Rating: 
Summary: Well done "behind the scenes" story of Jane Fairfax
Review: If you enjoyed Emma, and wondered at all about
how Jane Fairfax ended up in her situation then
you'll enjoy this book. Aiken gives a clever
story that covers all the reasons that Jane F
and Frank Churchill act the way they do. And it
is written in a true Jane Austen style. I really
enjoyed it.
Rating:
Summary: Well done "behind the scenes" story of Jane Fairfax
Review: If you enjoyed Emma, and wondered at all abouthow Jane Fairfax ended up in her situation thenyou'll enjoy this book. Aiken gives a clever story that covers all the reasons that Jane F and Frank Churchill act the way they do. And it is written in a true Jane Austen style. I really enjoyed it.
Rating:
Summary: plausible and enjoyable pov-variant on the classic 'Emma'
Review: Joan Aiken is a gifted writer, and she has chosen as her subject a wonderfully interesting incidental character from one of the best-loved novels in literature, Jane Austen's 'Emma'. The characters and plot are flawless; it was very enjoyable to have these beloved characters rounded out and delved into more, and Aiken accomplishes her most difficult task -- making Frank Churchill sympathetic and therefore worthy of Miss Fairfax's regard. I was thrilled by the time I got to part two, which begins and ends on the same timeline as 'Emma' -- for instance, do you remember when Jane accompanies her aunt, Miss Bates, to Hartfield in order to thank Emma and her father for the quarter-section of pork, and they bring the news that Mr. Elton has become engaged to someone in Bath? Well, here you are in the room when Jane and her aunt first get the news as they are leaving for Hartfield -- it is delicious! There are many such overlaps, and all are delightful. There are also lots of commas and semi-colons and other such idiosyncracies found in the works of Austen and her contemporaries, and the style rings true. I would say it comes very close to being an Austen novel, and is one of the best of the Austen homages, but the humor of Austen is not here. Also, the novel is so well-done that I would have enjoyed an account of events after the original timeline. One does want to know that Jane is happy and Frank is true and Emma's friendship continues.... Still, a very satisfying read, and I will definitely read more works by this author.
Rating:
Summary: plausible and enjoyable pov-variant on the classic 'Emma'
Review: Joan Aiken is a gifted writer, and she has chosen as her subject a wonderfully interesting incidental character from one of the best-loved novels in literature, Jane Austen's 'Emma'. The characters and plot are flawless; it was very enjoyable to have these beloved characters rounded out and delved into more, and Aiken accomplishes her most difficult task -- making Frank Churchill sympathetic and therefore worthy of Miss Fairfax's regard. I was thrilled by the time I got to part two, which begins and ends on the same timeline as 'Emma' -- for instance, do you remember when Jane accompanies her aunt, Miss Bates, to Hartfield in order to thank Emma and her father for the quarter-section of pork, and they bring the news that Mr. Elton has become engaged to someone in Bath? Well, here you are in the room when Jane and her aunt first get the news as they are leaving for Hartfield -- it is delicious! There are many such overlaps, and all are delightful. There are also lots of commas and semi-colons and other such idiosyncracies found in the works of Austen and her contemporaries, and the style rings true. I would say it comes very close to being an Austen novel, and is one of the best of the Austen homages, but the humor of Austen is not here. Also, the novel is so well-done that I would have enjoyed an account of events after the original timeline. One does want to know that Jane is happy and Frank is true and Emma's friendship continues.... Still, a very satisfying read, and I will definitely read more works by this author.
Rating:
Summary: Jane Fairfax
Review: Like so many others, I have loved all of Jane Austen's novels and was sorry when there were no more to read. So I looked for sequels and was very satisfied by this one about Jane Fairfax by Ms. Aiken. It answered a lot of the questions about Jane that were at the back of my mind and made her more real and sympathetic. I especially enjoyed finding out about how her relationship with Frank Churchill developed before they came to Highbury in the Emma story. The way the author brings Jane and Emma together at the end is satisfying too. Thanks!
Rating: 
Summary: So far it seems dreadful
Review: OK, I'm not done with reading this, and it's good enough for me to continue. Rather, the reading is easy enough. But so far I haven't found that the writing is.... The ages of the characters are wrong. Mr. Knightley is made out to be too old (he should be 16 years older than Emma), there is a Miss Bickerton who is also too old, Miss Taylor comes to Hartfield at the wrong time (she should arrive when Emma is five), etc., etc. Moreover, the characters themselves are wrong ... where is the talkiness of Miss Bates? How can Col Campbell be so dreadful to his daughter? How can Jane Fairfax make such bold statements to everyone around her, when later she seems to be so retiring? So as a companion book to Emma, which is what is intended, for me at least it is a failure. And -- at least so far -- I have not found it interesting enough to stay on its own. I'm giving it two stars, because it is an interesting idea, and because I agree that the story of Jane Fairfax deserves to be told. Simply not like this.
