Persuasion

By: Jane Austen

Narrated by: Greta Scacchi

Length: 8 hrs and 13 mins

Publisher's summary

Persuasion, Jane Austen's last novel, is a tale of love and marriage told with irony and insight. Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth have met and seperated years before. Their reunion, after the passage or irrecoverable years of their youth, forces a recognition of the false values that drove them apart.

First published 1818. All rights reserved.; (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Perfect

It is senseless to extol the virtues of Austin. It's been done so many times, by so many people far more eloquent than I. I will confine myself to the narration.
I always have a problem with the narration of Austin books. Despite the fact that absolutely everyone has read them, there is always something grating in the audio productions. Austin shouldn't have to be something you suffer through. It is something you should have to smile through.
This book is. The narration is perfect. It never detracts from Austin's funny, touching, witty, and beautiful writing. Usually that is the very most I could say about an Austin narrator. Here I can go farther. Several times, the narrator's reading clued me in to a barb I'd missed in my reading or moved me in a place I ordinarily would have skimmed.
This is the version to get. It is Austin at her very best.

A work of art

Greta Scacchi reading Jane Austen is a perfect pairing. Scacchi reads with such subtelty of voice tones and timing that each nuance of Austen's word choice becomes a tapestry stitch in silk. Austen's words were so clearly written to be read aloud, but Scacchi uses them to captivate her listeners into a story that is a slower, much more autumnal love story than Emma or Pride and Prejudice, and without her art, might feel muted instead of delicate.

Relationship advice that still slaps

While so many struggle in relationship, beautiful pieces such as this are here for us. Much wisdom and understanding can be gleaned from Austen’s tale of persuasion, perspective, and admission that often humans are simply wrong.

Masterpiece

Jane Austen brings the story together so perfectly! Throughout the story there is such consistency and yet such complexity. And of course, in the true Jane Austen fashion, a happy ending for two lovers.

Lively narration of Jane Austen treasure

I had forgotten how much I loved this novel. Greta Scaachi’s lively narration was an unexpected pleasure. She is particularly skilled at capturing the large cast of characters. I’ll look for other novels she’s read.

Beautiful reading

One of my favorite books and it was read so well, outside of some strange pauses. Not sure if that was the reading or the editing. Otherwise beautiful book!

Favorite Jane Austin novels

I love this story. It is one of my favorites of Jane Austin. A more complex story line with deception and presumption. Love it!

I see why people hated the Netflix version!

I am not an avid Austin-ite but I came across this slightly less popular work and was curious about it. I knew details mostly because of TikTok reviews and complaints from fans about the recent Netflix version and thought why not. The fact that Jane Austin wrote this later in life when she herself was facing spinsterhood and wasn’t as happy go lucky is reflected in this slower and more pensive pace. I get why the fans that resonate with Anne’s character were upset that the tv version was fiery, sarcastic, independent, and uncaring of what others thought. It kind of flips the book version on its head. Anyway, the narration was flawless and the pace quick. I enjoyed it and found it kept me engaged. I also didn’t know the full story so it was newer to me than say Pride & Prejudice. (Although you can guess what happens in the end - I mean, come on)
Good deal. Kind of bittersweet that Jane Austen wasn’t able to find the same happiness that she was able to give to her characters.

Jane at her most reflective

A great story told mostly indirectly, through reflection and inner observation rather than conversation. Everything seems to happen beneath the surface, and the reader had better be paying attention. It took me longer to love this one of Austen’s five great novels (I do not include Northanger Abbey), but its subtlety is appreciated upon every re-reading.

Greta Scacci is a decent narrator, but her too-lengthy pauses were unnecessary and irritating. Would that all Austen novels were narrated by Juliet Stevenson.

What a pleasure!

I’ve probably read Persuasion 9 or10 times since I was a girl. It was again a delight to listen after many years. Captain Wentworth was the perfect hero.