A LIFE OF HER OWN

by Wendy Zomparelli ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 17, 2021

In this debut novel, one of Jane Austen’s minor characters wishes to avoid the marriage trap.

Margaret Dashwood may not garner the same attention as her talented older sisters, Elinor and Marianne, but she may be the most intriguing member of the family. From a young age, she’s shared her father’s fascination with the ancient city of Pompeii, excavated from beneath the ash at the foot of Mount Vesuvius. Her father’s early death leaves the Dashwoods without a home of their own, though Margaret’s sisters quickly manage to find ideal husbands—both quite wealthy. When their mother dies a few years later, 16-year-old Margaret goes to live with Elinor and her vicar husband, Edward Ferrars. Edward encourages Margaret’s rapacious appetite for reading and her interest in the emerging field of archaeology. When she comes of age, rather than marrying, Margaret decides to seek a governess position in London. “Serving as a governess would not preclude me from marrying later,” she tells the baffled Elinor. “But until then, I should like to live in London, to take advantage of the opportunities there. Even if I have only one day in the week to myself, I should be able to spend it studying the treasures of the museums.” Instead, she gets a job as a companion to the wealthy Mrs. Jennings and begins saving money for a trip to the continent in order to see the main sights in Italy—including Pompeii. When her half brother dies, Margaret suddenly comes into money of her own for the first time, enough to finance her trip. The only problem? She has no male relatives left to escort her across the continent. A woman ahead of her time, Margaret refuses to be dissuaded. If there are no men to take her, she will just have to compose a party of female companions instead. But is the strong-willed Margaret ready for what Europe has to offer?

After covering Austen’s Sense and Sensibility from Margaret’s perspective in 50 pages, the novel sets off into the unknown territory of Regency England. Zomparelli works hard to emulate Austen’s style, though the results are rarely terribly convincing: “No mistress of a country house escapes the tribulation of the dinner guest who arrives too early, and Marianne had two perpetual albatrosses to bear. The first was the Honorable Mr. Speedwell, who could never undertake the shortest of journeys without imagining a tree fallen on the road, or troubles with a wheel.” The story includes the requisite cameos by real-life historical figures—Margaret goes hunting for fossils with pioneering paleontologist Mary Anning—as well as familiar characters from the source material (whom the author seems to enjoy killing off). The choice to make the tale a sequel to Austen’s novel isn’t altogether intuitive. Zomparelli has very different interests (science, travel) than Austen, but they are not so revisionist as to make for an obvious foil. Nevertheless, the vivid homage will likely please fans of 19th-century British novels. Yet some readers will wonder if the book might have worked better as an original story about a convention-bucking antiquarian.

An odd but richly rendered sequel to an Austen classic.

Pub Date: Nov. 17, 2021

ISBN: 9780578297408

Page Count: 402

Publisher: Bowker

Review Posted Online: Nov. 15, 2022

Review Program: Kirkus Indie

Categories:

HISTORICAL FICTION | GENERAL FICTION