Reviews for Edmund Bertram's Diary

The average rating for Edmund Bertram's Diary based on 2 reviews is 3 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2009-02-25 00:00:00 Dustin Robinson Amanda Grange has done it again! I love her series on Austen men! This is my fourth book and to be honest, I was a little wary of it because Edmund is not one of my favorite Austen heroes. Like in her other books, Ms. Grange did her homework, her retelling follows the course of Mansfield Park, with accurate dates, events, and dialogue taking place. Unfortunately, because Ms. Grange is so diligent with her work, it means a lot of Edmund's diary entries are consumed with talk of Mary Crawford. This is because through out most of Mansfield Park that is whom Edmund is in love with. Nevertheless, there is a lot of Fanny in the book too. We see her when she arrives at age 10, and how Edmund befriends her, cares for her like a brother, like a guardian. And again when they are older and even though his mind is full of Mary he looks to Fanny for comfort, support, and advice. I liked the relationship between Edmund and Fanny a lot in this book and I feel a better understanding of it. It did not bother me that there was so much about Mary Crawford, because that was true to Jane Austen's Mansfield Park. What I liked most about this book is all the added insight to Edmund. We see his relationship with his brother develop, how he decided to go into the clergy, and his true thoughts and feelings as to being the man of the house when his father and brother go to Antigua. In addition, you see his interest in Mary Crawford develop. What was it that attracted him so much? How did he feel over her teasing about clergymen? What were his thoughts of her after he had given her up? I do like Edmund more than I did before I read this book, and I, of course, have always liked Fanny, but this book has made me dislike Mrs. Norris and Mary Crawford even more. (But that is okay we are supposed to dislike them!) The only thing that held me back from give this book the full five stars is that I was hoping for more of a romantic love-declaration scene at the end of the book. It is true that in the original that there isn't a big declaration of love, but some of the movie adaptions have tried to add a scene that was not originally in the book. I also would have liked to know more about how Fanny and Edmund did after marriage rather than "We are the same, Fanny and I." Maybe a little description of their happily ever after would have satisfied me more. So if you are interested in Edmund, and you want to understand him better, or perhaps read the story of Mansfield Park through his eyes then I recommend you give this book a try. I also recommend the others in this series: Colonel Brandon's Diary, Captain Wentworth's Diary, Mr. Darcy's Diary, and Mr. Knightley's Diary.

Review # 2 was written on 2012-01-09 00:00:00 Darlene Fromhart I should first and foremost make clear that I am a purist where Jane Austen is concerned, and that Mansfield Park and Persuasion alternate as my favorite Austen novel. Amanda Grange has many good things going for her. The language is mostly convincing and the characters have continuity with Austen's own. When dialog or events coincide with something already portrayed in Mansfield Park, Grange is pretty faithful in her own portrayal. Most importantly, Edmund Bertram's Diary is a light, funny, enjoyable read. Perhaps this sounds strange coming from a purist, but if one is going to take on Jane Austen, it should be done with confidence. Be big. Be bold. Add something new to the conversation! (For example, love it or hate it, Patricia Rozema's 1999 film adaptation of Mansfield Park brought something new to the table.) The idea of retelling Austen's works from the men's perspectives has so much potential. There are many things that ladies of that time would not or could not have known that the men would have. What an opportunity to add new depth to beloved stories from perspective unavailable to the author! In practice, on the other hand, this was just a safe retelling. I understand that much of Fanny and Edmund's story occurs when they are together leaving little opportunity for invention. That is what made me look forward to the early years when the boys were at school, Edmund's time with the Owens Family, and Fanny's stay in Portsmouth. (Especially Fanny's stay in Portsmouth.) In the original novel so much occurs offstage for Fanny during these periods that Grange could have expanded on Edmund's perspective in so many ways! Sadly, these are some of the skimpiest areas of Edmund's "diary." It is Jane Austen's wit, humor, and keen observations that make her books more than just love stories. In the end, Edmund Bertram's Diary just becomes an enjoyable but eminently forgettable copy of someone else's masterpiece. Maybe I just started with the wrong Austen hero? I enjoyed Grange's style - and it is clear that we share a love of Austen - so I will be giving her other books a chance.