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Persuasion

ebook
43 of 43 copies available
43 of 43 copies available

Like most of her other novels, Jane Austen's Persuasion (1818) is an exploration of human relations in a society governed by family bonds, materialism, social hypocrisy and the pressures of persuasion. The story is set in the English city of Bath where the young protagonist, Anne Elliot, lives with her noble and conservative family in their Kellynch Hall estate. At only 19 years old, Anne develops a relationship with the young naval officer Frederick Wentworth and accepts his marriage proposal. However, she is soon persuaded to leave him by her friend Lady Russell. The latter is incited by Anne's supercilious father and elder sister who think that Wentworth is too poor to be a match for an Elliot. Years later, and after rejecting a number of other suitors, Anne meets her first love again. Wentworth is now a well-off sea captain while Mr. Elliot's irresponsible spendthrift behavior forces him to rent the family estate. Although Wentworth still bears the bitterness of being jilted by Anne, he gradually starts to regain confidence in her and to discover that she regrets what she has been persuaded to do. By the end of the narrative, the couple is reunited in a highly romantic scene. We've also included a concise and informative biography of Jane's works and life at the end of the book. We hope it helps to give a little context and colour about how her life interacted with her art.

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  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      Starred review from May 28, 2007
      Stevenson has read all of Austen’s novels for audiobook, in abridged or unabridged versions, and her experience shows in this delightful production. Though dominated by the intelligent, sweet voice of Anne Elliot—the least favored but most worthy of three daughters in a family with an old name but declining fortunes—Stevenson provides other characters with memorable voices as well. She reads Anne’s haughty father’s lines with a mixture of stuffiness and bluster, and Anne’s sisters are portrayed with a hilariously flighty, breathy register that makes Austen’s contempt for them palpable. Anne’s voice is mostly measured and reasonable—an expression of her strong mind and spirit—but Stevenson imbues her speech with wonderful shades of passion as Anne is reacquainted with Capt. Wentworth, whom she has continued to love despite being forced, years before, to reject him over status issues. Listening to Stevenson, as Anne, describe a sudden encounter with Wentworth, one hardly needs Austen’s description of how Anne grows faint—Stevenson’s perfectly judged and deeply felt reading has already shown that she must have. Even those who have read Austen’s novels will find themselves loving this book all over again with Stevenson’s evocative rendition ringing richly in their ears.

Formats

  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • Lexile® Measure:1120
  • Text Difficulty:7-9

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