Everything Austen Challenge II Wrap-up

As readers of this blog know, I love everything Jane Austen related. I especially love the Everything Austen Challenge and was glad to be a part of it again this year. I don’t really need an excuse to read, watch, or listen to anything Austen related, but this challenge inspires me to go above and beyond, and I love reading all of the great reviews from others that come with it. It always gives me a lot more ideas for Austen related works to read in the future!

I completed all of the items I had originally intended to for this challenge, and added many more along the way. I read the following eight books:

1. Lady Vernon and Her Daughter by Jane Rubino and Caitlen Rubino-Bradway
2. Pemberley Ranch by Jack Caldwell
3. A Darcy Christmas by Amanda Grange, Sharon Lathan, and Carolyn Eberhart
4. Charlotte Collins by Jennifer Becton
5. In the Arms of Mr. Darcy by Sharon Lathan
6. Mr. Darcy’s Obsession by Abigail Reynolds
7. Mr. Darcy’s Little Sister by C. Allyn Pierson
8. Darcy’s Voyage by Kara Louise

I listened to the following three audiobooks:

1. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Cover to Cover edition read by Irene Sutcliffe
2. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen, Tantor Media Edition read by Donada Peters
3. Persuasion by Jane Austen, read by Juliet Stevenson

I watched the following three movies:

1. Sense and Sensibility (BBC - 1981)
2. Persuasion (BBC- 1971)
3. Pride and Prejudice (BBC – 1980)

In all, I read, listened, and watched a total of fourteen items for this challenge.

I learned that I had missed a great Pride and Prejudice mini-series, the BBC-1980 version. While it does not replace the 1995 mini-series as my favorite, it is a great series in its own right. I didn’t really enjoy the BBC versions of S&S or Persuasion. I don’t think I need to watch these versions again.

I also learned that while I love listening to Jane Austen on audiobook, some audiobooks are far better than others. Juliet Stevenson was an excellent reader for Persuasion, but the other two audiobooks I listened to had really dry readers.

I enjoyed all of the books I read, and don’t have one favorite. While I do love Mr. Darcy, I did enjoy reading about other characters from Pride and Prejudice (Charlotte Collins) and books based on other Austen works (Lady Vernon and Her Daughter). I thought Abigail Reynolds and C. Alleyn Pierson did a wonderful job of creating new works based on P&P, and especially creating great new characters while remaining true to the original characters. I also loved Mr. Darcy as a cowboy in Pemberley Ranch.

Thank-you to Stephanie for hosting this great challenge. I hope that it returns again later this year!