An Austen Character
[¥ you know Jane Austen’s Emma (and all children know Jane Austen’s Emma), you know the delightful plot of Emma’s match-making, which turns on the carefully kept secret of Jane Fairfax’s engagement to Mr. Frank Churchill. What Miss Naomi Royde-Smith does in her new novel " Jane Fairfax,’ is to start the story of Jane Fairfax years sooner and carry it on until it links up with Emma. This sort of thing is justified only by complete success. Any clumsiness, any failure to match the characters, to keep the picture of the period in exact focus, must be worse than disappointing; it will be infuriating. Well, I am as jealous of Jane Austen’s rights in her own property as anyone could be, and I think that Miss Royde-Smith has done them no wrong at all, but honoured them in this charming and faithful piece of work. Any lover of Jane Austen will be happy in it-wriggling with pleasure, I hope, at new and life-like touches in the portrait of the odious Mrs. Elton, the most perfect of genteel vulgarians in the wide world of fiction. I never had enough of this delicious, repulsive. creature, and I bless Miss Royde-Smith for giving me more of her-and that is true indeed of all the rest--(Book Review from 3Y A Christchurch, January 7.)
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZLIST19410207.2.10.7
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New Zealand Listener, Volume 4, Issue 85, 7 February 1941, Page 5
Word count
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221An Austen Character New Zealand Listener, Volume 4, Issue 85, 7 February 1941, Page 5
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Copyright in the work University Entrance by Janet Frame (credited as J.F., 22 March 1946, page 18), is owned by the Janet Frame Literary Trust. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this article and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the New Zealand Listener. You can search, browse, and print this article for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from the Janet Frame Literary Trust for any other use.
Copyright in the Denis Glover serial Hot Water Sailor published in 1959 is owned by Pia Glover. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this serial and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the Listener. You can search, browse, and print this serial for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Pia Glover for any other use.
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