Reviews - Persuasion | The StoryGraph

16k reviews for:

Persuasion

Jane Austen

4.11 AVERAGE

marylovesplants's review against another edition

Came across an eleven line sentence, this book is too wordy.

katbancroft's review against another edition

4.0

emotional hopeful reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Undoubtedly Jane Austen’s most mature, melancholy work. The emotions are heavier here than in her other books, and consequently carry a greater depth of feeling. The way Anne suffers under the weight of her mistakes, feels unworthy of Captain Wentworth’s regard, rekindles hope for his affections, and ultimately grows into a stronger version of herself was a beautiful but sometimes rather uncomfortable mirror to look into — and it certainly hit different on a reread, now that I’m the same age as Anne Elliot.

Like I’ve noted in my reviews of other Austen books, I sometimes struggled with the formality of the language, and at key moments wished for more “showing” than “telling.” But damn, “You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you” has nothing on “You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope.” There’s a truer, deeper love in “Persuasion” than in Austen’s other books, a love that’s survived heartbreak and separation, anger and resentment. I don’t think it will ever stop hurting my heart a little, that Austen could so exquisitely articulate the kind of love she must have desired but never experienced for herself. It’s hopeful to me, though, that to the end of her life, she never stopped believing that love like this exists, that ordinary men and women can create something powerful and devoted and sublime. It makes me want to believe in that, too, and I’ll always cherish the ache of “Persuasion” for breathing some life into my most painful wants.

robina's review against another edition

3.0

lighthearted reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

naslhita's review against another edition

3.0

My least favorite Jane Austen's book so far. It lacked a bit of the antics and really strong characters common on her other works. Regardless, it's a really enjoyable read with good social commentaries like always.

bookforthought's review against another edition

4.0

emotional funny slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Starts off very slowly but that ending more than makes up for it! Anne is such a layered character, I think I'd love her even more on a re-read. And that letter at the end...
Not my favourite Jane Austen for now but definitely the right one to read as an adult, as it becomes easier to relate to more mature characters. I'll revisit it for sure in the future, so I can fully appreciate the nuances of Austen's witty writing.