Godmersham Park: The Sunday Times top ten bestseller by the acclaimed author of Miss Austen

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Home » blog » Godmersham Park by Gill Hornby Review – It’s a Romantic, Thoughtful New Book Godmersham Park by Gill Hornby Review – It’s a Romantic, Thoughtful New Book

In 1804 the Knights hired a governess for their eldest daughter, Fanny, who was eleven. Henry’s friend recommended Anne Sharp. Raised in luxury, well educated, and pretty, with the death of Ann’s mother came poverty. Her father had disappeared from their lives and left her a mere 35 pounds per annum to live on. Anne donned plain garb, adjusted her attitude to fit into the role of lowly governess, and with dread reported to Godmersham Hall. There is one character though who steals the spotlight from Anne: Jane Austen. She matches Anne in intelligence but surpasses her in wit. Quips effuse from her, and seemingly nothing escapes her notice. She sees through people’s facades and astutely observes all that goes on around her. She also does not shy away from voicing her opinion, including as it relates to topics deemed unseemly by her contemporaries. Moreover, she proves herself to be a kind and loyal friend to Anne, encouraging her artistic pursuits and supporting her whenever possible. Their friendship is one of the highlights of the book. If you love Jane Austen you're sure to enjoy Gill Hornby's stylish glimpse into the life of young governess Anne Sharp. This elegantly written tale skillfully recreates a world where governesses are midway between the family upstairs and the servants downstairs.”

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Oh, how I loved reading about Henry Austen! He’s given the romantic treatment here, although since he’s married, you know things aren’t quite going to work out. I only wished for more scenes with Henry. JANE AUSTEN A richly imagined novel inspired by the true story of Anne Sharp, a governess who became very close with Jane Austen and her family by the #1 International bestselling-author of Miss Austen. At times there's a sense of fun to the writing, something you get with Austen herself, and it's true that it feels like Godmersham feels at times idyllic. The book has slowly and gently built to two crisis points: Anne’s discovery of the truth about her father and her past as well as Anne facing facts about her feelings for charming Henry and Jane Austen. The book starts with Anne's arrival at Godmersham Park; it's evident she's come down considerably in the world, and eventually we learn why. It's a good while before we meet Jane; much of the book is taken up with Anne's struggles to adapt to being a governess. The other servants are mean to her, which is probably historically accurate, and her boss, Mrs. Edward Austen, requires flattery and careful "managing up."

Anne’s also plagued with headaches and other health issues, and the Austen family goes to surprisingly great lengths to help their favorite governess. When Jane, her sister Cassandra, and mother come to stay at Godmersham Park, it’s a turning point in Anne’s life. She and Jane become the dearest of friends and for once Anne’s free of loneliness. Their friendship lasts throughout Jane’s life. I loved learning in the author’s note that a rare copy of Emma was given to Anne by Jane with a handwritten inscription to her dear friend.Admito que esto es una ficcionalización de un hecho real, y por tanto, se abre a dudas e interpretaciones, pero agradezco el libro por conocer a esta "figura oculta" que muestra la realidad de las mujeres trabajadoras de cierta clase en esa época. De nuevo, gracias Ms Hornby. She soon finds herself employed by Mr. and Mrs. Edward Austen, governess to the 12-year-old Fanny Austen. RELATED: ‘Bloomsbury Girls’ Book Review: A Beautiful Tribute to Booklovers