What If Harriet Smith Only Pretended To Be Clueless?

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Source: Review Copy from Author

TYPE OF NOVEL: A Variation of Emma from the POVs of Harriet Smith and Jane Fairfax

THE PREMISE: Focusing on two secondary characters of Jane Austen’s Emma, this tale pivots back and forth to feature what these characters were experiencing, thinking, and doing during the timeline of Jane Austen’s novel. This version of Harriet Smith is privately ambitious and calculating, and this version of Jane Fairfax actually experiences some of the drama Emma speculates about…

WHAT I LOVED:

• Emma Spotlight: I love Highbury and all its charming inhabitants! I love that, just like with her first novel – Susan, Alice McVeigh shines a spotlight on some not-so-popular novels and characters. I think all of Jane Austen’s characters are worthy of having their stories told. And as much as I adore Elizabeth Bennet, Mary Bennet, and Georgiana Darcy, I’m happy to see some other women receive some attention.

• Character Deviation: I’ve read stories with a terrible Mr. Bennet, a “bad” Jane Bennet, and even a sympathetic Mary Crawford who wins our hearts, so I definitely don’t mind it when an author takes some artistic license and alters a character’s personality and history. Especially if it is handled plausibly and thoughtfully. I was really intrigued by the premise of Harriet putting on an act – that her sweetness and cluelessness were pretense. It changes her dynamic completely to think that she is artful, cunning, and using her relationship with Emma for her own gains. I was very eager to explore this new “hidden” and more complex side of Harriet Smith.

WHAT I HAVE MIXED FEELINGS ABOUT:

• Harriet’s Spotlight – But Shared:  I was happy that Harriet was finally getting her own spotlight. But in actuality she didn’t. She is sharing it with Jane Fairfax. Even though the title suggests otherwise, this book is half Harriet’s story and half Jane’s. And I don’t know if the dual storyline (something I’m usually a fan of) worked so well in this situation. There is not much that connects these heroines and their storylines – other than that they occur at the same time and include some of the same events. It felt somewhat incongruous, and I would have loved for each to be their own separate works – which would have enabled the author to flesh out and develop these characters more.

• The Shocking Twist: Talk about an audible gasp! 😱 I didn’t see it coming and it is a really surprising and clever twist.  While this revelation gave excellent shock value, it also gave a lot of heartache and felt a bit unresolved. I’m saddened to see the deception and omission agreed upon by these characters – especially since one of them exhibited some conflicting and disappointing developments already. But perhaps that was the author’s intent – to convey that everyone is flawed, even the people we admire and respect the most.

• Jane Fairfax’s Storyline: While I found Jane to be a much more likable heroine to follow in this story, it didn’t feel like her POV had anything really new to share. Even though we spent time with her, it didn’t feel like we got to know her any better than we previously did. There was some dramatic bits in the beginning about Mr. Dixon, but that just petered out and didn’t seem to have much effect any other change in her storyline. I wish we saw more development of Jane’s character make-up. It seems like every man was attracted to her because of her appearance, and we know she offers and possesses so much more.

WHAT I WASN’T TOO FOND OF:

• What Is Their Why?: It felt like there was some disconnect with understanding these characters and their motivations. Like with Harriet, I understand her ambitiousness and her desires – but it feels hard to root for her because we don’t feel an emotional connection to her. If we saw what is intrinsically driving her desires or tapped into her feelings on a deeper level, I feel I would have been able to connect and cheer for her more. Again, I don’t mind her character being altered, but I wish she was a heroine I felt empathy and admiration towards. In addition, I wish we gained more understanding about Jane’s and Frank’s feelings – their personalities are so dissimilar – what attracts them to each other? why does Jane put up with Frank’s behavior? – especially after she learns of who else holds her in regard…

CONCLUSION: This maybe feels like a very ambivalent review. I think while I admired the author’s creative ideas, unique focus, and thoughtful twists, I was a little less satisfied with some of the execution. However, these are just my own feelings. Other readers may be perfectly satisfied with Harriet, and find it to be everything they want it to be.

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