Austenland

Austenland is a 2007 chick lit novel by Shannon Hale, published by Bloomsbury. It follows protagonist Jane Hayes, a graphic designer living in New York City who is secretly obsessed with Jane Austen's 1813 novel Pride and Prejudice, specifically Colin Firth's portrayal of Mr. Darcy in the 1995 BBC adaptation. Her aunt dies and, in her will, leaves Jane a trip to an Austen theme park in the English countryside, where customers and actors role-play as characters in the Regency era. The novel is the first in Hale's Austenland series, followed by Midnight in Austenland. A film based on the first novel was released in 2013, starring Keri Russell and directed by Jerusha Hess. Development Hale's favorite author as a teenager was Jane Austen. Once she came up with the idea of a modern-day immersion program into the Regency era, it became "a story [she] wanted to tell" and one that took her seven years to write. She drew upon her experience visiting the United Kingdom during college and trips touring Regency sites while writing Austenland. Protagonist Jane Hayes was inspired by a friend of the author's, as well as Hale herself. She has also cited the 1995 Pride and Prejudice mini-series as inspiration for Austenland. Hale even dedicated the novel to the series' leading man, Colin Firth. Plot summary Austenland tells the story of 32-year-old Jane Hayes, an average New York woman who secretly has an unhealthy obsession with Mr. Darcy from the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. Jane accidentally reveals her secret to her great aunt Carolyn, who dies shortly after their conversation. In her will, Carolyn leaves Jane a trip to a Jane Austen–themed getaway destination. She decides to go, planning to give up dating for good afterwards. Once Jane arrives at Pembrook Park in the English countryside, she is bombarded with the complex rules of Regency era society. The proprietress, Mrs. Wattlesbrook, is eager to preserve these rules at Pembrook Park and makes it clear that Jane–who didn't pay for the trip herself–is not their usual type of customer. She becomes "Miss Jane Erstwhile" and meets Aunt Saffronia and Lord Templeton, her pretend aunt and uncle, respectively. "Miss Charming" and two gentlemen actors, Colonel Andrews and Mr. Nobley, are the other guests in the house. Andrews is jolly and flirtatious, while Nobley is brooding and arrogant. Jane also meets Theodore, the gardener, whose real name is Martin Jasper. He breaks Mrs.