I Was Jane Austen's Best Friend: A Secret Diary (review)

Based on the life of Jane Cooper, a cousin who lived with Jane Austen's family for a year, this blend of diary entries, pen-and-ink drawings, and narration tells the story of a large, lively family with an ambitious mother trying to get them all situated with wealthy matches in 1791. Much like the heroines in Austen's novels, Jane and Jenny (Harrison's adaptation of Jane Cooper's name, to differentiate her from Jane Austen) are fascinated with the gossip and social goings-on that surround them, with Jenny having the more demure responses and Jane improving on the tame dramas by writing little scenarios to liven things up. At the center of their days are two concerns: a potential scandal that could ruin Jenny's chances at a decent marriage, and Jane's fury over her mother's rejection of her mentally disabled brother. The book is clearly aimed at those youngsters who have discovered an early love for Austen, but it may also appeal to readers interested in the everyday details of times past; however, they must be willing to enter into a world of much ado about very little other than trivial domestic scandals that lacks the weight of Austen's social commentary or deeper human insight. Instead, Harrison pays a good deal of attention to clothing, and detailed sketches of fashions, hairstyles, and various household accoutrements are included to augment her descriptions. The human side is more engaging: the portrayals of Jane's brothers and their amusements argue for a large family for both entertainment value and affection, while Jane herself is presented as an opinionated, intelligent girl with flashes of temper and a decidedly cool relationship with her mother. While this is best suited to the handful of middle-school Austen fans, readers who enjoy domestic romance beset with period worries may also appreciate this contextual companion to Jane Austen's more sophisticated novels. An author's note provides historical background.