Today when browsing at the library, I saw this on the shelf:

Emma & Knightley, sequel to Jane Austen's Emma.

Curious, I opened up the book and read a chapter.

No offense, but I cringed through every page.

I'm sure part of it is psychological (I just can't bring myself to believe someone in our time can reincarnate Austen's talent), but honestly, the writing wasn't even good to begin with.

The great mastery of Austen was that she let her characters speak through the subtlety of their actions and witty verbal exchanges, which she observed with a keen and penetrating eye. Billington didn't even qualify for this most essential writing skill - show, not tell. She used adjective after adjective, and telling it as plain as daylight. It made the story reads very...blah (at least for the first chapter).

She also seemed to set out to make Emma very unlikable, which, I think, deviated from Austen's original Emma, who is a mixed bag of heart-warming and flawed traits. Emma is the kind of character that you love and hate.

So yes, I read a chapter of a book and bashed it. Well, at least I didn't judge it by its cover.

And I know I won't waste any time on any Jane Austen-wannabe sequels.