Like Austen herself, Fowler never lets the reader wallow. A scene about the devastation of divorce is immediately followed by a hilarious debate about whether Mr. Darcy was "on the spectrum" or just shy. The book treats its characters with deep compassion but also a sharp, observant wit.
One of the most delightful and unique aspects of Fowler’s novel is the narrative voice. The story is told in the first-person plural—"We." The narrator is the collective voice of the book club itself. The Jane Austen Book Club
, a dog breeder and lifelong matchmaker who avoids her own romantic happiness while meddling in others'. Persuasion: Paralleled by Like Austen herself, Fowler never lets the reader wallow
This stylistic choice is masterful. It reinforces the theme of community; the group is so tight-knit that they have lost their individual separate voices and speak as one entity. It allows the narrator to pass judgment, to gossip, and to speculate on the private thoughts of the characters. It mimics the tone of a small town or, indeed, an Austen novel, where community opinion weighs heavily on individual actions. The book treats its characters with deep compassion
Perhaps the most poignant parallel is found in Prudie. During the discussion of Mansfield Park —Austen’s most controversial novel featuring the famously passive heroine Fanny Price—Prudie grapples with her own sense of morality and desire. Prudie feels trapped in her mundane life, tempted by the attention of a student. She sees herself as a romantic heroine, but the club’s analysis of Mansfield Park forces her to confront the difference between genuine principle and moral posturing.