This much has become clear: characters in the late 18th and early 19th centuries will do anything for their families. Whether that's making a profitable marriage match, or saving their family's reputation, or both, these characters are all of strong moral, familial-oriented character. They attend elegant balls and look to fictional characters for advice, but in the end, most of them let their hearts lead the way. Enter Lady Victoria Aston and Lord Halworth (better known as Tom Sherbourne), who are inspired by the characters of Jane Austen. In this beautifully crafted novel, these characters are faced with difficult choices, confusing dilemmas, and, most importantly, the decisions that could save them all. Thrilling and heartwarming, Dangerous Alliance takes readers on the adventure of a lifetime, where we fall in love with Austen-inspired characters who always stay true to themselves.Jennieke Cohen studied English history at Cambridge University and has a master's degree in professional writing from the University of Southern California. Now, she writes historical fiction for young adults and returns to Northern California time and time again. Dangerous Alliance: An Austentacious Romance is her first novel, described as The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue meets Jane Austen, and is definitely a fun and innovative combination.
Within just the first few pages we are introduced to Lady Victoria Aston, avid fan of Jane Austen's novels, a woman of great moral character, and the victim of a mysterious man in a mask. But, even more pressing than this vigilante is her sister's husband, who has apparently been abusing her. Now, Vicky is bound by duty to her family to save their name: keep your mouth shut, and find a husband. Of course, there are plenty of eligible men to choose from: the charming Mr. Carmichael, the foppish Mr. Silby, or her ex-best friend Mr. Sherborne. Vicky turns to her famous author for advice, a Miss Jane Austen, but as Vicky finds herself pulled in very unique directions, even Jane Austen can have no advice for how Vicky should proceed. And, of course, there's still the question of who is out to hurt her -- or even murder her -- before Vicky can obtain a husband and save her family's name.
Lady Victoria Aston is such a fun character to read about. She is the girl every girl thinks they'd be if they lived back in Jane Austen's era: fun, not caring about marrying, and the breeches-wearing type girl who enjoys the freedoms of today's world without having those freedoms at all. Vicky has all of us in her: she stands up for herself, but she will do what's best for her family even if it will kill her. Vicky is complex and relatable, in that way few authors can quite capture in young adult fiction. In the end, one of the best aspects of Vicky's character is that she stays true to herself. In her most trying moments, she bites her tongue and analyzes the situation from every scenario. In the end, she chooses what she thinks is best for herself. That is an admirable character trait, and not one that can be easily written well. Cohen clearly took the time to develop Vicky into a heroine we can cheer for and relate to, a heroine we could look up to the same way Vicky looks up to the heroines of Jane Austen.
As I mentioned, Vicky's role models include the heroine's of Jane Austen's books. At the time Vicky was searching society for an eligible husband, Jane Austen's heroines only included those of her first four novels: Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, and Emma. Sadly, because Northanger Abbey and Persuasion were published posthumously, fans of Jane Austen will note that neither Catherine nor Anne will help Vicky navigate this treacherous time. Luckily, the Dashwood sisters, Elizabeth Bennett, Fanny Price, and Emma Woodhouse provide a wealth of wisdom and experience Vicky can draw on. In fact, each chapter opens with a quote from one of those first four Austen novels, guiding readers into the mindset of early 1800s women, and hinting how the plot might thicken. Avid fans of Jane Austen will enjoy the thrill of recognizing these quotes, and the mentions of other Austen characters, but this book doesn't just cater to Austen fans. In fact, it is especially fun to read if you're not an Austen fan, because you can still experience a setting and characters from that time without having to read dense prose or outdated (but beloved) styles. And, who knows, maybe they'll be interested in reading a Jane Austen novel by the ending of Dangerous Alliance.
Vicky is a relatable heroine, in one aspect that will always stick with me. She's always led by her favorite heroines. She moves through life thinking, "How would Elizabeth Bennett respond to this situation" or "What would Emma Woodhouse say about this?" Sometimes, it isn't until after the disaster takes place that she thinks, "Oh, Fanny Price would never have spoken this way!" She moves through life drawing on these characters she admires, and yet she moves through her life and makes decisions that are so uniquely her own. Vicky is uncovering how all of these Jane Austen stories have made her who she is: independent, stubborn, moral. It's one of the reasons she's so special, because she's a blend of the stories and the realities she made from them. More and more characters in young adult fiction are becoming this blend, which resonates deeply with many readers. A lot of people apply what they learn about when they read in real life, in varying degrees of intensity. Vicky represents this for a lot of girls looking to be their own heroine. This blend of fiction and reality is what makes Vicky relatable and even inspirational.
Another character who stays true to himself is Tom Sherbourne, Lord Halworth and ex-best friend to Vicky. It takes longer for his story to fully come to light, and it takes some POV switches to him and his sister, Susan, before we understand his past. These POV switches are welcome changes to the story, because it keeps the narration and information fresh. Each chapter, each point of view, each character lends to the advancement of the story. There are no slow or dull moments. It's actually quite interested how Tom's story plays out, because we don't fully understand him or his past until midway through, and even Vicky is still in the dark until about three-quarters through. It's thrilling to uncover a character this way, because it's like a puzzle both readers and Vicky are trying to solve. Nonetheless, Tom is another character who sticks with Cohen's theme of staying true to oneself. Tom is doing what he thinks best for his family, even if the rest of society thinks he's being rude or single-minded. In the end, Tom is faced with a realization and a shocking choice, one that could ruin his reputation. And, if you haven't already guessed, he does indeed stay true to himself, which leads to a happy ending worthy of Miss Jane Austen's approval.
This novel does take place in 1817 England, and we get a combination of Austen and modern day language, which makes this a novel for all audiences. Another interesting note is the good representation of how law worked back at this time. The law, specifically, worked against women, especially in divorce courts. Some laws worked okay, but when it really mattered, the law was inadequate as defense for women. Cohen seamlessly works in how the law and society failed women at the time, and how her female characters were combatant of the injustices. Insofar as I know, Jennieke Cohen is not working on another novel, but I do believe her combination of complex characters, blending the reality with the fictional, and representation works well in her favor were she to attempt another novel. I know I would like to see how the world treats Lady Victoria Aston and Lord Halworth, or simply to see more of her characters in this time period. Only time will tell.
And, of course, thank you Jacob for buying this book for me. After just months of knowing each other, you knew it would be an absolutely perfect addition to my shelf, and a fantastic read. Thank you.
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