Book Review of The Three Weissmanns of Westport: A Novel

Rating: ★★★★/★★★★★

After reading some of my favourite Austenesque bloggers raving about this novel at their blogs, I decided to pick this up as my next read. Moreover, it is my fondest wish to celebrate Jane Austen's 200th year since the publication of her first novel, Sense and Sensibility. This modern retelling of her two sister's loves, lives, characters and family perfectly sets the tone of sharing her love to the people around me.

The Three Weissmanns of Westport was first released last February before Allegra Goodman's The Cookbook Collector came into the picture which is another contemporary take on Jane Austen's first novel. I love the plot in both books actually and I found both contain Jewish culture and references seeping through their storyline although it is not so obvious in this book. If I have to compare between this and the earlier novel which I read, Catheen Schine's fiction does a better job in translating all of Sense and Sensibility's important events into the modern era albeit with minor alterations to the plot and characters' traits. Each have their own story to tell and I enjoy any good novel if the author gives equal reverence and respect to Austen's original novel. But I digress.

Instead of the death of the patriarch, this novel begins with the 78-year-old Joseph Weissmann divorcing his 75-year-old wife, Betty (Mrs. Dashwood) due to irreconcilable difference which is another term for falling in love with a younger woman named Felicity. Betty has two daughters from her first marriage and both are currently unmarried though the eldest daughter, Annie was married for a time and has two college-going sons. Annie is rational and calm (just like Elinor) whereas Miranda is the drama queen, impulsive and always acts out how she feels (Marianne). Due to Felicity's manipulation of Josie's (Joseph's affectionate name) generous nature (which reminds me of the scene where Fanny Dashwood talks her husband out of helping his half-sisters), Betty is uprooted from her beloved Upper West Side apartment in Manhattan, New York and moved to Cousin Lou's (Sir John Middleton) beach cottage in Westport, Connecticut together with Annie and Miranda. Thus, the unforgettable and memorable adventure of their lifetime is about to begin.

I like Ms Schine's modernisation of Betty as I sympathise with her plight of separating from her husband of nearly fifty years. Ms Schine wrote her as quite a hilarious and quirky character in her own unique way such as pretending that she is a widow instead of a divorcee and spending her leisure time on home shopping from the idiot box. Annie's story basically follows the same plot, the sensible woman in the household who keeps tabs on the financial matters and rationalises with the other two about being prudent in their spending. However, there is one occasion where she did not behave like Elinor when she had an outburst and inform Miranda about Frederick Barrow's (brother to Felicity) secret affair with Amber (remnants of Edward Ferrars and Lucy Steele). It was a good diversion to read Miranda's love and despair with Kit Maybank which echoes the plot from the original novel with the exception of Kit's son, Henry and her subsequent friendship with Henry's mother, Leanne.

Truth be told, I love the story but was a bit surprised with the unexpected twist delivered at the end. It left me feeling a little unsatisfied and not how I would picture it to conclude. Suffice to say, it deals more with the Miranda's love and not about her mother. If you want to know what it is, you have to read it yourself for I will not divulge further. Nevertheless, Ms Schine devised an impressive and relatable story which I really appreciate and salute her for giving us another Austenesque story for us to enjoy.

This is my first selection for The Sense and Sensibility Bicentenary Challenge 2011 hosted by the wonderful Laurel Ann Nattress at Austenprose. Additionally this is my thirteenth book review for The Book Buff's Jane Austen is My Homegirl Reading Challenge.