“Anne, your words… they are so blunt, so unfeeling. It is unlike you. You have changed greatly of late.”
“Yes, Lady Russell, I have changed, and my transformation is ongoing. However, it is not a recent event, but one that has been happening under everyone’s noses for nearly two years and can be dated from my twenty-fifth birthday. And because I have altered, those around me must change as well. The Anne Elliot my family and you knew is no more.”
(from Anne Elliot, A New Beginning, page 9)
Mary Lydon Simonsen’s love of Jane Austen’s Persuasion and her sense of humor are evident in her latest novel, Anne Elliot, A New Beginning. Readers will need a sense of humor as well and not mind some liberties being taken with their beloved Austen characters to enjoy this parody, which had me in stitches throughout.
Anne Elliot’s family declares her a spinster on her 25th birthday, and since she has no plans to marry anyone unless he’s Frederick Wentworth — to whom she was engaged until a family friend, Lady Russell, persuaded her to break off the relationship because he was poor and not likely to make much of himself — she feels a sense of freedom. Possibly inspired by the ending of the 2007 movie version of Persuasion, Simonsen’s Anne Elliot takes a morning walk, decides to chase a rabbit, and ultimately becomes a long-distance runner. Anne also is more outspoken, no longer willing to let people decide for her, and not in need of any one to support her. When Frederick comes back after more than eight years, now a wealthy naval captain, he admires the changes in Anne and is drawn to her once again.
“Henrietta told Mary of a remark you made concerning me, Captain Wentworth, and Mary could hardly wait to repeat it. You said that I had altered so much that you would not have known me. Well, that comment was correct because I have changed. The mouse you left eight years ago is no more. People may have their expectations, but I shall do what I think is best for me. I only have this one life, and as limited as it is by society and my own family, it is mine to live as I see fit,” and she turned and walked into the inn without looking back. (page 51)
Although Anne Elliot, A New Beginning is very much about Anne and Wentworth rekindling their romance, Simonsen’s retelling is so different from Austen’s original work that it takes on a life of its own. I loved how Simonsen deviated from Austen’s tale by making Mr. Elliot more horrid and mixing Anne and Wentworth up with a charming street urchin named Swoosh who gives them hilarious street names when they go undercover to get the scoop on Mr. Elliot. Anne isn’t the only character who undergoes a major transformation, and the changes in her sister, Mary, and a business undertaking by her sister, Elizabeth, and their father, Sir Walter, are hilarious! There’s a little bit of everything in this book, from romance and sexual innuendo to humorous anachronisms and more.
Unlike Persuasion, Anne Elliot, A New Beginning takes the characters of Anne and Frederick well beyond where Austen ends their story. It’s too bad that Pride and Prejudice gets all the attention because I really enjoyed Simonsen’s take on Persuasion — and she seriously could write another novel all about Swoosh. However, Simonsen told me she had to self-publish Anne Elliot, A New Beginning because it isn’t a different take on Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet, which is what sells these days. I hope that changes in the future because the characters in Persuasion are just as captivating…and I’m still not ready to let them go just yet.
Disclosure: I received Anne Elliot, A New Beginning from the author for review.
© 2010 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.
When you start a challenge, you take it seriously! This sounds like another fun Austen retelling.
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With WWII and Jane Austen anyway. 😉
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Ohh, I’m not good with people taking liberties with Austen’s characters. On the other hand, something that leaves you in stitches definitely has me intrigued.
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With all that’s different in this version, it’s almost like you’re not reading a retelling but a completely original book.
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Anna, Thank you so much for your wonderful review. I’m so pleased that you liked my story. I am particularly proud that I kept true to Austen’s love story for Captain Wentworth and Anne Elliot while being able t introduce my street urchin, Swoosh. 🙂 Mary
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You’re very welcome!
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Thank you for a wonderful review.
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My pleasure!
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I don’t see why this book wouldn’t do well from what you’ve told me. I think Austen purists should just stop reading spinoffs because they are not going to like them in the first place.
Besides that, I really like books that can break characters out into new ground and make me laugh and anachronisms are always fun.
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Thank you for your comment. Thus encouraged, I will be e-mailing you to ask you for a review. 🙂 Mary
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I can’t wait for you to read this one, Serena!
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It sounds great, I just got Searching for Pemberley by her, and if I like it, well then I will get this one since I love Persuasion
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Anne Elliot is nothing like Searching for Pemberley which is a fairly serious treatment of P&P and takes place in post WWII England. Anne Elliot is a parody and written for maximum comedic effect. 🙂
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They are completely different, but if you have a sense of humor and are open-minded when it comes to Austen retellings, then I bet you’ll enjoy it.
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I think Anne Elliot sounds wonderful and I’m excited that Mary Simonsen wrote this story with a lot of humor. ( I love Jane Austen’s books but she occasionally takes herself a little too seriously) I am intrigued by an Anne Elliot with an outspoken, more modern side to her and think its great that Wentworth likes her.
Thank you for a great review and a new book for my tbr list. But I’m going to try to pick this one up soon!
~ Amy
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You don’t have to worry about any seriousness in this book! 😉
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Persuasion is my favorite book. I will have to this new take on Anne!
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I do hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
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Thank you. Anna, for reviewing my book and to all your wonderful readers for their comments. 🙂
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My pleasure! 🙂
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Anne Elliot is one of my favorite Austen Characters – I love Persuasion. Thank-you for the great review, I definitely need to look for this book.
I agree, I wish that they would publish more than just Pride and Prejudice spin-offs. I love all of Austen’s novels, and would be more than willing to read continuations and deviations of them as well.
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I hope the publishers realize we love P&P but want more variety!
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