Persuasion: Jane Austen (Penguin Classics)

Being a huge Jane Austen fan, this is another of her wonderful books. Love story, where the couple have been separated for eight years. Insight into regency life, society, seaside and Bath,

I studied this for A level and have probably only read it once since then. I had forgotten how rich it is - all the high points came flooding back to me and I enjoyed it as much as ever, as well as enjoying discussing it with my book group. Austen never dates!

This is only the second Jane Austen book I have read, having read Pride and Prejudice some time ago. It took me a little while to get into it. The early chapters feel like they get bogged down in bringing us up to date with the back story. However it's worth persevering as the book gets much easier to read as it develops. Jane Austen's observations on society of that time and the way that she captures the feelings of the protagonists feel so fresh and modern that at times it is hard to believe that the book was written almost 200 years ago. The heroine is Anne Elliott, the middle daughter of Sir Walter Elliott: a vain and snobbish man who has been living beyond his means for some time. For financial reasons he decides to rent out his family home, Kellynch Hall, and moves to Bath with his oldest daughter who shares his obsession with status and appearances. Anne goes to stay for a time with her younger sister, Mary, who is married and lives nearby. Anne is easily the most likeable of the three girls, but is still single at the age of 27. Several years ago she met the love of her life, Captain Wentworth, but she was "persuaded" by her friends and family that he was not an appropriate match for her. She has never forgotten him. As it happens, Captain Wentworth comes back into her life, as it is his sister who has hired Kellynch Hall. However he appears to no longer have any interest in Anne and spends his time with the daughters of Mary's husband's family. In the meantime a new suitor has come into Anne's life, being her father's probable heir. He is pleasant and polite and certainly a good catch - but she finds it hard to let her feelings for Captain Wentworth go. When she finally realises who she is meant to be with, the book feels as alive and the romance as intense as any chicklit novel you might read today.

This is my favourite Austen. Anne is my favourite heroine and Captain Wentworth is my favourite hero, achingly melancholy apart and utterly perfect together. I have read this book many, many times and I don't think I have ever got through it dry-eyed. I think the strength of Austen's female characters is that they are slightly apart, a little ostracised in social situations because of their uniqueness. They have spirit and opinions that most people don't understand and therefore derise as weaknesses. They are lonely, and that is a feeling that I think most women from any century are able to identify with. What endears me especially to Anne is that this loneliness and alienation is concentrated in her, more pronounced that in Emma Woodhouse or Elizabeth Bennett. Anne is good and mild and sweet, introspective and private. She is slowly losing her bloom but still managing to avoid bitterness. And rather than compromising her personality to fit in with her father and sisters, to seek some of the companionship and affection she is so starved of, she has the strength to stick to her beliefs and not change her values. And in the end it is clear that Captain Wentworth finds no equal to Anne anywhere - He loves her so constantly not in spite of her differences, but because of them. This is what I believe is the key to Austen's timeless success. We all want to believe that is how we find love and belonging- Not despite our perceived weirdnesses and quirks, but because of them. Believing that removes all pressure to change - And what a liberating feeling that is!

The book was purchased as a present,not for me.

Genuinely a wild ride. Would be 200 pages shorter if people actually communicated to eachother, but then what would I read?

Thank you very much for all your books in recent years. All of them are in excellent condition. The books inspire us to think much more and gain knowledge. Thanks a lot! Good Day to everyone! May God bless you all!

Llegó en perfectas condiciones y la edición con la portada que viene en la publicación.

I picked this up as part of my journey back into classics, and I'm so glad I did. Austen's writing in this one feels more mature and reflective than her earlier novels. The story moves at a steady pace, and the characters feel genuine - especially Anne, who's easy to root for. It's a quieter romance compared to modern books, but that's exactly what I needed. If you're trying to get away from lighter reads and want something with more substance, this is a solid choice. The Penguin Classics edition is well-made too, which is always a bonus.

penguin kalitesi ve muhtesem bir kitap

Loved the book... It's great! Jane Austen is great. Those who love classics need no reviews about the book's content.

Meu livro preferido da Jane Austen.