Sequels, Knock-offs, and Adaptations: What Comes After Jane Austen

The Jane Austen Project by Kathleen Flynn
Starting our discussion 

“Who can be in doubt of what followed?” 

Persuasion Chapter 24

What followed after Jane Austen’s writing was an entire universe of sequels, knock-offs and movie adaptations.   What really happened after Elizabeth and Darcy married? Was it true that “to be mistress of Pemberley might be something!”? What if Jane Austen had lived longer and produced many more novels?

Event:     JASNA CWNY March Meeting

Topic:     Group discussion - bring your favorite sequel or retelling of a Jane Austen novel to discuss. The Jane Austen Project will start things off

When:    Saturday March 17, 2018 at 1 pm

Where:   Pittsford Barnes and Noble, Community Room

Join us at our March meeting to discuss the world of Jane Austen spin-offs. We start the discussion by looking at a recent novel by Kathleen Flynn called The Jane Austen Project.

In this novel two time travelers from a technologically advanced Great Britain go back in time to meet Jane Austen, and recover the long lost full text of The Watsons along with more of Jane Austen’s letters. It’s not easy going back to 1815 and trying to befriend Jane Austen, Henry Austen and their circle of friends and relations. Along the way they have to be concerned not to cause too many changes in the future.

Jane Austen emerges in this novel as fully developed character. It’s fiction, of course, and no one knows what Jane Austen was really like, but Kathleen Flynn provides fascinating characters in a fully developed Regency world. No spoilers here, but the ending gets time all twisted up in a way that would amaze even Albert Einstein.

But we will not be limited to just one book. Please bring forward any of your favorite books, movies, or web presentations. Another book I especially liked is Deception at Lyme (Or the Peril of Persuasion) by Carrie Bebris.

The Deception at Lyme by Carrie Bebris
A possible discussion topic

 This is part of series of novels including:

Pride and Prescience

Suspense and Sensibility

North by Northanger

The Matters at Mansfield

The Intrigue at Highbury

The Deception at Lyme

The Suspicion at Sanditon

In these books Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy act as Regency detectives, unraveling mysterious events in places familiar to all Jane Austen fans. The characters are lively and engaging and the plots are intriguing. Also, I had the very great honor of dancing with the author at the Washington D.C. AGM.

So pack up your favorite book, movie or whatever, and join us for an interesting trip through the world of Jane Austen sequels, knock-offs, movies and anything else that shows up.