Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Is It Jane?

I love giving you quizzes...maybe I was a teacher in a previous life.

One of the things that sets Jane Austen apart is, of course, her language and her wit. Authors of historical and especially Regency-set fiction strive to match her sly sense of humor and lightly satirical touch. Do they succeed? Well, why don't you decide?

Below are seven quotes...some are by The Jane, and others are by (ahem) various authors of historical fiction. Can you tell which are true JA, and which aren't? Answers will be posted in the comments section...and don't forget, all commenters during our two-week Jane Appreciation Fortnight will be entered in a drawing to win a delightful bag of Janeian books and other goodies.

Good luck!


1. "A scoundrel prides himself on his ability to turn a lady's head. I do not trust sweet words. They rarely lead to anything but trouble."

2. "My love, you contradict everybody," said his wife, with her usual laugh. "Do you know that you are quite rude?"
"I did not know that I contradicted anybody in calling your mother ill-bred."
"Aye, you may abuse me as you please," said the good-natured old lady. "You have taken Charlotte off my hands, and cannot give her back again. So there I have the whip hand of you."

3. "Dancing was not to his liking; in fact, it was he who had first been heard to utter the now-famous epithet that dancing represented society's sanction, in public, vertical expression, of what were essentially private, horizontal desires."

4. "A kaleidoscope of gowns in every shade and tone, topped by headdresses sometimes charming, sometimes fearsome, swept by her in all directions as ladies who had probably taken tea together just hours before greeted one another with insincere shrieks of joy and cries of admiration."

5. "You are inimitable, irresistible. You are the delight of my life. You are worth your weight in gold, or even the new silver coinage."

6. "The doctor snorted. 'Romantic indeed,' he said. 'But then everything is romantic to young ladies these days, isn't it?'"

7. "A family of ten children will always be called a fine family, where there are heads, and arms, and legs enough for the number...."

5 comments:

Marissa Doyle said...

Here are the answers:

1.Regina Scott, La Petite Four
2.Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility
3.Elizabeth Mansfield, My Lord Murderer
4.Marissa Doyle, Bewitching Season
5.Jane Austen, in a letter to a friend
6.Marissa Doyle, Betraying Season
7.Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey

Anonymous said...

I was WAY off with those anwsers!

Christina Farley said...

Oh! I loved this! I got #2,4,6,7 right.

I recognized the lines from your writing Marissa because I just read your book a month ago. You also have a very distinct writing style. And I'm a crazy fane of Jane Austen.

Addie said...

I got 2, 5, and 7 right! I can't wait for Betraying Season to come out!

Anonymous said...

here is a list of my favorite authors marissa doyle lucy maud montgomery louisa may alcott e.d baker diane stanley heather tomlinson frewin jones gail carson levine catherine gilbert murdock jane resh thomas mette ivie harrison nancy springer sally gardner kate coombs margeret peterson haddix sherwood smith esther friesner janet lee carery