Trendiness
Trendiness is a definite pet peeve of mine. Nothing irks me more right now than people professing their love of Jane Austen, “I love anything Jane Austen,” and they’ve maybe read one book in her canon of work for a high school English class or they’ve seen a film adaptation of Pride & Prejudice or Sense & Sensibility. And they think Jane Austen is all about romance between Elizabeth Bennet & Mr. Darcy (but who wouldn’t? Mr. Darcy is delicious.) But they miss the wit and wisdom in Austen’s writing about social commentary in terms of class and gender and choices. It seems that there’s an Austen renaissance every ten years or so with new adaptations in film or TV. Well, I suppose I should be grateful that they’re even interested in my beloved Jane. I suppose I’m a bit of an obnoxious purist, like Prudie from The Jane Austen Book Club, but I don’t break out in French.