• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Regency Romance Novels

Regency Romance Novels

  • Blog home
  • Something about me
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact me
  • Website >

Book review: Lady Susan by Jane Austen

October 18, 2013 By Cari

Jane Austen wasn’t a woman who lived life wrapped in tissue paper. Sex, scandals, thoughtless abusive parents; these things weren’t just subjects of salacious prints, they were realities.

Frances Wilson (the author of a biography on Regency courtesan, Harriet Wilson) revealed in her book (The Courtesan’s Revenge) that Jane actually mentioned the very young Harriet in a letter (though not by name) because Harriet’s (first admitted) named lover was connected to the Austen family circle. How many of us think of Jane as someone who’d pass on gossip about a mutual acquaintance stabling his young mistress at his country pile? Knowing this about Jane, it’s easy to see how she could write her short story, “Lady Susan”.

Lady Susan, the main character, is a despicable selfish woman. We’ve all met people like her (or found ourselves cursed to endure them for the sake of family or friends) lying sociopaths who use good looks and charm to ensnare anyone they might find useful (or to their benefit). Lady Susan, a beautiful young widow of 35, is forced by straightened means (and her failed scheming) to retreat to her brother-in-law’s home where she causes more unhappiness. After the first few letters I was glued to my computer screen. It’s a brilliant short story and one you can read on line or download for free HERE (thanks to Project Gutenberg). I highly recommend it!

Filed Under: Book Reviews

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. wiccaqueen says

    October 24, 2013 at 4:57 am

    I’m very excited to know about Susan. Thanks you so much for this sharing dude

  2. Cari says

    October 24, 2013 at 8:47 pm

    You’re very welcome! Happy Reading! 🙂

Primary Sidebar

Recent posts

  • Changes…
  • I’m alive … I think…
  • Spring Cometh…
  • The First Day of November…
  • Romancing the Stones…

Categories

  • A Companion for Life
  • A Short Story
  • Book Reviews
  • Dancing the Maypole
  • Feeling Creative
  • General
  • Ghost stories
  • Guest Bloggers
  • History Notes
  • I've been taking photographs
  • I've been thinking
  • King John
  • Louis et Francoise
  • Lucky in Love
  • Museums
  • My Regency Romance Novels
  • Once Upon a Wager
  • Redeeming A Rake
  • Regency Notes
  • Sharing
  • Taming the Shrew
  • The Curse of Love
  • The Hired Wife

Archives

  • May 2018
  • July 2017
  • March 2017
  • November 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • June 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • January 2016
  • September 2015
  • May 2015
  • February 2015
  • November 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • June 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • November 2009
  • October 2009
  • September 2009
  • August 2009
  • July 2009
  • June 2009
  • May 2009
  • April 2009
  • March 2009
  • February 2009
  • January 2009
  • December 2008
  • November 2008

Copyright © 2023 Cari Hislop