ABOUT THE BOOK 📖 “May Ann”

Author: Margarida Lacerda | Editor: Edições Toth | ISBN: 978–989–9210–04–2 | June 2024

Synopsis

A charming novel in the style of Jane Austen.

It was the year 1811 and May Ann Laybourn lived with her family in Bath. Although the countryside was her place of choice, she had rarely visited her uncles in Devonshire, where they had a rural estate, since the incident in her childhood.

When her aunt Mary Barker invites her to spend the summer at Wiscombe Park and May decides to accept, she could never have imagined the turn her life would take.

Amid love, mysteries, and intrigues, May Ann tries to fight against the inconveniences that come her way. Pressured by her family to find a good suitor, she feels trapped by antiquated norms.

Should May follow her heart or allow herself to be swayed by her family’s persuasion?

Photo by Beatriz Oliveira @livros_que_sentem

Explanation

The story is narrated in the first person, in the form of a diary written by the protagonist, May Ann.

May lives in the famous city of Bath, in England, with her parents and two younger sisters. One day, her mother’s sister invites them to spend some time at her rural estate in Devonshire, but only May ends up accepting the invitation, as the rest of the family either lacks availability or interest.

Later, it becomes clear that it was all a plot between her mother and aunt to find May a suitor. Indeed, May finds one, but not the one the family had expected. It is from this point that the twists, dramas, and the emotional rollercoaster begins. The book has a dynamic pace, with sequences of events; each chapter brings a new development… poor May gets no rest.

This book addresses contemporary themes such as sadness, depression, addiction, social status, appearances, political correctness, prejudice, women’s inferiority, and social criticisms related to marriage. It’s astonishing how, even after 200 years, these issues remain so relevant. It’s through these themes that Jane Austen’s influence on the book is evident, as the author critiques, through May’s voice, both the society of that time and aspects of contemporary society.

In addition to romance and intrigue, the story incorporates mystery elements. The author credits her reading of detective novels as a significant influence in structuring this book, aiding in the architecture of the storyline and the construction of the puzzle, as past events connect with the future. This demanded mental gymnastics from the author and the need to rewrite several parts to ensure everything was properly interconnected.