Author - Melissa Nathan

I've read 3 of her books:

Pride, Prejudice, & Jasmin Field

Persuading Annie

and

The Nanny.

The first two are modern re-writes of Jane Austen's books Pride & Prejudice and Persuasion. I found the PP&JF at a used bookstore years ago, and I still like to read it once in a while. It is a light and easy read, stays true to Austen's story (will Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy end up together???), but also has an original take on the story that makes it fresh and modern.

I just read PA for the first time, and found the first 3/4ths of it a little boring and a little complicated. I couldn't exactly tell how Nathan's characters were supposed to match up with Austen's and how the story was supposed to match up (which was probably my fault for trying to match them up in my mind, but that's how my brain works), but then the ending made the story more interesting, and made it enjoyable overall.

I hesitated over The Nanny for a while. I had horrible visions of the Scarelt Johanson movie and knew I wouldn't be able to stomach that kind of squirmy, embarassing blather. I know the Nanny Diairies is a different book entirely, but I figured there is enough related subject matter to give me concern. Anyways, this book reminded me of PP&JF, with the light, fast moving story. Actually, the plot reminded me of Austen's Northanger Abbey, but I don't know if Nathan intended this one to be an retelling of Austen's novel. I might just read the Nanny Diaries now so I can compare them.

I'm going to be on the look out for Nathan's other books: The Waitress and The Learning Curve.

Aaach. While reading about The Learning Curve at amazon I learned that Melissa Nathan died of breast cancer shortly after finishing it, her 5th novel. It makes me sad for all sorts of reasons.