Longbourn : all the backstage action

Longbourn : all the backstage action

I started 2017 with Pride and Prejudice-movie,serial and book. In 2018, it was a sort of spinoff of P and P, too.

Longbourn by Jo Baker is reimagining of Pride and Prejudice from the servant’s perspective.

I find the idea fantastic, it is like watching a movie from a totally different angle. The characters from the original book make a fleeting appearance,only peripherally. This is not about them. Main characters of this book are the servants , the housekeeper cum cook, maids, second housemaid,the footman. It is their story.

This is a historical fiction but within the framework of an original, well loved novel. Each chapter starts with a quote from the book. The events from the book are mentioned. But main story is servants -their work- seemingly unending and joyless , their love stories, their characters , their interactions.

It begins with arrival of a new footman, James Smith. At first he is just one of the servants, an extra pair of hands,but then he gets involved in their lives. New threads emerge and old connections are discovered too.

This book shows the Victorian period from a totally different perspective - hard life of servants- full of manual labour of washing dirty clothes , emptying chamber pots , building fires , fetching water. Eliza Bennett's love for walking may not be admired as much if the efforts behind cleaning her muddy gowns is revealed. It seems that all that the gentlewoman do is look pretty , dance , fall in love and make babies and if there is still time then sew, play music or cards , paint or read. They don't have to do any kind of useful work.

It is an entertaining book written in a simple yet effective language. Story is not unique. The framework of the original book makes it interesting though. The book is divided in 4 volumes , third volume shows James’s story. Though a lovable character, I did not enjoy his story much.

I was also reminded of Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next series where the characters can go and stay in books and play their parts. In between the written scenes, they can live their own life and do whatever they want to. However they can not change the original story.Only difference is they realise that it is only a book.

Characters of this book do not have this liberty. Like us , they have to play with the cards life has dealt them !