Sanditon

I reread this book just after coming home from the beach. It's Jane Austen's beach novel. It was the last book she ever wrote and was unfinished when she became ill prior to her death. The version I read is titled Sanditon, a novel by Jane Austen and Another Lady published in 1975. According to Wikipedia, the other lady has been identified as Marie Dobbs which may be a pseudonym for Anne Telscombe or both may be a pseudonym for yet another name. (According to Wikipedia the book has also been finished by other authors, I might have to investigate.)

The first 11 chapters are written by Jane Austen. They are excellent. We meet several wonderful characters such as the eldest Mr. Parker who lives and breathes for Sanditon to become a well-known beach resort and Sir Edward Denham, a foolish young man who has read too many novels and quotes from them indiscriminately. He believes that he has been born to be seductive.

The book has barely started before the Other Lady takes over. We've met our main characters who are Charlotte Heywood and the second Mr. Parker. It's an excellent completion of the novel. The Other Lady keeps Jane Austen's tone and most the characters stay true to how Jane Austen introduced them. (Though I'm not sure how Jane Austen would have handled the "mulatto" woman that Jane introduced and I'm pretty sure she would not have had her turn out the way the Other Lady had her.)

It's a delightful read. The continuation has some wonderful scenes such as the trip to Brinshore with every character at their comic best. I highly recommend this version of the book.