Sanditon: And Other Works

by Jane Austen, Nicholas Seager (introduction)

Genres: Classics, Jane Austen

360 pages, Paperback

Published June 15, 2024

About the author

Jane Austen was an English novelist known primarily for her six novels, which implicitly interpret, critique, and comment upon the English landed gentry at the end of the 18th century. Austen's plots often explore the dependence of women on marriage for the pursuit of favourable social standing and economic security. Her works are an implicit critique of the novels of sensibility of the second half of the 18th century and are part of the transition to 19th-century literary realism. Her deft use of social commentary, realism and biting irony have earned her acclaim among critics and scholars.

The anonymously published Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park (1814), and Emma (1816), were a modest success but brought her little fame in her lifetime. She wrote two other novels—Northanger Abbey and Persuasion, both published posthumously in 1817—and began another, eventually titled Sanditon, but died before its completion. She also left behind three volumes of juvenile writings in manuscript, the short epistolary novel Lady Susan, and the unfinished novel The Watsons.
Since her death Austen's novels have rarely been out of print. A significant transition in her reputation occurred in 1833, when they were republished in Richard Bentley's Standard Novels series (illustrated by Ferdinand Pickering and sold as a set). They gradually gained wide acclaim and popular readership. In 1869, fifty-two years after her death, her nephew's publication of A Memoir of Jane Austen introduced a compelling version of her writing career and supposedly uneventful life to an eager audience. Her work has inspired a large number of critical essays and has been included in many literary anthologies. Her novels have also inspired many films, including 1940's Pride and Prejudice, 1995's Sense and Sensibility and 2016's Love & Friendship.

Reviews

[Chloe Sanders · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would give it 3.75 if I could!
A great collection of Austen’s early and unfinished work, giving a great depth of insight into both the development of her talents and storytelling from absurdist comedies to societal critiques and her character itself.
My personal favourites were Lady Susan, Catharine and The Watsons - the latter of which really gripped me and left me desperately wishing for a time machine so I could get her to finish it! I was less of a fan of some of the shorter comedies, but found myself pleasantly amused by A History of England, Lesley Castle and The Three Sisters. Austen has such an aptitude for rigorous characterisation and it really shines through all of her works.

[Critley King · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a whole, I gave this book three stars. However, I adored Lady Susan and would have given it a solid 4.5 standing alone. The Watsons and Sanditon were both very enjoyable, and I wish I knew how Austen intended for them to wrap up. The other short stories are a fantastic glimpse into the writer we have all come to love as she was honing her talent as a child. A very good ready for anyone that loves Austen.

[Emily B · Rating 4 out of 5]

This contains all of Jane Austen's earlier works, some of which were left incomplete when she died. I confess I didn't read all the juvenilia, but I did read Love & Friendship, Sanditon, Lady Susan and The Watsons. The first 2 I wasn't overly bothered by, but the latter 2 I did enjoy! Lady Susan is a wickedly funny look at the life of a scheming widow but I can see why it was not published in Jane's lifetime. The Watsons felt very much in the style of P&P and Emma, and I'm glad Cassandra put in a note at the end about where the story was going because I so wanted to carry on reading! This is a good collection to dip into after finishing the main 6 novels, to get more of an Austen "fix". Despite her family trying to create a certain public image of her as the sweet and shy spinster-Aunt, I find it so hard to believe anyone could ever read her works and think of her that way. The sharp wit, endless satire and criticisms of human nature in her work run from the very beginning to the very end of her lifetime. Her mind was so brilliant. Imagine if she had lived a longer life and the more books we would have today! But I'm grateful that we have what we have, and I'm already looking forward to going back and reading them all again in the future.

[Beth Donnelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s devastating that both “The Watsons” and “Sanditon” were not completed as I think from reading what exists of them that Sanditon in particular would have been one of her greatest novels if she had been able to complete it. It involves some of the themes that Austen tended towards in her latter years- such as her scathing reports on rich people of a certain class and her clear intolerance of “idiots”.

“Lady Susan” is a fantastic heroine, and is by far one of her best stories.

The other short tales within the collection give an insight into the thoughts and feelings of a young Jane Austen and its fascinating to see how her opinions a style changed over her career.

[lucía · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Jo K Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this having been bitterly disappointed with the TV series and was hoping for clues in the actual writing.