Sanditon Character Review: Alexander Coulbourne

The schedule for the Character Review posts will be changing to Friday (or Saturday at the latest from now on).

*Warning: This post contains spoilers about the characters from the book and the television show Sanditon. Read at your own risk if you have not watched the show. There is something to be said about a well-written, human character. They leap off the page and speak to us as if they were right in front of us, as flesh and blood human beings, instead of fictional creations.

When we lose the one we love, getting used to the fact they are no longer is not easy. Some are able to eventually move on and open their heart again. Others remain lost in their memories and can only see through the lens of grief.

In Sanditon, Alexander Colbourne (Ben Lloyd Hughes) is introduced to both Charlotte Heywood (Rose Williams) and the audience as a reclusive widower who is in need of a governess. After saving his tomboy daughter Leonora (Flora Mitchell) from being run over by a horse, Charlotte is offered the position. She is also in charge of his rebellious teenage niece, Augusta Markam (Eloise Webb). Instead of mingling with his neighbors and enjoying all that Sanditon has to offer, he keeps to himself.

Their relationship starts out as employer and employee. Alexander has not yet gotten over the loss of his late wife. Charlotte is still missing her late first love Sidney Parker (Theo James). It is nothing more than a business relationship. Charlotte is determined to remain single and earn her keep. Alexander’s main concern is his estate and the young ladies in his charge. But, as time goes on, they begin to open up and understand one another.

This opens the door to an attraction that becomes undeniable. It also reveals a secret and a previously unknown and scandalous connection to Colonel Francis Lennox (Tom Weston Jones). After they finally admit their feelings for one another, he pushes her away, leaving Charlotte heartbroken for the second time. Though Alexander has the opportunity to take back his decision, he chooses not to.

To sum it up: It takes courage to live again when the person you thought that you would be with forever is gone. It takes an equal amount of courage to love again. Unfortunately, Alexander chooses another route, breaking both his and Charlotte’s heart at the same time.

Which is why he is a memorable character.

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Sanditon Character Review: Diana Parker

The schedule for the Character Review posts will be changing to Friday (or Saturday at the latest from now on).

*Warning: This post contains spoilers about the characters from the book and the television show Sanditon. Read at your own risk if you have not watched the show. There is something to be said about a well-written, human character. They leap off the page and speak to us as if they were right in front of us, as flesh and blood human beings, instead of fictional creations.

Determination is a wonderful thing. It allows us to pursue our goals when all seems lost. But, at the same time, it can create blinders to being open to change. In Sanditon, Diana Parker (Alexandra Roach) is the only daughter of the Parker family. With three brothers, Arthur (Turlough Convery), Sidney (Theo James), and Tom (Kris Marshall), and a comfortable inheritance, she does not have a care in the world. Or so one would think.

Diana is hypocondriac. Any sort of perceived malady or over-exertion sends her down a wormhole of anxiety. Joining her down this wormhole is Arthur. Though she can be perceived as a concerned older sister, she can also be seen as enabling him to lead a sedentary life. Rarely seen without Arthur, they can best be described as co-dependent. That does not mean, however, that she is not in bed all day.

Like all of the Parkers, she is active in supporting the town and Tom’s dream of creating a seaside resort. Unlike Tom, she is not married and has yet to consider the prospect. her 30’s, she would prefer to watch other people dance at balls rather than step onto the dance floor herself. Upon seeing Arthur pair up with Georgiana Lambe (Crystal Clarke) at a local dance, she becomes concerned that he has matrimonial designs on the heiress. But at the end of the day, he returns to her side.

Starts at 1:15

To sum it up: Diana is an interesting character. She (and Arthur by extension) provides comedic relief, creating a balance with the drama. While we laugh at her, we can see her love for her family and the stubbornness that exists in all of the Parker siblings.

Which is why she is a memorable character.

Sanditon Character Review: Sidney Parker

The schedule for the Character Review posts will be changing to Friday (or Saturday at the latest from now on).

*Warning: This post contains spoilers about the characters from the book and the television show Sanditon. Read at your own risk if you have not watched the show. There is something to be said about a well-written, human character. They leap off the page and speak to us as if they were right in front of us, as flesh and blood human beings, instead of fictional creations.

It is easy to judge a book by its cover. It is harder to get to know them and understand the circumstances that made them into who they are. In Sanditon, Sidney Parker (Theo James) does not make a great first impression. Like his predecessor, Fitzwilliam Darcy, he comes off as rude, arrogant, and a snob.

One of four children (three boys and a girl), Sidney is the dark sheep of the family. Tom (Kris Marshall) is the dreamer. Arthur (Turlough Convery) is the layabout. Diana (Alexandra Roach) is the worrier. He has been away for many years and would rather be anywhere else than be in the company of his family.

