Scan barcode
littlecornerreads's review
3.0
“Absence is to love what wind is to fire; it extinguishes the small, it inflames the great.” ― Roger de Bussy-Rabutin
Rating: 3.5 stars
(In case you were wondering, this book contains pop culture references, language, LGBT characters, some suggestive content, and mentions of mental health issues including depression, chronic anxiety, and body dysmorphia)
I know it’s the middle of summer, but this didn’t exactly put me in the holiday spirit at all. The whole holiday season was kinda glossed over, which is especially unfortunate when it’s, you know, in the title. Still, it’s a decent retelling. The story feels a little sparse, but it is a novella, so the fact that every single element from the original story isn't in the book isn't exactly a surprise.
The story starts out strong despite the flashbacks to Anne and Eric's past. The first half of the novella captures the spirit of Persuasion fairly well. Eric's race “shocking her father’s white politician’s conscience,” Anne's transformation from a vibrant DJ to a beige English professor, and the awkwardness of their reunion after 8 years echo Austen's work nicely.
Unfortunately, the story starts to lose momentum when it hits the “B side,” especially when we get to the point where Anne's true feelings are revealed through the semi-autobiographical book she wrote (in which any similarities to actual persons, living or dead, are not purely coincidental) and we get a big confrontation scene that spoiler alert: features a shut-up kiss.
I'm kind of on the fence about they way some of the creative liberties were used to modernize Persuasion. As mentioned above, I was not a fan of the scene that replaced "half-agony, half-hope," but I did enjoy Anne and David Wentworth's friendships (but maybe that's because I have a soft spot for big brother figures.)
It's kind of a mixed bag but still better than some of the other Persuasion retellings I've read, so I'd say give it a shot. It's short, so if you don't like it, at least it'll end quickly.
More...