Jane Austen Book Club

I have been again stuck a few times lately finding a book that appeals.  The movie Bullet Train, for instance, is based on a book. Did not appeal, when I took a look at it.  As noted in the past, a lot of online reading facts into my current tendencies. Still, it isn't just that, since I have been online reading for a while.  

Anyway, I finally got around to read this book, after repeatedly watching the film.  There are various versions; mine was an attractive red paperback with questions, summaries of her six novels (no reference of Lady Susan though there is a passing reference to "The Watsons" as a character in the book; not sure if that is a reference to the book fragment), and a bunch of quotes through the years about Jane Austen. 

I have read all of Jane Austen's novels, including the fragments, if not all of her Juvenilia.  Some time back, there was a period when I was in the mood for her style.  I also saw (for instance, Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, and Persuasion along with Clueless) and read various things related to Jane Austen though there are a whole lot more.  

The film is largely likely the book though it changes a few things. As a whole, I think the movie actually generally improves things by the tweaks. The best parts of the book not in the film are basically flashbacks of the characters' lives when they were younger.  And, Sylvia is clearly Hispanic in the book.  This is not really apparent in the film.  The people they picked for the characters on the whole work though "Bernadette" is in her late sixties and more an elderly character than the film version.

Prudie's husband in the film is more of a jock and the marriage seems more in trouble. This works off the book somewhat, but the husband there comes off a little better.  In general, more of a limited character. There is no bit in the book where she has him read from a book.

Also, the Jocelyn/Grigg relationship is fleshed out a bit more in the film.  One of my favorite line where Jocelyn is annoyed at Grigg ("you are going to stop at every light ... what are you Mark Twain") works off something he did (taking a scenic route), but the line itself is not in the book.

And, the characters are all (except the two youngest) somewhat older in the book.  Oh, and for some reason, the book tosses in that the lesbian daughter goes back to her old girlfriend, who was not a good match.  

Overall, I liked the book.  Good writing and I'm someone who finds it hard to get into fiction.  I never belonged to a book club.