In the two centuries since Jane Austen’s death, her novels have proved almost infinitely adaptable, transmuted into stage plays, radio programs, movies, TV serials, comic books, video games, and an array of fictional genres, including romance, mystery, and fantasy.
Now the Zoom series Jane Austen & Co. is planning a program, “The Many Flavors of Jane Austen,” featuring conversations with people described as “some of the most inspiring recent adaptors of Jane Austen’s novels.”
First up is Sonali Dev, a romance novelist whose books include four loose updates of Austen novels, set in the world of prosperous Indian Americans in contemporary California. The interview, which takes place Wednesday at 7 pm (Eastern) on YouTube, is free, but registration is required.
I’ve read two of Dev’s four Austen-inspired books, and . . . well, I’m not a fan, but judging from Dev’s Goodreads ratings, I’m in the minority. In any case, Dev’s work is an example of a fascinating trend: the transplantation of Austen’s very English stories and characters into far different cultures and contexts.
Jane Austen & Co. doesn’t seem to have announced the subsequent events in this series, but given the abundance of Austen adaptations these days, they shouldn’t have any trouble filling out the roster.