Title: Lizzy & Jane
Author: Katherine Reay
Pub date: November 4, 2014
ISBN: 978-1401689735
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Saints preserve us, I am done with this book and I detested every moment I was reading it.
The plot: Lizzy, a chef in New York, has burned out and retreats to Seattle to recharge and take care of her sister, Jane, who has cancer. While in Seattle, Lizzy struggles with who she is, her purpose in life, and how to strengthen, and build, her romantic, familial, and platonic relationships. Which choices will she make and what life will she lead?
(The book does reference Jane Austen but only that Lizzy and Jane are named after the two Bennett sisters and our Lizzy and Jane are Austen fans and often turn to her works for comfort. My mea culpa was I assumed based on the title the book would be a retelling of P&P but I was most certainly wrong.)
At first glance, the plot seems to be your typical chick lit plot which is fine. I do enjoy a bit of chick lit now and then. But ugh. It’s a hot mess.
This book was tedious, boring, and contrved. I nearly threw it against the wall a few times and the only reason why I finished it (five minutes before I wrote this review actually) was because I was hate reading it. Typically I give books the first 50 pages treatment: if you don’t succeed in hooking me within the first 50 pages, I do not finish your book. There are too many good books out in the world that need to be devoured and wasting time on lesser books is a crime.
There was no action. Sure, the characters did things but it was more “we are going to do this” and that lead to “we are going to do that.” The pacing was slow to the point of snooze-worthy and I felt reading this book was like watching paint dry. I could not connect to any of the characters and I found Lizzy to be a bit on the wishy-washy side and her sister Jane to be a bit of a snot. Sure there are conflicts, like Lizzy and Jane fighting over their relationships with their parents, but it felt forced. The characters seemed to be going through the motion of what they were supposed to be doing rather than feeling what they were doing, you know, like sociopaths.
Note: While this book is not marketed as such, it definitely should be shelved as Christian fiction. I am not against Christian fiction as a genre but I feel the use of God and faith as a plot point should be consistent throughout but here it wasn’t. The first 100 pages were your standard “will they or won’t they” chick lit fare and then BAM! Faith, God, and religion are heavy-handedly thrown in on the characters decision process and I won’t mince words to say this is a bit off-putting.
Reay has a shtick using various Austen and Bronte characters and personalities as the focal point of her books: In addition to Lizzy & Jane, there is The Austen Escape, Dear Mr. Knightley, and The Bronte Plot. I own Dear Mr. Knightley but I have decided not to read it. But! The Austen Escape is time travel to Regency Engand and The Bronte Plot is a nod to my current favorite sisters and both titles are available from the library so I am checking those out and hopefully my mind will be changed on Reay’s writing style.
I’m donating my Lizzy & Jane and Dear Mr. Knightley to my local JASNA group (not only am I a member but also the librarian) in hopes that someone will give them the love I could not. Despite my misgivings, Reay’s books border on 4/5 stars at GoodReads and LibraryThing so her books have some appeal so it’s pretty clear they are not for me.