The Youngest Miss Ward (Hardcover)

by Joan Aiken (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Jane Austen herself might be pleased with Aiken's sequel to Mansfield Park, focusing on the life of a newly created younger sister to the three Ward women. Lacking beauty or a dowry, and therefore without social prospects, Hatty Ward is forced to work as an unpaid governess for difficult charges amid depressing surroundings. As the durable Hatty moves from one unhappy living arrangement to the next, Aiken effectively portrays England in the late 18th century, when social class strictly dictated the norms of behavior and an independent, clever young lady was often scorned by her elders. As in her previous Austen sequels (Jane Fairfax, etc.), Aiken captures the language, customs and style of an era when young women's lives were at the mercy of their parents, older siblings and highly connected relatives. Hatty is an admirable heroine, resolutely facing the challenges thrown her way, finding solace in poetry and the accomplishments of her arduous work. References to the distant French Revolution and to the indentured servant route to America bring period authenticity to the story. Intelligent, warmhearted Hatty and the hardships she must endure before she can find true happiness will please Aiken's loyal readers and satisfy Austen fans.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
In her latest Jane Austen read-alike, Aiken profiles Hattie Ward, the youngest of the Ward sisters of Austen's Mansfield Park. Hattie is a talented child, a writer, whose tribulations sometimes seem more Dickensian than Austen-like, as first she is torn from her mother through the machinations of the vicious Lady Ursula and then from the woman she has come to regard as a second mother. Even Austen would balk at the complications that befall Hattie. Though the prolific Aiken has a slew of fans, this latest copycat novel is too far off the mark, lacking the gentle mockery and acuity of Austen as well as her wit. Austen fans may wish to check out some of the novels by Emma Tennant and Julia Barrett from the early 1990s or Stephanie Barron's current Austen mysteries. For Aiken devotees only.?Francine Fialkoff, "Library Journal"
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 317 pages
• Publisher: St Martins Pr (December 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312193750
• ISBN-13: 978-0312193751
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.7 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,302,045 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Doesn't quite hit the mark of Aiken's previous triumphs, June 21, 1999

By A Customer

I started out thinking I was in for yet another jewel along the lines of "Jane Fairfax" and "Mansfield Revisited." Aiken certainly starts off in that vein, but halfway thru, the plot turns ridiculous. Hatty became so 'Dickens-like' in her cheerful suffering that I wanted to gag, and the antagonists were also crosses between those found in Bronte and Dickens and not Austen-like at all. Aiken seemed to abandon wit and good humor for pathos and melo-drama. I hope she will not continue on this vein in her future Austen ventures. Aiken is VERY gifted and readable, so it is easy to forgive her for "The Youngest Miss Ward."

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting and enjoyable up to a point, May 20, 1999

By A Customer

I found this latest book of Joan Aiken's to be a very enjoyable one, with many references to characters and events in Mansfield Park, and an excellent portrayal of the early nineteenth century. For the entire first half or more I was quite caught up in the heroine's life and that of the whole cast of unusual characters, many of which seem to be right out of an Austin novel. It was with some chagrin when I realized, toward the end, that Hattie (the youngest Miss Ward of the title), had slipped into the "Goody Goody" mode, and was becoming somewhat insipid. I mean, really, she goes around solving everyone's problems, and taking all kinds of abuse with never a frown, but is always cheerful and helpful to a fault. The other characters have also fallen into rather neat groups of villians and good guys. However, this would not really have bother me, had the ending not been as it was. I don't wish to give anything away, so I won't comment on the obvious flaws and lack of continuity in many of the storylines and characters. However, some may not be as troubled by the ending or the character of the heroine , and, if interested in this period of history, will certainly enjoy reading The Youngest Miss Ward.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A readable if somewhat melodramatic and mediocre historical novel, July 21, 2005

By	Elizabeth A. Root (Laurel, MD USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This purports to chronicle the hard-times of Harriet Ward, the fourth Ward sister; intimidated by Mrs. Norris, the narrator of Mansfield Park left her out. The woes of Fanny Price pale in comparison.

I would ignore the attempted connection to Jane Austen, which I view simply as a marketing ploy. The book has nothing like her wit and has little to do with Mansfield Park, except for background mentions of the doings of the older Ward sisters.

This is a historical novel, not a Regency romance, indeed there is very little romance. It belongs to the school of historical woe, finding the past harsh and cruel rather than glamorous. For my taste, it it carried rather to the point of melodrama, more like Dickens perhaps than Austen. It is possible that all of these things could have happened to one young girl in the space of about 8 years. Indeed, there are a number of real people whose seemingly undeserved and unrelenting bad luck make one question the existence of divine justice, but it doesn't necessarily make for an effective novel. Aiken does bring in some interesting complexity as the characters ponder the wisdom and ultimate consequences of unrelentingly idealistic behavior.

Oddly enough, although this book apparently starts in the final months of the American Revolution, none of the characters, not even those emigrating to Pennsylvania and Maryland, seem to notice this event. They aren't going to English colonies, they are going to the newly formed United States of America!

Not a bad novel, but not something to inspire me to read more Jane Aiken either.