Review--The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen, by Syrie James

It’s tempting to create a story about Jane Austen's romantic life, considering that she was so private about her personal life. In The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen, Syrie James creates a lively, likeable, and realistic heroine that stays true to what I think Austen must have been like.

Set in the time period in which Jane Austen was revising Sense and Sensibility, Jane introduces us to Frederick Ashford, a charming gentleman she meets one day at Lyme. They instantly form an attachment, but nothing comes of it until one day two years later, when they encounter one another quite unexpectedly. Syrie James acquaints the reader with many real and imagined characters, who may or may not have served as inspiration for characters in her novels (particularly delightful in his foolishness is Mr. Morton, who “becomes” Mr. Collins in Pride and Prejudice).

The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen is a cute, charming tale of “what if…” What was the source of Jane’s inspiration? What really happened that gave Jane cause to revise Sense and Sensibility and First Impressions (later re-named Pride and Prejudice)? What if Jane had actually married her mysterious gentleman? It’s a quick read, but if you have “Austen-mania” as I have, you’ll certainly enjoy this book. It's hard to believe that The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen isn't a real memoir!

Also reviewed by: Many A Quaint and Curious Volume, Savvy Verse and Wit