Austenland

Honestly, I like my Austen like I like my Star Wars.  Pure.  Unaltered.  So just as I despise Lucas' attempts at 'improving' and whoring out my childhood, I despise Austen fan fiction.

Enter Austenland by Shannon Hale.  Granted the book isn't a continuation of our beloved Regency characters, it's a modern tale of a melodramatic single woman whose fixation on Mr. Darcy doesn't allow her to make an attachment to any man because he just doesn't measure up.

I could give you many reason to loathe the book.  Mainly the large plot holes and inability to form complete sentences by the author; however, I inexplicably find myself drawn back to this book time and time again. It's downright embarrassing!  I'm ashamed for guests to find this gem in my library--which leads to a host of other issues my therapist would love to get a hold of.  Ha!

As I see it, Austenland is a fun read.  Fans of Austen will enjoy as well as the casual fiction reader.

Task 21: a book that you would consider a guilty pleasure (read, and then realize that good entertainment is nothing to feel guilty over.)