Jane Austen Persuasion Book & Film Review

Spoiler-free!

Persuasion, published in 1817, is one of my absolute favourite Jane Austen novels, and the film adaptation was a joyful romp in colourful scenes, costumes, and acting!

The English Countryside

Persuasion - Plot Summary

Jane Austen's novel Persuasion tells the story of Anne Elliot who fell hopelessly in love at 19, eager to marry her intended, Frederik Wentworth. When Wentworth was deemed an unsuitable match for young Anne, she was persuaded by her godmother to end their connection.

This novel picks up 8 years later when Anne and, now Captain, Wentworth are reunited. Anne is a single spinster who is soon overcome with heartache and melancholy upon the reintroduction of the decorated Navy Captain Frederik Wentworth into her life. It would seem though that a second chance for the two former lovers is unlikely, as he has not forgiven how she handled his heart. He even shows interest instead in Anne's good friend, Louisa.

But our truest feelings can run deep, and it will require boldness and honesty to finally bring their hearts' desires to the surface.

The Book

What's not to love about this charmingly sweet novel, set in England's picturesque counties and seaside towns? I believe this to be the perfect first choice for new readers of Austen. The novel itself is short, less than 300 pages, and chock full of humour to keep you grinning and turning the pages.

Anne is a very endearing character with many similarities to our modern day version of Cinderella; she has a father and sisters who overlook her and generally treat her with disrespect, while she herself is shown to have a very kind heart and generosity of spirit. And while Anne is a lovely and sympathetic main character, the supporting characters in this novel steal the spotlight.

Austen has a magnificent way of bringing intensely vivid characters to life in her books through her playful use of language. Within a few chapters, you can fully picture the main players, and their personas begin to take shape in your mind. Austen weaves in the vain and self-absorbed father, the hypochondriac sister, the slightly overbearing matron, and she does it all with comedy. I laughed out loud reading this novel on numerous occasions!

The descriptions of the English countryside, Bath, as well as the coastal town of Lyme in Dorset are captured magnificently. I could swear you can see the wind blowing across the fields and smell the salt from the sea. It's clear that these are places Austen is familiar with, and she easily transports you to another time and place. Unless of course you have the tremendous good fortune of actually living in the English countryside.

As far as romance goes, this is an achingly slow burn. The novel picks up many years after the youthful romance between Anne and Frederik has been unceremoniously been stamped out. We spend the next ~300 pages exploring the aching longing of regret and missed chances. Can we break someone's heart and then be given a chance to repair it? This is one of the many questions Persuasion asks.

A prequel exploring the initial romance between the two lovers would be a beautiful story! Perhaps someone out there has already done it :)

Austen's Persuasion guides the reader to consider the price we pay when relinquishing our desires to the dreaded "should." Sometimes, what we believe to be our duty, can end up being our downfall.

In the end, we all must follow our hearts.

If that isn't a fairytale message, then I don't know what is!

The Film

The 2022 screen adaptation of Persuasion starring Dakota Johnson as Anne Elliot and Cosmo Jarvis as Captain Wentworth was directed by Carrie Cracknell. This appears to be Cracknell's film debut, having many vast and esteemed credits in the theatre world, and I would say she knocked it out of the park!

An uncommon and sometimes risky convention, Anne's character breaks the "fourth wall" throughout the film, engaging directly with the viewers by speaking to the camera. It seems critics weren't a fan, but I personally love how this choice pulled me in to the world of the Elliots and gave Anne such depth of character. Dakota used the convention well and it felt like we were old friends, sharing secrets.

The film is a sensory delight; flowing dresses in muted colours, promenades through the lush English countryside, horse and carriage rides down dusty lanes, lavish dinner parties in grand manor homes, and let's not forget Anne's fluffy pet bunny (I can't not mention this - it was a highlight of the whole movie for me).

In what was an almost show-stealing performance, Mia McKenna-Bruce plays Anne's sister Mary Elliot. She had me in stitches from beginning to end, not because her character is particularly a funny one, but because she leaned into Mary's narcissism so beautifully that it bordered on absurd. She is charming, adorable, has incredible comedic timing, a wonderful timbre to her voice, and she truly created a memorable character within this film.

I must say, I wasn't all that excited at the casting choice of Cosmo Jarvis. Perhaps it's just me, but I didn't get the romantic butterflies from him that I usually do from the love interest in a historical romance like this. I felt his portrayal of Wentworth to be a little weak and rather stiff, and in truth, I was kinda gunning for Henry Golding's William Elliot to steal Anne's heart!

As with Shondaland's Bridgerton, I enjoyed seeing a historical romance with diverse casting including BIPOC actors. I feel this has become so much more commonplace now, that it seems almost stilly to mention it; however, in comparing it to more traditional film renditions of Austen novels, it brings a beautiful array of diversity to the table and I am here for it.

I do not agree that this film was the disaster many critics called it, and in fact, I actually really enjoyed it. Swap out Jarvis for a charismatic, sexy new Wentworth and it would likely be a top 5 film for me.

The English Seaside

Book or Film?

I will never be one to say, "Skip the book and just watch the movie!"

So, in short, my recommendation is to do both. Choose whichever order you prefer. If you are concerned that gaining a solid understanding of plot may be a struggle with the classical writing style, consider watching the film first. If you're confident and/or have read other classical literature, then go book first.

The novel is a sweet taste of Austen, a bite-sized delight. It's funny, heart-warming, thought-provoking, and stays with you long after the last page.

The film offers a fresh take on the story while maintaining the essence of Austen's original work. The scenery is divine, the costumes elegant, and the writing and directing was very fun and unique!

I am in no way offended by the modernization of old stories. In fact, I think if we want to retell classics, why not sprinkle some "modern day" into elements that need shaking up? It's a shame how many avid readers haven't yet explored the classics, but it can be challenging to break into the writing style and truly appreciate the work. It's not always accessible, and I believe art should be accessible to all. The film offers a gateway for this amazing novel, and for that I give it a round of applause.