BOOK REVIEW: A Visitor's Guide to Jane Austen's England by Sue Wilkes

 I received this book for free from Netgalley. That did not influence this review.

A Visitor’s Guide to Jane Austen’s England by Sue Wilkes provides historical context for fiction set in the Regency period (~1811-1830)—fiction that deals with the upper class, or at least the middle class. This book is particularly suited to readers of Austen and her contemporaries and/or readers of Regency Romance.

The book is presented as a guidebook for those entering Regency England (mainly London) who need a primer on social customs, how to travel, what to wear, how to address others, how much money you’ll need and what to spend it on, how to go about finding a mate, etc. The book is well-researched and footnoted and quotations from Austen and others are sprinkled throughout. It’s a light read that accomplishes the task of providing details of the period, without analysis or any deep dives into the material.

If you’ve ever wondered why fictional characters set in Regency England are doing what they do, or been curious as to what particular social tidbits mean, this book provides an informative peek into the world.