I read 2 books completing Jane Austen's The Watsons, of which she only wrote five chapters. Austen family history relates how she intended the plot to come out, though of course Austen might have changed her mind while writing.
Joan Aiken's effort, Emma Watson, starts after the fragment Austen left, and while keeping the personalities of the characters established by Austen the same, changes the plot considerably. Merryn William's completion, The Watsons, uses the original five chapters and the intended plot where it is known. Her effort is a lot closer to Austen than Aiken's, but the Aiken version is much more fun to read and better written, with more lively language. Although she puts in unusual events, everyone's reactions to them ring very true to their characters.
William's version is worth reading, and is better than nearly all the other Austen efforts I have read, but seems a little flat, being without Austen's gift for the right word and the right incident to show someone's true character. I'll be keeping the Aiken version.
Joan Aiken's effort, Emma Watson, starts after the fragment Austen left, and while keeping the personalities of the characters established by Austen the same, changes the plot considerably. Merryn William's completion, The Watsons, uses the original five chapters and the intended plot where it is known. Her effort is a lot closer to Austen than Aiken's, but the Aiken version is much more fun to read and better written, with more lively language. Although she puts in unusual events, everyone's reactions to them ring very true to their characters.
William's version is worth reading, and is better than nearly all the other Austen efforts I have read, but seems a little flat, being without Austen's gift for the right word and the right incident to show someone's true character. I'll be keeping the Aiken version.
Emma Watson first published 1996, The Watsons 2005
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