanny wants to learn correct opinions on given subjects by rote and titters at the idea of foreign travel, proclaiming that she never even wants to leave Kent. Godmersham Park follows Anne Sharpe, the real life friend of Jane austen , who falling on hard times was forced to seek employment as a governess in the home of Jane's brother Edward. stars - rounded up because of the author’s note at the end which I found far more interesting than the rest of the book. From the number one bestselling author of Miss Austen, a powerful and moving novel featuring Jane Austen's closest friend and confidante .If they did not marry, they were at the mercy of their fathers or brothers, and had no real rights of their own. The authors note was a great summary of events after the novel ends and added to the enjoyment as it was a bit of an abrupt ending otherwise. Anne Sharp is not a conventional woman, and she has decided to earn her bread, after the death of her mother, and the supposed abandonment, even economic, of her father. It focuses so much on these three characters and tangentially on Elizabeth Austen, her daughter, Miss Harris and some other character that appears in the form of a "cameo", that later it is difficult to understand the relationship with other characters such as Cassandra or Edward, who was the master of the house, but appears very little, although it is natural because he delegated the house to his wife. The only viable option is for Anne to become a governess so she accepts a position at Godmersham Park, working for the Austens.

La propia Jane Austen hace hincapié, por ejemplo en “Orgullo y prejuicio” en cuales son las enseñanzas adecuadas para una mujer o en “Sentido y sensibilidad” se indica que dependen de la bondad de familiares cuando se quedan solas y sin un padre que las apoye, tal y como les sucedió a la propia Austen o a Anne Sharp en sus vidas reales. As for the ending, I had mixed feelings, but appreciated it after I read the author’s note about the characters’ subsequent years. She has just begun to settle into her position when dashing Henry Austen and his younger sister Jane come to stay. A sympathetic character given her circumstances and ill-health, I liked Anne well enough, but I didn’t really grow fond of her. Anne is thoroughly disillusioned from her excitement to teach another because like her mother, Fanny is uninterested in broadening her knowledge of the more studious subjects.Keen to hold on to her position, Anne submits to the various supposed remedies which Elizabeth proposes even the more alarming ones.

The novel is inspired by the diaries kept by Fanny Austen Knight, letters exchanged between Anne Sharp and Jane and Cassandra Austen, and a first edition of Emma that Jane signed for Anne.Taking on this role represents a reduction in circumstances for Miss Sharp, who has no other prospects and whose father is giving her no income. Distractions come in the form of the dashing Henry Austen and friendship comes from his sister, the arch Miss Jane Austen. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. This story gives us a very plausible view of the life of the Austen family, including Jane, Cassandra, their mother, as well as Henry Austen, Edward, his wife Elizabeth and young Fanny. From one chapter to the next, you might find that a fair amount of time has passed, which not only has a jarring effect but also leaves you feeling as though you have missed out on the events and goings-on of the characters’ lives.