Charming to the last sentence, Alice McVeigh’s “Harriet” is a delight to read! An expertly written narrative that emulates Jane Austen’s style wonderfully, this retelling of Emma gives us the story from the dual perspectives of Harriet Smith and Jane Fairfax. I loved that this vantage allows us to see some scenes that weren’t in the novel, such as Jane’s trip to Weymouth and Harriet’s visit to Brunswick Square. McVeigh gave Harriet a different personality than I would have expected– very artful and cunning, indeed, while her version of Jane Fairfax lines up closely with the portrayal from the novel. I also loved her addition of Henry Crawford and Mr. and Mrs. Rushworth from Mansfield Park in the scenes at Weymouth. I’m always happy whenever characters from another book crossover into the book I am reading, as I love the idea that all of Jane Austen’s characters share the same universe.
If you’ve never read any of Alice McVeigh’s books, pick up a copy of “Harriet” today– you won’t be disappointed!
