Hi Dollies!

As promised, my next instalment in my ongoing series of book reviews is Letters to Alice” on First Reading Jane Austen. To refresh your memories, I studied this novel alongside Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice during this past year.

I thought this book was intriguing to say the least. Weldon possesses some similarity to Austen in which she turns a critical eye to the aspects of the world around her, but it is also fascinating how she reveals her third perspective on the customs of Austen’s society. Although Weldon is certainly a second or even third wave feminist, I like how she still exhibits understanding for their controversial values concerning the role of women, and marriage in particular.

I loved her analogy of the world of literature as the ‘City of Invention’, she acquaints the audience with this stunning image immediately in letter 1, and the more I dwell on that idea, the more my perception of literature changes. Of course, that analogy is not without flaws and literature is an art form that is extremely subjective, but despite Aunt Fay’s occasional bluffness, she continues to enhance the fluidity of the city.

That was one of the things I found annoying in the book. Aunt Fay can be a little superior and endearing at times, especially on topics she feels strongly about, and we never get to hear what Alice thinks in response. Maybe this is what Weldon herself believes too, or maybe not. But I can’t deny the fact that as much as this is annoying, it becomes a love-hate sort of thing, in that Aunt Fay’s character becomes all the more authentic, and we can discuss her and her values while learning empathy and understanding. 

What should I review next?

Take care,

♡ Joanne