Persuasion

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

When my daughter was young, we began a tradition of "Girlie Movie Nights" (when Daddy was away), trimming bonnets, watching Jane Austen films and eating chocolate (if you ask her today, she'll still insist with solemn assurance that "chocolate is good for girls".) Once she began to read fluently, I looked for a way to share the same stories with her in a form she could read for herself.I considered the popular "illustrated classics" series, but found the illustrations a bit dated. I was, therefore, completely delighted when I discovered Real Reads, a series that focuses on classic literature, retelling it in a simplified way, easy for children to understand and yet maintaining the tone of the original. In each book, be it Austen, Dickens, Shakespeare or some other "classic", the authors (in this case Gill Tavner) condense the story and "extras" into 64 full color pages. Each book is lavishly illustrated (the Austen books are drawn by Ann Kronheimer) in a fun, watercolor style. Naturally, I purchased all six Austen titles!The stories begin with an illustrated cast of characters, followed by the "meat" of the novel, and finally a section called "Taking Things Further". Here is where the series really shines. First you are given "The Real Read", a paragraph about the original novel, and where to find it. Secondly, a section entitled "Filling in the Blanks", for as they say in the book, "The loss of so many of Jane Austen's original words is a sad but necessary part of the shortening process. We have to make some difficult decisions, omitting subplots, and details, some important, some less so, but all interesting. We have also, at times, taken the liberty of combining two events into one, or of giving a character words or actions that originally belong to another. The points below will fill in some of the gaps, but nothing can beat the original..."At this point several pages are given to a bullet point list of additional plots and subplots in the novels. Following this section is an essay on the original novel in light of its place in time and in Jane Austen's life. As an adult, I found these very interesting and readable.Not content to leave the book there, the author then added "Finding Out More", with a list of additional reading sources (most of them biographies and additional works of Jane Austen) websites (including the Jane Austen Centre!) and films.The books finish with suggested reading group questions grouped under headings such as Characters, Themes and Style.All in all, I was blown away by how much they were able to pack into these slim volumes. No, it's not a substitute for Austen...in fact, in order to condense three volumes into an "easy reader", some of the books depart from her plotlines (Emma is told by way of chapters sent between Jane and Cassandra, with Jane's "letters" interspersed throughout. Pride and Prejudice begins with Darcy's first proposal and then adds back story, Sense and Sensibility is told from Margaret's perspective...) but they DO keep the story line intact by the end (more so, in fact, than some film adaptations!) and are a welcome departure from the "fluff" abounding in children's literature these days! I would place the reading level at 8 and up, in a similar category as the American Girl books, and that type of early chapter book style.Once our books arrived, they were immediately delved into. Imagine my delight in hearing my 7 year old daughter exclaim that she'd "already finished Mansfield Park today..." and wants to begin Emma next! She converses delightfully on characters and plot lines (in a way I can never get my husband to do...) and is looking forward to soon finishing Persuasion.