Cassandra's Sister by Veronica Bennett

The story of Jane Austen's life is a tale similar to that of Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility. Cassandra's Sister is the journey of young Jane (Jenny) and her experiences that soon become the inspiration for her novels. Jane Austen is an intelligent woman in her early twenties, who, surrounded by family, recognizes love for what it is, beautiful. Her special relationship with her sister Cassandra is lovingly portrayed and the friendship of the sisters binds stronger as their lives continue. Reality and sadness wound the sisters throughout the story, and readers learn that their lives were not perfect--although sometimes filled with balls and handsome men. Cassandra's Sister portrays the beauty of love, friendship, and fighting for what you want.

Cassandra's Sister is a beautifully written novel. The storyline and plot are both fascinating; Jane Austen lived the lives of her characters and Veronica Bennett alludes to fantastic parallels between Jane and her protagonists. However, the character of Jane is rather dull. She mopes about and spends most of her time desiring the life of her elder sister, Cassandra. Thankfully, Cassandra's character is strong enough to pull the story along and the plot flows steadily. Cassandra's Sister is a wonderful introduction into the novels of Jane Austen and any reader hoping to begin an Austen novel may want to read Veronica Bennett's introduction to her prose. With the Masterpiece Theatre series, Jane Austen's audience has grown once again and Cassandra's Sister is a beautiful addition to the literature on Jane herself.

Rating:7

Reviewer Age:16

Reviewer City, State and Country: Concord, Massachusetts United States