Persuasion

by: Jane Austen
Publisher: Headline Review
Dates Read: January 8 - March 26
Pages: 267
Source: Own it

Why did I read it?
It's Jane Austen.  That is enough of a reason.  

Persuasion is the last, completed novel by Jane Austen.  Anne Elliot fell in love with Frederick Wentworth when she was twenty.  They became engaged but after many persuasions from a woman very close to their family, Jane's mother had died, the engagement was broken as he was not seen to be suitable for her.  Fast forward to eight years later the book begins and Jane still loves him.  Now he is a captain in the navy and extremely suitable for her to marry, but she is convinced too much time has passed.  Let the sexual tension begin.  

Jane Austen truly understand the mind of women.  Her books are timeless, I am sure, for this very reason.  I have said for years, nobody writes love pentagons like Austen.  It is always so much more than boy likes girl with one mild conflict.  Boy likes girl but girl rejected him so he focuses on his work, makes some friends, realizes he may have given another girl the idea he likes her, she almost dies, he feels obligated, just barely gets out of that one, writes a wonderfully telling note and, finally, gets the girl.  Her books continue to feel relatable even though they were written 150 years ago.  They always will be because she just plain got it.  

If I have to say one bad thing about Persuasion, it would be that it got a little slow in the middle there.  The plot was not pulling me in and then BAM I thought for sure we were witnessing the death of a girl who landed head first on some rocks.  That is not something I have seen in Austen before.  It pulled me right back in and really helped to push us forwards.  I was all in from there.  

I cannot speak any more negatives than that.  It's Jane Austen.  She is a classic for a reason.  Everything she writes is wonderful - pure felicity.  

"You pierce my soul.  I am half agony, half hope."   

Rating: 4.5/5
As I said.  It was slow until the girl almost died from a head wound. Jane Austen my friends.  She knows how to write waiting and longing.  She just gets it!


Recommendation: 
Everyone should read this book.  Everyone should read Jane Austen.  Men, you want to understand how our mind's work?  Read Austen.  It will help.  She just gets it! I really don't think their is a maximum number of times I can say that she gets it, so read it.