“My new favorite title is How Jane Austen Ruined My Life. I don’t have the courage to read it, though. I’m afraid to discover she’s ruined mine as well.”― Katherine Reay, Dear Mr. Knightley
Dear Mr. Knightley centers on Samantha Moore. Sam is an orphan who spent much time in the foster system and struggles in her relationships with people. She has no family and really no friends to speak of, but she does have books. Sam adores books and the more time she spends with Austen, Dickens, and Shakespeare, the better. She even speaks like she belongs in one of Austen’s books! After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in English and not being quite sure what to do with herself, the 23 year old finds herself in a situation more likely to be found in one of her beloved books. A mysterious benefactor has offered to pay her way through the prestigious Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. The only thing required of her is to write regular letters to her benefactor detailing her progress.
Sam’s letters to Mr. Knightley become increasingly personal as she shares with him her experiences in the program, her boyfriend that she’s not quite sure what to think about, her childhood experiences and her growing feelings for Alex Powell, the successful as well as young and handsome author she met by happenstance and who has become a friend. As Sam begins to love and to trust, she learns once again how easily trust can be broken
I enjoyed this book. It was different from what I expected but it is an engaging story with compelling characters that you can’t help but cheer for. I also liked the letter writing format which allows the reader to really get to know Sam. As with Katherine Reay’s other novels, Dear Mr. Knightley is a clean read with a quiet but firm underpinning of faith.
Content Advisory: Abuse, bullying, foster care system, references to sex