This pastiche, peopled with actual historical figures, follows the trials of a new governess whose charge is Fanny Austen, the eldest daughter of Edward, Jane’s wealthy brother. Hornby’s long, deft narrative is not her first trip into Austen territory, following Miss Austen (2020). Her style takes its cue from Austen’s irony and tone…An immersive excursion to Austenland.” The overuse of italics drove me mad. There was no need for the majority of them and added to my frustration with this book. When Thomas May Knight died in 1781 his son, also named Thomas, inherited the estate. He and his wife, having no children, made a cousin Edward Austen the heir to Godmersham and to the Chawton estates in Hampshire. A few years after Thomas May Knight II’s death, his widow retired to Canterbury and in 1797 Edward Austen came to live in Godmersham. Fifteen years later, on Mrs Knight’s death, Edward changed his name to Knight as a fond tribute to his benefactors.

that started with Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor. My friend Laurel Ann Nattress of Austenprose.com writes that… I rec'd an eARC via NetGalley and Hardcover from publisher to read in exchange for an honest review.The two-year period at Godmersham was not the happiest time for Anne, and while this is an intriguing book, it is not cheerful or uplifting for the most part. The friendship with Jane and the interactions with Fanny are the bright spots in this book. Elizabeth, the mistress of the house, comes across as unsympathetic and almost cruel, especially when she sends Anne for barbaric "treatment" for her headaches. As someone who has suffered migraines, I was furious when Elizabeth forced open the curtains in Anne's room, insisting that the light would make her feel better. It drives home the truth that servants in those days were often not allowed to have feelings or express complaints to those considered above their station. a b Norman, Geraldine (13 April 1983). "Jane Austen's "Mansfield Park" for sale". The Times. No.61505. London. col C-F, p.12. On 21 January 1804, Anne Sharpe arrives at Godmersham Park in Kent to take up the position of governess. At 31 years old, she has no previous experience of either teaching or fine country houses. Her mother has died, and she has nowhere else to go. Anne is left with no choice. For her new charge -- twelve-year-old Fanny Austen -- Anne's arrival is all novelty and excitement. Anne Sharp is 31 years old when she arrives at Godmersham Park, the Kent country estate of Edward and Elizabeth Austen, employed to educate their 12 year old daughter Fanny, the eldest of eight children. Though she has no experience in the position of governess, having until recently been raised in comfort, she is determined to do her best, and serve the Austen family well. I planned to read this novel later, but it surprised me two weeks ago in the bookstore and of course I had to take it, because after Miss Austen, a novel that I thought was wonderful, this one is also signed by Gill Hornby and again about a figure of the Jane Austen world.

Godmersham Park reminds us of the plight of women two hundred years ago. If they did not marry, they were at the mercy of their fathers or brothers, and had no real rights of their own. If they did marry, they basically belonged to their husbands. This is beautifully written, true to the period, historical fiction. And because it is true to the period, it is definitely not all sweetness and light. At the same time, it provides a window into Anne's friendshp with Jane Austen, and shows how kindred spirits can recognize each other instantly.I enjoyed how the novel channeled Jane Austen and her family, just as I had imagined them. Hornby vividly portrays the limited and proscribed roles available to women, who were forced to marry men they did not love, or to live precariously or in poverty. “This was the fundamental flaw in the institution of marriage,” Anne considers, “She who endures a union of chilly dislike…could reasonable expect to live on into a cheerless old age. Meanwhile, the likes of Elizabeth Austen, blessed with true love and a real, mutual attraction, might well not survive to her fortieth year.”