Miss Austen: a 'masterly' adaptation

"Janeites rejoice (in suitably restrained and quietly sardonic fashion!)" said Lucy Mangan in The Guardian. 2025 marks the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen's birth, so we can expect "all things Austen" this year.

"First off the televisual blocks" is a BBC adaptation of Gill Hornby's book, "Miss Austen". The four-part series explores why Cassandra Austen carried out what some believe to be "the greatest act of literary vandalism in history" by destroying hundreds of her sister Jane's letters.

The action begins decades after Jane's death, and follows Cassandra (Keeley Hawes) as she travels to the home of a family friend to retrieve the letters before they fall into the hands of her "vicious" sister-in-law Mary (Jessica Hynes). In the fictionalised retelling, the Austen lives "unfold" through a series of flashbacks as Cassandra reads through her sister's letters.

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Andrea Gibb's script pulls off the "astonishing feat of sounding effortlessly Janeish ("witty not waspish, appraising not cold") – and Patsy Ferran gives a "perfect" performance as the young Jane, bringing the role to life with her "impeccable timing" and "inescapable charisma".

I was "hypnotically drawn" to Mary, said Carol Midgley in The Times. Hynes' portrayal of Jane's "callous, pinch-mouthed" sister-in-law is so "ghastly", she is mesmerising to watch. But it's Hawes who is the star of the show, bringing her usual "nuance, warmth and delicate control" to the role of Cassandra. In all, it's a "compelling if sad" story brimming with "intrigue", "thwarted love" and "19th-century, passive-aggressive politesse".

From "bonnets and balls" to "handsome chaps in want of a wife", "Miss Austen" has all the trappings of a Jane Austen adaptation, said Anita Singh in The Telegraph. "If only it had a decent plot." While the acting is "strong" and the dialogue is "nicely Austen-like", the episodes lack "emotional depth". Yes, there are "proposals, romances, fallings out" – but it all feels very "Austen-by-numbers". Still, the interiors are magnificent ("lovers of Farrow & Ball paint colours will swoon"), and the scenes where Jane reads passages from her novels are "pleasant" to watch.

It isn't faultless, said Laura Jane Turner in Digital Spy, but through its "careful and considerate" storytelling, the series does a good job of capturing the "spirit of Jane Austen".

"Warm", "intelligent" and "thought-provoking", it's a "masterly" show, added Mangan in The Guardian. "We may never truly forgive Cassandra for her bonfire, but 'Miss Austen' goes a long way to easing the pain."