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Is Elisabeth Moss the New Joan Crawford?

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Hester Prynne, the Puritan character in Jane Eyre Gets Real by Annabelle Troy, never misses an episode of #TheHandmaid’s Tale. While the show, famously based on the book by #MargaretAtwood, has been touted as showing what life would be like for women under an ultra-conservative regime (think Reagan era on steroids), Hester sees it more as a stark portrayal of gender politics. Men traditionally want women to fall into one of four categories: sexual objects, wives, maids or fertility totems. In Gilead, they have achieved their desire. The heroine, June Osborne, is played by #ElisabethMoss with gutsy stoicism. June is … Continue reading Is Elisabeth Moss the New Joan Crawford?

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Was Jane Austen Woke?

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“There are places in town, offices, where inquiry would soon produce something – offices for the sale, not quite of human flesh, but of human intellect”, to which Mrs Elton replies with, “Oh! my dear, human flesh! You quite shock me; if you mean a fling at the slave trade, I assure you Mr. Suckling was always rather a friend to the abolition.” Passages like the one above, from Jane Austen’s novel Emma, would seem to suggest Austen herself was in favor of the abolitionists. However, as anyone who doesn’t live under a tea cozy would know, controversy was stirred … Continue reading Was Jane Austen Woke?

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It’s Raining #Babies

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Heidi, the youngest character in the novel Jane Eyre Gets Real by Annabelle Troy, loves babies. So she was delighted to hear of the rare birth of #nonuplets (rhymes with couplet!) to Malian citizen Halima Cisse. That’s nine babies, all at once. The mother is said to be resting comfortably, perhaps for the last time in her life… In 2019 Nadya Suleman famously gave birth to eight infants, earning herself the nickname “Octomom.” Fertility treatments have made multiple births much less of a rarity in our day than there were, say, in the 1930’s. With their birth to humble farmers … Continue reading It’s Raining #Babies

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Love’s Wild Ride: Flying Kiss of #China

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Jane Eyre, the lead character in Annabelle Troy’s novel Jane Eyre Gets Real, is no stranger to the travails of #love. However, even she would hesitate before visiting the new carousel ride at China’s Flying Kiss Amusement Park, Chongqing. There, on a cliff 3,300 feet above the Wu River, are poised two gigantic statues; one represents Chaofeng, the other The Purple Fairy, mythic lovers from an ancient tale. Each figure holds a revolving carousel in their hand, which takes human passengers to a height of 52 meters then spins them around in the air, allowing them gorgeous–if dizzying–panoramic views. The … Continue reading Love’s Wild Ride: Flying Kiss of #China

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Very Victorian Child-Rearing Problems

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As #Covid-19 vaccines for children are being developed and there is talk of traditional classrooms reopening in the fall, the cast of Jane Eyre Gets Real share the following problems faced by Victorian mothers: YOU MUST HIDE WHENEVER IT’S TIME FOR SCHOOL PICTURES THEY KEEP DEMANDING A REAL HORSE YOU’VE READ ALOUD GOLDILOCKS 20 TIMES & AND THEY STILL WON’T EAT PORRIDGE! DOLLHOUSE IS NICER THAN YOUR HOUSE YOU CAN’T KEEP UP WITH TRENDY TECHNOLOGY THEY LIKE THE NANNY MORE THAN YOU Continue reading Very Victorian Child-Rearing Problems

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Bridgerton: #Mr.Darcy Weighs In

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In Annabelle Troy’s novel Jane Eyre Gets Real, in which several literary characters find themselves stuck in a Big Brother type reality show, Mr. Darcy is the character who represents Jane Austen. So it is only fitting that he give his opinion of #Bridgerton, the Netflix series set during the Regency, based on the novels of Julia Quinn. From the beginning Mr. Darcy enjoyed the show’s lush production values and perfect costumes. It gets so many details, such as the slang of the times, just right. It was pleasant to see a color blind cast and fresh faces. The principal … Continue reading Bridgerton: #Mr.Darcy Weighs In

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New Emma Film: A Regency #Valentine

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Mr. Darcy, a character in Jane Eyre Gets Real by Annabelle Troy, has a secret fondness for the film adaptation of Emma starring #GwynethPaltrow. So he wasn’t sure how he’d feel about the “new” Emma adaptation, made in 2020. #Mr.Darcy is here to say he was pleasantly surprised. The original Emma is an elegant, pastel-toned drama with arch comic touches; the recent depiction a vividly colored, brisk comedy. The heroine is played by #Anya Taylor-Joy, of Queen’s Gambit fame, and she makes a younger, less conventionally beautiful but in many ways more compelling Miss Woodhouse. Taylor-Joy is not afraid to … Continue reading New Emma Film: A Regency #Valentine

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Very Victorian #Vaccine Problems

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Edward Jennings contributed greatly to the advancement of vaccines when, in 1798, he administered them for smallpox. How did he get the idea? Well, as a little boy he’d had smallpox himself and survived, becoming immune to the disease. As #Covid19 vaccines begin to be rolled out across the USA, the cast of Annabelle Troy’s novel Jane Eyre Gets Real reminds you that no era is immune to problems, least of all the Victorians: The Syringe Won’t Go Through Your Sleeve You Prefer to Stick With Opiates Your Cat Wants A Shot, Too After You’re Pricked, You Sleep For A … Continue reading Very Victorian #Vaccine Problems

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Fan Favorite #DawnWells Mourned by Heidi

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Heidi is the only juvenile character in the novel Jane Eyre Gets Real by Annabelle Troy. The little Swiss girl originally created by Johanna Spyri has watched a lot of reruns on #YouTube since being transported to contemporary New York City. She has become fond of the silly 1960’s sitcom #Gilligan’sIsland. With her own nature being sunny and open, Heidi found a kindred spirit in Mary Ann Summers, the unassuming character played by Dawn Wells. A country girl marooned with nothing to wear but cut-offs and gingham blouses, Mary Ann makes the best of a bad situation by baking coconut … Continue reading Fan Favorite #DawnWells Mourned by Heidi