Persuasion

My favourite novel ever! And the BBC film does it full justice. THE letter-writing scene is the most exciting thing I've read, and I love the sense of tremendous emotional storm overriding the strictest economy of style: every word is necessary - yet pregnant with passion...

Like all of her novels, Jane Austen's PERSUASION is essentially a comedy of manners--a work in which the characters must negotiate a complex code of conduct in order to survive, much less achieve their ends. And in a certain sense the novel is indicative of Austen's great talent, razor sharp, laced with irony and wit, and remarkably phrased. And yet PERSUASION is quite unlike Austen's other...more

Like all of her novels, Jane Austen's PERSUASION is essentially a comedy of manners--a work in which the characters must negotiate a complex code of conduct in order to survive, much less achieve their ends. And in a certain sense the novel is indicative of Austen's great talent, razor sharp, laced with irony and wit, and remarkably phrased. And yet PERSUASION is quite unlike Austen's other novels in the story it tells.To tell the truth the chapter before the last was my favorite.This novel was the last one that Austen wrote before she died. It is a more mature novel, dealing with many issues not found in Austen's previous novels. One reason why people find faults with the book is that Anne Elliot, the heroine, is not as spunky or witty as an Elizabeth Bennett or an Emma Woodhouse. There is not so much wit flowing in the dialogue between characters, or even dialogue in general. But these differences between the novels make this one so unique.   hide

Although Persuasion was an amazing book, it just did not add up to Jane Austen's other works. While not as silly as EMMA, it did not have the character development or interesting story line(s) of SENSE AND SENSIBILITY and PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. Still, a good read, if you're an Austen or romance novel fan.

Not her best novel, and while the plotlines are at times a bit forced, the language is delightful and the ending is satisfyingly happy. :) The ideas of rational vs. emotional choices, of other peoples' influence over our choices, of growth and maturity as they are explored in Persuasion transcribe fairly well into our time.