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4.11 AVERAGE
4.11 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Diverse cast of characters:
No
emotional
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I’d read Sense and Sensibility and Emma before picking up Persuasion. Though the storylines are different, i feel all these books revolve a lot around the same notions. The only thing setting them apart are the heroines and their core personalities - speaking of which, I’ve loved all heroines equally if not one more than the other.
Anne Elliot in Persuasion is the woman I aspire to be. Elegant, in manner and speech, grounded, well read, witty, kind, sensible, a reliable friend, aware of her own shortcomings, accepting of others’, open to new perspectives, respectful of everyone’s opinions whilst also holding strong, reasonable opinions of her own. Damn Austen - the bar is just too high.
Also, i feel no one could have been better suited than Dakota Johnson as Anne in the movie adaptation.
Anne Elliot in Persuasion is the woman I aspire to be. Elegant, in manner and speech, grounded, well read, witty, kind, sensible, a reliable friend, aware of her own shortcomings, accepting of others’, open to new perspectives, respectful of everyone’s opinions whilst also holding strong, reasonable opinions of her own. Damn Austen - the bar is just too high.
Also, i feel no one could have been better suited than Dakota Johnson as Anne in the movie adaptation.
challenging
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I just reread this (in little more than a day) and was surprised that it hasn’t quite held up. I've bumped it down from 5 stars to 4. Probably because I’ve seen more than one dramatization, I could picture the dialogue, but there’s a surprising amount of description of conversations without actual dialogue. Still better than most and a nice tale where the unappreciated, sensible daughter finds true love.
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Persuasion is one of those life-changing books that everybody ought to read at least once. I will not be delving into plot specifics, so as to avoid possible spoilers.
I think Persuasion might be the most friendly "starter" Austen novel (especially, at the risk of sounding sexist, if you are a man and not immediately interested in reading Austen, but have been told by literature profs, podcasters, female friends and relatives, and/or me in a long tweet thread/Goodreads review that Jane Austen is very much for men, too). It has a shorter exposition than most; it is shorter overall than most; there is little dancing; the book spends a lot of time talking about naval officers, ships, and the Napoleonic Wars; there is more action and intrigue; there are few lengthy discussions of carriages, primogeniture laws, and other historical details; and the male characters have prominent, dialogue-heavy roles. If, as my husband says, Master and Commander is Jane Austen for men, then Persuasion is Master and Commander for women. Persuasion also has an entirely different tone to it than what I normally associate with Austen. It is more pensive and noticeably darker than others of her works, though without being dour or depressive. The older median age of the characters might also help connect with the average Austen reader now, who might be startled at the frequency of 15- and 16-year-olds marrying in other Austen novels. All-told, it is deeply approachable and thoroughly enjoyable with or without a background in Austen and Regency literature.
For one reason or another, Jane Austen has received the bad rap of being "chick-lit," but I think this work does a perfect job encapsulating that she is NOT that. Jane Austen is an intensely, undeniably Christian author, and Persuasion is no exception: the whole book centers around contrition, repentance, absolution, and forgiveness as the foundation of all forms of love, especially romantic love, in a way that is perhaps more legible and immediately evocative than it is in her other works. As always, though, these thoughts are so integrated into the work as to make it defy "moral strip-mining"; you will simply need to read it to understand what I mean.
This book is stunning. I am really, frankly, at a loss to say much else. I have no coherent criticism, even positive, worthy of this book or of Jane Austen. It was just so, so good. Pride and Prejudice has and always will be my favorite Austen novel because of its very special place in my life and in my heart, but I think Persuasion will be a very close second. I hope you will read it.
