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My rating: 5 of 5 stars


“You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope...I have loved none but you.”




Our most beloved author as well as one of the most widely read author of all times, Jane Austen's, last notable piece of literature, Persuasion, unfolds the story of a twenty-something woman in the early 19th century England who is caught between the choices of her heart as well as her family to decide on whether she will honor her heart's choices that once loved a man so dearly or or will she pay heed to her family's wishes who once persuaded her not to marry the one whom she loved because of his status or poor finances.



Synopsis:

Persuasion, Jane Austen's last novel, is a moving, masterly and elegiac love story tinged with the heartache of missed opportunities.

It tells the story of Anne Elliot, who, persuaded to break off her engagement to the man she loved because he was not successful enough, has never forgotten him. When he returns, he brings with him a tantalizing second chance of happiness.


Once the 13/14 year old version of this reviewer was so caught up in the world of literature, that she practically used to sneak in the the older readers' section in her school's library to select her next Austen/Bronte/Hardy/Gaskell/Poe/Shelley book and later on, she took on a good hearing from her school's librarian warning that she is only allowed to read something of her age! Very well, that did not stop her from reading these remarkable and classic romance stories. Back in those days she too was captivated by the words and the stories of Austen and even today, as a grown up woman, she loves them equally with the same vigor.

I re-read this only because of Penguin's new edition called, Penguin English Library. At first, I was caught on the crossroads on whether to buy the clothbound editions (hardcover) or the simple paperback ones, considering the fact that the clothbound editions are pretty much over-priced compared to its paperback editions. Anyways, I decided to collect the paperback editions which are also really pretty, and it is only because of the fact that with the cost of one single clothbound edition book, I would get almost three paperback editions.

And I would really suggest readers to but the paperback editions as they are cheap and affordable and has a great paper texture compared to the hardcover/clothbound editions. But if a reader really wants to invest in these novels, then I would recommend him/her to purchase the hardcover/clothbound editions. They are really a masterpiece that a reader would like to decorate it on his/her bookshelf or his/her home library.

Back to the review, well how can I put my feelings into writing when it comes to Austen or Bronte novels, I really have no idea about that. I can only urge each and every reader ever born onto this planet to read the notable literary masterpieces to make them invaluable, priceless and memorable with the passing time, rather than let them fade away under the heaps of technological waste.

Criticize her literary works or rant those with your harsh words or put blank paint on the covers of her novels, do whatever you want to with her novels, but give them a read, rather than reading the notable works of Rowling or more like her. Never mind, I shall not get into a fight on what a reader should read or not, as it depends purely on their personal taste.

Austen's literary works are worthy of every great positive adjectives ever discovered in English vocabulary. Similarly, when it comes to Persuasion, that revolves around Anne, daughter of a rich baronet who has claimed to fame because of his financial position in the society and to back his aristocratic dreams, his two daughters support him, except his daughter, Anne. Eight years ago, Anne was drawn to the charm of Frederick Wentworth, although his financial situation was not that stable, thus Anne, then a young and persuadable lady, was easily brainwashed by her family to not to settle her home with this chap considering the fact that Anne's family had a reputation in the society of riches. But now, Anne is still unwed, and has formed an opinion of hers own, and is not that naive to be brainwashed by anyone, and surprisingly Wentworth is back with his fortune and name and rank and both their families are now in good terms and it is becoming real difficult for the former lovers to address one another considering their deep feelings hidden under piles of passing time and changes.

Anne's story is inspiring as this woman is at first depicted as someone who is naive but after few years, she becomes independent both financially and mentally. Yes she certainly stands as an epitome for not only the 19th century women but also for the coming-of-age women with a strong underlying message to be independent in body, mind and in the society. The characters in this story are evolving from one dimension to another and the changes are very much visible among each and every characters. The limitation back then for a woman was very vividly portrayed by the author and that is where Anne barges in as a warrior to break all the barriers and stand tall.

The romance is the reason why many people find solace and comfort in the literary worlds of Austen. They are not too passionate or heavily poignant, yet they have this feeling that you get when seeing your lover after a long duration of time- a longing that is quite pure, gentle yet a bit compassionate enough to move even the less-emotional people on this planet. Anne and Wentworth's love affair is something like that as the former lovers found no words or a way to express themselves in the crowd yet their presence together had this powerful effect which is evident not only to those characters surrounding them but to the characters (readers) outside the pages of the book. And for that Austen will forever live on and on till the time goes by!

And I feel that I'm not qualified enough to talk about Austen's literary prose or writing style, because many before me and after me had and will research Austen's notable works for their thesis or research purposes.



Verdict: Romanticism at its best!
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Author Info:
Jane Austen was an English novelist whose works of romantic fiction, set among the landed gentry, earned her a place as one of the most widely read writers in English literature, her realism and biting social commentary cementing her historical importance among scholars and critics.

Austen lived her entire life as part of a close-knit family located on the lower fringes of the English landed gentry. She was educated primarily by her father and older brothers as well as through her own reading. The steadfast support of her family was critical to her development as a professional writer. Her artistic apprenticeship lasted from her teenage years until she was about 35 years old. During this period, she experimented with various literary forms, including the epistolary novel which she tried then abandoned, and wrote and extensively revised three major novels and began a fourth. From 1811 until 1816, with the release of Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park (1814) and Emma (1815), she achieved success as a published writer. She wrote two additional novels, Northanger Abbey and Persuasion, both published posthumously in 1818, and began a third, which was eventually titled Sanditon, but died before completing it.
Austen's works critique the novels of sensibility of the second half of the 18th century and are part of the transition to 19th-century realism. Her plots, though fundamentally comic, highlight the dependence of women on marriage to secure social standing and economic security. Her work brought her little personal fame and only a few positive reviews during her lifetime, but the publication in 1869 of her nephew's A Memoir of Jane Austen introduced her to a wider public, and by the 1940s she had become widely accepted in academia as a great English writer. The second half of the 20th century saw a proliferation of Austen scholarship and the emergence of a Janeite fan culture.
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