The Amateur Austenite

In the final chapter all the things tie up rather well and learn how Jane Austen really feels about Fanny If you'd like to support the podcast and hear episodes early you can donate on Ko-fi You can find Frances on Twitter or at her website   Want to join a private one-on-one book club with Frances? Contact her to request a time Support the podcast and hear episodes early on Ko-fi Find France...

What is folly and what is vice? Who is more guilty - Maria or Julia? This penultimate chapter is another long one, we rehash Maria's and Julia's escapades as well as hear about Edmunds "last, last" meeting with Miss Crawford. If you'd like to support the podcast and hear episodes early you can donate on Ko-fi You can find Frances on Twitter or at her website   Want to join...

All the scandals! Everything happens in this chapter and Fanny is finally freed from Portsmouth If you'd like to support the podcast and hear episodes early you can donate on Ko-fi You can find Frances on Twitter or at her website   Want to join a private one-on-one book club with Frances? Contact her to request a time Support the podcast and hear episodes early on Ko-fi Find Frances on YouTu...

Fanny is trapped in Portsmouth only learning of news via letters. Miss Crawford makes it plain she would prefer that Tom die!! If you'd like to support the podcast you can donate on Ko-fi You can find Frances on Twitter or at her website   Want to join a private one-on-one book club with Frances? Contact her to request a time Support the podcast and hear episodes early on Ko-fi Find Frances o...

Fanny receives three letters. Fanny has a bit of a rant (to herself). Edmund has a good rant (to Fanny). Comparisons to Emma crop up again. If you'd like to support the podcast you can donate on Ko-fi You can find Frances on Twitter or at her website   Want to join a private one-on-one book club with Frances? Contact her to request a time Support the podcast and hear episodes early on Ko-fi F...

Fanny receives a letter from Miss Crawford which tells her nothing of consequence but reveals to us why Miss Crawford is into Edmund. We continue our recent trend of giving relationship advice - perhaps you should discuss how the marriage would work before accepting a proposal. If you'd like to support the podcast you can donate on Ko-fi You can find Frances on Twitter or at her website   Wan...

Mr Crawford continues in his attempts to sway Fanny with his good behaviour - she isn't moved but we are. We ask if it's possible for someone to choose to be a good person if they aren't intrinsically. Sian gives some great advice about deescalating romantic relationships to friendship. In New Zealand the legal marriage age is 18. It used to be 16 with parental consent, but now requ...

Illustrating either our bad taste or Austen's excellent creation of a seducer, we continue to be taken in by Mr Crawford when he visits Fanny in Portsmouth and wish he wasn't such a waste. We learn that Sian had a thing for sailors in her youth. If you'd like to support the podcast you can donate on Ko-fi You can find Frances on Twitter or at her website   Want to join a private one...

Fanny begins to find her place in Portsmouth; she makes friends with Susan and begins to teach her, following Edmund's example. We briefly segue into images of Mr Rushworth in bondage - try to get that picture out of your head! The Tall Poppy Syndrome may not be familiar to all our listeners, it seems to be a New Zealand and Australian thing, it's about wanting to keep people "in th...

Fanny survives her first week in Portsmouth. We discuss who would have been a better mother - Mrs Norris or Mrs Price.  If you'd like to support the podcast you can donate on Ko-fi You can find Frances on Twitter or at her website   Want to join a private one-on-one book club with Frances? Contact her to request a time Support the podcast and hear episodes early on Ko-fi Find Frances on YouTu...

We skip reading the chapter this week as it's 10 pages! Our analysis starts around 1 minute 40 seconds. Fanny and William journey to Portsmouth. Their arrival is very, very noisy. We briefly discuss how opinions can make arseholes of us, how language usage changes meaning and how Jane Austen could have inadvertently written a very creepy child. If you'd like to support the podcast you ca...

We begin with a reading of chapter 37 - the analysis starts at 18 minutes and 26 seconds (skip here to miss the reading). William returns then leaves for Portsmouth, taking Fanny with him, which is all part of Sir Thomas's devious plan to make Fanny want to marry Mr Crawford. We briefly suggest, based on the use of the word "masking", that Fanny may be on the autism spectrum - we pl...

