Rating: 
Summary: Well done, Joan Aiken
Review: A lovely, plausible extension of Jane Austen's vision. It not only gives access to Jane Fairfax's motives and feelings, but dares to speculate on the forces which shaped Emma's character. My only wish might be that Frank Churchill is made to pay more painfully for his cavalier treatment of Jane, who too thoroughly exemplifies the feminine virtues of Austen's era, and is all forgiveness.
Rating: 
Summary: Extremely well written in Austen-like style!
Review: Being the Austen fan that I am, I began searching for similar styles of writing and came across Joan Aiken's Jane Fairfax. I was delighted from the moment that I began reading this work and enjoyed EVERY WORD. I recommend this to anyone looking for an interesting viewpoint on the residents of Highbury and how Jane Fairfax's life unfolds.
Rating:
Summary: Very enjoyable (and plausible, too!)
Review: Compelling and sympathetic storytelling of Jane Fairfax's life before, during, and after Emma Woodhouse's infamous matchmaking/meddling stage of her life. I liked that Jane was not portrayed--as she was in the recent film version--as a sly vamp, but instead as a young woman all-too-aware of her difficult position in life. Her life away from Highbury was fascinating and very well-told. I also enjoyed the indepth examinations of Emma's character by Jane; it seemed very realistic and only moderately biased. I tired quickly, however, of Jane's constant agonies over Frank Churchill's seemingly fickle side; it seemed rather unlike her character and detracted greatly from her appeal. The last quarter of the book meshed beautifully with Emma's side of the story (as read in "Emma"). The alternate viewpoint to the awful picnic on Box Hill was also a treat. I finished reading this book with pangs of regret; I wish we knew more of the story of the marriage of Jane F! airfax and Frank Churchill! Lovely book.
Rating:
Summary: A new view of a familiar story...
Review: Emma is one of my favorite books, so I was naturally drawn to this re-interpretation of the story told through the eyes of Jane Fairfax, about whom we learn very little in the original. On the other hand, I was somewhat wary given how much I love Emma and Austen in general and was afraid that I would find it lacking in both style and substance. In the end, I was terribly impressed by Aiken's work and enjoyed this version tremendously.Joan Aiken explores the events in Jane Fairfax's life that take place outside of Highbury and the sphere of Emma. What we once saw only through Emma and the others thus takes on a completely different dimension, particularly the circumstances that appear such a surprise in Austen's novel. The new characters are very well-rounded, realistic and fascinating while the 'old' ones remain very much true to their roles Emma, even down to their language, mannerisms, dress and so forth. Despite how well-written and fascinating I found the book - and how good the descriptions, characterizations and scenery are - I never felt quite like I was reading Austen. But I was so impressed by how close Aiken did get to the original, and here her extraordinary skill as a writer is obvious, I believe it is more a matter of my degree of familiarity with Emma and with Austen's work in general than any inherent flaw in the book. Although I do believe Jane Fairfax is good enough to stand on its own, I think that in order to enjoy Jane Fairfax fully a reader must be relatively familiar with Emma, for having seen the story before from another perspective is an enormous part of the appeal. I would recommend this book to any fans of Emma or Austen - or really anyone interested in a well-told and excellently written story - with the caveat that the book be appreciated for what it is and not compared to minutely to the original.
Rating:
Summary: A new view of a familiar story...
