This was fascinating, especially for lovers of Jane Austen, of course. Angela Youngman discusses the dark side of JA’s novels thoroughly, including such topics as crime, slavery and primogeniture. Life in the 18th and 19th centuries was still ‘nasty, brutish and short’. Even having a baby was incredibly dangerous. Although Jane didn’t have a hard life herself, she observed plenty of misery and she was well aware of current events. The threat of a harsh criminal punishment came quite close to the family when her aunt was accused of stealing a yard of life and faced being transported to Australia if she was found guilty.

I recommend this for anyone who likes Jane, or as a useful reference book.

NetGalley, Lisa Sanderson

I genuinely enjoy Georgian/Regency romance novels, and oftentimes find myself researching a lot about different aspects of the time. I feel like it’s an era that is so romanticized but, in reality, wasn’t good for women of any class. Understanding the social context makes reading both Austen and contemporary novels set in the time a richer, more nuanced experience.

If you enjoy Austen, or romance set in the Georgian/Regency period, I highly recommend this book. It goes in depth into the reality of the time, examining a wide variety of issues, from the place of women, to how disease and war impacted families. I especially learned the section on the East India Company. Even though it is non-fiction, this is a very engaging book. I found myself picking it up before the romance and the thriller that I was reading alongside it.

NetGalley, Laura Jourdain

I recommend this to all Jane Austen fans out there who want to know more about the world she lived in.

NetGalley, Gayle Noble

If you enjoy Jane Austen’s novels and want to delve a little deeper into her world's social, political, and economic aspects, “The Dark Side of Jane Austen’s World” could be a worthwhile read. It sheds light on the complexities beyond the romantic plots, revealing the hidden facets of Austen’s society.

NetGalley, Laura Greenaway

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I found it to be a very interesting laying out of all the directions in which perils lay - rather like the edges of the old maps, marked with 'here be dragons'! Each chapter, which is just the right length for a sitting, delineates a particular peril relevant to the time - and there were many - like health considerations, the reliance on wealthy or influential connections (never underestimate the value of the patronage of Lady Catherine de Burgh!), taxes & politics, crime & punishment, loss of reputation, financial worries (with a very real risk of winding up in genteel poverty, like poor Miss Bates), opium & laudanum use and addiction (& the East India Company's stranglehold on trade), smuggling, slavery... the list goes on! And the ladies of Jane's time had so few options open to them, so little choice over their futures - it gives a whole new understanding of Charlotte Lucas' choice to wed the odious Mr Collins! Lots of interesting angles, sources and research, including a few things that are local to my area (and even one of our Branch member's books is quoted!) which is always fun, and many snippets of information and detail that were quite unknown to me - I thought it was truly interesting and highly recommend it.

NetGalley, Lee-Anne Fox

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

The Dark Side of Jane Austen's World by Angela Youngman is an intriguing concept, especially to Austen and/or Regency fans. The Regency/Georgian era could not be more fascinating to learn about, the good and the bad. Austen's books are so comforting they were used as therapy in World War I. In this book we see parallels between Austen's works and real life. The illustrations are wonderful!

Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice continues to be the most beloved novel of all time (if only she knew!). Many of us have pored over her brilliant and unfortunately few works, over and over, for pure joy and to also to glean better knowledge and understanding of the world she was part of.

Youngman's book reveals the dark bits such as the necessity of a young girl securing a husband, preferably with a generous allowance. Though once married, a woman and her possessions (if any) became her husband's, her needs were met. If single (during this era about two thirds were), women had to rely on family (even distant relatives), charity or an occupation such as governess. But there were marriage settlements as well. Male occupations are detailed.

Adoption of children within families wasn't unheard of, including Jane's brother Edward who was adopted by a wealthy cousin. In this way, Edward owned property and land and thus able to help Jane's family financially. Education, boarding schools, disease, low mortality rates, circulating libraries, horrifying pelican dental implement, "Fishing Fleet", upholding reputation, ship "prize captures, childbirth and "madness" are described.