When he meets Charlotte Heywood (Rose Williams), it is hate at first sight. Sidney perceives Charlotte to be a naive country girl. Charlotte thinks that he is a little too full of himself.

Things start to change when there is an accident in the town and Charlotte steps in to help. He begins to see her intelligence and her willingness to step in when necessary. They go back and forth for a while. It gets rocky when Charlotte does not understand the pressure that Sidney is under to keep his ward, Georgiana Lambe (Crystal Clarke) safe from golddiggers.

When they finally get together, it is a moment that has been a long time coming. It seems that Charlotte and Sidney’s future is all settled. But before Sidney can properly pop the question, he has to settle some business issues for Tom (again).

When he returns, he has bad news. The only way to save the family is to marry his ex, Eliza Campion (Ruth Kearney). Eliza is a wealthy widow who abandoned Sidney for her late husband. Upon previously encountering Charlotte, she promptly switched into Mean Girls mode, mocking her for her “low” upbringing.

Unfortunately, the next time we hear of Sidney, he is dead, leaving everyone around him heartbroken.

To sum it up: Sidney’s arc is one of opening up and learning to love. Not just romantic love, but the love of family. It is that love that forces him to make the decision to ultimately marry for money.

Which is why he is a memorable character.

Sanditon Character Review: Georgiana Lambe

The schedule for the Character Review posts will be changing to Friday (or Saturday at the latest from now on).

*I apologize for not posting last week. I had other writing priorities that came first.

*Warning: This post contains spoilers about the characters from the book and the television show Sanditon. Read at your own risk if you have not watched the show. There is something to be said about a well-written, human character. They leap off the page and speak to us as if they were right in front of us, as flesh and blood human beings, instead of fictional creations.

It blows my mind, that in 2022, race is still an issue. Instead of being seen merely as skin color, it is used to judge one another. Back in Jane Austen‘s era, the very thought of probing this topic was revolutionary. Georgiana Lambe (Crystal Clarke) is Austen’s first and only character of color.

Georgiana is a biracial heiress from Antigua whose mere presence in the town ruffles feathers. Among those who are a bit too curious is Lady Denham (Anne Reid). Without any direct family to support or provide for her, she is under the legal guardianship of Sidney Parker (Theo James). Feeling constrained by her circumstances, Georgiana bristles against Sidney and her house mother, Mrs. Griffiths (Elizabeth Berrington). One of her few outlets is her friendship with Charlotte Heywood (Rose Williams).

When her past love, Otis Molyneux (Jyuddah Jaymes) arrives in town, both Georgiana and Charlotte play a game of subterfuge. Sidney does not approve of Otis because he believes that he only wants to marry her for her fortune. Later on, when Otis is up to his eyeballs in debt, he uses her name as collateral. This turns into a kidnapping which is only stopped by Sidney. As expected, Georgiana tells Otis where he can go.

When we see her again in the second season, her guardianship has been switched to Tom and Mary Parker (Kris Marshall and Kate Ashfield). Now that she is nearing her majority, it is even more important to ensure that she marries well. When Georgiana meets artist Charles Lockhart (Alexander Vlahos), she is initially skeptical of him. But over time, the skepticism turns into romance. That romance fizzles out when Lockhart reveals his true colors.

It would have been easy for her to crumble, given both her past and her present circumstances. But Georgiana has a backbone and is not afraid to speak her mind. What I personally like about her is her strength, knowing full well that a well-bred woman keeps her opinions to herself in that era.

Which is why she is a memorable character.

Sanditon Character Review: Tom and Mary Parker

The schedule for the Character Review posts will be changing to Friday (or Saturday at the latest from now on).

*I apologize for not posting last week. I had other writing priorities that came first.

*Warning: This post contains spoilers about the characters from the book and the television show Sanditon. Read at your own risk if you have not watched the show. There is something to be said about a well-written, human character. They leap off the page and speak to us as if they were right in front of us, as flesh and blood human beings, instead of fictional creations.

The best relationships, whether they be personal, romantic, or professional, are ones in which one person balances out the other. In the  PBS/Masterpiece television series, Sanditon (based on the unfinished Jane Austen novel of the same) the narrative is kicked off when the carriage carrying Tom and Mary Parker (Kris Marshall and Kate Ashfield) crashes. Briefly taken in by the Heywood family, the offer to give the eldest daughter, Charlotte (Rose Williams), an opportunity to spend time with them in Sanditon.

