Review: A Completing of The Watsons by Rose Servitova

Jane Austen started The Watsons in 1803, abandoning it after writing just a few chapters because, it is said, it was too close to her own life. Author Rose Servitova has effortlessly picked up where Austen left off, producing a delightful English Regency-period novel in a manner intrinsically true to Austen’s style and wit.

Sisters, suitors, and choices are at the heart of The Watsons. Nineteen-year-old Emma Watson is the youngest child of an impecunious clergyman. For the past fourteen years, she’s been the ward and expected heir of a wealthy aunt and uncle, but is returned home penniless after her uncle dies and her aunt remarries.

Emma, along with her unmarried sisters, must find a husband, otherwise, she will become a burden to her ailing father, and after he dies, to her brothers. Neither scenario is particularly palatable, especially after reuniting with her brother, Robert, a self-centered boor. After her long absence, her family are virtually strangers to her, although Emma forges a loving relationship with eldest sister Elizabeth.

Introduced into local society by way of a ball, she meets the wealthy Osborne family, as well as several eligible bachelors, such as the somewhat mysterious Mr. Howard, the socially awkward but wealthy Lord Osborne, and the handsome bachelor-about-town, Tom Musgrave. Emma is taken aback when Lord Osborne and Tom Musgrave come calling, and the ensuing attention she begins to receive, especially from Lord Osborne, creates a dilemma for Emma, especially in light of her family’s precarious future.

Emma is a likeable protagonist, raised in more genteel circumstances than her older sisters. She has a good heart, is resourceful and independent, and her selfless actions make her the ideal protagonist as she’s forced to adapt to the changes in her new life and become the savior of her family’s precarious financial future – an expectation that is daunting to say the least. She is in a turmoil over making the right decision while being true to herself; her vulnerabilities evident in the tilt of her chin, or the slight blush of her cheeks.

Admirable for her sense of duty and composure, Emma’s character is offset by her spirited elder sister, Elizabeth. Social graces play an important role in the story as well, yet no one is above some good old-fashioned gossiping. In addition to Emma and her family, the novel’s telling is historically apt with a variety of well-rounded characters, such as the stubborn and unyielding Solomon Tomlinson, who adds interest and assists in the developmental relationships between the various families in the story.

While Servitova’s writing exhibits respect for the period, it also exhibits a sexual restraint somewhat uncommon in the Regency romance genre, which may be disappointing to some readers. That said, A Completing of The Watsons is a delicious family drama and a literary gift for Austen fans the world over.