Rereading this because of the movie coming out this month... confusingly titled "Love and Friendship" but actually an adaptation of Lady Susan. It doesn't have the appeal of Jane Austen's more polished works, but I think I see how it could be amusing on screen. ( )

Although not vintage Austen, this early epistolary novella does not outstay its welcome, enlivened as it is by the author's characteristically incisive wit. Les Liaisons Dangereuses for lovers of tea and crumpets... ( )

This was fun and it reminds me that at times we try to box Jane Austen in too much. This book is so much about poking fun at the system. About turning things on their side and seeing if it changes how we view them. I found this a fast, and surprisingly funny, read. ( )

3.5 stars
I blew through this faster than I expected to. I just had to know if Lady Susan's machinations would triumph in the end. What an infuriating character!
This book, unpublished during Austen's lifetime, was not as funny as the others I've read. I guess she was pretty young when she wrote it. But her command of language and her understanding of human nature were already apparent.
Definitely worth a read for Austen fans, but I wouldn't recommend reading this first if you're just now checking out her work.
( )

Published in 1871, several decades after her death, this novella is an early work from Jane Austen. It is written in epistolary form, with letters between the major characters providing insight into their personalities. It contains an epilogue written in narrative form that provides closure on what happened to these people.

Lady Susan is intended to be an unlikeable character, and she comes across as scheming and manipulative. I found it interesting to read an early work to see how Austen’s writing progressed. I read a version that included a mini biography of Austen’s life and an assessment of her literary impact (180 pages). This is not her best but certainly worth reading.

( )