I've finished it. I finished it last night, to be precise.
I got it because Waterstones are selling Wordsworth Classics books (made for students) for £1.99!
I never really planned on reading its meagre 201 pages, I just hoped it would look good in my "library" in my "own house" in several years time.
Nevertheless, thanks to the recent heatwave I picked it up and didn't put it down - metaphorically speaking of course.
Its a book thats more 50 shades of thesaurus than grey, of Much Ado About Nothing, until someone does something scandalous, sorry "scandalous' - no one has any rabbit moments. The book is wordy but I highly advise it is read.
I read that it is better than Pride and Prejudice! (which I still have to read).
I'll try not to give too much away
(ruined by the letter! - sorry!)
The heroine, Anne Elliot is the middle daughter of Sir Walter Elliot, her eldest sister, Elizabeth, and father are very much focussed on social class and will not be seen with people who are inferior (this is made painfully clear in many chapters - thankfully they move to Bath to solve Sir Walter's debt issues).
Anne Elliot is very closely acquainted with Lady Russell who is like a mother figure (the Elliot sisters' mother died) to the three girls, Anne is her favourite however.
Lady Russell, although she means well throughout the book persuaded Anne Elliot not to marry Captain Wentworth (Mr Darcy - basically, or Aston Kutcher, whoever, he was fit). Then eight and a half years later they are reunited, but Captain Wentworth is having none of Anne's forwardness. After many swings and roundabouts of family: she loves him, he loves her, she's taken ill and falls for someone else, Captain Wentworth is eventually drawn to Anne completely. Last night I have to say, and I am potentially the LEAST romantic person ever, but this tugged at heart strings somewhere in me: the letter written to Anne by Captain Wentworth:
I can listen no longer in silence. I must speak to you by such means as are within my reach. You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone for ever. I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own than when you almost broke it, eight years and a half ago. Dare not say that man forgets sooner than woman, that his love has an earlier death. I have loved none but you. Unjust I may have been, weak and resentful I have been, but never inconstant. You alone have brought me to Bath. For you alone, I think and plan. Have you not seen this? Can you fail to have understood my wishes? I had not waited even these ten days, could I have read your feelings, as I think you must have penetrated mine. I can hardly write. I am every instant hearing something which overpowers me. You sink your voice, but I can distinguish the tones of that voice when they would be lost on others. Too good, too excellent creature! You do us justice, indeed. You do believe that there is true attachment and constancy among men. Believe it to be most fervent, most undeviating, in
F. W.
I must go, uncertain of my fate; but I shall return hither, or follow your party, as soon as possible. A word, a look, will be enough to decide whether I enter your father's house this evening or never.
and sigh... how could Anne Elliot refuse this?!
It was clear at the end that Anne had searched for 8 years to find a match close to what she had when she was 19 but couldn't.
Could the person we will end up marrying be in our current friendship group?
Well worth a read, if you fancy something different from a chick flick, you can easily associate with the characters in this book and the relationships are fascinating, especially that of Mary Musgrove (youngest Elliot) with her husband (Charles Musgrove) and her children.
Keep your friends close!
RHS x
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