Jane Austen can write very, very long sentences. The key to deciphering them is to get wholly swept up by the self same narrative,
plot and story. Which I did with relish. Of the 6 novels, Austen has written, Persuasion is my 2nd favourite. The first being Pride and Prejudice, of course. The 6th being Northanger Abbey which was such a harsh critisim of Gothic romance novels that I felt disheartened by Austen until I found Persuasion.
Persuasion tells the story of
Anne Elliot, a 27 year old who lost the chance of
love a long time ago and is now resigned to a life on the shelf. Anne belongs to a rather haughty family of superior breeding. But, like all Austen's heroines, Anne goes against the grain. She is mild mannered, generous and not at all concerned about material possessions and wealth. Her father and sister are. Almost eight years ago, Anne was refused permission to marry a Captain Frederick Wentworth (then, a poor sailor) on the merit of his class and lack of wealth. In an ironic turn of events, it is the Elliots who are forced to leave their home for a less lavish abode due to the large debts they have accumulated. A plan ensures that Anne may yet stay in the area with her younger sister in the good company of the Musgroves while her father retires to Bath. In the interim, the Elliot estate is to be let to a wealthy captain... who should it be but a connection of Captain Frederick Wentworth, and, after eight years, the lovers are thrown into each others' paths.
This is the story of two souls who must convince each other that they are still in love even after all this time. As with all Austen novels, one knows that the end is inevitably happy for all. Thus the reader's initiative is to enjoy the How. I allude to the events (all whimsical, all placed there by the author) that send our hearts on a rollercoaster adventure. One meets the usual disguised villains and helpful informants and well meaning servants. What struck me as a delightful change in Austen's style of writing was that Austen devoted much of the narrative to Anne's adventures with her friends. The book has a mature appeal. There is none of the sibling banter which usually occupies her pages. One gets the feeling that she writes of what young twenty year olds really did in the 19th century. The usual male/female banter is a delight to encounter once again - that time old question, Who loves more? Men or Women?
I must be a helpless romantic because I was hoping for more of a definite ending regarding Anne and Wentworth. Austen summarises well that Anne and Wentworth talked and sorted out the wrongs of the past but there is no lines of 'he took her into his arms and said, "my own"' or 'her heart seemed to melt into his chest as he pulled her against him.' Too erotic for Austen? Perhaps. And that is her charm because her ending had my imagination buzzing.