Book Review: Jane Austen's Bookshelf

Jane Austen's Bookshelf: A Rare Book Collector's Quest to Find the Women Writers Who Shaped a Legend by Rebecca Romney. Published by S&S/Marysue Rucci Books (February 18, 2025).

“It is natural that novels about women in this era would focus on the most critical point in a woman’s life, one of the few moments where she exercised power: the question of marriage.”

Jane Austen’s Bookshelf investigates Austen’s female literary heroes and recounts the author’s experience reading them and curating her own collection. She digs in to how each writer has been largely forgotten—and it’s not because they were untalented, uninteresting, or unpopular in their day. 

The author is a rare book dealer, and this reads more like a memoir of reading and collecting these titles rather than a purely academic biographical read of these forgotten writers. This well-researched investigation makes good observations about the criticisms romance books and books written by women and for women, both now and when these authors wrote two hundred years ago. 

“A story with a heroine who achieves a happy ending is a symbol of the heroine’s complete victory, of getting both what she wants and what she deserves in a world that works very hard to take that choice from her. Remember, eighteenth-century critics of the novel thought it was dangerous specifically because it encouraged women to be picky about their romantic partners!”

Austen super fans might find sections about her slow, but there is plenty here even for the ones who know the gothic romance reads in Northanger Abbey. And you only think you’re certain where the phrase pride and prejudice came from. A few of the sections felt a little long with her reflections. Those looking for literary criticism won’t find much. Those looking to start their journey into understanding women writers of this time period will find a lot to learn. 

I enjoyed this deep dive. This is an accessible, fascinating look at a genre once dominated by women, and geared toward women, whose pioneers have been forgotten. Austen was brilliant and has earned her place, but she was not the first.

What do you think of the topic? Do you like biographies or memoirs? What about literary criticisms? I hope readers who appreciate Austen's talents and influence enjoy this book.