Once I had finished all of Austen? What do I read next?
Suggest some similar books.
Once I had finished all of Austen? What do I read next?
Suggest some similar books.
You should read Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, it's a wonderful book. Most people also move on to the Bronte sisters; I recommend Villette.
Took my batteries out my mysticism and put em in my thinking cap
Good though those are, they are not similar (at least not the Brontës).
I was slightly confused at finding Alcott's Little Women in the children's books section of a St Pancras station's bookshop. Is it a children's book? Surely not!
If you are looking for subtle satire, you could try Swift. But he is early.
Trollope is slightly later than the Regency, but he is fantastic. More blatant in some parts. He works a lot wit classical references, but he can be amazingly funny and biting. My vast experience stretches to The Warden alone, however. Still, it was enoyable.
He writes in series where characters crop up in several books. The Warden is the first in the Barsetshire Chronicles. It's not really necessary to read them in chronological order, but I suppose that can help.
Because he is later, his style is much easier, and although he is bent on writing funny stories, he doesn't shy away from a serious note (or that is the impression I got from one novel).
If you are looking for romance, then you'll be fine with the Brontës, though.
One has to laugh before being happy, because otherwise one risks to die before having laughed.
"Je crains [...] que l'âme ne se vide à ces passe-temps vains, et que le fin du fin ne soit la fin des fins." (Edmond Rostand, Cyrano de Bergerac, Acte III, Scène VII)
How about North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell?
Oh, I have already read Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre but not Villette yet.Originally Posted by Brielle92
Thanks so much.
i already like this suggestion. Thanks!
The most similar to Austen is Frances Burney, who was a major influence on Austen's style.
"If the national mental illness of the United States is megalomania, that of Canada is paranoid schizophrenia."
- Margaret Atwood
The trouble is you have begun at the pinnicle. Nobody can quite measure up to her. You could go on to Thackery's Vanity Fair or some Trollope as I did, but I find re-reading Austin to be more satisfying.
Have you thought about those modern sequels that occasionally come out, or those Zombie infested reworkings?
ay up
Yes, Austen is kind of the best in her field...
Fanny Burney was a major influence, so you could try that. What about Mrs Radcliffe for some Gothic scary stuff? And then read Northanger Abbey again.
@Mick:
How is Vanity Fair? Is it satire (as you have suggested it here) or is it kind of serious with caricature in it, like Dickens? I saw a film once that made it look quite Dickensian in that sense, but I don't know how good that was. I am planning on reading it (although I'm planning such a lot of things).
One has to laugh before being happy, because otherwise one risks to die before having laughed.
"Je crains [...] que l'âme ne se vide à ces passe-temps vains, et que le fin du fin ne soit la fin des fins." (Edmond Rostand, Cyrano de Bergerac, Acte III, Scène VII)
Vanity Fair is the best of Thackeray ....
It is not exactly satire since it doesn't use irony, but shows character development by contrasting the personality of one of the most famous literary characters, Becky Sharp, against that of her purported friend whose life is the exact opposite of Becky. After writing his masterpiece, Thackeray tried to emulate 18th writers such as Fielding, by witing asides to the reader. I just read Thackeray's The Newcombes which was 800 pages of tedium.
I am surprised no one has mentioned George Eliot, the best of the women Victorian writers. I have read Silas Marner, The Mill on the Floss, and Middlemarch. Middlemarch is considered by many to be the best English novel ever written. While I Have read all the novels of Jane Austen and enjoyed them, her writing pales when compared to George Eliot's.
That is exactly right - satire without the irony, a commentry that ridicules openly. Becky Sharp understands the society she is operating in and uses it's absurdities to get on. And who can blame her? Thackery constantly asks.
In Becky you have a Great Literary Character on a par with Elizabeth Bennet.
I didn't mention George Elliot because she is so different from Jane Austin. I agree her writing may be technically better, but Austin is unmatched in charm and cleverness.
ay up
I also think you should try George Eliot.
You might like George Sand. She's clever.
Buy the Ticket, take the Ride...
works of bronte`s is more similar to jane austin.
also lovely bones somehow is the same
wuthering heights emily bronte
jane eyre by charllote brone is similar
but personally i think it would be better to read in another genres and another periods. it is a better experience than reading just in one genre and the same stories. in my own opinion variety is so important in reading.
Why are only women writers being recommended? Some blokes to try:
Dickens - Great Expectations might be a good one for an Austen fan to start with - lots of male/female intrigue.
Walter Scott - she really liked him, he had strong female characters, start with Ivanhoe.
Daniel Defoe - Moll Flanders
Tolstoy - AK (then W&P)
Hardy - Tess (etc...)
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
