For anyone who has read the book and/or seen the movie of the same name The Jane Austen Book Club you may have an idea of how the inspiration for the Dark Jane Austen Book Club came about. The seed was planted after I had seen the movie. I had always wanted to be part of a book club, and I had in fact attempted to join a few over the years. However, as is always the way in many book clubs, I was not necessarily interested in all the books proposed. The idea of a themed book club presented a seemingly ideal solution.
But what theme to adopt?
Months dragged on and the idea sat in a corner of my mind collecting mental dust, and if ever I had a chance to pull it forth to think about it it was merely as an idle fancy paired with the phrase, “Wouldn’t that just be wonderful, if only?” It didn’t seem that I was any closer to joining, let alone starting a book club of this kind.
Several people would comment on how fun the idea sounded, but no one wanted to commit. What I needed was someone serious, someone interested in a particular theme, and someone with perhaps a greater appreciation for literature than myself.
Enter Sarah!
The rest is soon to be history as we embark on this adventure together because we are the heart of the Dark Jane Austen Book Club. With a love of Ms. Austen’s style, and the wonderfully twisted darkness that has been added to many of her classics and others, Sarah and I have a plethora of material to work with.
Here we will feature original classics, their quirky retellings, and other well told dark tales. We will begin discussions, ask questions, pose ideas, and delve into the macabre while maintaining a sense of dignity and decorum. We hope you join us in these reading explorations, become members of the Dark Jane Austen Book Club, and begin your own local chapters.
*Photo: Serve you? by Angelo González, obtained through Flickr.