Not my favorite Austen.
While this was a lovely second chance love story I found that it floundered in the middle. Perhaps it's just that I don't have patience for Anne's pretentious sister and father and the superficiality that imbues half the characters in this story. That said it wasn't Emma, either, which made me want to strangle. I get being trapped and working within the confines of her situation and admire her remarkable strength of kindness and lack of pettiness. Anne truly exemplifies the ideal of acting as she believes even while others make poor choices. She has a conviction and Austen's ongoing analysis of pride versus vanity is continued herein.
There were also some lovely quotes that on days that seem more trial than not which were particularly insightful.
Her spirits wanted the solitude and silence which only numbers could give.
She hoped to be wise and reasonable in time; but alas! alas! she must confess to herself that she was not wise yet.
"Yes, yes, if you please, no reference to examples in books. Men have had every advantage of us in telling their own story. Education has been theirs in so much higher a degree; the pen has been in their hands. I will not allow books to prove anything."
Frankly, this story started slowly for me and then improved. I guess the most interesting takeaway for me is that during our lives we have but only a few chances to make choices that alter the trajectory of our lives and the decision we face is whether the risk is worth it. We can solicit advice, consider consequences to others, but in the end we are responsible for making the choice.
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