Fanny tries to avoid Miss Crawford but can't, yet she manages to avoid being yelled at If you'd like to support the podcast you can donate on Ko-fi You can find Frances on Twitter or at her website   Want to join a private one-on-one book club with Frances? Contact her to request a time Support the podcast and hear episodes early on Ko-fi Find Frances on YouTube , Instagram or at her web...

Edmund does his fathers dirty work and talks to Fanny about Mr Crawford. The quote from Emma is: "A woman is not to marry a man merely because she is asked, or because he is attached to her" The episode of From Mansfield with Love mentioned is here If you'd like to support the podcast you can donate on Ko-fi You can find Frances on Twitter or at her website   Want to join a private...

Edmund returns but is supportive of Mr Crawford's pursuit of Fanny If you'd like to support the podcast you can donate on Ko-fi You can find Frances on Twitter or at her website   Want to join a private one-on-one book club with Frances? Contact her to request a time Support the podcast and hear episodes early on Ko-fi Find Frances on YouTube , Instagram or at her website Buy our merch o...

Mr Crawford makes his formal proposal, is rejected again and pisses off Fanny If you'd like to support the podcast you can donate on Ko-fi You can find Frances on Twitter or at her website Want to join a private one-on-one book club with Frances? Contact her to request a time Support the podcast and hear episodes early on Ko-fi Find Frances on YouTube , Instagram or at her website Buy our mer...

This is a heavy chapter but for the first time we're able to understand Sir Thomas's perspective You can find the video I mention about Mr Rushworth's guilt on YouTube If you'd like to support the podcast you can donate on Ko-fi You can find Frances on Twitter or at her website Want to join a private one-on-one book club with Frances? Contact her to request a time Support the p...

In chapter 31 Mr Crawford finally does it - he proposes to Fanny. We keep trying to find excuses for him and wish that it had ended differently...have we been seduced by him too?? If you'd like to support the podcast you can donate on Ko-fi You can find Frances on Twitter or at her website Want to join a private one-on-one book club with Frances? Contact her to request a time Support the podc...

Chapter 30 focusses entirely on the Crawford siblings. Henry is back and declares he wants to marry Fanny (but he hasn't asked her yet). If you'd like to support the podcast you can donate on Ko-fi You can find Frances on Twitter or at her website Want to join a private one-on-one book club with Frances? Contact her to request a time Support the podcast and hear episodes early on Ko-fi F...

In the aftermath of the ball things settle down to a quiet time for Fanny. She misses her brother and Edmund but she's grateful for praise from the Bertram's. For Mary it's an entirely different experience, Edmund's absence is making her frankly paranoid and she seeks Fanny's comfort. If you'd like to support the podcast you can donate on Ko-fi You can find Frances on...

It's the ball! Fanny looks well - her uncle compliments her when she's out of the room and he thinks that Mr Crawford is in love with her. If you'd like to support the podcast you can donate on Ko-fi You can find Frances on Twitter or at her website Want to join a private one-on-one book club with Frances? Contact her to request a time Support the podcast and hear episodes early on...

Fanny prepares for a ball after a day of dealing with Mrs Norris. Edmund gives her another necklace and stirs her emotions. If you'd like to support the podcast you can donate on Ko-fi You can find Frances on Twitter or at her website Want to join a private one-on-one book club with Frances? Contact her to request a time Support the podcast and hear episodes early on Ko-fi Find Frances on You...

Sir Thomas declares there will be a ball! Miss Crawford is playing an underhand game. If you'd like to support the podcast you can donate on Ko-fi You can find Frances on Twitter or at her website Want to join a private one-on-one book club with Frances? Contact her to request a time Support the podcast and hear episodes early on Ko-fi Find Frances on YouTube , Instagram or at her website Buy...

Sir Thomas is doing a lot of observing - he knows Mr Crawford is trying to get into Fanny's good books. Over dinner at the parsonage Mary gets upset, Mr Crawford tells stories and Mrs Norris is a nuisance. If you'd like to support the podcast you can donate on Ko-fi You can find Frances on Twitter or at her website Want to join a private one-on-one book club with Frances? Contact her to...

Mr Crawford reveals his dastardly plans for Fanny, he begins to make headway as she is quietly weaving her way into his heart. William turns up on the scene and Fanny is delighted to see him again. We have a little discussion on what constitutes "real love" and the Disney fantasy. You can find the article I mentioned comparing Mansfield Park to Dangerous Liaisons here If you'd like...