Persuasion

Synopsis

Twenty-seven-year old Anne Elliot is Austen's most adult heroine. Eight years before the story proper begins, she is happily betrothed to a naval officer, Frederick Wentworth, but she precipitously breaks off the engagement when persuaded by her friend Lady Russell that such a match is unworthy. The breakup produces in Anne a deep and long-lasting regret. When later Wentworth returns from sea a rich and successful captain, he finds Anne's family on the brink of financial ruin and his own sister a tenant in Kellynch Hall, the Elliot estate. All the tension of the novel revolves around one question: Will Anne and Wentworth be reunited in their love?

Loved

• Anne. Anne is definitely my favorite Austen heroine- 100%. She is described at the beginning of the story has having "an elegant character"- and that perfectly encapsules her selfless and unassuming manner. She is beautiful, intelligent and strong without being gorgeous, outrageously witty, and high-spirited like some of the other Austen heroines. Anne is just good, compassionate, and unselfish. She is educated and well-read, quoting any number of poets, but no one knows this unless they take the time to have deep conversations with her. Anne is always the quiet confidante who listens to everyone's drama and woes, and always the tender caregiver, even when no one takes care of her. Over and over throughout the story Anne endures the vanity and pride of her family while quietly giving, serving and encouraging everyone with her dignified, but quiet strength and gentle manners.

• The tension. I think this particular Austen story is so engaging because of the tension between Anne and Captain Wentworth. Every scene involving the two of them is fraught with intensity as we examine and re-examine every one of Captain Wentworth's words, looks, comments, and actions- all while wondering: Does he still love Anne?? We get to experience Anne's distress and uncertainty as she is sure the Captain despises her, even while she hopes in her heart of hearts that he still loves her after all these years. I love all the awkward conversations (or sore lack thereof) between them- I even laughed out loud at a few of the particularly uncomfortable moments :)

• Captain Wentworth. Ah, this captain. I love that he still adores Anne despite her breaking off their betrothal- and I love that he tries so hard to forget her and even resent her, but can't help himself :) Every scene in which he appears has such an enigmatic energy as we analyze his every look, move, and comment wondering what he is thinking behind his gentlemanly charm and manners. What I love most about Captain Wentworth is that he understands how good Anne is and complements her goodness with his polished charm, passionate loyalty, and generous heart. His journey throughout the book is fascinating as he goes from coming off as cold and indifferent as he resents Anne, to having difficulty hiding his fascination with and respect for her, and then eventually becoming so desperate in his love for her that he can hardly be in the same room with her without losing it. He's a mystery until the very end, which makes the story all the more romantic ;)

• The letter!! "You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope . . ." Ah, this letter! Definitely my favorite part of this story and probably the most romantic letter ever written- and that's including Mr. Darcy's letter to Elizabeth in which he expresses how he "ardently admires and loves her." This letter is perfection and is SO worth waiting through all the painful and cringey moments between Anne and Captain Wentworth leading up to this finale.  The best part is that he writes the letter while she's in the room- and talking to his best friend about love enduring through time. That's the truth. You have to read it and get the whole story, but I'm telling you it's definitely the best and most romantic letter out there. Yes, I rewound the audiobook this time through and listened to the letter a few times on my way to work. Don't worry- I was just as giddy as I was reading it as an adult as I was reading it for the first time as a twelve-year-old ;)

• The secondary characters. Some of these characters are so frustrating in how real they are, which makes it both hilarious and painful. For example, Anne's sister Mary is the ultimate hypochondriac, always has something to complain about, and invites herself wherever she is not wanted. We all know people like this, which gives the story its humor, and also makes it much more realistic for the readers. I also love Sir Walter's vanity and frank analysis of every face they meet (yes, literally their face- whether they look young or old, have spots, have a red nose, etc.) His vanity and pride is so ridiculous that it adds humor to the story and shows off Anne's humble and sweet character even more.

• The writing. We could talk about this with every Jane Austen novel obviously, but her writing is just phenomenal! I love her witty descriptions, subtle implications and at times dry humor, all infused with feminine passion and charm. I've never listened to an Austen audiobook before, and this one was so fun! It was narrated by a British woman who portrayed Anne (or at least her voice) I highly recommend the audiobook, it's so fun to listen with a British accent to get all the Regency vibes :)

Didn't Love

• I absolutely love this story! I wouldn't change a thing except that Anne and Captain Wentworth don't kiss in the story, which is a shame ;)

Content

• Language: 
• No language.

• Sexual content: 
• One kiss, not described.

• Violence:
• No violence, just one dramatic scene where a woman falls from a high wall and is unconscious, but appears as if she's dead. Another scene where a boy falls from a tree and injures his neck.

Overall Thoughts

This has long-since been my favorite Austen book (not movie, but book), mostly because of Anne. I just think Anne is an angel and I love the happy ending she gets because she completely deserves it. I also love the romance and how we have to sit through so many tense and awkward dinners, dances, parties, strolls, and conversations to finally know how Captain Wentworth feels about Anne. I love the tension this produces that keeps us on our toes (in an Austen-sort of way :) If you're an Austen fan and haven't read this one yet, definitely treat yourself to this swoony romance.