Rating:
Summary: So far it seems dreadful
Review: OK, I'm not done with reading this, and it's good enough for me to continue. Rather, the reading is easy enough. But so far I haven't found that the writing is. ... The ages of the characters are wrong. Mr. Knightley is made out to be too old (he should be 16 years older than Emma), there is a Miss Bickerton who is also too old, Miss Taylor comes to Hartfield at the wrong time (she should arrive when Emma is five), etc., etc. Moreover, the characters themselves are wrong ... where is the talkiness of Miss Bates? How can Col Campbell be so dreadful to his daughter? How can Jane Fairfax make such bold statements to everyone around her, when later she seems to be so retiring? So as a companion book to Emma, which is what is intended, for me at least it is a failure. And -- at least so far -- I have not found it interesting enough to stay on its own. I'm giving it two stars, because it is an interesting idea, and because I agree that the story of Jane Fairfax deserves to be told. Simply not like this.
Rating: 
Summary: A fairly good take on Emma, from another's eyes
Review: This book is one of the few books that I have read through from start to finish in one sitting, which might say something either about my Austen obsession, or my reading habits (I tend to skip from book to book, never finishing some). Joan Aiken (now Joan Aiken Hodge, I believe) has written several books that are prequels, sequels, or alternate takes on several of Jane Austen's novels. Unlike most people, I saw an early BBC adaptation of EMMA long before the more famous Gwyneth Paltrow version. Therefore, I cannot help remembering the Emma as portrayed in that version whenever I think of the book. The Jane Fairfax in that adaptation was more faithful, I thought, to the way she is portrayed by Joan Aiken. And how is she portrayed? Very differently from the way she is seen by Emma. In the novel, we learn very little about her - she is an orphan, the daughter of a low-ranking officer who is taken in by his commanding officer to be trained as a governess (one of the few respectable alternatives to marriage for ladies in the Regency period). Her aunt and grandmother (the relict, or widow, of a country vicar) live in reduced circumstances. All we know about Jane Fairfax is what others say of her; in the novel she has relatively little to say, even though she is secretly engaged to a major (or important secondary) character.
Emma dislikes her, in part because Jane Fairfax is so much more accomplished and in part because Jane Fairfax will not confide in Emma (who sees herself as the fount of advice, not to mention match-making, for all). In Joan Aiken's version, we hear more about Jane Fairfax's inner voice. This is both an advantage and a disadvantage. In Austen's version, although we know little about Jane Fairfax (or many of the secondary characters), we are allowed by that very lack of knowledge to speculate about their circumstances, their motives, and their inner thoughts. In Joan Aiken's version, Jane Fairfax's thoughts are made explicit and those of her secret lover almost as explicit. If you like inner conversations spelled out, you will enjoy this novel. If you sometimes want a little veil maintained over the minds of the characters, you might find this a little irritating, as I frankly did. Although the book is well-written there are several minor errors. By page 46 (or so), the Christian name of Jane's grandfather the late Reverend Bates changes. A Lord Osbert becomes Sir Osbert midway. A son of a viscount is elevated in his courtesy title. These are the minor errors I spotted; tehre may be others. Although this is an excellent Austen adaptation or continuation (or whatever is the literary term) it is not therefore perfect. However, it is the strongest one I have seen, and almost completely faithful to the original novel. Read this, instead of the dreadful stuff produced by Emma Tennant and others**, if you are looking for something more akin to Austen. In conclusion, I awarded this novel about 4.4, taking off some points for those minor errors, and for excessive intrusion into the heroine's head (not to mention Emma's head). ** Not all the other sequels, prequels or continuations are truly dreadful. I am however criticizing only the ones that deviate completely from the original plot, as well as from the spirit of Regency England. For recommendations, check out the Republic of Pemberley site.
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable Austen spin-off
Review: This is one of the better Aiken-Austen novels. Jane Fairfax is very good on its own, but really fascinating when viewed as another side of Emma's story. In EMMA, Jane seems like such a mysterious and threatening person; it's cool to see her fully developed. Aiken gets Emma's character just right; the reader can see how Jane might not be so charmed by Emma, who is of course a beloved protagonist in her own story. It's cleverly done, and well-reconciled at the end.
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable Austen spin-off
Review: This is one of the better Aiken-Austen novels. Jane Fairfax is very good on its own, but really fascinating when viewed as another side of Emma's story. In EMMA, Jane seems like such a mysterious and threatening person; it's cool to see her fully developed. Aiken gets Emma's character just right; the reader can see how Jane might not be so charmed by Emma, who is of course a beloved protagonist in her own story. It's cleverly done, and well-reconciled at the end.
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