And a woman had little recourse, although one servant explained that after nine children, her mother “sleeps with a rolling pin.

Furthermore, this is not the first time that I have read a version which suggests she is drawn to her brother-in-law Henry. Jane and Anne might have come from similar backgrounds, but a governess was not on the same social level. The story is more character than plot driven, which while not inherently bad, does cause the book to be quite slow-paced. By the time she encounters the dashing Henry Austen – Jane’s real-life brother, readers will find the saga as entrancing as any of Austen’s own novels. Both Fanny and her governess lived long lives, but spent only a few years together at the Godmersham estate.There is a running thread through the novel as Anne tries to discover why her father has disinherited her while also trying to find some security in her position at Godmersham Park.

Anne’s and Jane’s friendship is delightful, but doesn’t come about until around two-thirds into the book. I enjoyed Gill Hornby’s previous novel, Miss Austen, about the life of Jane Austen’s sister Cassandra. Godmersham Park" takes as its main character a real person too, but one whom less is known about: Anne Sharp, the governess to the oldest daughter of Jane's wealthy brother, Edward.

It's a good while before we meet Jane; much of the book is taken up with Anne's struggles to adapt to being a governess. Anne’s story is fraught with loneliness and angst as she’s suddenly thrust into the role of governess with her mother’s death and father’s abandonment. The Jane of Godmersham Park is a much more cheerful being, even though this period of 1805/1806 is probably the worst of her life: she's just lost her beloved father, and the three Austen ladies face economic uncertainty and the prospect of moving from place to place, sponging off relatives. But Anne is keenly aware that her new role is an awkward one - she is neither one of the servants nor one of the family, and to balance a position between the 'upstairs' and 'downstairs' members of the household is a diplomatic chess game.