Review: Emma is one of my favorite books, so I was naturally drawn to this re-interpretation of the story told through the eyes of Jane Fairfax, about whom we learn very little in the original. On the other hand, I was somewhat wary given how much I love Emma and Austen in general and was afraid that I would find it lacking in both style and substance. In the end, I was terribly impressed by Aiken's work and enjoyed this version tremendously. Joan Aiken explores the events in Jane Fairfax's life that take place outside of Highbury and the sphere of Emma. What we once saw only through Emma and the others thus takes on a completely different dimension, particularly the circumstances that appear such a surprise in Austen's novel. The new characters are very well-rounded, realistic and fascinating while the 'old' ones remain very much true to their roles Emma, even down to their language, mannerisms, dress and so forth. Despite how well-written and fascinating I found the book - and how good the descriptions, characterizations and scenery are - I never felt quite like I was reading Austen. But I was so impressed by how close Aiken did get to the original, and here her extraordinary skill as a writer is obvious, I believe it is more a matter of my degree of familiarity with Emma and with Austen's work in general than any inherent flaw in the book. Although I do believe Jane Fairfax is good enough to stand on its own, I think that in order to enjoy Jane Fairfax fully a reader must be relatively familiar with Emma, for having seen the story before from another perspective is an enormous part of the appeal. I would recommend this book to any fans of Emma or Austen - or really anyone interested in a well-told and excellently written story - with the caveat that the book be appreciated for what it is and not compared to minutely to the original.
Rating:
Summary: Quite a feat!
Review: I am a fan of Jane Austen's Emma, and really enjoyed Hollywood's rendition of the novel, and came away from both sharing a bit of Emma's resentment towards Jane Fairfax. So it is quite an accomplishment to write a novel that so quickly and deftly turned my sympathies and interests towards a previously unliked character. Aiken's Jane Fairfax fleshes out the childhood histories of both leading ladies (Emma and Jane), and fills in the back story of their relationship and temperaments. It is fascinating to read the story that takes place prior to the time period where 'Emma' is focused, but even more interesting to read the shifted perspective once the two storylines sync up. Finally, the book is so well-written, so closely adhering to Jane Austen's own style, that you can convince yourself you are reading a long lost manuscript from Austen herself. And as the tale unfolds, and Jane's perspective reveals more of Emma's character than we even knew before, Austen's 'Emma' becomes an even better realized, more ironic, and wryer look at social folly. I definitely recommend this novel to any Austen fan, particularly those familiar with 'Emma.'
Rating:
Summary: A most delightful perspective!
Review: I had just finished reading a sequel to another Jane Austen novel, "Presumption", and was really not expecting much after being so disappointed it the sequel to P & P. (though by a different author) I was very much surprised by Jane Fairfax! I started the book and could not put it down until I finished the whole thing. I liked how the first half described her childhood and her experiences with the Campbells and then the second half was Jane Austen's Emma through her eyes. She told the story tastefully and I dare say that Austen would be proud of the effort. I at first thought that Emma W. was portrayed in a bad light, but after reading the whole story, you really sympathize with JAne and her feelings toward Emma. Though I knew the ending, it was quite refreshing to relive it through "another's eyes"
Rating:
Summary: Austen lovers won't be disappointed...
Review: I read all the Jane Austen pre-quels, sequels, updates, etc. because I want to linger a little longer in the whole Austen world. With JANE FAIRFAX, I don't have to endure terrible writing and trite plots in order to revisit Highbury. Joan Aiken has written a delightful and insightful novel that stands very well on its own. I enjoyed the speculations into Jane's background, reasons behind her strained releationship with Emma Woodhouse, and events that lead to her engagement with Frank Churchill.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining if Not Perfect
Review: I really enjoyed Aiken's courtship plot; she faithfully keeps to the conventions of the genre within which Austen worked. Jane Fairfax has always been a fascinating character, one whom I really preferred to the eponymous heroine of Emma. However, Aiken's prose does fall rather short of the mark, and she occasionally uses phrases that ring false or forsakes Austen's dry irony and understatement for the blatant forthrightness of the modern era. That said, only a reader with a fairly intimate knowledge of Austen's style will likely notice these gaffes, and the book remains an entertaining and engaging story of nineteenth century love and coming of age.
Rating:
Summary: Not Jane Austen, but very good anyway.
Review: I really enjoyed this book on its own merits. Joan Aiken does a fairly good job of capturing Austen's writing style, although she doesn't mimic it perfectly. And she stays mostly faithful to the characters created by Austen, although there are some lapses. Overall, Jane Fairfax is an enjoyable romance.
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