Jane Austen Time Traveler by Rachel Dacus

Capturing the elegant yet tongue-in-cheek storytelling of the titular author herself, Jane Austen Time Traveler by Rachel Dacus is an enormously entertaining installment of the century-hopping Timegathering Series.

The manipulative and artist-eliminating Optimalists are at it again, this time attempting to rip out a key root of the feminist movement by erasing a legendary female writer from the canon. Thankfully, George St. James – gifted protector of the past – steps in to ensure that the world knows Jane Austen’s name, catapulting the aspiring writer two centuries into the future. A young Jane comes face to face with her eventual fame, but rather than inspiring her to continue down the path of writing, her time-jump may cause more problems for the timeline than it solves.

Watching Jane Austen interact and fall in love in the 21st century is undeniably entertaining, while Dacus’ mastery of language gives readers a pleasant blend of contemporary and Regency writing styles. Sci-fi elements and well-crafted villains are seamlessly mixed into this character-driven plot, but there are some passages of excess exposition that drag down the pace. Some obvious suspension of disbelief is required, such as the convenience of Jane having the time-gathering gene, and the obligatory paradoxes of time travel, but that’s to be expected in such a wildly whimsical series.

Taking time for thematic and insightful dives into equality, purpose, the struggle of artists, and the ultimate costs of love, Dacus intelligently and playfully guides readers on this unique historical adventure.