Persuasion (Penguin Classics)

It’s Jane Austen. It’s brilliant. But it’s not cheerful. The Penguin Classics edition is as expected.

I picked this up as part of my journey back into classics, and I'm so glad I did. Austen's writing in this one feels more mature and reflective than her earlier novels. The story moves at a steady pace, and the characters feel genuine - especially Anne, who's easy to root for. It's a quieter romance compared to modern books, but that's exactly what I needed. If you're trying to get away from lighter reads and want something with more substance, this is a solid choice. The Penguin Classics edition is well-made too, which is always a bonus.

What can I say about any novel of Jane Austen's, other than to admire her prose and reflect on her plot. As always, Ms. Austen shows why she is one of the most revered writers in the English Language. I give this book four as opposed to five stars because I found the plot to be more simplistic and overtly formulaic than some of her greater novels. That being said, you can never go wrong by spending some time with Jane Austen, and if you are already a fan, by all means read this wonderful novel.

Awesome book!!

Love, love, love this book. It’s my favorite Austen book and an annual go to read. Also being a shorter book makes it a quick read.

happy with book although english victorian language a little hard to follow they are so correct thanks

Certainly one of the greatest literary minds of all time is that of Jane Austen, an author who has been much-maligned by her unfair modern association with "chick-lit" (it's nice that "Bridget Jones' Diary" was based on "Pride and Prejudice," but that should not reflect unduly on Austen's work). The trick is that while Austen's novels do tend to center on a romantic plot they are imbued with many other facets that make them so much more than trifling entertainments. Sharp social commentary is particularly prevalent in all of her novels, perhaps none more-so than her final work, "Persuasion" -- with its deft handling of a woman's place in society and of the difficulties imposed by class barriers. Its focus is on Anne Elliot, middle child of the pretentious Sir Walter, who has no use for her in his life -- choosing to favor his eldest daughter Elizabeth (who, truly, takes after her father in all selfish respects) and to offer regard to his youngest, Mary, at least as a woman who has fulfilled her purpose by marrying satisfactorily. Years earlier Lady Russell, a family friend who became a sort of surrogate parent to Anne after her mother's death, persuaded Anne to break her engagement to her beloved Frederick Wentworth, believing him to be an inferior sort of person who would only make Anne miserable in time. Now, eight years later, Wentworth is a successful captain in the British navy who has proven that he would have been a more than worthy match for Anne in situation as well as affection. But when he comes back into her life, Anne must live with the consequences of her earlier decision as Wentworth appears to have moved on -- actively seeking a wife right under Anne's nose. Anne also finds herself being courted by her cousin William, who would be a perfectly sensible match for her, but since her heart still belongs to Captain Wentworth she cannot bear to consider it. The plot conventions will be familiar to fans of Austen, but that does not detract from the sharpness and enjoyability of the tale in the slightest. The keen observations are on target, and "Persuasion" has the added benefit of having some of the best characters in the Austen canon this side of "Pride and Prejudice". Anne proves to be a heroine worthy of Elizabeth Bennet's approval, and Captain Wentworth an amiable counterpoint to the steelier Mr. Darcy. Mary's histrionics are reminiscent of the wailings of Mrs. Bennet, providing blissful comic relief without becoming too overbearing. Best of all, naturally, is the omnipresent Austen wit -- an incomparable achievement in all of her novels, on fine display here in "Persuasion". Anyone who has not yet experienced Jane Austen is missing out on some enjoyable and delightfully thought-provoking reading, and should get started as soon as possible.

Even the least of Jane Austin’s works is worth reading; but, that said, I am going to admit that I didn’t like Persuasion nearly as much as I enjoyed the other four books that she finished. Persuasion was written near the end of Austin’s too-short life, and my gut feeling is that if she had not been in a hurry to finish it, knowing her days were going to be short, and if she had felt better when she was writing it, she would have edited it herself up to the standard set by her other works. As it is, I find the main action almost unbelievable. A very young woman falls in love with a dashing but poor man (so far, so good), but she is persuaded by a friend of the family, a trusted older woman, not to marry him because his prospects are not as good as her own. A decade passes, her bloom fades, and she never marries, always remembering him. Meanwhile, he makes his name and fortune in the navy, then revisits, briefly, the area where as a youth he fell in love with the heroine. This is not at all bad for a plot, and romance is certainly part of Austin’s “three inches of ivory” that she knew so well; but Persuasion’s heroine is so obedient and painfully virtuous, and so reluctant to express herself in any way that could offend even a mouse, that. . . she’s boring. There’s very little of the independent spirit that informs most of Jane’s heroines and delights the reader. Also damning is the way Jane’s heroine learns about the wickedness of a competing suitor set to inherit her family’s wealth. This suitor, his belated attentions (for which there is no reasonable motive, as he knows he’s going to inherit anyway), and the way his weaknesses come to light, are all created in a way that seems hasty and contrived. If Jane Austin had lived longer in good health, I am almost certain that Persuasion would be a better book. As it is, the action is not quite believable and the characters lack Austin’s customary elan. Sorry, Jane. I still love you.

Llegó en perfectas condiciones y la edición con la portada que viene en la publicación.

penguin kalitesi ve muhtesem bir kitap

Loved the book... It's great! Jane Austen is great. Those who love classics need no reviews about the book's content.

Meu livro preferido da Jane Austen.

L'articolo è sì conforme alla descrizione, ma presenta dei segni sulla copertina, sulla costa e sugli angoli certamente dovuti a negligenza nella gestione logistica di un prodotto delicato. Non è la prima volta che un libro pagato per nuovo presenta questo genere di danni, ma posso garantire che è l'ultima che ne acquisto uno tramite amazon. Torniamo a compare i libri nelle librerie o, dove possibile, ripieghiamo sull'usato - ne gioverà l'ambiente e il nostro portafogli.