Name: A Jane Austen Daydream by Scott D. Southard
Item: A Jane Austen Daydream
Author: Trenzle Review

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Jane Austen yearns for love and companionship in Scott D. Southard’s imagined account of her life, A Jane Austen Daydream. Will she find what she’s looking for at a ball held at Godmersham Park by their brother in honour of her and her sister?

Early in the year, I finished reading this book for the first time, and I was about to write a review when Southard informed me that it had been taken from the shelves. I think he had edited the work itself and was looking for a new publisher. Now that I’ve read both versions, I’m not sure what has changed.

It was a fantastic and enjoyable book back then, and it is still a fantastic and enjoyable book that was pleasantly reviving even after a second reading. When Southard asked me at the time what I thought of the book, I said that I found it to be elegantly written, interesting, hilarious, and heartbreaking. Jane Austen-like. That viewpoint has not altered.

A Jane Austen Daydream opens with the disclaimer, “This book is a work of fiction, just slightly affected by the truth.” He envisions the author as having lived her writing. The opulent tones and mischievous interference in A Jane Austen Daydream remind one of Emma, the comical character. The reader is reminded of Elizabeth Bennett from Pride and Prejudice by Jane’s smart retorts.

The nervousness of anticipation that Jane feels is similar to Lizzie’s before her Mr. Darcy arrived. Jane desires love because she is in love with love. Though nothing is known about the real Jane Austen’s thoughts and motivations, what Southard infers from her writing is a very credible portrayal of who she might have been and is written in a beautifully identical style.

Southard creates and defines his characters independently of the great writer. Instead, he does the legwork by portraying the characters in action and via the viewpoint of their neighbourhood. There is a logical commonality among the family members.

Because of their upbringing, Jane and Cassandra are who they are today, which says a lot about their parents. Mr. Austen is strict, as would be expected of a rector at the time, but he is also kind, compassionate, and generally cares for his kids even when they aren’t thinking about their own interests. Cassandra is praised by Mrs. Austen for her compassion, but in reality, she cares for the neighbourhood and is privy to what happens in everyone’s homes because they invite her in and want her there.

Early on in the book, a fortune teller remarks that Austen’s lifeline never runs out, which is one of my favourite scenes. It implies that you won’t ever die (Kindle location 353). A great truth is acknowledged by Southard in this ironic bow to his reader. A writer’s writing endures. Austen may have passed away in 1817, but her works have always been published, and as long as Southard and other fans keep up the tradition, she will continue to be.

Fans of Jane Austen should not miss reading A Jane Austen Daydream, which is a delightfully entertaining book. If you’re not a fan, I’ll wager you’ll change your mind after reading this book. It only goes to show that you shouldn’t judge a book by an author photo; I don’t mean to seem patronising. When one sees the young Mr. Southard, they are reminded of Jane Austen and Elvis Cole.

Sorry, Southard, I’m being honest for the greater good — individuals getting their perfect reads — but I never would have imagined that the guy in the picture could have possessed such a high level of traditional elegance and grace. I also say this because I am aware that there are some of you who will not read works by male authors, but please have faith that this writer will alter your perspective. A Jane Austen Daydream, which is cleverly written and cleverly structured, ought to be on every summer reading list.

About The Book

Jane Austen spends her days writing and matchmaking in the small countryside village of Steventon, until a ball at Godmersham Park propels her into a new world where she yearns for a romance of her own. But whether her heart will settle on a young lawyer, a clever Reverend, a wealthy childhood friend, or a mysterious stranger is anyone’s guess.

The novel, A Jane Austen Daydream, created in the style of Austen herself, ponders the question faced by many devoted followers over the years – did she ever find love? Weaving fact with fiction, the book re-imagines her life, using her own stories to fill in the gaps left by history and showing that all of us – to a greater or lesser degree – are head over heels for Jane.

The Review