Book Review: Dear Mr. Knightley

Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay is a coming-of-age novel about a college graduate, Samantha, who has spent many years trying to forget and mask her past by hiding behind the characters of her favorite Austen novels. It’s not a particularly effective coping mechanism, as it isolates her socially and prevents her from realizing her own potential.

I struggled to get into this book, through no fault of the book or the author. As I started to read, the subject gave me flashbacks to Tom Wolfe’s I am Charlotte Simmons and Curtis Sittenfeld’s Prep. I disliked both those books immensely, finding the protagonists to be whiny, overly naïve and self-defeating. Both novels stuck with me for all the wrong reasons.

I persevered and I’m glad I did. I found myself engaged with Samantha’s journey towards self-discovery and cheering her on. She knew she had faults but she did not wallow in them (for the most part). She worked hard to better her situation, though naturally at times fell victim to her own self-doubt. Does she succeed in the end? You’ll have to read the book yourself to find out.

The “Dear Mr. Knightley” title refers to the anonymous benefactor who pays for Samantha’s graduate education with the stipulation that she must provide updates via regular written correspondence. As you might expect, the letters become almost a diary and provide both self-reflection and catharsis for Samantha. One of the themes in the book centers on who Mr. Knightley is – and I will say the reveal at the end of the novel is surprising.

Overall I found Dear Mr. Knightley to be a well-crafted novel with relatable characters and a believable plot. Unlike the other two novels I mentioned above, I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to others.

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book through BookLook Bloggers in exchange for an honest review.