Tom is the dreamer. Mary is a pragmatist. His dream is to turn this small seaside town into a fashionable and popular tourist destination. Unfortunately, his financial means are limited and he is not exactly a details kind of guy. The money comes from Lady Denham (Anne Reid). The nitty-gritty of the business comes from his brother Sidney (Theo James). Sidney also happens to be Charlotte’s first love.

Mary does more than take care of their children and maintain their home. She has the ability to bring her husband back to reality when necessary. When it becomes obvious that their carriage is in need of imminent repair, it is Mary who speaks the truth. Her husband would prefer to believe that everything is fine. That does not mean, however, that she does not lose her cool when Tom goes too far. When she finds out that he bought her a necklace when they are in debt, she is furious (as she should be).

To sum it up: In an era in which marriages were often a business arrangement, this is a love match. What Mary lacks, Tom has, and visa versa. It is this balance that allows their relationship to flourish and prove that love matches are possible.

Which is why they are memorable characters.

Sanditon Character Review: Charlotte Heywood

The schedule for the Character Review posts will be changing to Friday (or Saturday at the latest from now on).

*Warning: This post contains spoilers about the characters from the book and the television show Sanditon. Read at your own risk if you have not watched the show. There is something to be said about a well-written, human character. They leap off the page and speak to us as if they were right in front of us, as flesh and blood human beings, instead of fictional creations.

Growth does not come from taking the easy way out. It comes from walking on an unseen path, not knowing what lies ahead. The heroine of the PBS/Masterpiece television series, Sanditon (based on the unfinished Jane Austen novel of the same) is Charlotte Heywood (Rose Williams). Born to a rural farming family, her world opens tenfold when Tom and Mary Parker‘s (Kris Marshall and Kate Ashfield) carriage crashes.

Grateful for their brief respite, the Parkers offer Charlotte to stay with them for a short time in Sanditon, a growing seaside community. Among those who she meets are Tom’s younger brother, Sidney (Theo James), and Miss Georgiana Lambe (Crystal Clarke). Sidney is a realist while Tom has his head in the clouds. Georgiana is a biracial heiress and is much as an outsider as Charlotte is.

Charlotte is also eager to spread her wings and not find love (at least not yet). She is eager to expand her mind and takes it upon herself to get involved with Tom’s business ventures.

Like many couples, Charlotte and Sidney’s relationship does not start off well. There are misunderstandings and miscommunication. But that eventually turns into mutual attraction, which turns into love. But there is no happy ending for Charlotte and Sidney. To save the family business, he must marry his widowed and wealthy ex. He then dies soon after, leaving her heartbroken.

After spending time at home recovering from her loss, Charlotte returns to Sanditon. Joining her is her younger sister, Alison (Rosie Graham). Alison is in the same emotional place that her sister was previously. Determined not to marry, Charlotte accepts a position as the governess for Alexander Colbourne (Ben Lloyd-Hughes). She also meets Colonel Francis Lennox (Tom Weston-Jones). As with an Austen-ian love interest, there is a question of who is telling the truth and who is a good liar.

To sum it up: Through friendship, falling in love, and heartbreak, Charlotte starts to mature. Even when she is down in the dumps, she finds the strength to move forward and find happiness/purpose. Considering the time and place that she lives in, this is both refreshing and modern. The way I look it at is that if she can pick herself up and move on, then so can the rest of us.

Which is why she is a memorable character.

Sanditon Book Review

When someone dies young, there are questions of what this person might have accomplished had they lived longer.

When Jane Austen died in 1817 at the age of 41, she left behind grieving family members, six completed novels and fragments of other novels. One of these fragments is Sanditon. Where Jane Austen left off, write Kate Riordan stepped in to complete the story.

Charlotte Heywood is a young woman who has never traveled far from home. Her fate changes when the carriage carrying Tom and Mary Parker turns over. After their carriage is repaired, Charlotte travels with Mr. and Mrs. Parker to the small seaside village of Sanditon. Tom’s goal is to turn this sleepy seaside village into the must-see vacation spot. Charlotte’s world expands in multiple ways, especially when she meets Tom’s brother Sidney.

Jane Austen is one of those writers who is often imitated, but never properly duplicated. Ms. Riordan was able to perfectly match Austen’s tone, dialogue, voice and narrative in such a way that I was not sure where Austen ended and Ms. Riordan began.

Among those of us who know and love her novels, we know that Austen is subversive when it comes to her opinion of the world around her. In this book, her opinion is in your face. Unlike other unmarried young people, Charlotte’s reason for traveling to Sanditon is not to find a wealthy spouse. It is to see the world and expand her horizons. She also included her first character of color. Georgiana Lambe is a bi-racial heiress who is fighting for her own identity and her own choices in a world that would deny her both.

I absolutely recommend it.