Title: Persuasion
Author: Jane Austen
Pages: 236
Rating: 4.5/5

This is not a spoiler free blog.

Synopsis: Anne Elliot is 28. Living in the early 1800s, that basically means she doesn’t have much hope of getting married. At one time, though, she was engaged – to the handsome Captain Wentworth. Unfortunate, but well intended, advice caused the engagement to be called off. Ever since, Anne has never loved anyone and wondered what would have happened. Eight years later, Captain Wentworth enters her life again, bringing to life the feelings she never parted with. Is Captain Wentworth still holding a grudge about the called off engagement? Or will Anne Elliot find happiness at last?

Personal Review: For the study abroad I signed up for a Jane Austen course, and this was one of the required novels we had to read. So of course I picked up a copy at THE Jane Austen gift shop! [The entire purchase was roughly $111, but I am not ashamed in the slightest. If I’d had more room in my luggage, I totally would’ve gone stir crazy in there.]

This is the third Jane Austen novel I’ve read, and I have to say … the middle of the book dragged. I kept avoiding it and reading only ten pages at a time, and it took me awhile to figure out why I was dragging my feet. Though the middle of the story is important – I’m talking about the Lyme visit and Uppercross – I just felt it was plodding along. Things weren’t tied up until the last 30-20 pages of the novel. I think that was another one of my concerns: I felt that everything being tied together wasn’t quite as clever as in Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice.

Don’t let that deter you from reading this novel, though! One of my friends and FHE sisters absolutely loves Captain Wentworth. At first I had a hard time seeing why, but I’ll admit I was swept off my feet when he was finally able to get away from Louisa. Talk about a devoted man!

I was astounded Anne’s family and how they’re just so unlikable! They irritated me more than anyone and I was not upset to see that Sir Walter and Elizabeth ended up realizing how vapid their life is. The story holds so many great characters to balance out the ridiculous ones. Anne and Captain Wentworth, to be sure, as well as Lady Russell, Mrs. Smith, and the Musgroves are so charming among their chaos.

I ran into my Jane Austen class professor not too long after I came home and he told me the next to last chapter in Persuasion is by far the best chapter she ever wrote. I believe it. What floors me so much about Jane Austen is her excellent prose. She has these passages that elicit such strong emotions! They’re just absolutely beautiful. I actually tabbed a lot of wonderful passages in this book.

I once read a quote – I think it was possibly by Emma Thompson, but I’m not sure – that books come into your life and you read them when you need them most. That’s what happened with this particular novel. Because of that, it will hold a special place in my heart.

One of my favorite quotes: “‘All the privilege I claim for my own sex (it is not a very enviable one, you need not covet it) is that of loving longest, when existence or when hope is gone.’” – Anne Elliot, Persuasion, pg. 221