Ema and the Werewolves, by Jane Austin
Book Review by Susie Hawes
Have you read this book?
Ema and the Werewolves, by Jane Austin and Adam Rann, is a kick. This
is Austin meets King, and I am amazed that Mr. Rann could pull if off.
He introduces dark fantasy into a comedic social romance seamlessly.
The characters are well-defined and three dimensional, with faults and habitual mistakes. The main heroine is a bit stuffy and spoiled, and tends to judge people too quickly, but has a good heart. She takes a young woman, Harriet, under her wing, and mistakenly talks the Harriet out of accepting a marriage proposal. This causes Harriet to not only jeopardize her future at the side of the man she loves, but to upset his family - good friends who she comes to acutely miss.
Social class and birth privileges are very important to the people in this story, but the heart reigns. Emma?s reason for discouraging Harriet from marrying her young man is based on class - he is considered beneath her. By the end of this novel, Harriet reunites with her love and Emma learns to put aside this prejudice.
The young man in question, Robert Martin, is helping the intrepid hero, Mr. Knightly, fight the werewolves, which have recently attacked the local citizens.
From the novel -
"Emma saw a large wolf pinning Chad to the ground. The puddle of rainwater beneath turned red as the wolf gnawed on and tore at Chad?s throat. The other two guards were moving in on the creature. Emma heard the crack of a rifle. A spurt of blood and fur flew from the beast?s right shoulder. ..."
Action is swift and believable. Danger is real. These scenes are written in a direct, visceral style at odds with the usual verbose, formal style favored by Jane Austin, yet the author blends styles and events smoothly, keeping the reader?s interest while advancing the plot, developing the characters and adding flavor to the narrative.
The plotting is strong, and the suspense is taut. Dangers are very real. A tongue in cheek approach is evident, as when two young misses notice a werewolf hiding in the bushes. I suppose it would have been rude to brace him; the ladies whisper to each other, but pass unmolested, barely seeming to be alarmed by the presence of a supernatural predator.
A sweet blend of Austin's social commentaries and supernatural adventure, this story is graced with a strong-minded heroine and a powerful hero. Toss in a few vicious werewolves. Mix in the niceties of old English society and a mysterious wolf woman. Add a few fight scenes, introduce a romantic misstep or two to cloud the happily ever after and you have this tightly woven action/drama with touches of the absurd and just the right amount of romantic entanglement to do Jane Austin, Gorgette Hayers and their ilk proud. Then sit back and enjoy the sight of werewolves running amok in the genteel English countryside.
Good work, Mr. Rann.
The characters are well-defined and three dimensional, with faults and habitual mistakes. The main heroine is a bit stuffy and spoiled, and tends to judge people too quickly, but has a good heart. She takes a young woman, Harriet, under her wing, and mistakenly talks the Harriet out of accepting a marriage proposal. This causes Harriet to not only jeopardize her future at the side of the man she loves, but to upset his family - good friends who she comes to acutely miss.
Social class and birth privileges are very important to the people in this story, but the heart reigns. Emma?s reason for discouraging Harriet from marrying her young man is based on class - he is considered beneath her. By the end of this novel, Harriet reunites with her love and Emma learns to put aside this prejudice.
The young man in question, Robert Martin, is helping the intrepid hero, Mr. Knightly, fight the werewolves, which have recently attacked the local citizens.
From the novel -
"Emma saw a large wolf pinning Chad to the ground. The puddle of rainwater beneath turned red as the wolf gnawed on and tore at Chad?s throat. The other two guards were moving in on the creature. Emma heard the crack of a rifle. A spurt of blood and fur flew from the beast?s right shoulder. ..."
Action is swift and believable. Danger is real. These scenes are written in a direct, visceral style at odds with the usual verbose, formal style favored by Jane Austin, yet the author blends styles and events smoothly, keeping the reader?s interest while advancing the plot, developing the characters and adding flavor to the narrative.
The plotting is strong, and the suspense is taut. Dangers are very real. A tongue in cheek approach is evident, as when two young misses notice a werewolf hiding in the bushes. I suppose it would have been rude to brace him; the ladies whisper to each other, but pass unmolested, barely seeming to be alarmed by the presence of a supernatural predator.
A sweet blend of Austin's social commentaries and supernatural adventure, this story is graced with a strong-minded heroine and a powerful hero. Toss in a few vicious werewolves. Mix in the niceties of old English society and a mysterious wolf woman. Add a few fight scenes, introduce a romantic misstep or two to cloud the happily ever after and you have this tightly woven action/drama with touches of the absurd and just the right amount of romantic entanglement to do Jane Austin, Gorgette Hayers and their ilk proud. Then sit back and enjoy the sight of werewolves running amok in the genteel English countryside.
Good work, Mr. Rann.
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