Customer Reviews

Lady Susan

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Though Lady Susan is considered part of Jane Austen's "juvenilia," having been written ca. 1805, it was not published till well after Jane Austen's death and is still not counted among her "six novels." In fact, this seventh novel, though not as thoughtful or thought-provoking as the "famous six," is one of her wittiest and most spirited. Written in epistolary style, it is the story of Lady Susan, a beautiful, recent widow with no conscience, a woman who is determined to do exactly what she wants to do, to charm and/or seduce any man who appeals to her, and to secure a proper marriage for her teenage daughter, whom she considers both unintelligent and lacking in charm.

Lady Susan, the character, has no redeeming qualities, other than her single-mindedness, and her problems, entirely self-imposed, show the extremes to which an unprincipled woman will go to ensure her own pleasure and ultimately a more secure, comfortable life. As Lady Susan manipulates men, women, and even her young nieces and nephews, her venality knows no bounds, and when she determines that her daughter Frederica WILL marry Sir James, a man who utterly repulses her, Lady Susan's love of power and her willingness to create whatever "truth" best suits her purpose become obvious.

Austen must have had fun writing this novel which "stars" a character who to appears to be her own opposite. While this novel is not a pure "farce," it is closer to that than anything else Austen ever wrote. Containing humor, the satiric depiction of an aristocratic woman of monstrous egotism, her romantic dalliances and comeuppances, and her ability to land on her feet, no matter what obstacles are thrown in her path, the novel is a light comedy in which the manners and morals of the period are shown in sharp relief--Lady Susan vs. Catherine Vernon, her sensible sister-in-law; the free-wheeling Lady Susan and those who love the city vs. the moral grounding of those who live in the country; the sexual power of an unprincipled woman vs. the "proper ladies" who, along with their husbands, become her victims.

While this novel is not as "finished" as her more famous novels (the conclusion is weak), it shows Austen as a more playful novelist than in her other novels, an author who is obviously having fun introducing a wild card like Lady Susan into polite society to show how ill-equipped men are to deal with someone so clever. This surprising novel by Austen shows her as a careful observer of society but a polite critic of that society at the same time. Mary Whipple

This short story is certainly not your typical Austen depicting a heroine's romance and then a happy ending. This story is in the form of letters, which was handled well, but I think limits Austen's story telling ability. In Lady Susan the heroine is in fact a manipulative villain with no redeeming qualities and I found myself frustrated with the other characters reactions to her schemes. I also thought the letter format limited character development and had this been in the form of her more traditional novels it might have been a very interesting story with a meddling mother and her daughter becoming our heroine. Worth a read but if you're a fan of Austen's novels this is quite a change of pace.

This book is so witty it cracks me up everytime. I love that it is written in the form of letters to various people from various people. Best of all, we get to hear what Lady Susan is really thinking. Who doesn't like a great villian?

This short novel is in the same style as Austen's "Love and Friendship", told entirely through the correspondence of the characters. Rather than limiting the perspective, it leaves much of the characterization and insights up to the perceptions of the reader. The characters are well developed, considering the length, though the daughter could have been expanded. Lady Susan in particular is fiendishly detailed by Austen's satirical pen. This is a more blatant attack on the social foibles of her day than other works, but very enjoyable. I recommend this when you want a short novel with engaging characters and the usual excellence of Austen's narrative style. A true delight.

This is a very short story written by Jane Austen at least a decade before her major novels. It is not a novel nor is it even a novella. It is a series of letters less than 80 pages total length. They are written between four or five people that describe a visit and the actions of Lady Susan. The structure is similar to Dostoevsky's "Poor Folk" but much shorter. Many people like Lady Susan. I thought it was okay, not great. For those interested there is a similar book called Love and Friendship which is a diversified collection of early writings by Austen.

