Anne Eliot abandons her love, Captain Wentworth, after her best friend, Mrs. Russell, persuades her she can do better. But when Anne crosses paths with him eight years later, he is a rich captain and she is a sad, lonely woman who has “lost her bloom.”

This book is another great classic by Jane Austen. It is written very formally and densely for today’s audience, and the storyline line and plot make for a traditional romance.

What makes this a great book is its implied messages. Persuasion is a book about how you can’t let other people or social propriety dictate how you live your life. Although that is the main message, there are many other sub-themes, along with delightful characters and developments that make the book unique and enjoyable.

I enjoyed the addition of Mr. Eliott late in the book. It helped to develop the plot and reinforce the message. My favourite character was Mrs. Smith, Anne’s poor and crippled friend.  Mrs. Smith shares with Anne the message that happiness has little to do with money or situation, it has to do with your mindset and mental health.

Although the start of the book is a little slow and the plot is a little cliché, this truly is an amazing book. I think my favourite line would be “Men have had every advantage of us in telling their own story […] the pen has been in their hands.” I like this quotation because it shows Jane Austen’s strong opinions about women. Jane Austen was ahead of her time, and even today her stories remain applicable. This was her last book, published after she died.

If you liked this book you can read Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, and other books by Jane Austen.