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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
funny
lighthearted
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Lady Susan, The Watsons, Sandtion is a compilation of some smaller and unfinished works by Jane Austen from early in her life and from right at the very end.
Lady Susan
“There is exquisite pleasure in subduing an insolent spirit, in making a person pre-determined to dislike, acknowledge one's superiority."
I really enjoyed Lady Susan and reading the story through the use of letters. There's a bit of intrigue and gossip, and you get to see what the characters actually think of the others rather than the face they show in their presence. Although I don't like Lady Susan herself, you have to admire her ability to scheme!
The Watsons
“I shall retreat in as much secrecy as possible to the most remote corner of the house, where I shall order a barrel of oysters, and be famously snug."
The Watsons provided an interesting insight into the society of the time, and I very much liked there was a note tacked on the end regarding what the plan was for Emma's future story. Being so short I didn't overly attach to any character other than Emma Watson, but I think I like where it was to head and who she was to end up with.
Sanditon
“Every neighbourhood should have a great Lady.”
And finally, Sanditon is an unfinished work revolving around a newly built spa town. We first meet our central characters when they're out on the road, shortly followed by them returning to Sanditon with a new companion whose eyes we watch the rest of the story from. Its an interesting story, and I would have loved to know where it leads and what it would look like a bit more fleshed out.
Lady Susan
“There is exquisite pleasure in subduing an insolent spirit, in making a person pre-determined to dislike, acknowledge one's superiority."
I really enjoyed Lady Susan and reading the story through the use of letters. There's a bit of intrigue and gossip, and you get to see what the characters actually think of the others rather than the face they show in their presence. Although I don't like Lady Susan herself, you have to admire her ability to scheme!
The Watsons
“I shall retreat in as much secrecy as possible to the most remote corner of the house, where I shall order a barrel of oysters, and be famously snug."
The Watsons provided an interesting insight into the society of the time, and I very much liked there was a note tacked on the end regarding what the plan was for Emma's future story. Being so short I didn't overly attach to any character other than Emma Watson, but I think I like where it was to head and who she was to end up with.
Sanditon
“Every neighbourhood should have a great Lady.”
And finally, Sanditon is an unfinished work revolving around a newly built spa town. We first meet our central characters when they're out on the road, shortly followed by them returning to Sanditon with a new companion whose eyes we watch the rest of the story from. Its an interesting story, and I would have loved to know where it leads and what it would look like a bit more fleshed out.
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
As a Janeite, I hang my head in shame for not reading Lady Susan until now though it was definitely one of Jane's lesser works. Lady Susan Vernon is truly a villain in the heroine's spot, very different for Jane but I liked seeing her struggle with a style that was not her natural one. The Watsons is a delightful tease as an unfinished fragment. Sanditon I had read before but it was fun to read it in this form, closer to the original manuscripts than the cleaned up version I read before.
LADY SUSAN: 3.5 ☆
Lady Susan was quite nice. Its funny and honestly its unbelievable that she wrote Lady Susan at only nineteen! The epistolary format of this novel really allows us to see how observant Austen was from such a young age. And honestly i could not take the characters seriously they're just so silly.
THE WATSONS: 2 ☆
I DNF'ed this because i genuinely could not. It was quite boring and i didnt like the characters or the themes so it just kinda flopped. It wasnt as witty or as smart or anything. Just. Plain. Im sure that if it was a completed novel it wouldve been better.
SANDITON: 2.5 ☆
This has some of Austens wittiness, and the plot is quite nice, it has some of the usual Austen-crafted delicious-silly-dramatic-scenes. And I desperately wish this was a finished novel. it talks about leisure and vanity and the importance of health way back and like money and stuff YOU KNOW.
This is barely 12 chapters and it is the equivalent of like 1/6 of a typical austen novel. Basically this is just setting the scene of everything, nothing has really happened.
So yeah. Thats pretty much it.
Lady Susan was quite nice. Its funny and honestly its unbelievable that she wrote Lady Susan at only nineteen! The epistolary format of this novel really allows us to see how observant Austen was from such a young age. And honestly i could not take the characters seriously they're just so silly.
THE WATSONS: 2 ☆
I DNF'ed this because i genuinely could not. It was quite boring and i didnt like the characters or the themes so it just kinda flopped. It wasnt as witty or as smart or anything. Just. Plain. Im sure that if it was a completed novel it wouldve been better.
SANDITON: 2.5 ☆
This has some of Austens wittiness, and the plot is quite nice, it has some of the usual Austen-crafted delicious-silly-dramatic-scenes. And I desperately wish this was a finished novel. it talks about leisure and vanity and the importance of health way back and like money and stuff YOU KNOW.
This is barely 12 chapters and it is the equivalent of like 1/6 of a typical austen novel. Basically this is just setting the scene of everything, nothing has really happened.
So yeah. Thats pretty much it.
Slightly racist but not the worst for early nineteenth century
Introduction - I really appreciated in the insight from the editor. I learned a lot of information and it gave me a framework for continuing with the stories.
Lady Susan - What a cruel woman Lady Susan is. I found the letter writing to be lacking in the normal information given in Austen's books but as I continued to read I like what it left to the imagination. Catherine was a favorite character. Lady Susan got what she deserved in the end, which is typical of Austen. Very much enjoyed this.
The Watsons - This was highly entertaining and I am heartbroken that this novel was never completed. I love the way the characters were starting to interact and the relationships you could see forming - for good and evil. I would have very much enjoyed reading the rest of this story. I am glad Cassandra was able to shed some light on where it was going and how it would end.
Sanditon - This was least like other JA completed works in my opinion. You could tell it was written during her illness, as it had the mostly sickness - real or imagined - of any of her books. It would be interesting to know where this was headed as I felt, as a casual reader not a scholar, that there wasn't enough to determine how the story would go.
Lady Susan - What a cruel woman Lady Susan is. I found the letter writing to be lacking in the normal information given in Austen's books but as I continued to read I like what it left to the imagination. Catherine was a favorite character. Lady Susan got what she deserved in the end, which is typical of Austen. Very much enjoyed this.
The Watsons - This was highly entertaining and I am heartbroken that this novel was never completed. I love the way the characters were starting to interact and the relationships you could see forming - for good and evil. I would have very much enjoyed reading the rest of this story. I am glad Cassandra was able to shed some light on where it was going and how it would end.
Sanditon - This was least like other JA completed works in my opinion. You could tell it was written during her illness, as it had the mostly sickness - real or imagined - of any of her books. It would be interesting to know where this was headed as I felt, as a casual reader not a scholar, that there wasn't enough to determine how the story would go.