We cherish Jane Austen and treasure her works...and always will. But her life and those of her peers were rife with hardship and often much too short. I am grateful for books like this which keep Jane Austen forever in our hearts.

NetGalley, Brenda Carleton

This was such an interesting book on the darker side of Austens life and world. It is a great companion too if you have read some of Jane austens books and even books in that time period. There are some dark areas to the book but if you look deep into a lot of the Austen novels after reading this I think you will find you look more into what is been written.
Great read!

NetGalley, Louise Corrigan

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I was deeply interested in this book and its subject, and I was not disappointed.
If you are enchanted by Recency romance and you read Jane Austen's novels for their love stories, well, you definitely need to read this book.

"The dark side of Jane Austen's world" is an accurate analysis of what was Austen's society, all the rigid rules and what we now would call social injustices, women's awful conditions (even when they belonged to wealthy families) and the cages in which they were entrapped. But it also offers some fun facts about life, education and manners in those ages. Some of them really seem so alien to our contemporary style of life!

The essay is based both on real documents of the period as well as on Austen's letters and then, of course, on passsages from her novels, demonstrating that Jane was an accurate historic beside being an amazing novelist.

The language is clear and simple and the writing hold the attention with several anecdotes and quotes.

I personally adore this kind of books as they offer me interesting investigations into my favourite historical periods and give me all those precious hints on the background of my most beloved books and writers. I would warmly suggest this title to understand even more the value of Jane Austen's works and the revolution that she started with her vision and thoughts.

NetGalley, SIMONA BONANNI

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

This is a really engaging way to combine social history and biography. Full of fascinating information, it is also true to the title and ties everything back to Jane Austen and her life. I especially appreciated the insights into the opium and slave trades, which were deeply troubling but incredibly enlightening.

NetGalley, Louise Gray

Angela Youngman’s The Dark Side of Jane Austen’s World offers an illuminating and engrossing exploration into the less-discussed aspects of the Regency era, which Jane Austen depicted so vividly in her novels. Youngman deftly peels back the genteel veneer of Austen's world to reveal the gritty realities of the time—crime, disease, poverty, and societal inequalities—that often lurked just beneath the surface of the polite society.

The Dark Side of Jane Austen’s World is a compelling and thought-provoking read for anyone interested in the Regency era or the works of Jane Austen. Youngman’s meticulous research and engaging writing provide a valuable addition to the literature on this period, shedding light on the complexities and contradictions of Austen’s world. Despite some minor flaws in structure and repetition, the book is a fascinating exploration that offers new insights into the darker undercurrents of a seemingly genteel society.

Overall, Angela Youngman’s book earns a solid four stars out of five for its enlightening content and accessible writing style. It is a must-read for Austen enthusiasts and history buffs alike, providing a richer understanding of the world that shaped some of the most beloved novels in English literature.

NetGalley, Mollie Venus

Enjoyed this very much. An insight into Georgian/Regency Britain, covering women's lives (basically it's marry well or be a burden on your relatives), health/medicine, slavery, the opium trade, crime and prison. I know the period quite well, but learned a few new things from the book - and I was very intrigued by the Fishing Fleet. Four stars.

NetGalley, Pamela Brooks

This book provides a good and interesting insight into the world Jane Austen lived in. Whether it deals with Jane's life, politics, crime, war, religion or health risks and medicine, I did learn a few details even though my knowledge of the Regency period is quite extended. I recommend this well researched book.

NetGalley, Christine Boos

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

A heartbreaking look at what was happening outside Jane Austen's home while she was writing her beloved novels. Women in particular faced difficult lives if they remained single or even if they married. Looming poverty, terrible medical care, dangerous crime, and a lack of property all made for a miserable life. Jane was aware of all of these societal challenges. Consider her own death at the young age of 41. Janeites will want to add this eye-opening book to their TBRs to add depth to their understanding of Austen's life and times.

NetGalley, Literary Redhead