I think Persuasion might be the most friendly "starter" Austen novel (especially, at the risk of sounding sexist, if you are a man and not immediately interested in reading Austen, but have been told by literature profs, podcasters, female friends and relatives, and/or me in a long tweet thread/Goodreads review that Jane Austen is very much for men, too). It has a shorter exposition than most; it is shorter overall than most; there is little dancing; the book spends a lot of time talking about naval officers, ships, and the Napoleonic Wars; there is more action and intrigue; there are few lengthy discussions of carriages, primogeniture laws, and other historical details; and the male characters have prominent, dialogue-heavy roles. If, as my husband says, Master and Commander is Jane Austen for men, then Persuasion is Master and Commander for women. Persuasion also has an entirely different tone to it than what I normally associate with Austen. It is more pensive and noticeably darker than others of her works, though without being dour or depressive. The older median age of the characters might also help connect with the average Austen reader now, who might be startled at the frequency of 15- and 16-year-olds marrying in other Austen novels. All-told, it is deeply approachable and thoroughly enjoyable with or without a background in Austen and Regency literature.
For one reason or another, Jane Austen has received the bad rap of being "chick-lit," but I think this work does a perfect job encapsulating that she is NOT that. Jane Austen is an intensely, undeniably Christian author, and Persuasion is no exception: the whole book centers around contrition, repentance, absolution, and forgiveness as the foundation of all forms of love, especially romantic love, in a way that is perhaps more legible and immediately evocative than it is in her other works. As always, though, these thoughts are so integrated into the work as to make it defy "moral strip-mining"; you will simply need to read it to understand what I mean.
This book is stunning. I am really, frankly, at a loss to say much else. I have no coherent criticism, even positive, worthy of this book or of Jane Austen. It was just so, so good. Pride and Prejudice has and always will be my favorite Austen novel because of its very special place in my life and in my heart, but I think Persuasion will be a very close second. I hope you will read it.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Though this book was slower than I was expecting because I’ve only watched the movies, the payoff in the end was masterful!
got halfway through during spring break and just now finishing it. i feel a bond to anne she is me and i am her. but tbh this book isn’t really a story abt her but really abt her observations abt other people. unfortunately, i found myself most engaged during the parts abt her story
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Jane Austin tienes mi corazón y mi alma.
La manera de escribir personajes femeninos tan distintos pero a la vez deja un poquito de su alma en todas ellas. Como escribe a sus personajes masculinos dónde una cae con sus palabras.
Su definición y descripción de lo que es el amor y cómo se puede sentir de manera tan distintas mientras sea verdadero.
Y como último pero menos importante, como en cada historia hace alusión o ronda alrededor de los problemas de ser mujer en esos tiempos y como hace a sus protagonistas mujeres tan...conscientes de ello y de lo que ellas merecen a pesar de vivir en una sociedad que las limita; citando una frase del libro "Los hombres han tenido toda la ventaja sobre nosotras al contar ellos la historia."
En resumen, Jane Austin dónde sea que estés, espero sepas que tus historias, hechas desde tu hogar con pluma y papel, en un tiempo donde mujeres escritoras eran mal vistas y nadie quería publicarlas, ahora son éxitos, que muchas las llevamos en nuestro corazón al poder sentirnos identificadas con tus protagonistas, gracias por escribir y dejarnos leer tus historias, pensamientos, y trozitos de tu alma
La manera de escribir personajes femeninos tan distintos pero a la vez deja un poquito de su alma en todas ellas. Como escribe a sus personajes masculinos dónde una cae con sus palabras.
Su definición y descripción de lo que es el amor y cómo se puede sentir de manera tan distintas mientras sea verdadero.
Y como último pero menos importante, como en cada historia hace alusión o ronda alrededor de los problemas de ser mujer en esos tiempos y como hace a sus protagonistas mujeres tan...conscientes de ello y de lo que ellas merecen a pesar de vivir en una sociedad que las limita; citando una frase del libro "Los hombres han tenido toda la ventaja sobre nosotras al contar ellos la historia."
En resumen, Jane Austin dónde sea que estés, espero sepas que tus historias, hechas desde tu hogar con pluma y papel, en un tiempo donde mujeres escritoras eran mal vistas y nadie quería publicarlas, ahora son éxitos, que muchas las llevamos en nuestro corazón al poder sentirnos identificadas con tus protagonistas, gracias por escribir y dejarnos leer tus historias, pensamientos, y trozitos de tu alma