This is going to be a week where I take time to showcase my favorite author, Jane Austen. The book I’m featuring all week is the same one, The Collected Works of Jane Austen,by Jane Austen. Which is a collection of all of her novels, though doesn’t include her letters, or social commentaries while she also wrote. Collected editions are a better way to go with authors of this vintage.
The “book” I’m starting the week off with is one of her lesser known works, an experimental one, at that. Lady Susan is a novel written entirely in the form of hand written letters,(remember them?) between the principles. Lady Susan, is an arch-typical Regency/Victorian aristocrat who’s constantly scheming for money, and men. She enlists the help of her best friend to help her in her campaign to fool her husband, foist of her unwanted daughter, manipulate a man who’s hopelessly in love with her, fleece relatives who’ve taken her in after she flees her husband. And the letters comprise the entirety of the story. Delineating all of the various intrigues going on amongst all of the main characters, written in supposed confidence from the said principle to one of their confidantes.
It’s a fascinating story of a manipulative woman, who’s plans and schemes slowly unravel, as her manipulations come to light by those who’ve seen through her completely. The only Austen novel I know of with out a happy ending. But a wickedly funny one none the less. It’s also done in more realistic prose, and doesn’t follow the usual lushly romantic prose style favored by Miss Austen.
The Collected Works of Jane Austen, by Jane Austen containing the novel Lady Susan, A Story told entirely in letters of correspondence is Highly Recommended.
