Story
Anne Elliott is the shy and overlooked middle
daughter of the widowed Sir Walter Elliott, a conceited, snobbish spendthrift from
an old landed family.
Eight years ago, Anne was persuaded by her friends and family to break off her engagement to Frederick Wentworth, a humble young naval officer with no money or connections. Now a successful Captain whose victories have made him rich, he re-enters her life, but still seems aggrieved about Anne’s treatment of him. The cast of characters includes: Admiral and Mrs Croft, Captain Wentworth’s friendly and unpretentious in-laws; William Elliott, Sir Walter’s cousin and heir, previously estranged from the family and whose motives for reconciliation are opaque; Mrs Clay, the best friend of Anne’s elder sister Elizabeth, who may be angling for Sir Walter; Lady Russell, Anne’s mentor and confidante, whose judgement can’t always be trusted; the Musgrave sisters, who vie for Captain Wentworth’s attention; and Mrs Smith, Anne’s school friend, now fallen on hard times, who knows more about William Elliott’s past.
Review:
Persuasion is Jane Austen’s shortest novel, and the last one she completed before she died. The ‘will they/won’t they’ plot embraces wider themes: about second chances; about the family you choose and the one you were born into; about resilience and constancy and change; about pride, shyness and self-worth. Every time I re-read it I find new aspects I missed before.
Verdict:
4½ stars
Most memorable quotes:
"I hate to hear you talking so like a fine gentleman, and as if women were all fine ladies, instead of rational creatures. We none of us expect to be in smooth water all our days."
“She had been forced into prudence in her youth, she learned romance as she grew older: the natural sequel of an unnatural beginning.”
If you liked this book, you might also like: anything else by Jane Austen. There’s also a 1995 TV adaptation (with Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds) and a 2007 one (with Sally Hawkins and Rupert Penry-Jones); both can be rented on Amazon Prime. If you don’t mind the poor picture quality, there are links to the 2007 film at https://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/2007/06/15/you-can-watch-persuasion-2007-online/ and the 1995 one at https://youtu.be/hN7j7Ey-cM0
Reviewed by Mo Bosch, Head of Communications, Trust Office