The last novel completed by Jane Austen before her death, Persuasion is often thought to reflect on the author’s own lost love.
Sir Walter Elliot has raised his three daughters with his own sense of haughty pride. Elizabeth, at twenty-eight, has found no one good enough to marry, while Mary has, with some condescension, married the son of the local squire. The youngest, Anne, was persuaded to throw off her fiancé, Frederick Wentworth, eight years ago due to his lowly station in life.
When Wentworth returns from the Napoleonic Wars as a captain of wealth and rank, Anne must confront her remorse and her unrequited love for him as he appears to court another woman.
This is a story of second chances, humility, and the perseverance of love.
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"I couldn't put this book down. The twists and turns in the lives of Anne Elliot and Frederick Wentworth took me on the most emotionally romantic journey through all the peaks and valleys of the heart. This amazingly poetic story by Jane Austen was written with all the feeling and understanding of the uncertainties of a secret love that never dies. Only when that love bursts forth can one be free of the suspense of the unknown and truly live in peace and happiness! My life is the richer for reading this story."
— Linda (5 out of 5 stars)
“There’s no one to touch Jane [Austen] when you’re in a tight place.”
— Rudyard Kipling“Persuasion...is to me the most profound of her novels, and demonstrates a fresh mastery of Shakespearen inwardness.”
— Harold Bloom“[Austen] is a prose Shakespeare. She has a multitude of characters, all, in a certain sense, commonplace. Yet they are all as perfectly discriminated from each other as if they were the most eccentric of human beings.”
— Thomas Macaulay“Jane Austen’s last work, published posthumously in 1817, is her deepest and most introspective. Austen’s view of the drawing apart and coming together of Anne Elliot and Frederick Wentworth is both wintry and warm.”
— Globe and Mail (Toronto)“As always, Austen’s storytelling is so confident, you can’t help but allow yourself to be taken on the enjoyable journey.”
— Amazon.com editorial review" Great Book, good story, Narrator was excellent! Very good description of the Victorian period. "
— Judy, 1/20/2024" Dutifully read. Still a Philistine. It's a good thing they are short as I tire quickly and her books begin to sound the same to me. "
— Will, 2/19/2014" One of Jane Austen's best works. Though slower-paced than most of her novels, it is well worth the effort to read. The depth of her character development and her insightful writing is an absolute treat! Also a wonderful re-read! "
— Linda, 2/19/2014" This is my favourite of Jane Austen's books. If you haven't read it, then this is a must. It's timeless, and so movingly romantic. "
— Diane, 2/18/2014" I'd never read this Jane Austen before. It always takes me a little while to get used to her style of writing, language, etc, and once I do, I become engrossed in the story. This story was especially interesting to gain perspective on not only women's rights and experiences during early 1800 England but also the experiences of the sick during that time (a great portion of the book takes place in Bath). I enjoyed it. "
— Rachel, 2/10/2014" Not my favourite, but I still adore her social observations and wonderful wit. "
— Carey, 2/7/2014" Loved this one. It may be my new favorite work by Austen! "
— Bonny, 2/3/2014" I simply wish there were more Austen. I have a friend who refused to read Persuasion because she wanted to live in a world in which there was still another Austen book to read out there. "
— Martha, 1/22/2014" Well.. The story was ok but I found it quite hard to read as I am not an english native speaker. Tough ,lovely story, though. "
— Aurora, 1/12/2014" Maybe 3.5. I love Jane Austen but this wasn't my favorite of hers. I had a hard time keeping the characters straight. I did really like the ending and the letter is very touching but not my favorite Austen work. "
— Tasha, 1/12/2014" My favourite Austen novel of all time <3 "
— Ashley, 1/7/2014Jane Austen (1775–1817) is considered by many scholars to be the first great woman novelist. Born in Steventon, England, she later moved to Bath and began to write for her own and her family’s amusement. Her novels, set in her own English countryside, depict the daily lives of provincial middle-class families with wry observation, a delicate irony, and a good-humored wit.
Wanda McCaddon (d. 2023) narrated well over six hundred titles for major audiobook publishers, sometimes with the pseudonym Nadia May or Donada Peters. She earned the prestigious Audio Award for best narration and numerous Earphones Awards. She was named a Golden Voice by AudioFile magazine.