As background information, I have read all of Austen's novels and I have read various analyses of Austen's work. Jane Austen's formula for success was to write a novel about of a financially disadvantaged young woman who meets and marries a wealthier man. The exception is her novel "Emma" where the protagonist has her own means. There are no axe murderers in an Austen novel or any nasty elements. Her stories take place in small English towns and they all have a variety of characters including a few willful women and usually one male rogue.

"Pride and Prejudice" is Jane Austen's finest novel. That book is the perfect balance of story, prose, structure, and interesting characters. It evokes many emotional responses in the reader. That novel is among the greatest novels of all time on par with for example Flaubert's "Madame Bovary" or Tolstoy's "Anna Karenina." From a strictly literary point of view, "Mansfield Park" is the most complicated and sophisticated literary work penned by Austen. Many like "Emma" as well.

So, where does that leave "Lady Susan" among her works? All of her five mature novels share a certain fixed writing style and a common structure, or the Austen formula as mentioned above. She uses the early pages to introduce the families, and other characters, and give start the story. She moves characters around from place to place in part for time shifting. She does a wrap up in the last few chapters.

All of that is missing here. This is a warm up or practice piece where Austen practices her writing skills. All of the signature elements to her later works are missing. This is only about the visit of Lady Susan to Churchill, where she visits her brother and her in-laws. It is a visit to just one place one time and it describes how she interacts with various family members and the in-laws. There are no rogues and few interesting characters.

Most Austen fans will think the piece interesting but too short, and it is a sort of warm up piece. Some like the character herself, Lady Susan, because she is a strong character and that is the attraction of the work.

As a note, the text is available free on line at the Gutenberg Project, and since it is so short it can be easily down-loaded.

This book was a pretty quick read, as it was both short and intriguing. The language style is like Austen's other works, but the actual story is a bit different. A majority of the book is written in the form of correspondence between the various characters, so the reader figures out the story as the characters do. It didn't have the same humor that Pride and Prejudice and her other bigger works contain, but it's still a good read.

Lady Susan is arguably Jane Austen's least interesting work.

But, being Austen, that means it's still more interesting than virtually anything else ever written.

Austen fans will delight in this quick, witty and delectable read. Lady Susan, by Jane Austen is one of the prolific author's earliest works and a true indicator of brilliant masterpieces to follow. I chose this read as part of my Everything Austen Challenge- and I'm so glad I did! It consists of 41 letters exchanged between family members- revolving around this infamous Lady Susan. A stunningly elegant beauty, embracing the most treacherous of characters, Lady Susan is capable of maneuvering and swaying others (specifically the opposite gender) into believing the very best of her...


At a mere 71 pages, the letters don't skip a beat in keeping you entertained and totally involved in the plotting of Lady Susan's twists and deceptions. Claiming that all the females in her family are against her, she confides solely in her friend Mrs. Johnson, who is equally as conniving as she is. Lady Susan becomes involved with more than one gentleman and decidedly rips apart relationships of sorts in trying to gain the admiration and infatuation of at least three of these.


In the middle of all this scheming, and affected by it all are; her daughter (to whom she shows no care of any sort); her brother and sister-in-law (who catch-on to who she really is); her sister-in-law's brother (who falls in love with her) and parents (who are bereaved by it all)...to name a few. All in the name of what you ask? Being a coquettish pro, Lady Susan desires freedom to flirt while respectfully mingling in society, enhanced by the cherishing comforts of wealth within a marriage ...and preferably to a man who'd be oblivious to it all.

If you're in need of a quick Austen fix, I recommend you read this. You won't be disappointed. Loved it!

While not as good as her novels, it is a pleasant read if you already like Austen. Not a good introduction to the author though. I suggest start with Pride & Prejudice.

Lady Susan should not be compared to Austen's much longer and more developed novels; it's simply in a different category. That said, I enjoyed it much more than say, Northhanger Abbey or some of her other short works. It reads more like Sense & Sensibility in its tone. The letter form took some getting used to, but once over that hurdle, I could appreciate that way of telling the story. This would make a funny, entertaining film, especially if acted with just the right comic note.