Persuasion Book Review.

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Title: Persuasion.

Author: Jane Austen.

Gene: Classic, Romance.

Plot: In this classic novel we meet Anne Elliot, the second of three daughters born to the vain Sir Walter Elliot who is a widower and never remarries by the way; his eldest daughter Elizabeth is as vain and self-centered as he is and his youngest daughter Mary is married to Charles Musgrove and is selfish and often jealous when others are getting more attention than she is, but Anne is humble, sweet and good though plain in looks. This interesting family associates with a colorful cast of characters such as Lady Russell, the neighbor of the family and good friend of Anne, cousin Mr. Elliot who was once picked out as an ideal husband for Elizabeth but who sadly disappointed everyone by marrying someone else {he’s a widower now and therefore is “up for grabs,” so to speak} and Mrs. Smith, a school-fellow and friend of Anne’s.

When paying a visit to Mary, Anne meets Captain Wentworth after having not seen him for eight years. He’s made his fortune in the navy and is a fine young man but Anne is unsure of what to make of him for eight years earlier, when she was nineteen, she’d fallen in love with him. But having been persuaded that he was an unsuitable match for her, she was forced to break off the relationship; now that he’s back old emotions are remembered as he first behaves rather coldly to her and then gradually begins to soften as he and she both realize that he stills loves her, Anne herself has always loved him apparently. Several minor mishaps to friends of theirs’ keeps the two apart for sometime and during that time Anne goes to Bath with her family and while renewing her friendship with Mrs. Smith, she gets to know her cousin Mr. Elliot better. That young man provides a rival for Wentworth when he arrives in Bath and he unsuccessfully courts Anne who isn’t paying the slightest attention to him because she is still trying to figure out the more interesting puzzle named Wentworth. A series of unexpected run-ins and several conversations plus a hastily written letter later and Anne, good old humble, dutiful, loving Anne, is happily married to her beloved Captain Wentworth who proves to be the best man around and Mrs. Smith, instead of losing one friend, gains two at the close of the book. Cousin Elliot hastily quits the field upon hearing of the engagement and with him goes the widow Mrs. Clay who would otherwise have married Sir Walter. All in all, Austen’s last novel is, perhaps, her best, for she created her sweetest heroine, one of the finest heroes and a most interesting background and cast of characters than in any of her other novels, in my opinion at least.

Likes/Dislikes: This book has nothing inappropriate in it as far as I could tell and it’s different from the other five for while Northanger Abbey has a lighthearted carefree tone to it and Sense and Sensibility a mature older-sister like tone, Persuasion has a calm, peaceful, unrushed tone to it, and the theme of a redeemed romance and second chance at happiness isn’t in any of the other books either; setting it apart from them as a rare gemstone and a treasure of words.

Rating: PG.

Date Report Written: March 26, 2010.