PENGUIN Persuasion ( English Library)

Eu fiquei tão feliz com essa edição, Persuasão é meu livro preferido. Valeu muito a pena, a única coisa que me desagrada nessa edição é as folhas brancas, mas mesmo assim não estragou minha experiência com o livro.

Really good book! It arrived in a great condition and it arrived within a few days of ordering it!!!

Persuation is one of my favourite novels by Jane Austen. (But I actually like all of them but Mansfield Park, and I dont like that because the characters are so real that it actually hurt me to see their dynamic).I really like the Vintage Classis Collection, because the design of the covers are beautiful and have an authentic quality to them and the commentaries are helpful to point out certain features of the story which I would probably not have noticed as strongly if I had not read them.

You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope...I have loved none but you.”----Jane AustenOur most beloved author as well as one of the most widely read author of all times, Jane Austen's, last notable piece of literature, Persuasion, unfolds the story of a twenty-something woman in the early 19th century England who is caught between the choices of her heart as well as her family to decide on whether she will honor her heart's choices that once loved a man so dearly or or will she pay heed to her family's wishes who once persuaded her not to marry the one whom she loved because of his status or poor finances.Synopsis:Persuasion, Jane Austen's last novel, is a moving, masterly and elegiac love story tinged with the heartache of missed opportunities.It tells the story of Anne Elliot, who, persuaded to break off her engagement to the man she loved because he was not successful enough, has never forgotten him. When he returns, he brings with him a tantalizing second chance of happiness.Once the 13/14 year old version of this reviewer was so caught up in the world of literature, that she practically used to sneak in the the older readers' section in her school's library to select her next Austen/Bronte/Hardy/Gaskell/Poe/Shelley book and later on, she took on a good hearing from her school's librarian warning that she is only allowed to read something of her age! Very well, that did not stop her from reading these remarkable and classic romance stories. Back in those days she too was captivated by the words and the stories of Austen and even today, as a grown up woman, she loves them equally with the same vigor.I re-read this only because of Penguin's new edition called, Penguin English Library. At first, I was caught on the crossroads on whether to buy the clothbound editions (hardcover) or the simple paperback ones, considering the fact that the clothbound editions are pretty much over-priced compared to its paperback editions. Anyways, I decided to collect the paperback editions which are also really pretty, and it is only because of the fact that with the cost of one single clothbound edition book, I would get almost three paperback editions.And I would really suggest readers to but the paperback editions as they are cheap and affordable and has a great paper texture compared to the hardcover/clothbound editions. But if a reader really wants to invest in these novels, then I would recommend him/her to purchase the hardcover/clothbound editions. They are really a masterpiece that a reader would like to decorate it on his/her bookshelf or his/her home library.Back to the review, well how can I put my feelings into writing when it comes to Austen or Bronte novels, I really have no idea about that. I can only urge each and every reader ever born onto this planet to read the notable literary masterpieces to make them invaluable, priceless and memorable with the passing time, rather than let them fade away under the heaps of technological waste.Criticize her literary works or rant those with your harsh words or put blank paint on the covers of her novels, do whatever you want to with her novels, but give them a read, rather than reading the notable works of Rowling or more like her. Never mind, I shall not get into a fight on what a reader should read or not, as it depends purely on their personal taste.Austen's literary works are worthy of every great positive adjectives ever discovered in English vocabulary. Similarly, when it comes to Persuasion, that revolves around Anne, daughter of a rich baronet who has claimed to fame because of his financial position in the society and to back his aristocratic dreams, his two daughters support him, except his daughter, Anne. Eight years ago, Anne was drawn to the charm of Frederick Wentworth, although his financial situation was not that stable, thus Anne, then a young and persuadable lady, was easily brainwashed by her family to not to settle her home with this chap considering the fact that Anne's family had a reputation in the society of riches. But now, Anne is still unwed, and has formed an opinion of hers own, and is not that naive to be brainwashed by anyone, and surprisingly Wentworth is back with his fortune and name and rank and both their families are now in good terms and it is becoming real difficult for the former lovers to address one another considering their deep feelings hidden under piles of passing time and changes.Anne's story is inspiring as this woman is at first depicted as someone who is naive but after few years, she becomes independent both financially and mentally. Yes she certainly stands as an epitome for not only the 19th century women but also for the coming-of-age women with a strong underlying message to be independent in body, mind and in the society. The characters in this story are evolving from one dimension to another and the changes are very much visible among each and every characters. The limitation back then for a woman was very vividly portrayed by the author and that is where Anne barges in as a warrior to break all the barriers and stand tall.The romance is the reason why many people find solace and comfort in the literary worlds of Austen. They are not too passionate or heavily poignant, yet they have this feeling that you get when seeing your lover after a long duration of time- a longing that is quite pure, gentle yet a bit compassionate enough to move even the less-emotional people on this planet. Anne and Wentworth's love affair is something like that as the former lovers found no words or a way to express themselves in the crowd yet their presence together had this powerful effect which is evident not only to those characters surrounding them but to the characters (readers) outside the pages of the book. And for that Austen will forever live on and on till the time goes by!And I feel that I'm not qualified enough to talk about Austen's literary prose or writing style, because many before me and after me had and will research Austen's notable works for their thesis or research purposes.“I hate to hear you talk about all women as if they were fine ladies instead of rational creatures. None of us want to be in calm waters all our lives.”----Jane Austen

