I've decided to read Austen's unfinished works and juvenilia as I've not done so before. As this is a long book, I will be breaking it up into it's three volumes.
Sanditon - The first unfinished piece in my collection. Fans of Austen's work know that she was working on this novel when she died. What we get is the story of Charlotte Heywood visiting the seaside resort of Sanditon with a family whom her father helped. She seems to be a girl of intelligence and good sense who see people for who they are. Unfortunately, the story only gets up to the point of introducing the primary cast of characters including the man destined to be the hero before it abruptly stops.
My version is unedited and the one thing that struck me when I started reading it was the sheer number of dashes throughout. At first I thought this was just an author's mark to add more here as some of the thoughts seemed less polished than I'm used to. However, further research led me to the fact that Austen used many dashes in her manuscripts that were subsequently purged by her editors. Many people seem to prefer the dashes, though I will admit, I found them distracting.
Like any Austen novel, the characterization is key. We have Mr. Parker who's clearly a bit of a fool. Mrs. Parker who has much more sense but is also a deferential wife. Lady Denham who is selfish. The Parker siblings who are clearly hypochondriacs. Charlotte Heywood, intelligent and sensible it seems. We were also just introduced to Sydney Parker who I assume is Charlotte's love interest, a family from the west Indies with a young woman who was like to come into play, and a ward of Lady Denham who has a bit of a clandestine love life.
I am curious how this story would have played out and do very much wish Austen had been able to finish it. As of yet I've not looked at any continuations nor have I watched the series that came out a while ago. At this point I don't plan to.
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The Watsons - After her uncle dies and her aunt remarries, 19-year-old Emma Watson is sent home to a family she hardly knows. Almost immediately, she's sent to a ball where she catches the attention of one Lord Osborne as well as his former tutor, Mr. Howard.
Reading this brought to mind Mansfield Park. Similar to Fanny, Emma was taken in by her aunt and brought up in a much more refined manner than her family at home. She seemed very certain of her convictions and a quick study on the people around her. That being said, she's a little more forward than Fanny ever was.
The story clips along at a good rate. We're introduced to almost all the major cast in only 81 pages and already have an idea of a love triangle between a a few different couples. We also already know who Emma's preferred suitor is. While a part of me is interested in what would happen next, I feel like she used many of the ideas here in future novels, which is probably why she never completed this one.
The story clips along at a good rate. We're introduced to almost all the major cast in only 81 pages and already have an idea of a love triangle between a a few different couples. We also already know who Emma's preferred suitor is. While a part of me is interested in what would happen next, I feel like she used many of the ideas here in future novels, which is probably why she never completed this one.
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Lady Susan - Austen's Novella with the villainous Lady Susan Vernon. Perhaps because it's a novella or perhaps because the main character is so thoroughly unlikeable, people tend to not mention this when they talk about Austen's completed works. Maybe part of it is due to the fact this work tends to be published with unfinished works, juvenilia, or at the end of another book. The point of those very poorly put together sentences is to say that I have only read this novella once.
Unlike any of Austen's published novels, Lady Susan is written as an epistolary work. The widowed Lady Susan writes to her brother-in-law to announce her coming to stay after a misunderstanding at a friend's house. The Lady Vernon is unenthused as she's heard Lady Susan is a massive flirt. Her brother agrees and comes to visit... only to be completely taken in by Lady Susan to the horror of Lady Vernon...
And on and on and such. This is a very quick read but also particularly obnoxious. Lady Susan is spiteful and annoying. She has the charisma to bend men to her will in ways that feel very frustrating. I found myself angry at Reginald for knowing what she was and then completely falling for her stunts. Lady Vernon gets it but she doesn't seem able to do much other than complain to her mother up until the end. Frederica might be worthwhile though we hear little of her own voice other than the fearful letter she wrote to Reginald.
Not my favorite.
Unlike any of Austen's published novels, Lady Susan is written as an epistolary work. The widowed Lady Susan writes to her brother-in-law to announce her coming to stay after a misunderstanding at a friend's house. The Lady Vernon is unenthused as she's heard Lady Susan is a massive flirt. Her brother agrees and comes to visit... only to be completely taken in by Lady Susan to the horror of Lady Vernon...
And on and on and such. This is a very quick read but also particularly obnoxious. Lady Susan is spiteful and annoying. She has the charisma to bend men to her will in ways that feel very frustrating. I found myself angry at Reginald for knowing what she was and then completely falling for her stunts. Lady Vernon gets it but she doesn't seem able to do much other than complain to her mother up until the end. Frederica might be worthwhile though we hear little of her own voice other than the fearful letter she wrote to Reginald.
Not my favorite.
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