I picked this book up on a whim, based solely on the title, which is rather catchy. Lost in Austen: Create Your Own Jane Austen Adventure
is exactly what it sounds like: a grown-up, Austen-ized version of the Choose Your Own Adventure books that were popular when I was a kid.You, the reader, are Elizabeth Bennet. You are hunting for a good husband; and since Mr. Darcy is so proud as too seem unappealing, you look further afield. Mr. Collins? George Wickham? You can choose to take your chance with either of them. Or perhaps you accept Mr. Darcy's offer the first time even though you don't love him, deciding that you'd rather be the wife of a rich man than hope for a love that may never appear.
Maybe you head to join Jane at Gracechurch Street in London? There you encounter the charming, if diffident, Edward Ferrars. Could he be the one to make you happy?
As you hunt for matrimonial bliss you find many other men, including Tom Lefroy, Mr. Knightley, Mr. Tilney, and Captain Wentworth. Could you find happiness with one of them? Or will your life end tragically as you are thrown from your carriage and trampled by horses? Only you can decide...
This was a fun book. It's not a book meant to be read in one sitting, but one to enjoy a bit at a time, with bookmark in hand, so that you can return to your previous choices and see what would have happened if you had chosen a different path. I think this would make a great gift for any Austen-lovers in your life!
Rating: 3.7 out of 5
Should I recommend this to my grandma? Sure!
Who's your favorite Austen hero? Mr. Darcy? Mr. Knightley?
The image and title are Amazon affiliate links.
