Anne Elliot Has Some Epiphanies!

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Source: Review Copy from Author

TYPE OF NOVEL: Modern-Day Persuasion

SETTING: Present-day, Berkley and Carmel-By-the-Sea

SYNOPSIS: It will not be an easy summer or year for Anne Elliot. Her father is strapped financially and needs to rent out the family home and property for a year to help recoup his losses. Which means Anne is booted out of the private cottage she has been living in for years and that she will no longer be surrounded by the objects and memories that keep her mother’s presence alive. To make matters worse, the family moving into their home is Derrick Wentworth’s family…and guess who will be living in her cottage – Derrick Wentworth! 😱 Derrick broke her heart fifteen years ago when he she opted not to travel the world with him and instead finish her last year of undergrad. Now encountering each other again fifteen years later awakens a lot of pain, reflection, and emotional turmoil.

WHAT I LOVED:

• Plausible and Clever: I really enjoyed how Claire M. Johnson opted to style her modern-day Persuasion adaptation. Her choices were unique, thoughtful and believable – I could definitely see Walter Elliot being caught in a Ponzi scheme, Liz (Elizabeth) being a serial-bride on her 3^rd divorce, and the Crofts being academics on sabbatical. I appreciated that Ms. Johnson crafted her own tale, one that captures the important themes and characters of Jane Austen’s Persuasion without following all the same events and developments. We don’t see all the characters involved and some relationships and personalities develop a little differently.

• Academics and Investments: How fun to be in the world of Academia – and see these characters discuss the fields they are experts in (Charles is a Jane Austen scholar!). The narcissism and arrogance of some of these characters fit very well within the world of PhDs and scholarly pursuits. In addition, I enjoyed seeing the focus on financial investments and degrees instead of inherited money and class.

• Anne: I liked this modern-day Anne a whole lot! She did not yield to persuasion and pressure from her family – in fact, she chose wisely and bravely! In addition, I loved seeing Anne come to terms with her family’s treatment of her, and I loved seeing her stand up for herself and decide to make some changes! I appreciated Anne’s strength and determination to reclaim her life. In addition, I loved seeing Anne with her nephews (they were really adorable!) and seeing her passion for gardening and designing landscapes.

• Mary and Charles: Ms. Johnson’s puts a more understanding spin on Mary and Charles as a couple. This couple, while dysfunctional in some ways, works and is loving. Mary is extremely supportive and proud if Charles’s academic accomplishments, and Charles knows how to alleviate and tend to Mary during her whining and insecurities without being a complete pushover. It is lovely to see how both were capable of providing just what the other person needed.

• The Setting: I loved that this story took place in the Bay Area (a place I’ve never been!). It felt like a very fitting setting with all the academics working at UC Berkley or Stanford and Carmel being a hybrid of Bath and Lyme Regis. I enjoyed learning about the area and I appreciated all the little details and descriptions Ms. Johnson included about this setting,

WHAT I WASN’T TOO FOND OF:

• One-Sided Romance: As much I as adored Anne, I can’t say I was as enamored with Derrick (but that is typical for me). But it also might be because this story is told from Anne’s POV and we really only hear from Derrick in the ninth inning. The relationship development did feel a little one-sided because of this. However, I will say, Derrick did some fabulous work in his one inning – I loved his letter and his actions.

• I Don’t Buy It: I really enjoyed Ms. Johnson’s take on William Elliot (Bill Elwood) – both the history she created for this character and his present-day machinations. I enjoyed how part of the present-day events developed, but I felt like his end game wasn’t really explained. It felt a little too weak and I wasn’t buying it.

NOTE: Profanity is used in this novel.

CONCLUSION:

Resolution is an inspiring and empowering modern-day Persuasion adaptation. A perfect choice for fans of Anne Elliot! This is my second book by Claire M. Johnson and I continue to enjoy her wit, creativity, and clever updates of Jane Austen’s novels!

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