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Historial Novels Review

TIMESLIP

RUDE AWAKENINGS OF A JANE AUSTEN
ADDICT

Laurie Viera Rigler, Dutton, 2009, $25.95/
C$32.50, hb, 336pp, 9780525950769

Regency romance intertwines with modern
chick lit in this is the highly anticipated sequel to
Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict. Previously,
modern-day free spirit Courtney Stone awoke
into the social confines of the Jane Austen era.
Now, Rude Awakenings continues the story, but
with Jane Mansfield, an English country lass
from 1813, who inexplicably awakens in 2009
Los Angeles. Jane has no opportunity to ponder
how this transfer could have occurred, as she
must quickly learn to interact with the people
of this technological world. Strange noises,
fewer clothes, and living on her own are just a
few things Jane must strive to understand. The
one thing she finds in common with Courtney
is their mutual passion for Jane Austen, and
Jane is thrilled to discover that she can watch
tiny figures act out the scenes of her favorite
stories inside a small container in her new living
quarters.

As Jane begins to relish the privacy and
independence, she remains bewildered by
memories that are not her own. Even more
confusing are the attentions of a friend named
Wes. Jane wonders if she can ever truly fit in
and begins to miss home, where at least the rules
were clear.

Flung into the future, Jane learns the
importance of living in the present. Blending
humor, love, and exploration of identity and
destiny, Rude Awakenings is a colorful look at
this genre. The ultimate question is answered:
can a 19th-century girl survive in a morally
confused world? This bubbly take on literary
time travel will appeal to Jane Austen and chick
lit fans alike. It will be interesting to see what
Rigler comes up with next.

--Rebecca Roberts

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Historial Novels Review