I am not a Jane Austen's fan (but may be persuaded to become one after this book). Beyond her Pride and Prejudice, I have never read another novel by Jane Austen until now. I was curious about Persuasion because it was featured in the film called the Lake House. In it, it was described as "a really depressing story" with two people loving each other at different times. Because I would like to discover how Persuasion was similar to the Lake House, so I bought the book. Once I started reading it, I could not put it down, and I realise that the impression of the book given in the Lake House can't be more wrong - so much so that I wonder if the script writer of the film had ever read the book!The charm of this book perhaps is difficult to rationalise - it is predictable, life portrayed is glossy and far removed from our everyday life with a lifestyle closer to today's billionaires perhaps, characters are polarised, and really it is about ripples in a tea cup. In terms of storyline, it shares a lot of similarities with Pride and Prejudice. For example, both Mr Darcy and Captain Wentworth had their offers rejected once, and were tormented by it thereafter (for longer in Captain Wentworth's case). Both Elisabeth and Anne had silly parents and siblings who could not understand or see their silliness, and often betrayed propriety. Both families had no heir and financial future of the girls was uncertain, with their respective cousins set to inherit their family estate. There was a villain, who was charming and deceptive to the whole community but was really after money with no conscience and no heart. And truths were discovered and revealed by a series of coincidences, eavesdropping and grapevines.When I started on the book, I thought, "Here we go again." But soon, I was drawn into it. Although I was anticipating the encounters of Captain Wentworth and Anne, the expectation did not dampen the excitement and curiosity of how each time would turn out for them. When they started to reason with the thoughts and feelings, one could not help but fall in love with the characters gradually. Captain Wentworth in particular was a man in pain. He was truthful to his emotions, and did not hide (from Anne's perception) that he was struggling to understand them, deal with them, and move on from them. As such, he was a real person and really endearing. When Captain Wentworth came to his reckoning but was not in a position to act on it, it must have been an agony for him. This conflict was transpired only at the very end but it was all very convincing. Part of the suspense of the book was about why Captain Wentworth did or did not do certain things - what was he thinking and how was he feeling? Anne had her guesses all the way through, as the story was really told from Anne's perspective, but we are never sure. In fact, at times, even Anne was confused. How the story is told therefore sets up Captain Wentworth as an enigma. This special effect to some extent compensates Jane Austen's approach to men in her books, that is, men were always as perceived by ladies. Also Anne's sharp perception of Captain Wentworth's thinking filled some of the gaps that this approach may leave. The only time when Captain Wentworth was allowed to speak for himself was right at the end. His side of the story came out when Anne and he had their heart-to-heart after "the" letter. At that point, you smile and sigh a relief of joy, so refreshing is to have the male's point of view!The character of Anne, on the other hand, was slightly insipid, I thought. She was not like Elisabeth Bennett who was witty, sharp, and archly. Her virtues of good nature, kindness, tenderness and level-headedness took much longer to convince. Perhaps it is because there were not many situations which showed off her qualities. Her narratives however showed her sharp perception of situation, and her understanding of Captain Wentworth in particular. It is puzzling how she was slighted by her family and other relatives, but it is something we take it as given.Finally the success of the book must be in Jane Austen's skills as a writer. I was amazed how detailed her description was - a glance, a look, a gesture, the body language, all are laid out open for the eyes of a keen observer - there are a lot of subtleties in the book. Her prose is mesmerising and makes characters and drama come to life by igniting our imagination. I think the scene where Captain Wentworth was eavesdropping the conversation between Anne and Captain Harville which prompted him to write the letter to Anne bursting with his feelings is particularly tender, dramatic and well-structured. The context made the letter mean so much more, as he was really the third person in that conversation without the knowledge of the two people who were conversing at the time. While outwardly, everything was under control and restraint, inwardly he could not hold on any longer. The contrast between the heartfelt and explosive contents of the letter and the outward silence and distance between Anne and Captain Wentworth made a cinematic contrast, which is memorable. When all the analysis is done, and justification for our opinion laid down, what remains totally undeniable is our reading experience, the fact that it is a page-turner with your heart pounding even though you know what is going to come.