Review: ‘Persuasion’ by Jane Austen

I just finished reading ‘Persuasion’ by Jane Austen – so it’s time for a review!

I started reading ‘Persuasion’ because I haven’t read many Austen books. It was recently the author’s birthday – and so I was excited to try her writing again.

I didn’t know anything about the book before reading it, and I really enjoyed it.

‘Persuasion’ by Jane Austen synopsis

‘Persuasion’ is about a young woman, Anne, who had an ‘attachment’ to Captain Frederick Wentworth when she was nineteen.

However, she was encouraged by her friend, Lady Russell, on whom she depended for advice because of the early death of her mother, to break off the engagement due to the Captain’s lack of fortune and status.

Now, eight years on, Anne is still unmarried at a time when most women were married by this age, and her home, Kellynch, is let out to Admiral and Mrs Croft due to a lack of funds.

Mrs Croft’s brother is Captain Wentworth, and Anne’s connection to the family means that she has to watch as her former lover pursues the hand of her sister-in-law, Louisa.

Anne also has to deal with the advances of Mr Elliot, the gentlemanly cousin who will inherit Kellynch on the death of Anne’s father, unless he has a son.

Throughout the book Anne faces several problems, such as who to trust for advice, how she will appear to society and the fact that she cannot help but still feel something for her former love.

My review of ‘Persuasion’

Although this book was confusing at times, following similar conventions to other Austen books in that Austen uses similar or even the same names for different characters (there are about four Charles’!), it was still an enjoyable, interesting and good read!

Everyone seems to be related to each other in some way or another, projecting an image of the time Austen was living. This was very interesting to read for a history lover!

The setting

One of the things I loved about this book was the setting. Unlike ‘Pride and Prejudice‘, which pretty much sticks to Yorkshire or Derbyshire, ‘Persuasion’ moves between the countryside and the city of Bath, giving a broader view of 19th-century life.

I really liked it when Anne stayed at Uppercross, the house of her sister Mary and Mary’s husband Charles, as these sections of the book were in the countryside. I could vividly imagine the country life of Anne and her family.

After visiting Uppercross, Anne travels to Bath to be with her father and other sister, Elizabeth, as well as Elizabeth’s friend Mrs Clay. Here again, she bumps into Captain Wentworth, as well as becoming acquainted with her new amour, Mr Elliot.

The city life in Bath sounds amazing – and the whirlwind of parties and acquaintances sounds fascinating (although these parties soon become a drag to Anne).

Characters in ‘Persuasion’

I loved the characters in the novel. Austen is like Dickens, painting her characters as vivid caricatures so that they appear like actual people, with faults and annoying habits.

Like Mrs Bennett in ‘Pride and Prejudice’, Anne’s sister Mary is continually ill, complaining and moaning, until someone invites her to a party, and then suddenly she can get up out of bed.

Sir Walter (Anne’s father) is also a humorous character, and his great pride and vanity, although based on status, make him a life-like character, even for someone living in the 21st century.

That’s something I love about Jane Austen – her books are set in the 19th century, but the characters are still relatable to a modern-day reader.

I really liked the character of Anne, in particular. I thought she was interesting and different to other female protagonists. She accepts and understands her faults, making her a relatable, human character.

“She prized the frank, the open-hearted, the eager character beyond all others. Warmth and enthusiasm did captivate her still. She felt the she could depend upon the sincerity of those who sometimes looked or said a careless or hasty thing, than those whose…tongue never slipped.”

I also loved the passages where Anne lamented about the awkwardness of her and her former lover meeting again. I can just imagine Anne and the Captain’s meetings being part of a more modern setting.

Unlike other classics, this book did not waffle about boring aspects of 19th-century life, and there was a lot of action and plot – something that pleasantly surprised me.

My thoughts on Jane Austen’s ‘Persuasion’

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. I’m glad I decided to give another Austen book a go, after loving ‘Pride and Prejudice’.

What do you think of my review of ‘Persuasion’? Do you have a favourite Jane Austen classic? Can you recommend another Austen book for me to read?

Let me know all your thoughts in the comments below 🙂

Happy reading x

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