Austenland

Austenland is a novel by Shannon Hale, published in 2007. The book launched a sequel novel (Midnight in Austenland) and a film adaptation that came out in 2013.

The story begins with a brief prologue introducing Jane Hayes, a thirty-something single woman living in New York City. Jane is secretly obsessed with the works of Jane Austen, and Pride and Prejudice in particular.

Jane is ashamed of her obsession, and is horrified when her elderly great aunt Carolyn discovers her stash of DVDs. Carolyn easily guesses Jane’s obsession, judging that she is in her thirties and single and thus unhealthily attached to Mr. Darcy from the story. At lunch, Carolyn warns Jane that she needs to leave Austen behind or she will die a spinster just like her.

Six months later, Carolyn passes away, and Jane is surprised to discover she’s been named in the will. Carolyn has purchased for Jane a three-week vacation at Pembrook Park, a Jane Austen theme park where people dress up in costume and pretend to be living in early 19th-century England. Jane is initially uncertain if she should go, but eventually decides to honor her great aunt’s wishes and possibly meet someone interesting.

Jane flies to England and receives a thick packet of rules regarding how to behave at Pembrook Park in order to conform to the social rules of the time period. She is greeted by Mrs. Wattlesbrook, the proprietor, and has her modern technology confiscated, though she hides her cell phone. After passing a quiz about the rules, she is renamed Miss Erstwhile and given a wardrobe of authentic period clothing, and has a dance lesson with the handsome gardener, Theodore.

On her first day immersed in the park, she is taken to the house where she will be staying and meets her hosts, Aunt Saffronia and Sir John Templeton. Jane notices some ersatz touches, like an electric lamp instead of a kerosene model, that disappoint her. She meets Miss Charming, a fifty-ish woman role-playing as a 22-year old with an English accent. At dinner they meet Mr. Nobley, who is brusque and rude like Mr. Darcy in the book, and Colonel Andrews, an outgoing man. She has a moment of flirtation with Mr. Nobley, however, and begins to think she might be exceptionally young and good-looking compared to the other Austen fans who come to Pembrook Park.

Jane has trouble staying in character, as does the gardener. She bonds with Theodore, who reveals his real name is Martin Jasper. A new guest arrives, Miss Heartwright, and Miss Charming is unhappy to have another young woman competing for the affections of Nobley and the other men. Bored at dinner, Jane wanders off and finds herself at Martin’s rooms, where he is watching television. She joins him and they kiss.

After a few days, Jane is extremely bored. Mrs. Wattlesbrook knows about her affair with Martin, and confiscates the gardener’s television. He tells Jane he is quitting, and is angry with her because he believes she only comes to be with him when she’s done flirting with the other men. As Jane wanders around, bored again, she wonders if she should apologize to Martin for treating him badly. She meets Mr. Nobley and there is a spark between them that Jane thinks is real. She discovers that his real name might be Henry Jenkins, based on a pay stub she discovers. Sir John Templeton, drunk, assaults her, but she knees him in the groin. When Aunt Saffronia apologizes for his behavior, Jane is uncertain if it’s part of the role-play or genuine. Jane texts her friend Molly on her secret cell phone and asks her to do some digging about Henry and Martin.

Jane and Miss Heartwright strike up a friendship; Sir John has gone off because of ‛illness’ but a supposed old flame of Miss Heartwright’s, Captain George East, arrives. Miss Charming complains that she is not feeling the romance, and Aunt Saffronia assures her that her complaints will be addressed.

Jane tries flirting industriously with Colonel Andrews to break up the boredom, but Miss Charming wins the evening by fainting directly into Mr. Nobley’s arms. The next day Jane catches Miss Charming kissing Colonel Andrews, and Molly informs her that she can’t find any information on Martin, but Henry went through a rough divorce a few years before. After a day of terrible boredom, trapped inside due to weather, Jane’s cell phone is discovered and she is expelled for breaking the rules. Miss Heartwright claims the phone is hers, and apologizes, and Jane is allowed to stay.

Jane receives a gift of painting supplies after discussing her former hobby, but isn’t sure which man sent it to her. She and Mr. Nobley get closer, but suddenly Martin appears and wishes to speak with her, but she is cold to him. Mr. Nobley warns her about Martin, but refuses to offer specific reasons. He asks her to reserve the first two dances for him at the upcoming ball, and she wonders if he is really interested in her or just playing his role.

At the ball, Martin appears and tries to dance with Jane. Nobley tells Jane he loves her, but she believes it is just the role-playing. She and Martin meet up in the gardens and reconnect, and she decides to stay in London after leaving Pembrook. As everyone says their goodbyes, Mrs. Wattlesbrook reveals that she engineered Jane’s affair with Martin, which upsets Jane. Martin and Nobley both show up at the airport and tell Jane their love for her was real. They fight, but Jane leaves them both behind. Nobley boards the plane, however, and introduces himself as Henry, and Jane realizes her feelings for him were real. They live together in New York and are very happy, and Jane is no longer ashamed of her Austen obsession.