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Sanditon: Jane Austen's Unfinished Masterpiece Completed
Jane Austen and Juliette Shapiro
#UC6792
Paperback, 193 pages; 2009
$14.95
Members' Price: $12.71
Purists may balk at another author’s attempt to complete Jane Austen’s unfinished final novel. But Juliette Shapiro maintains that her contribution to Sanditon was written “with every intention of remaining faithful to Jane Austen and entertaining those who, in longing to know more about her wonderful characters, find it in their hearts to forgive the impertinence of the sequelist.” And she does an admirable job emulating the beloved author’s themes, wit, and style. The story begins as Charlotte Heywood arrives in the seaside town of Sanditon, England. As she gets to know the eccentric villagers, the shrewd Miss Heywood begins to discover the social machinations and scandals below the resort town’s placid surface. And, of course, a romance begins to blossom for the young lady, which is rife with twists and complications. In the end, Shapiro succeeds gracefully in carrying one of Austen’s signature heroines to an immensely satisfying conclusion. It’s a treat for those who’ve read and reread the master’s classics!
(AG)
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