A New Year of Reading Dark Delights

A New Year of Reading Dark Delights

As 2012 begins we are planning a new year of dark readings. If you are newly joining us then allow me to first introduce what the Dark Jane Austen Book Club is all about.

As indicated by our name sake we take particular interest in the works of Jane Austen as her masterful stories have endured nearly two centuries of appreciation. However, there is a wealth of fan fiction related to her works ranging from faithful adaptations of her original novels from various character perspectives and well imagined sequels to darker adaptations including the supernatural, cloak and dagger variations, and satirical parodies. We are a book club devoted to the exploration of all those books that would stray into the realms of the latter. When we say dark we do not necessarily mean exclusively monsters and bloody mayhem, but we certainly are not adverse to them.

This year we are setting out to cover at least one novel each month. Some months we may find time for a second novel to be announced or simply focus on themes related to Jane Austen, the monster of the moment, or relevant current events. Please, note that though we primarily focus on novels spun off from Jane Austen’s works we also take an interest in her contemporaries, and in some cases may include the occasional reading of works more closely related to dark themes than Jane Austen.

Our tentative novels for 2012 shall be: 

  • January: Mr. Darcy, Vampyre by Amanda Grange.
  • February: Emma and the Werewolves by Jane Austen and Adam Rann Amended 1/16/12 to Emma by Jane Austen
  • March: A Vindication of the Rights of Women by Mary Wollstonecraft
  • April: Northanger Abbey and Angels and Dragons by Jane Austen and Vera Nazarian
  • May: Jane Slayer by Charlotte Bronte and Sherri Browning Erwin
  • June: Jane Bites Back by Michael Thomas Ford
  • July: Jane Goes Batty by Michael Thomas Ford
  • August: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
  • September: Mansfield Park and Mummies by Jane Austen and Vera Nazarian
  • October: The Meowmorphisis by Franz Kafka and Cook Coleridge
  • November: The Mistress’s Black Veil: A Pride and Prejudice Vagary by M.K. Baxley
  • December: Jane Austen Letters

We hope you read with us and join in discussions by commenting on posts and engaging on the forum. Guest posts are always welcome if you’d like to expound on a particular topic. Simply review our guest posting etiquette.

 

*Photo: Reading by BinaryApe, obtained through Flickr.

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