BOOK REVIEW: Persuasion by Jane Austen

When I studied Austen at university, we read everything but Emma and Persuasion and yet everyone always tells me Persuasion is their favourite and I felt like I'd missed out. Finally, six years after graduating, I've read it and ... I was a little bit disappointed.

Eight years before the book begins, Anne Elliot and Frederick Wentworth fell in love. But Anne's family put a stop to their engagement, believing he wasn't good enough for her. At 27, Anne is still unattached when Captain Wentworth comes back into her life.

Of course, it's not hard to predict just what's going to happen, you know full well who will turn out to be a villain, which relationships (or connections) aren't necessarily what they seem and that Anne and Wentworth will end up together, and perhaps that lessened my enjoyment somewhat. But I think the main problem I had was that I just didn't feel emotionally involved. Probably because I didn't warm to Anne. And I'm afraid Wentworth's no Darcy either. (Although I must admit to a small flutter when he made his declaration to Anne - Austen does a good declaration!)

While there is plenty of Austen's deliciously dry wit and beautifully drawn characters - particularly Sir Walter, Admiral Croft and Anne's ridiculously bratty sister, Mary - Anne seemed a little wet and a bit dull and I couldn't quite see why Wentworth had been in love with her for so long.

As with all of Austen's books, Persuasion is as much about money and status as it is about romance, and it was interesting from that point of view, but I didn't feel that it added anything I hadn't already learned in her previous novels.

Despite all of the above, it's still Austen and so it's beautifully written and, to use an Austen-esque term, sufficiently diverting, but I'm afraid it will never replace Pride & Prejudice in my affections.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try Emma by Jane Austen

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