Jane Fairfax: The Secret Story of the Second Heroine in Jane Austen’s Emma, a Joan Aiken book, provides a refreshing view into the events that we see in the Austen’s earlier book, Emma. The story dwells on a character seen in the original Emma book that readers might have overlooked and did not get to be properly acquainted with, and perhaps at one point, have even hated.

In this Regency Jane Austen Emma sequel, Aiken takes us on a journey from the eyes of Emma’s childhood friend and eventual rival, Jane Fairfax. The limelight is set on her, beginning from her life in childhood until she matures.

The story centers on Jane Fairfax and her life, as she was brought up by her refined and sophisticated aunt and grandmother since she became orphaned. Having Emma as her childhood playmate, they practically grew up together and readers get to see some jealousy involved along the way. Eventually, a family friend brings Jane to London to get her some education and help her become a governess so that she might support herself. Readers also get to see Jane returning to the place she has known to be home, being engaged discreetly to Frank Churchill.

What readers saw initially only through the eyes of Emma in the original is now presented from a new perspective. The new characters in the Emma sequel are very interesting and capture reader attention, whereas the existing characters still reflect the essence they had in the original story.

Readers would agree that this was a brilliant Joan Aiken novel that is very much well done and is highly recommended. She was effectively able to showcase the histories of the childhood of both Jane and Emma, and, through this story, provides an implicit reasoning behind the protagonists’ individual disposition and relationships.

It is interesting to note that this story takes place before the time where the events of the original story where this is derived from are tackled. It gets even more interesting as the perspectives deviate and the distinction of viewpoints becomes apparent as the two storylines mesh.

This Joan Aiken novel is very much successful in retelling the events that occurred in Emma while dwelling on Jane’s childhood and why she was made to be that way. As the novel introspects into the character of Jane, readers discover and get to unfold the intricacies of why Jane is how she is, even the version of her in Emma.

Indeed, this Joan Aiken book is successfully undertaken.  It is recommended for those who are fond of rooting for the underdog. As a Jane Austen Emma sequel, readers see the equally worthy protagonist from the other side of the coin. The author writes in a manner that is distinctly Joan Aiken, yet is reminiscent of Jane Austen’s style and flair.

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