Longbourn

This is the servants' view of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.

The story of what is happening among the Bennet family's servants is woven together with the servants' view of the events of the Austen novel. Familiar signposts from the Austen novel are there, so you always have a sense of where you are with regard to that timeline, but the servants are people with their own concerns and the focus is on them.

Jo Baker's writing makes this a real pleasure to read. For much of the time she maintains a brisk pace, with the humorous observation of social conventions that you expect in a Jane Austen novel. Her humor also has teeth and delivers a satisfyingly sharp bite in a few well chosen scenes.